US09414195B2
Systems and methods for observing and recording users of communication devices are disclosed. A first user associated with a first communication device and a second user associated with a second communication device are recognized at a central computer system. Geographic locations of the first communication device and the second communication device are tracked at the central computer system. A communication between the first communication device and the second communication device are tracked and recorded at the central computer system, wherein at least a portion of the communication is an audible communication. Features of the communication are identified at the central computer system and made available.
US09414187B2
It is presented a method for determining a location of a mobile communication terminal. The method is performed in a location determiner and comprises the steps of: obtaining, using a first location source, a first location indicator of the mobile communication terminal; obtaining using a second location source, a second location indicator of the mobile communication terminal; determining an inconsistency condition to be true when one, and only one, of the first and second location indicators indicates the mobile communication terminal to be located within the coverage of its home network; and when the inconsistency condition is true, disregarding the location indicator indicating the mobile communication terminal to be located within the coverage of its home network.
US09414183B2
An approach is provided for providing group context sensing and inference. The group context platform determines at least one group of one or more devices that have one or more group contexts that are at least substantially similar, at least substantially correlated, or a combination thereof. Next, the group context platform causes, at least in part, a distribution of one or more context sensing tasks among the one or more devices of the at least one group. Then, the group context platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of one or more results of the one or more context sensing tasks to (a) modify the one or more group contexts; (b) enhance the one or more group contexts; (c) determine one or more other group contexts; or (d) a combination thereof.
US09414179B2
The present disclosure provides an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing program, and a terminal apparatus for offering information in more quantity and in further detail than before by having a plurality of devices linked with one another. The information processing apparatus includes a first device and a second device interconnected with each other. Application information about an application executing on the first device is acquired through a communication block included in the second device. Display on a display block included in the second device is controlled based on the application information.
US09414178B2
A method and system for allocating services to a first subscriber of a first home service provider when the first subscriber is visiting a network associated with a visited service provider. A node of the visited network receives a request from the visiting first subscriber to receive a first service from the visited network. In response to the request, the visited network determines whether there are sufficient available resources of a first set of resources to provide the requested first service. When the available resources are insufficient to provide the requested service, then at least one pre-existing service supported by the first set of resources is preempted so that sufficient resources from the first set of resources are made available to provide the requested service, and the requested service is provided to the visiting first subscriber.
US09414176B2
The presence and/or state of an accessory having a connector of a first type (e.g. male connector) adapted to be plug into a connector of a second type (e.g. female connector) of an electronic device is detected based on an analysis of an electrical line coupled to the female connector of the device, wherein the electrical line analysis is started only when it is determined that the connector of the accessory is completely inserted into the connector of the device.
US09414171B2
The application relates to a binaural hearing assistance system comprising left and right hearing assistance devices adapted for being located at or in a left and right ear, respectively, of a user, each of the left and right hearing assistance devices comprising a) an input unit for providing one or more electric input signals based on one or more input sounds of a sound field surrounding the binaural hearing assistance system; b) a source separation unit for separating and localizing one or more sound sources Ss in said sound field relative to the input transducer unit based on said one or more electric input signals, and providing respective separated sound source signals Xs, and localization parameters LPs of said one or more sound sources (s=1, 2, . . . , Ns); c) an antenna and transceiver unit adapted for allowing an exchange of said electric input signals, and/or said separated sound source signals Xs and/or said localization parameters LPs of said one or more sound sources between said left and right hearing assistance devices. The application further relates to a method of operating a binaural hearing assistance system. The object of the present application is to provide an improved binaural hearing assistance system. The problem is solved in that the system further comprises d) a comparison and calculation unit for comparing said electric input signals, and/or said separated sound source signals Xsl, Xsr and/or said localization parameters LPsl, LPsr of said left and right hearing assistance devices, respectively, to estimate a head related transfer function HRTF value for one or more of said sound sources S with said localization parameters LPs at a given point in time; and e) a memory unit for storing and updating a database of said HRTF values and optionally said localization parameters LPs over time. This has the advantage of providing a flexible binaural hearing assistance system that is capable of learning the relevant HRTFs of its user, optionally without being initialized. The invention may e.g. be used in hearing aids, headsets, ear phones, active ear protection systems and combinations thereof.
US09414168B2
Described herein are methods and devices that use magnetometer in a hearing aid for measuring a magnetic field. The magnetometer may be a high-sensitivity triaxial magnetometer that detects the magnetic field in three orthogonally oriented directions. Such a magnetometer may be placed in the hearing aid without restriction as to location or orientation. The measured magnetic field may be used for telecoil switching when the presence of a magnetic field produced by a speaker or other source is detected. The measured magnetic field may also be used for magnetic mapping of the environment and motion detection.
US09414161B2
A method, system and apparatus for loudspeaker excursion domain processing and thermal limiting are provided. At a device comprising: a processor; a loudspeaker and voice coil, device(s) for determining loudspeaker voltage and current; a volume device; and a memory storing a Bl product for the loudspeaker, a Fourier space excursion-from-voltage transfer function HXV(ω) is determined. An acoustic response of the loudspeaker below a dovetail frequency, is determined, relative to a respective acoustic response at the dovetail frequency, using at least a second time derivative of the transfer function HXV(ω). An equalization is determined using the acoustic response, comprising gains that, when applied to the acoustic response, will adjust the acoustic response to the respective acoustic response at the respective acoustic response at the dovetail frequency. Filter coefficients are determined corresponding to the equalization, which are used in a filter applied to a loudspeaker input signal.
US09414159B2
Methods and apparatus to beamform a first plurality of microphone signals using at least one beamforming weight to obtain a first beamformed signal, beamform a second plurality of microphone signals using the at least one beamforming weight to obtain a second beamformed signal, and adjust the at least one beamforming weight so that the power density of at least one perturbation component present in the first or the second plurality of microphone signals is reduced.
US09414158B2
A method is presented for estimating and suppressing reverberation from a digital reverberant signal. A method for changing a first reverberation estimation according to another reverberation estimation is further provided. A method for controlling the reverberation suppression rate is also presented.
US09414154B2
A water-repellent earphone is formed of a main body and a water-repellent breathable member. The main body includes a receiving space for accommodating a speaker. The speaker partitions the receiving space to make a rear chamber. The main body includes a drainage tunnel communication with a first opening and a second opening, both of which are located on an external surface of the main body. The main body further includes a venthole communicating with the drainage tunnel and the rear chamber. The water-repellent breathable member is formed and located at the venthole. In light of the structure mentioned above, the drainage tunnel can help the earphone quickly expel the moisture to prevent the moisture from damage to the speaker and to boost the frequency response and acoustic performance within the low-frequency range.
US09414153B2
A directivity control apparatus controls a directivity of a sound collected by a first sound collecting unit including a plurality of microphones. The directivity control apparatus includes a directivity forming unit, configured to form a directivity of the sound in a direction toward a monitoring target corresponding to a first designated position in an image displayed on a display unit, and an information obtaining unit, configured to obtain information on a second designated position in the image displayed on the display unit, designated in accordance with a movement of the monitoring target. The directivity forming unit is configured to change the directivity of the sound toward the monitoring target corresponding to the second designated position by referring to the information on the second designated position obtained by the information obtaining unit.
US09414137B2
A fiber optic network includes a fiber distribution hub including at least one splitter and a termination field; a plurality of drop terminals optically connected to the fiber distribution hub by a plurality of distribution cables; and a distributed antenna system (DAS). The DAS includes a base station and a plurality of antenna nodes. The base station is optically connected to the fiber distribution hub and the antenna nodes are optically connected to the drop terminals. Example splitters include a passive optical power splitter and a passive optical wavelength splitter. Signals from a central office can be routed through the passive optical power splitter before being routed to subscriber locations optically connected to the drop terminals. Signals from the base station can be routed through the wavelength splitter before being routed to the antenna nodes.
US09414130B2
A media device includes a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions corresponding to an overlay application and a media playback application. The instructions are executable by the processor to perform various operations. The operations may include obtaining media content identified in a manifest and using the media playback application to generate a display that includes the media content. Responsive to a trigger in the manifest, the operations also include retrieving the overlay application from the memory and executing the overlay application to allocate a portion of the display to interactive content indicated by the manifest.
US09414129B2
A tuner device, such as a television set, set top box, game console, personal computer with a dongle or device, creates digital fingerprints indicative of information received over a channel. The digital fingerprints are uploaded to a server along with metadata indicative of the specific tuner device that obtain them. The server maintains a tuner database based on that information, and can automatically request new fingerprints.
US09414125B2
An apparatus may include a housing that has a substantially equiaxed shape. The apparatus may include a motion sensor that detects a rotational state of the apparatus and a processor that produces control signals based upon the rotational state. The control signals may control operation of an external device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09414121B1
The present invention provides systems and methods for, in some cases, supplementing a broadcast media service with an on-demand service.
US09414119B2
The present invention is directed to a television schedule system with a user interface which allows a user to control access to television programs by time, rating, content, and/or channel. Furthermore, the user may set a limit on pay-per-view (PPV) spending to limit the purchase of PPV programs.
US09414117B2
An information processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit adapted to acquire preference information representing a user's preference based on an operation given by the user regarding content; a selecting unit adapted to select content and to designate the selected content as an object for copying; and a copying unit adapted to copy the selected content to another information processing apparatus. Further, if the object for copying is copied by the copying unit, the acquiring unit updates the preference information associated with the content of the copied object for copying.
US09414112B2
A time synchronization method is provided. Firstly, an update time of a second playing device is calculated according to a first system time of transmitting a first packet from a first playing device and a second system time of receiving the first packet by the second playing device. Then, a first difference value is calculated according to the first system time of transmitting a second packet from the first playing device and the update time corresponding to the reception of the second packet by the second playing device. If plural first difference values are all smaller than a first predetermined value, a second difference value is calculated. If the second difference value is smaller than a second predetermined value, a synchronization time is obtained according to the second difference value and the update time.
US09414110B2
The present invention concerns a system for transmitting a plurality of modes of digital television signals within the same transmission channel where one transmission mode is more robust than another mode. The present invention also concerns a system for receiving and decoding such signals. More specifically, an aspect of the present invention involves a method and an apparatus for utilizing a proper length of preamble data for the improvement of reception. Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention involves a method and an apparatus for inserting a preamble into a proper place in a transmitted data stream relative to the filed synchronization data. Another aspect of the present invention involves a method and an apparatus for decoding trellis-coded data, using the predetermined preamble data.
US09414101B1
A system for providing multimedia content via a cable television distribution network in response to input received from a personal communication device. The system interacts with personal communication devices configured with downloaded system application computer software to receive and present information associated with multimedia content from the infrastructure via a data communication network. The system also interacts with the personal communication devices to receive data from the personal communication devices via a data communication network where the data comprises, but is not limited to, data representative of selections of multimedia content, data representative of instructions controlling the delivery and/or presentation of the multimedia content, and data identifying end user cable television network interface devices to receive the multimedia content. Additionally, the system delivers data and/or signals corresponding to the selected multimedia content to identified end user cable television network interface devices connected to the cable television distribution network.
US09414099B2
The present invention relates to transmission and reception of digital broadcast in a digital broadcast network supporting a configuration of multiple physical layer pipes (PLPs). In particular, signalling parameters relating to a complete PLP are transmitted within layer 1 signalling related to the PLP. The baseband frames mapped on the pipe are configured according to this layer 1 signalling in the same way at the transmitter as they are demapped on the receiver side. The baseband frames are transmitted and received without including these parameters, in particular, at least one of parameters indicating (i) an input stream format, (ii) a single or a multiple input stream, (iii) constant or adaptive coding and modulation, (iv) presence of input stream synchronization, (v) presence of null packet deletion, or (vi) input stream identifier.
US09414091B2
A video encoder with an integrated temporal filter, which has an output carrying a sequence of encoded frames, includes: an input receiving input frame data; a temporal filter receiving the input frame data from the input and producing filtered frame data; motion processing modules receiving reconstructed frames derived from the sequence of encoded frames and the filtered frame data from the temporal filter and producing a residual error signal output; and a coder module which receives the input frame data and the residual error signal and produces the sequence of encoded frames. A method of encoding video includes: receiving a current frame to be encoded into a motion estimator and a temporal filter substantially at one time; receiving a previously encoded reference frame; generating a reconstructed motion-compensated reference frame from the previously encoded reference frame; and determining from the motion-compensated reference frame and the current frame whether and how much blending to perform between the motion compensated reference frame and the current frame.
US09414083B1
An image encoding device and corresponding decoding device are disclosed for achieving a high rate of compression. The encoding device includes an image conversion module that converts the direction of the images using right-left symmetry mode convention or up-down symmetry mode conversion. Encoding modules are used to encode both the unconverted and converted images. A mode selector module compares the quantity of codes in the encoded unconverted images and the quantity of codes in the encoded converted images, and selects codes that are smaller in the quantity of codes for output.
US09414082B1
An image encoding device and corresponding decoding device are disclosed for achieving a high rate of compression. The encoding device includes an image conversion module that converts the direction of the images using right-left symmetry mode convention or up-down symmetry mode conversion. Encoding modules are used to encode both the unconverted and converted images. A mode selector module compares the quantity of codes in the encoded unconverted images and the quantity of codes in the encoded converted images, and selects codes that are smaller in the quantity of codes for output.
US09414075B2
An image coding method and apparatus considering human visual characteristics are provided. The image coding method comprises (a) modeling image quality distribution of an input image in units of scenes such that the quality of an image input in units of scenes is gradually lowered from a region of interest to a background region, (b) determining a quantization parameter of each region constituting one scene according to the result of modeling of image quality distribution, (c) quantizing image data in accordance with the quantization parameter, and (d) coding entropy of the quantized image data.
US09414073B2
When carrying out an average prediction, an intra predictor carries out a filtering process on target pixels of the intra prediction located at an upper end and a left end of the block, the filtering process using an intermediate prediction value, which is an average value of adjacent pixels of the block, and at least one adjacent pixel of the target pixel. The intra predictor also sets a filter coefficient to ¾, associated with the intermediate prediction value for a target pixel at the left end of the block other than the target pixel at an upper left corner of the block, and sets a filter coefficient to ¼, associated with the adjacent pixel adjacent to the left side of the target pixel at the left end of the block. As a result, prediction errors locally occurring can be reduced, and the image quality can be improved.
US09414072B1
Frequency-based, pixel-adaptive filtering using the JPEG-ESAP algorithm for low bit rate JPEG formatted color images may allow for more compressed images while maintaining equivalent quality at a smaller file size or bitrate. For RGB, an image is decomposed into three color bands—red, green, and blue. The JPEG-ESAP algorithm is then applied to each band (e.g., once for red, once for green, and once for blue) and the output of each application of the algorithm is rebuilt as a single color image. The ESAP algorithm may be repeatedly applied to MPEG-2 video frames to reduce their bit rate by a factor of 2 or 3, while maintaining equivalent video quality, both perceptually, and objectively, as recorded in the computed PSNR values.
US09414071B2
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.
US09414063B2
A method and apparatus for entropy coding and decoding a transformation block are provided. The method of entropy coding a transformation block includes:determining, according to a certain scan order, a location of a last significant transformation coefficient having a non-zero value from among transformation coefficients included in a transformation block having a certain size; and coding information about the determined location of the last significant transformation coefficient by using a horizontal axis direction location of the last significant transformation coefficient and a vertical axis direction location in the transformation block of the last significant transformation coefficient.
US09414062B2
In some embodiments, a motion estimation search window cache is adaptively re-organized according to frame properties including a frame width and a number of reference frames corresponding to the current frame to be encoded/decoded. The cache reorganization may include an adaptive mapping of reference frame locations to search window cache allocation units (addresses). In some embodiments, a search window is shaped as a quasi-rectangle with truncated upper left and lower right corners, having a full-frame horizontal extent. A search range is defined in a central region of the search window, and is laterally bounded by the truncated corners.
US09414060B2
Aspects of a method and system for hierarchical motion estimation with multi-layer sub-pixel accuracy and motion vector smoothing are presented. Aspects of the system may include hierarchical motion vector computation that enables motion vectors to be computed at each level in the hierarchy based on a distinct pixel resolution level. A smoothing algorithm may be utilized to suppress spurious motion vector generation. The motion vectors computed at one level in the hierarchy may be utilized when computing motion vectors in a subsequent level. A bias value may be computed for each motion vector that provides an evaluation metric that may enable determination of whether the computed motion vector is to be utilized to enable generation of the interpolated image frame.
US09414050B2
A method for displaying three-dimensional integral images using a mask and a time division multiplexing which is configured in such a way that a three-dimensional image is displaced in a space as an element image obtained from a three-dimensional object is passed through a lenslet and a mask, the mask consisting of a blocking region through which an element image does not pass and a transmission region through which an element image passes, for thereby displaying three-dimensional images. The present invention is advantageous to play back a three-dimensional image the resolutions of which are enhanced in a depth-based integral imaging method using a time division display of an element image and a masked image.
US09414048B2
In general, a “Stereoscopic Video Converter” (SVC) provides various techniques for automatically converting arbitrary 2D video sequences into perceptually plausible stereoscopic or “3D” versions while optionally generating dense depth maps for every frame of the video sequence. In particular, the automated 2D-to-3D conversion process first automatically estimates scene depth for each frame of an input video sequence via a label transfer process that matches features extracted from those frames with features from a database of images and videos having known ground truth depths. The estimated depth distributions for all image frames of the input video sequence are then used by the SVC for automatically generating a “right view” of a corresponding stereoscopic image for each frame (assuming that each original input frame represents the “left view” of the stereoscopic image).
US09414047B2
An encoder and a method therein for providing an update message relating to at least one of camera parameters and depth parameters “the parameters”, a decoder and a method therein for decoding the update message, a first device including the encoder and a second device including the decoder are provided. The parameters enable the decoder to synthesize a first view for a first camera position based on a second view for a second camera position and the parameters of the second view. The encoder detects which of the parameters are changing over time. Next, the encoder modularizes the parameters into a respective module. Furthermore, the encoder encodes each respective module into the update message and sends the update message to the decoder. Next, the decoder decodes each respective module of the update message to obtain the parameters which are to be updated.
US09414043B2
An image adjusting method for extending vertical blanking intervals of an image signal is provided. Using the image adjusting method, an adjusted image signal is synchronized with an image signal before the adjustment to prevent image delay. The image adjusting method comprises providing a first image signal having a first data enable signal, wherein the first data enable signal has a first data enable duration; and generating a second data enable signal having a second data enable duration. The first and second data enable durations correspond to a same image frame of an image signal, and the second data enable duration substantially overlaps the first data enable duration.
US09414041B2
A play mode changing method, a display mode changing method, and a display apparatus and a three-dimensional (3D) image providing system using the same are provided. The method for changing a play mode includes: receiving state information regarding shutter glasses from the shutter glasses; and based on the received state information, performing one of changing the play mode and displaying a message for changing the play mode.
US09414038B2
A time lapse video is created in real-time, without post-production. User configurations are set for a time lapse video recording. A real-time video feed is received into a buffer. Based on a user configuration for frequency, certain frames in the buffer can be discarded prior to generating the video file. The time lapse video is output as a video file according to user configurations.
US09414031B2
One embodiment takes the form of a method and apparatus for creating a customer-specific encryption key for encrypting digital information. The encryption key may be based on a customer number and may be associated with several devices such that the devices may encrypt and decrypt the digital information. Because each device may have the same encryption key, the encrypted data may be encrypted by a first device, transferred from the first device to a second device and decrypted and read by the second device. Thus, encrypted digital information may be shared between devices that generate a customer-specific encryption key from a common customer number. In one embodiment, the customer-specific encryption key may be utilized by a set-top box of a television system to encrypt and decrypt a digitally recorded television program.
US09414029B2
A video control apparatus includes a video presenting unit configured to present a video to a viewer, a brain activity measuring unit configured to measure a brain activity of the viewer, a feature amount estimating unit configured to estimate a feature amount related to a direction and an amount of motion of a video perceived by the viewer based on data acquired by the brain activity measuring unit, and a video control unit configured to control a video to be displayed by the video presenting unit based on the feature amount.
US09414019B2
An Internet Protocol television system includes a set-top box that receives requests to display video streams being transmitted to a household. In response to the request, the set-top box provides a list of the video streams to a display device. The list includes options to terminate transmission of one or more of the streams. This allows a user to determine which video streams should be transmitted when bandwidth limitations are reached.
US09414012B2
A device for projecting an image includes: a video signal device designed to provide a video signal that has a first image refresh rate; a mirror control device designed to control a micro-mirror device with a second image refresh rate adapted to at least one characteristic of the micro-mirror device and to the first image refresh rate; and a projection device designed to project the video signal provided by the video signal device with the first image refresh rate, using the micro-mirror device moved by the second image refresh rate.
US09414007B2
A display apparatus includes a communicator which is configured to transmit and receive signals to and from a signal receiver; an image processor which is configured to process an image; a display unit which configured to display the processed image; a storage which is configured to store characteristic information of a channel corresponding to the image; and a controller which is configured to transmit a control signal for changing the channel to the signal receiver, extract channel information contained in a signal received from the signal receiver after transmitting the control signal, compare the extracted channel information and the characteristic information of the channel, and control the channel to be changed based on comparison results.
US09414006B2
There is provided a system and method for providing a recommendation keyword having a high correlation with the content and reflecting the viewers' interests. A prospective viewer group of the content is generated by a broadcast time and a keyword of a specific broadcast content and a keyword set is generated by selecting keywords having a higher correlation with the content than a threshold value from among search words transmitted by the prospective viewer for a predetermined time period including a time before/after the broadcast time of the content. A keyword for each play time period is extracted from the keyword set by using the number of searches for each keyword therein for each play time period and the recommendation keyword for each play time period is stored, which is synchronized with play time of the content.
US09414003B2
A method for transmitting an image and an electronic device thereof are provided. An image transmission method of an electronic device includes displaying a message transmission/reception history with at least one other electronic device, sensing a selection of a camera execution menu, displaying a preview screen of a camera within a screen in which the message transmission/reception history is displayed, detecting a touch on the displayed preview screen, if the displayed preview screen is touched, capturing an image of a subject, detecting a gesture for the captured image, and, if the gesture for the captured image is detected, transmitting the captured image to the at least one other electronic device according to the detected gesture.
US09414002B2
Disclosed herein is a receiving apparatus, a receiving method, and a program which are configured to provide application programs to be executed in response to AV content. The receiving apparatus includes: a receiving block; a trigger acquisition block; an application acquisition block; and a control block. The control block acquires trigger information and, on the basis of a command obtained from the acquired trigger information, acquires a data broadcast application from an application server on the Internet or a data broadcast application transmitted as NRT content of an NRT service using a FLUTE session by referencing an FDT identified by an SMT and an NRT-IT. In accordance with a command obtained from the acquired trigger information, the control block controls an operation of the acquired application program. The present technology is applicable to television receivers configured to receive digital television broadcast signals.
US09413997B2
A device for processing captured-image signals, the device includes a pixel array having a plurality of lines, each having first pixels and second pixels including pixels interposed between the first pixels, a scanner configured to alternately perform, in one frame, first scanning for reading, from the pixel array, captured-image signals of the first pixels along each line in one of a direction from a first one of the lines to a last one thereof and a direction from the last line to the first line and second scanning for reading, from the pixel array, captured-image signals of the second pixels along each line in the other direction, and a processor coupled to a memory and configured to combine the read captured-image signals of the first pixels and the read captured-image signals of the second pixels.
US09413994B2
A solid-state imaging device according to the present disclosure includes: a pixel unit in which unit pixels are arranged two-dimensionally, each of the unit pixels including: a photodiode which stores signal charges; a transfer transistor for transferring the signal charges stored in the photodiode; a charge detection unit which temporarily stores the transferred signal charges; and a reset transistor for resetting the signal charges stored in the charge detection unit; and a vertical scanning unit which drives the pixel unit, the vertical scanning unit including: a row selection unit; a level shift circuit for converting a level of an externally inputted power supply voltage; and a buffer circuit for buffering a voltage whose level has been converted by the level shift circuit, the level shift circuit including: a step-down level shift circuit; and a step-up level shift circuit isolated from the step-down level shift circuit by a well.
US09413992B2
A method of reading pixel data from a pixel array includes exposing each one of a plurality of regions of pixels a respective exposure time. Pixel data is read from the plurality of regions of pixels. The pixel data is interpolated from a first one of the plurality of regions of pixels to determine the pixel data of the regions of pixels other than the first one of the plurality of regions of pixels to generate a first image having the first exposure time. The pixel data is interpolated from the second one of the plurality of regions of pixels to determine the pixel data of the regions of pixels other than the second one of the plurality of regions to generate a second image having the second exposure time. The images are combined to produce a high dynamic range image.
US09413985B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to combining multiple video and audio streams utilizing pixel repetition bandwidth. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a buffer to receive pixel data and a clock of a first video data stream; and a multiplexer to remove pixel repetition of a second video data stream and combine the pixel data of the first and second video data streams to generate a merged data stream, the multiplexer to alternate between the pixel data of the first and second video data streams in the merged data stream. The merged data stream includes pixel data of the first and second video data streams in a line of data, the line of data including control information identifying the pixel data of the first and second video data streams.
US09413984B2
The luminance information of an image captured by a multi-lens camera system can be improved by selecting a luminance information source for each portion of the captured image. Each lens of the camera system can capture an initial image. For each portion of a final image, a corresponding initial image portion can be selected as the luminance information source. The portions of the final image and initial images can be pixels, groups of pixels, or other image portions. The luminance information from the selected initial image portions is combined to form final image luminance information. Chrominance information can also be selected from the initial images to form final image chrominance information, and the final image chrominance information and the final image luminance information can be combined to form a final image.
US09413979B2
An imaging apparatus receives an instruction to recapture an image last captured in a multiple exposure shooting mode after a first number of images in the multiple exposure shooting mode are acquired. The imaging apparatus generates an image into which an image captured in the multiple exposure shooting mode and a second number of images are multiple combined, the second number of images being the first number of images excluding the image last captured. The imaging apparatus displays, on a display unit, a first image obtained by multiple combining the first number of images and a second image obtained by multiple combining the second number of images after the first number of images are acquired in the multiple exposure shooting mode and before the instruction to recapture the image is received.
US09413978B2
A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).
US09413967B2
A method for photographing an image in a device having a camera according to the present invention includes displaying a preview image, identifying a face size of a person included in the preview image, displaying a guide in the preview image, according to a photographing type determined by the identified face size, and photographing and storing an image by capturing the image output by the camera when photographing is requested.
US09413964B2
An imaging apparatus includes: pixels (1); signal lines each arranged correspondingly to each of columns of the plurality of pixels; a row scanning circuit (2) selecting the plurality of pixels row by row for outputting signals to the plurality of signal lines; and a first gain correcting circuit (6) correcting the signals in the plurality of signal lines by applying a gain to the signals so as to reduce a difference of a signal value due to the difference of the charge accumulation period between a first row and a second row, when a pixel region selected for reading out in a present frame is different from a pixel region selected for reading out in a previous frame so that a charge accumulation period of the first row of the plurality of pixels is different from a charge accumulation period of the second row of the plurality of pixels.
US09413958B2
A method and an apparatus are provided in which an image sensor, operatively coupled with an electronic device, is operated in a first state based on a determination that the image sensor is to be operated in a low power mode. When the image sensor is operating in the first state, a setup value corresponding to a photographing mode is preserved, and the image sensor is refrained from outputting a stream of data.
US09413955B2
An image capture system including two imaging systems of the same structure each having a wide-angle lens, which includes a front group, a reflection surface, and a rear group arranged in order from an object side, has a field angle larger than 180 degrees, and bends an optical axis of the front group toward the rear group by the reflection surface, and an imaging sensor, obtains an image in a solid angle of 4π radian by combining images imaged by the imaging systems. Each of the two wide-angle lenses includes the reflection surface between the front group and the rear group, the reflection surfaces are made to be common to the two imaging systems. This reduces an interval between lenses nearest to the object side in the front groups of the two wide-angle lenses, thereby reducing a distance between maximum field angles of the two wide-angle lenses.
US09413953B2
An image capturing apparatus that couples a plurality of images so as to generate a composite image, comprises an image capturing unit which captures images of an object; a determination unit which determines, for each of a plurality of areas into which light receiving portions of the image capturing unit are separated, an exposure condition under which the image capturing unit is exposed; a first composition unit which couples to one another, area by area, the plurality of images that were shot under the exposure condition determined for each area by the determination unit, so as to generate a first plurality of composite images; and a second composition unit which composes the first plurality of composite images generated by the first composition unit so as to generate a single second composite image that has an extended dynamic range.
US09413950B2
A method performed by a processing system includes determining a device identifier corresponding to a device from a series of captured images that include a light signal emitted by the device.
US09413945B2
A focus correction setting application is connected to an imaging apparatus such that the focus correction setting application can communicate with the imaging apparatus. The focus correction setting application holds, in a focus position correction amount table with respect to various light sources, focus position correction amounts for correcting a shift in a focus position caused by inserting or removing an optical filter into or from an optical path of a lens group of the imaging apparatus, selects a light source in a window, acquires a focus position correction amount corresponding to the selected light source among the held focus position correction amounts, and controls the imaging apparatus to correct the focus position by the acquired focus position correction amount when inserting or removing the optical filter.
US09413943B2
A registration apparatus obtains, from an image pickup apparatus, identification information set in a lens apparatus that is attached to the image pickup apparatus. The registration apparatus pre-stores lens information including information that identifies the models of lens apparatuses and corresponding correction information, such that the lens information can be referenced by identification information. The registration apparatus displays a list of the stored lens apparatus models in a confirmation window such that the models of lens apparatuses corresponding to obtained identification information can be distinguished from the models of other lens apparatuses.
US09413940B2
A digital electronic apparatus and a method of controlling continuous photographing performed by the digital photographing apparatus are provided. According to the method of controlling continuous photographing performed by the digital photographing apparatus of the invention, continuous photographing can be achieved according to a user's intention without causing inconvenience for a user during continuous photographing, and a desired event can be photographed from its start to end rather than during a precisely given interval.
US09413935B2
A camera module has a lens module mounted on a substrate. The image sensor is located in a cavity in the substrate and is connected to the substrate by a bridge member, the infra-red filter. The image sensor is attached to the infra-red filter by a ring of adhesive surrounding the imaging area of the image sensor. The adhesive attaching the image sensor to the infra-red filter comprises spacers. The infra-red filter is attached to the substrate by adhesive. The cavity may extend through the substrate. The image sensor is further connected to the substrate by a sheet member, which may be made of metal. The sheet member is affixed to the bottom of the substrate and covers the hole in the substrate formed by the extension of the cavity through the substrate. A method of assembly of the camera module includes: providing a substrate with a cavity; locating the image sensor in the cavity; connecting the infra-red filter to the image sensor and the substrate; and mounting the lens module on the substrate.
US09413927B2
A computer-implemented method for processing a distorted wide angle image with barrel distortion to obtain a plurality of reconstructed images, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: determining, on the basis of a mapping function representing the distortion of the distorted image, a reconstruction function representing the position of points (r0) of reconstructed image as a function of position of points (r1) on the distorted image, determining a plurality of viewing angles (α1, α2, α3), for each viewing angle (α1, α2, α3), generating a reconstructed image comprising points of the distorted image comprised within the particular viewing angle (α1, α2, α3) and reconstructed using the reconstruction function, such that each reconstructed image has its central point corresponding to the same point of the distorted image.
US09413926B2
A system for processing event timing images includes: area scan image sensor for generating sequential digital two-dimensional images of a scene; and time delay integration module for processing the sequential digital two-dimensional images to generate a time delay integration image of a moving object in the scene.
US09413920B2
A scanner is disclosed. The scanner captures three exposures for each color scan line. The scanner has a first, second and third light source that each produces a different color of light. The scanner uses the first and second light source for the first exposure. The scanner uses the first and third source for the second exposure. The scanner uses the second and third light source for the third exposure.
US09413916B2
The image forming apparatus includes a fan motor that cools an FET, and a CPU that predicts temperature of the FET, and controls the rotation speed of the fan motor based on the predicted temperature of the FET. The CPU determines the rotation speed of the fan motor at the start of image forming operation based on predicated temperature of the FET at the time when the image forming operation starts.
US09413892B2
An agent presence application for monitoring target agent resources and rendering agent states to subscribing applications is provided. The presence application has at least one first portion for collecting data regarding states of activity of the target agent resources, and at least one second portion for integrating the data and rendering the agent states to the subscribing applications.
US09413890B2
A metrics optimization system for managing key performance indicators (KPIs) of a contact center is disclosed. The metrics optimization system includes a monitoring module configured to monitor the KPIs of agents and work items. The metrics optimization system further includes a ranking module configured to rank the monitored KPIs based on predefined rules. The metrics optimization system further includes a display module configured to display the KPIs to a first supervisor from a plurality of supervisors based on the ranks of the monitored KPIs. The metrics optimization system further includes an analysis module configured to analyze performance of the first supervisor to improve the displayed KPIs. The metrics optimization system further includes an assign module configured to assign the displayed KPIs to a second supervisor based on the performance of the first supervisor.
US09413888B2
A terminal based interactive IVR system with information prioritization is disclosed. The IVR functionality is served by the main user's terminal device, which allows a user of the IVR system to create personal action tree for each individual caller or also caller group, where the action tree can be created and maintained via the main user's terminal device itself and also via a remote configuration, storage and synchronization facility in the data communication network. Also a caller is allowed to enter the priority information to the transferable message (for example a voice or text message).
US09413886B2
The present invention provides a method for implementation in a first mobile unit that supports an air interface with a network element. The method includes determining, while the first mobile unit is participating in a call, that at least one channel associated with the air interface is unable to support voice transmission. The method also includes rendering a first user-detectable signal in response to determining that said at least one channel is unable to support voice transmission.
US09413875B2
The present disclosure relates to a mobile terminal and control methods thereof. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a mobile terminal may include a wireless communication unit provided in a main body of the mobile terminal to communicate with at least one external device to perform a call function; a sensing unit configured to sense a movement of the main body while performing the call function; and a controller configured to process at least one function associated with the call function currently being performed in response to the movement of the main body.
US09413862B2
An apparatus for automatic switching functions of components thereof, includes a housing having an upper end and a lower end, a first microphone fixed on the upper end of the housing, a second microphone fixed on the lower end of the housing, an orientation detecting unit having an acceleration sensor for detecting the current orientation of the apparatus for generating an orientation signal, a switching control unit for switching the functions of the microphones when the orientation signal indicates the apparatus is reversed.
US09413856B2
Detecting time zones using historical date sampling is disclosed. In various embodiments, an offset between a system time and a reference time is determined for each of a plurality of sample points, to produce a resulting set of offsets. A representation of the set of offsets is computed. The representation of the set of offsets is used as a key to look up a time zone associated with the system.
US09413854B1
Methods and apparatus for a network-accessible signal-processing service are disclosed. A programmatic interface may be established to enable clients to specify a signal processing workflow comprising one or more elements with respective data sources, data destinations, and processing techniques to be applied to the data obtained from the data sources. An indication of a particular workflow may be received via the interface. A processing technique indicated for an element of the workflow may be initiated at a resource of a provider network, on a data set obtained from a data source of the element. A result of the analysis may be transmitted to a data destination of the element.
US09413851B2
There is provided an information processing system including: a client terminal; and a management server that manages the client terminal, wherein: the client terminal includes a transmission section that transmits notification data containing information denoting an operation state of at least an own machine; and the management server includes: a reply section that sends back reply information in return for notification data from the client terminal; and an information insertion section that inserts task information about a task of the client terminal into the reply information.
US09413850B2
Exemplary embodiments allow a user to create configurations for use in distributed computing environments. Configurations can be arranged in hierarchies in which elements of the hierarchy can inherit characteristics from elements in other layers of the hierarchy. Embodiments also allow a user to flatten a hierarchical configuration to remove hierarchical dependencies and/or inheriting capabilities of elements in the hierarchy. Exemplary embodiments further allow users to deploy a distributed computing configuration on their desktop to evaluate performance of the configuration and then deploy the configuration in a distributed computing environment without having to change programming code run on the desktop/distributed computing environment.
US09413848B2
Implementations and techniques for outputting information about estimated QoEs on a terminal on which plural applications can be executed are generally disclosed. The estimated QoEs may be obtained by performing QoE estimation on an application basis.
US09413844B2
The present invention relates to a system for providing information to one or more users sharing a nomadic experience. The system comprises client terminals (1071-1075) and a server platform (101). The server platform (101) consists of one or more first servers (103) for maintaining groups of users and one or more second servers (102) for interactively sharing information within a group of users. The system further comprises communication channels providing connectivity between client terminals (1071-1075) and the server platform (101).
US09413841B2
There is provided an image processing system for performing image processing on input image. The image processing system includes an input data determination unit configured to determine a device that has input image data that is input, an image processing unit configured to selectively perform image processing on the input image data based on the determination result by the input data determination unit, an image classification unit configured to classify input image data, and a redirect URL determination unit configured to determine a URL at the time of the next access by a user in accordance with the result of classification by the image classification unit. The image data on which the selective image processing is performed is subjected to processing in accordance with instructions from a display screen of the URL destination and the result of the processing is saved.
US09413834B2
A system may measure the virality of content items on a network. The virality may be measured for Internet content using indices. Indices may be generated that represent the share or news worthiness of content. An indexer may monitor the content items and generate a score which may be used to identify which content items are most likely to receive a user access request or referral from the remote server. A logic generator may display visual elements as graphical representations of the index score.
US09413833B2
An approach for user identity management in a virtualized/networked (e.g., cloud) computing environment is provided. In a typical embodiment, historical command usage within a server environment is analyzed to determine the characteristics of the commands being run against a cloud resource to determine with a confidence rating the likelihood the commands are being executed by a certain user. Such an approach allows for more efficient user identity management in order to optimize cloud security and system administration.
US09413832B2
In one embodiment, the present disclosure is a method and apparatus for location-based, just in time social networking. In one embodiment, a method for providing a social network includes receiving a request from a first user of the social network to provide information from a location of interest specified by the first user, and locating a group comprising at least one other user of the social network, where each of the at least one other user is currently at the location of interest and has volunteered to provide information from the location of interest, wherein the group is selected from a larger group of other users who are at a plurality of locations of interest.
US09413830B2
A method can include a node receiving a token redemption request from a client computing device. The node can determine a destination host management service based at least in part on a geographic proximity of the destination host management service to the client computing device. The destination host management service can be one of a plurality of host management systems distributed across a plurality of data centers. The node can route the token redemption request to the destination host management service. The destination host management service can determine a destination host running an application in one of the plurality of data centers and provision a session between the client computing device and the application running in the destination host.
US09413824B1
A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. Each client device has a storage allocation for synchronized shared content items. If the storage allocation for shared content items on a client device is exceeded by the request to add or edit a content item such that it is enlarged, or open a large content item remote to the client device, a client application or the host of content management system selects content items to remove from residence on the client device but keep remotely on content management system. Upon removal of the selected content items, the client application creates shadow items, representing the content item but only containing the metadata of the content item. This creates sufficient space for the initial request to be completed while maintaining user access to all synchronized shared content items. Remote content items may also be downloaded to client devices in advance of a user access by predicting user accesses using retention scoring.
US09413817B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for applying actions during server system processing. Functional processing blocks where actions may be applied to a service request are identified. actions are dynamically associated with functional processing blocks. During execution of a functional processing block, a check is performed to determine whether an action is associated with the functional processing block. If an action is associated with a functional processing block, the action is applied during the functional processing block's execution. An evaluation may be performed to determine if an action should be applied before or after the functional processing block. The server system may comprise an XML data repository, providing access to XML data, based on identity information which is received with a client system request. A portion of the server system may be described in accordance with an XML schema.
US09413809B1
Systems and methods are provided for delaying publicizing, at a second source, upload of a content item to a first source, until confirmation of availability of the content item at the first source. In one or more aspects, a system includes an upload component configured to upload content to a content server, a share component configured to receive selection of a sharing source to post a notification that informs users regarding availability of the content at the content server, a confirmation component configured to receive confirmation from the content server in response to the content becoming available at the content server following the upload of the content, and a notification component configured to post the notification at the sharing source in response to receipt of the confirmation.
US09413807B1
A method dynamically assigns tasks for visually presenting data. A server receives a request, from a client device, to display a visual representation of data in a designated format. The request specifies one or more client device characteristics, including: client memory capacity; current client memory utilization; client processor capability; current client processor utilization; and the client's web browser. The server determines whether to render the requested visual representation at the server or at the client device based on several factors, including the client device characteristics and the size of the data set. When rendering at the client, the server sends the requested data to the client, including data necessary to render the visual representation in the designated format. Otherwise, the server renders the requested visual representation according to the designated format using the data, and sends the rendered image to the client.
US09413800B2
A method for changing a communication network for video communication is provided. The method includes performing, by a User Equipment (UE), video communication through a mobile communication network; searching for whether there is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) accessible by the UE; displaying, if a WLAN accessible by the UE is found, the accessible WLAN; and when the displayed WLAN is selected by a user, changing a communication network for the video communication to perform the video communication through the selected WLAN.
US09413797B2
A data communication system includes a centralized server arrangement coupled via a communication network arrangement to a plurality of client devices. The centralized server arrangement and the plurality of client devices exchange data. The system allocates the data into a primary type of data and at least a secondary type of data. The primary data is communicated substantially immediately within the system, and the at least secondary data is communicated in the system in association with corresponding acknowledgements (ACK) in response to receipt and processing of the at least secondary type of data at one or more of the client devices. At least one of the one or more client devices is optionally a wireless-enabled mobile communication device or a wirelessly-connected personal computer (PC).
US09413794B1
Data associated with user identities within an electronic social networking platform is extracted from the electronic social networking platform. A request is received to filter the user identities based on a specified value for a characteristic. Based on data associated with the user identities that was extracted from the electronic social networking platform, a subset of the user identities is identified who have the specified value for the characteristic. An indication of content to be delivered to the identified subset of user identities is received. As a consequence, the content is delivered to at least some of the user identities within the identified subset of user identities.
US09413793B2
A rich communication profile system with notifications. The system is a feedback mechanism that utilizes rich content, e.g., multimedia content, as one or more indicators that represent the status of a remote user. The system includes a state component that receives information relating to state of at least one entity. A notifications component dynamically renders at least one personalized graphical indicia representative of the entity's state. The entity can be a person, group of people, component, place, and object.
US09413792B2
Detecting quality of service for unified communication and collaboration (UC and C) on internetworks
QoS support is detected during discovery of potential media paths between a source and a destination by examining the markings of each available media path and selecting a more suitable media candidate based on a set of QoS prioritization rules. Optionally, each endpoint may update a UC&C monitoring service with the QoS results of the candidate list discovery process so that any automated diagnostic and auditing systems can be alerted to any misconfigured Network Elements.
US09413783B1
A system and method comprising a network interface controller having a processor configured to receive data packets, determine whether field values extracted from the packet satisfy legitimacy criteria, and based on the determination, either provide the packet to a computing device if a set of one or more legitimacy criteria is satisfied or perform a mitigation action if the set of one or more legitimacy criteria is not satisfied.
US09413775B2
A governance apparatus and a communication method for communicating within the governance apparatus. The governance apparatus includes a Government. The Government includes Councils such that a macro grid including an artificial intelligence and the Government is configured to respond to an alert pertaining to an event through use of the artificial intelligence and the Government. The governance apparatus also includes an enhanced Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) communication stack of layers including a Governance Layer and an Intelligence Layer. The Intelligence Layer includes intelligence software configured to process data pertaining to the event, data pertaining to the alert, and data pertaining to the Government. The Governance Layer includes governance software configured to filter data in a TCP/IP packet header structure through data security and data integrity algorithms, both to and from the intelligence software in the Intelligence Layer, to protect the artificial intelligence from attack.
US09413771B2
A system protects documents at rest and in motion using declarative policies and encryption. A document at rest includes documents on a device such as the hard drive of a computer. A document in motion is a document that is passing through a policy enforcement point. The policy enforcement point can be a server (e.g., mail server, instant messenger server, file server, or network connection server).
US09413770B2
An aspect provides a method, including: receiving at a remote device a client log in to a cloud based account issued from a client device; determining the client device is not associated with the client log in; issuing an instruction to unbind at least one client device application log in credential and bind a cloud client log in credential to the at least one client device application; and providing an instruction to unbind the cloud client log in credential from the at least one client device application in response to at least one predetermined criteria being satisfied. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09413769B2
A system may receive a network address to be validated to determine whether the network address is associated with a toll-free data service. The system may perform a validation operation to validate that the network address is associated with the toll-free data service. The validation operation may be based on a key identifier associated with the network address or a network address signature associated with the network address. The key identifier may correspond to a security key used to create the network address signature. The network address signature may be created using the security key. The system may determine whether to bill a first party or a second party for data usage associated with the toll-free data service based on the validation operation. The system may provide information that identifies whether to bill the first party or the second party for the data usage associated with the toll-free data service.
US09413768B1
A system for securing and tracking usage of transaction services or computer resources by a client computer from a first server computer, which includes clearinghouse means for storing identity data of the first server computer and the client computer(s); server software means and client software means adapted to forward its identity data and identity data of the client computer(s) to the clearinghouse means at the beginning of an operating session; and a hardware key connected to the client computer, the key being adapted to generate a digital identification as part of the identity data; wherein the hardware key is implemented using a hardware token access system, a magnetic card access system, a smart card access system, a biometric identification access system or a central processing unit with a unique embedded digital identification.
US09413760B2
A system and method for data quality analysis between untrusted parties is provided. A dataset having attributes each associated with one or more elements is maintained. An encrypted request is received from a client regarding data quality for one of the attributes. The encrypted request includes an interest vector of separately encrypted values identifying those elements of interest for the attribute. A condensed data vector representing the elements is generated for the attribute and is the same length as the interest vector. An aggregate of the elements of interest is determined by calculating for each element in the condensed data vector, an encrypted product of that element and a corresponding element of the interest vector and by determining a total product of all the encrypted products. A data quality value is assigned to the elements of the attribute in the dataset based on the aggregate.
US09413758B2
Methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, are described for communication session transfer between a plurality of computing devices. A first computing device detects a presence of a second computing device in proximity to the first device, where the first device has established a first session with a remote computing device, and obtains first user authentication data. The first device establishes a wireless connection to the second device. A first token is transmitted to the second device. A second token and second user authentication data are received from the second device. The tokens and the user authentication data is authenticated. The first device transmits, to the second device, information indicating a state of the first communication session to enable the second device to establish a second communication session with the remote device, where the second communication session is established using the state of the first communication session.
US09413748B2
A method is provided and may include receiving a request for a network content delivery service from an access device; directing the access device to a network service provider for authentication for the network content delivery service; receiving a network authorization token from the access device, where the network authorization token is associated with the access device; obtaining a network access token from the network service provider; and binding the network access token to a content access token.
US09413744B2
Embodiments of the present application relate to a method, a system, and a computer program product for authenticating a service. A method for authenticating a service is provided. The method includes receiving a first service request from a first terminal, generating a first link address that is used to link to an access location based on the received first service request, determining a preset terminal identifier corresponding to a second terminal, the preset terminal identifier being a terminal identifier preset by the user, sending the first link address to the second terminal, receiving a first link request, determining an issued terminal identifier based on the first link request, comparing the determined issued terminal identifier with the preset terminal identifier of the second terminal, and performing a next processing operation on the first service request based on the comparison result.
US09413740B2
Embodiments are directed to establishing a secure connection between computing systems and to providing computer system virtualization on a secure computing device. In one scenario, a computer system receives a request that at least one specified function be initiated. The request includes user credentials and a device claim that identifies the computing device. The computer system authenticates the user using the received user credentials and determines, based on the device claim, that the computing device is an approved computing device that has been approved to initiate performance of the specified function. Then, upon determining that the user has been authenticated and that the computing device is approved to initiate performance the specified function, the computer system initiates performance of the specified function.
US09413733B2
Methods, systems, and devices for controlling a plurality of electronic devices are disclosed. An accessory device may monitor one or more frequency bands to capture data transmitted between two devices during a pairing process. The accessory device may utilize data to capture subsequent RF signals transmitted from one of the devices. The accessory device may then intercept commands and data from multiple devices, establish pairing relationships with computing devices, and operatively control computing devices in accordance with the intercepted commands.
US09413732B2
In a vehicle network system, a plurality of ECUs are network-connected. The plurality of ECUs include a first ECU that has set therein a secret key from among the secret key and a public key that form a pair and are set on the basis of initialization processing performed when the vehicle network system is created, and a second ECU that has set therein the public key. The second ECU adds, to a transmission signal, an authentication keyword created from the public key and information capable of specifying the second ECU and transmits the transmission signal with the authentication keyword added thereto to the network. The first ECU acquires the authentication keyword and estimates the reliability of the communication signal on the basis of the acquired authentication keyword and the secret key.
US09413728B2
Provided is an identifying device for identifying request content from an encrypted request to a server, the identifying device including: a target acquiring unit for acquiring the data size of an encrypted response returned from the server for the encrypted request to the server to be identified; a candidate acquiring unit for acquiring the data size of each of a plurality of encrypted response candidates returned by the server in response to a plurality of encrypted request candidates to be identified sent to the server corresponding to a plurality of known request content candidates; and an identifying unit for identifying the request content to be identified from the plurality of request candidates on the basis of results obtained by comparing the data size of an encrypted response for an encrypted request to be identified to the data sizes of a plurality of encrypted response candidates.
US09413722B1
A packet-filtering device may receive packet-filtering rules configured to cause the packet-filtering device to identify packets corresponding to network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may receive packets and, for each packet, may determine that the packet corresponds to criteria specified by a packet-filtering rule. The criteria may correspond to one or more of the network-threat indicators. The packet-filtering device may apply an operator specified by the packet-filtering rule. The operator may be configured to cause the packet-filtering device to either prevent the packet from continuing toward its destination or allow the packet to continue toward its destination. The packet-filtering device may generate a log entry comprising information from the packet-filtering rule that identifies the one or more network-threat indicators and indicating whether the packet-filtering device prevented the packet from continuing toward its destination or allowed the packet to continue toward its destination.
US09413719B2
A method and a network device are provided to transmit network packets through a network security device. The method, performed by the network device, receives a request to send a network packet from a first computing device to a second computing device over a network that includes the network device and the network security device. The network packet includes a first network interface identifier for identifying the first computing device and a second network interface identifier for identifying the second computing device. The method identifies third and fourth network interface identifiers that cause the network packet to be transmitted through the network security device. The method transmits the network packet over the network through the network security device using the third and fourth network interface identifiers. The method transmits the network packet to the second computing device using the first and second network interface identifiers.
US09413718B1
A method for balancing load among firewall security devices in a network is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a switch causes firewall security devices (FSDs) of a cluster to enter into a load balancing mode. Responsive to receiving a heartbeat signal from an FSD, information regarding the FSD and the port on which the heartbeat signal was received are added to a table maintained by the switch that maps outputs of a load balancing function to ports of the switch. A received packet is forwarded to an FSD of the cluster by: (i) extracting a configurable number of bit values from a configurable set of bit positions within the packet; (ii) determining the output of the load balancing function; (iii) identifying the port to which the FSD is coupled based on the output and the table; and (iv) transmitting the packet to the FSD via the identified port.
US09413713B2
Presented herein are techniques to detect a misconfigured duplicate Internet Protocol (IP) address in a distributed data center network fabric. A network topology is provided that includes a plurality of network elements. A network element receives a configuration message comprising an IP address from a first host associated with the first network element. The IP address is detected to already be in use by a second host associated with a second network element. A request message is provided to the second network element, the request message configured to cause the second network element to attempt to contact the second host. A reply message is received from the second network element. If the reply message indicates that the second host exists at the second network element, an indication of a misconfiguration event is generated. Otherwise, the IP address is associated with the first host.
US09413712B2
A method and a system map a geographic location to a network address. At least one automated process is performed to identify a geographic location for the network address. A determination is made whether the automated process provided satisfactory geographic location information for the network address. If the automated process did not provided satisfactory geographic location information for the network address, then the network address is forwarded for manual resolution.
US09413708B1
A content management system creates and modifies user notification queues for shared content items synchronized between a content management system and multiple devices. A user notification queue includes interactions with a shared content item that may be presented to a user to indicate recent interactions with the shared content item by other sharing users. The content management system sends the user notification queue corresponding to a user to the user's device when the user accesses the content item. The client device displays a content item in a window associated with a process on the device. A client application displays an interaction indicator that presents user notification queue content to the user.
US09413707B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving tracked locations from a plurality of the client devices and monitoring the tracked locations over time in order to determine a respective task progress for each of a plurality of first users based on monitoring.
US09413706B2
A score is generated for each of a plurality of potential user groups in which to add the first user, each potential user group containing a plurality of users, the score based on a location of the first user. The first user is added to a first user group based on the score generated for the first user group. A pinning action by the first user pinning the first user to the first user group is then received. A change in location of the first mobile device is detected, and the score of each of the potential user groups is regenerated based on the changed location, causing a determination that the first user should be removed from the first user group. The first user is maintained as a member of the first user group despite the determination that the first user should be removed based on the pinning.
US09413698B2
Disclosed is a system and method for automatically pre-delivering messages such as emails that satisfy a certain criteria. Upon a received email satisfying certain criteria conforming to a pattern, an appropriate rule is triggered which pre-delivers an email(s) to other appropriate inboxes. The pre-delivered emails are marked with a display flag and a time-to-live (TTL) flag. The display flag masks the pre-delivered email. The display flag results in the pre-delivered email being hidden until the sending user actually executes the send/forward action. At that time, the display flag is toggled so that the pre-delivered email is instantly displayed in the recipient's inbox. The TTL flag set enables pre-delivered emails to have a life-span, such that in cases where the user chooses not to forward/send the email, they auto-destruct after a period of time.
US09413690B2
A switch device for use in telecommunications apparatus, the switch device comprising: a substantially planar substrate having first substantially planar face and an opposing second substantially planar face; a first plurality of ports mounted on the first face of the substrate, and having a first arrangement of locating pins which extend into the substrate from the first face towards the second face thereof; and a second plurality of ports mounted on the second face of the substrate, and having a second arrangement of locating pins which extend into the substrate from the second face towards the first face thereof, wherein the first arrangement of locating pins is offset with respect to the second arrangement of locating pins.
US09413689B1
A mobile intelligent tracking and communication hub (MITCH) includes a communication module, a sensor module, and a processor. The processor is communicatively coupled to the communication module and to the sensor module. The processor is typically configured for (i) receiving a data packet in the first protocol from a first device, (ii) manipulating the data packet in response to situational status information received by the sensor module, (iii) translating the data packet from the first protocol to the second protocol, and (iv) transmitting the data packet with the communication module to a second device, the second device being configured to receive data in the second protocol.
US09413687B2
Disclosed is an on-demand computing environment. The method embodiment relates to a method of managing resources between a local compute environment and an on-demand environment. The method includes detecting an event in a local compute environment and based on the detected event, automatically establishing communication with an on-demand compute environment, provisioning resources within the on-demand compute environment and transferring workload from the local compute environment transparently to the on-demand compute environment.
US09413684B2
Methods for managing communications between client computers and distributed resources. Distributed resources are identified that each of a set of client computers is configured to communicate with, based on configuration information stored on each of the set of client computers. A group of servers are configured to host communications between each of the set of client computers and the distributed resources, based on server capabilities of each server in the group of servers and a policy for load balancing communications through the group of servers. Then the configuration information stored on each of the set of client computers is modified to use the group of servers for communicating with the distributed resources.
US09413680B1
An opportunistic throttling approach can be used for customers of shared resources in a multi-tenant environment. Each customer can have a respective token bucket with a guaranteed fill rate. When a request is received for an amount of work to be performed by a resource, the corresponding number of tokens are obtained from, or charged against, a global token bucket. If the global bucket has enough tokens, and if the customer has not exceeded a maximum work rate or other such metric, the customer can charge less than the full number of tokens against the customer's token bucket, in order to reduce the number of tokens that need to be taken from the customer bucket. Such an approach can enable the customer to do more work and enable the customer's bucket to fill more quickly as fewer tokens are charged against the customer bucket for the same amount of work.
US09413676B2
The present invention provides a system and method for reduction of data packet loss for the multiple network interfaces. Particularly, the invention provides a cross layer system for reduction of data packet loss based on dynamic analysis of network conditions. Further, the invention provides a system and method of estimation of network condition and adapting the transmit queue of the multiple interfaces according to channel condition/available bandwidth of the associated network.
US09413672B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that processes network packets on an electronic device. During operation, the system obtains, on the electronic device, an outgoing rate of the network packets from a network interface queue on the electronic device to a network link. Next, upon detecting a transmission of the network packets from an application on the electronic device to the network interface queue, the system uses the electronic device to allocate a proportion of the outgoing rate to the application based on a number of applications transmitting network packets from the electronic device to the network link. Finally, the system uses the allocated proportion of the outgoing rate and the network interface queue to transmit network packets from the application to the network link.
US09413671B2
A capability is provided for scaling Redundancy Elimination (RE) middleboxes. The RE middleboxes include an RE encoding middlebox and an RE decoding middlebox. The RE middleboxes may employ max-match-based RE techniques or chunk-match-based RE techniques. The RE middleboxes may utilize Distributed Hash Tables (DHTs) to maintain content stores, respectively. The RE middleboxes may be scaled for use with cloud applications (e.g., for use in transfer of data between a customer network and a cloud side, for use in transfer of data between two cloud sites, or the like).
US09413667B2
A method for redirecting a traffic flow in a communication network, in which a first or default service path has been configured for the traffic flow to go through is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a notification message from a network node, the notification message including a traffic characteristic information of a packet of the traffic flow; creating a set of rules based on the received traffic characteristic information; and sending the set of rules to a plurality of switches in the communication network, the set of rules configuring a second or alternative service path to be used by subsequent packets of this traffic flow. Also, a network node for carrying out this method is provided.
US09413661B2
A network relay device capable of easily recognizing a state of hash value collision is provided. Each of a plurality of entries contained in an address table includes: a first area in which first information is registered, the first information indicating a relation between a plurality of ports and MAC addresses existing beyond the plurality of ports; and a second area in which second information is registered. In learning a transmission-source MAC address of a frame received at a port, a frame processing unit calculates a hash value by using the transmission-source MAC address first. Next, if a MAC address different from the transmission-source MAC address has been registered in the first area of an entry corresponding to the hash value, the frame processing unit registers the second information in the second area.
US09413657B2
Fully meshed virtual paths obtained with smaller number of settings, thus facilitating expansion of VPN service. A communication device in a virtual private network (VPN) having a VPN accommodation function for connecting an intra-organization network or inter-organization network through the Internet includes; a first means for generating a VPN address, a format of which includes both a VPN number for uniquely identifying a VPN in a certain scope and a closed address used in an organization or among organizations, either converting a packet header into a header having the above-mentioned VPN address or adding the above-mentioned VPN address to a packet header for transmission; and a second means for on receiving the packet having a header of the VPN address format, either converting the received packet into a packet format equivalent to an original packet format or removing a header having VPN address format.
US09413656B2
A data unit processing entity 4 is described, which has a decision part 41 for setting a forwarding address FA on the basis of an identifying address in a received data unit, by referring to decision data stored in a decision data memory 42. A management part 43 is provided, which is arranged to provide a network control function 51 with access to the decision data in the decision data memory 42, in order to change said decision data, independently of any access given to mobile nodes.
US09413654B2
A system includes a first device which outputs a packet including an address identifying a second device and identifier of one of a plurality of communication circuits that output packets to a network, and a relay device which outputs the packet to the second device instead of to the one of the plurality of communication circuits corresponding to the identifier, when it is determined based on the address that the second device is coupled to the relay device.
US09413652B2
An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a plurality of network devices. One of the plurality of network devices is a source device and another of the plurality of network devices is a destination device. If path maximum transmission unit (PMTU) information for a path between the source device and the destination device is not known, the source device sends a PMTU send packet to the destination device, and the destination device sends a PMTU receive packet with a received PMTU value to the source device. Other associated systems and methods for PMTU discovery are also provided.
US09413646B2
Systems and methods for controlling legacy switch routing in one or more hybrid networks of interconnected computers and switches, including generating a network underlay for the one or more hybrid networks by generating a minimum spanning tree (MST) and a forwarding graph (FWG) over a physical network topology of the one or more hybrid networks, determining an optimal path between hosts on the FWG by optimizing an initial path with a minimum cost mapping, and adjusting the initial path to enforce the optimal path by generating and installing special packets in one or more programmable switches to trigger installation of forwarding rules for one or more legacy switches.
US09413640B2
A method, computer-readable storage device and apparatus for routing traffic in a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer of a dense wavelength division multiplexing network are disclosed. For example, the method determines the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer has asymmetric traffic, and routes the asymmetric traffic in the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer over a plurality of asymmetrical optical connections, wherein the plurality of asymmetrical optical connections is provided with only uni-directional equipment in the reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer layer.
US09413638B2
In one embodiment, a method comprises creating, in a computing network, a loop-free routing topology comprising a plurality of routing arcs for reaching a destination device, each routing arc routing any network traffic along the routing arc toward the destination device via any one of first or second ends of the corresponding routing arc, the creating including forming a buttressing arc having an originating end joined to a first of the routing arcs and a terminating end joined to a second of the routing arcs, the buttressing arc inheriting from the first routing arc a first height to the destination device, the first height of the first routing arc higher than a corresponding second height of the second routing arc; and causing the network traffic to be forwarded, to the destination device, via the buttressing arc and at least one of the first routing arc or the second routing arc.
US09413637B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product for distribution of routing information used in a transport network is presented. In a transport network having a plurality of edge devices and core devices, a main instance of a protocol is used for shortest path and tree computation. A multicast tree is defined per Virtual Services Network (VSN) to distribute Link State Data Base (LSDB) updates that only apply to members of said VSN. Multicast trees are built using a secondary instance of the control protocol LSDB and wherein each VSN multicast tree represents a separate instance of the secondary instance of the control protocol LSD. LSDB updates are distributed that only apply to members of the VSN using the multicast tree for the VSN.
US09413633B2
The present disclosure discloses network devices and systems for sending and receiving service packet. The network device is configured to: receive an insensitive service packet; obtain a current slicing length according to a modulation mode of a communication link; perform slicing processing once on the insensitive service packet according to the current slicing length to obtain one slice, and send the slice through the communication link, If the current slicing length is smaller than a length of the insensitive service packet, for the remaining part of the insensitive service packet which has undergone the slicing processing once, the network device repeats the obtaining of the current slicing length, the slicing processing, and the sending the slice, until the insensitive service packet is completely sent.
US09413632B2
A technique for communicating multimedia data between nodes over coaxial cable, wherein the nodes are connected via a coaxial cable network, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the technique involves establishing a primary channel for communicating between first and second nodes of the coaxial cable network, establishing a secondary channel for communicating between the first and second nodes of the coaxial cable network, wherein the primary and secondary channels are in different frequency bands and wherein the primary channel is used for communicating media access control frames, and communicating a time series of data frames between the first and second nodes using both the primary channel and the secondary channel.
US09413629B2
An adverse event reporting system and related methods are provided. Aspects relate to associating a unique identifier of a device with resolution information configured to be automatically transmitted in response to an adverse event with the device. A consumer experiencing an adverse event with a remote device may use a communications device, such as a mobile phone, to capture and/or transmit the unique identifier, which may be located on or by the device. In one embodiment, capturing or deciphering the identifier causes the communications device to be directed to a virtual address for reporting the adverse event. The unique identifier may be used to automatically transmit resolution information to a second communications device that is not associated with the consumer. The second communications device may be associated with a vendor responsible for operation of the implicated device. The resolution information may comprise the identity and/or location of the device.
US09413625B2
In a method for monitoring the residence time across nodes of a communication network including a transparent clock-based synchronization architecture, the method includes configuring and generating a tunable and traceable packet dedicated to delay measurements. The method further includes measuring the packet resident time across a network node by a transparent clock, storing, at the level of the network node, the measured residence time, and retrieving the stored residence time by a Network protocol.
US09413624B2
The present disclosure provides a method and device for providing system status information. The method comprises: receiving, from an input mechanism associated with a communication device, a request to share system status information; and in response to receiving the request to share the system status information: (i) obtaining system status information associated with the communication device; and (ii) automatically populating one or more portions of an electronic message based on the system status information. The system status information comprises processor usage information.
US09413590B2
A method is provided for managing a secure session for transporting user packets through an address translation device between a client terminal and a first transport session management server. The session uses a first packet transmission address and at least one second packet transmission address different from the first address. The method includes a step of obtaining, by the first sever, the at least one second packet transmission address from the at least one second transport session management server, so that the client terminal can transfer packets to the first server by using at least the two addresses.
US09413578B2
An auxiliary reduced power analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided for use during sleep periods of a receiver. The auxiliary ADC has a reduced dynamic range but sufficient accuracy to allow demodulation of signaling information contained in an input signal and to update control parameters used for synchronization and channel estimation. As such, a main higher power, higher dynamic range ADC can be turned off during sleep periods, reducing receiver power consumption. The main ADC is turned on at the end of a sleep period, and the receiver can be ready for receiving data immediately using the main ADC because the control parameters are maintained up to date during the sleep period using the auxiliary ADC.
US09413567B1
System and methods are provided for signal processing. For example, an input signal is received at a finite impulse response filter circuit including a plurality of stages, where each stage of the plurality of stages is associated with a sample value of the input signal and a stage weight. An output signal is generated using the finite impulse response filter circuit, the output signal being equal to a weighted sum of the sample values of the input signal. An error signal is generated to indicate a difference between the output signal and a target. A constraint is applied to one or more of the stage weights. The stage weights are changed within the constraint to reduce a magnitude of the error signal.
US09413565B1
An interface circuit may include a termination resistor and a termination voltage generation unit. The termination resistor may be coupled between a reception pad and a termination node. The termination voltage generation unit may detect a voltage level of the termination node, and may drive the termination node to a level of a termination voltage when the voltage level of the termination node deviates from a predetermined range.
US09413563B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for channel estimation in broadband wireless communication systems by using locally prevailing SINR conditions in the RF channel bandwidth. According to one aspect, the channel estimation method adapts to the local SINR across different parts of the channel bandwidth. This leads to channel estimates that are optimized to SINR conditions prevailing in different parts of the channel bandwidth. The channel estimation method described herein may result in the reduction of channel estimation errors, which in turn may lead to improved performance of a broadband wireless communication system.
US09413554B2
Systems and methods are provided for overlaying a virtual network on a physical network in a data center environment. An overlay system is arranged in an overlay virtual network to include an overlay agent and an overlay helper. The overlay agent is implemented in an access switch. The overlay helper is implemented in an end station that is in communication with the access switch. Overlay parameters in compliance with an in-band protocol are transmitted between the overlay agent and the overlay helper.
US09413549B2
A method and system for activating at least one temporarily inactive network component of a network system for a vehicle central network device of the network system is connected via signals to the network component by a path inside the network system extending at least partially across a network segment of the network system. The network segment connecting, via signals, the network component and a first activation device associated therewith to a switch device arranged in the path and to a second activation device associated therewith in an unbranched manner. The central network device responds to the first activation device by the switch device by sending a network function control signal.
US09413548B2
An EtherCAT-based network system configured to change a PDO list set, and an operation method thereof are provided, the system including at least one or more slave devices, a master device configured to connect and operate the slave device in response to an operating transmission PDO list or an operating reception PDO list provided from outside, and a host computer configured to extract the operating transmission PDO list or the operating reception PDO list from information file of the slave device and provide to the master device, wherein the information file includes at least one of identity information of the slave device, PDO list item changeable information, at least one or more transmission PDO list, and at least one or more reception PDO list.
US09413547B2
One or more logical network connection points are provided within an electronic communications network. The logical network connections are provided via an interface between one or more connectivity plane devices and a network connected application, service, or control plane function in the electronic communication network. The network connected application, service, or control plane function registers itself as a logical network resident (NR) with a function in the connectivity plane that provides a logical network connection between the network resident and another logical network connection point.
US09413532B2
A controller is provided with a controller key and a first controller identification information unique to the controller. The controller generates a controller unique key unique to a respective controller based on the controller key and the first controller identification information, and a second controller identification information based on the first controller identification information. A decryptor decrypts the encrypted medium device key using the controller unique key to obtain a medium device key. An authentication/key exchange process unit performs authentication/key exchange process with the host device through an interface unit using the medium device key and the medium device key certificate to establish the secure channel.
US09413523B1
The present invention is directed to data communication. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for acquiring sampling frequency by sweeping through a predetermined frequency range, performing data sampling at different frequencies within the predetermined frequency range, and determining a target frequency for sampling data based on a maximum early peak frequency and a maximum late peak frequency. There are other embodiments as well.
US09413517B2
A clock data recovery (CDR) circuit is provided with a circuit that updates a locked oscillation frequency, with a small loop gain, after phase lock based on a phase-locked loop circuit for a frequency-locked frequency is completed by a frequency-locked loop circuit or during a phase lock operation. Since the locked oscillation frequency is updated with a small loop gain, it is possible to correct a fluctuation in a frequency of an oscillation circuit in the frequency-locked loop circuit without oscillating a phase-locked loop undesirably even during a phase lock operation.
US09413516B2
A full-duplex transceiver is provided with componentry and methods for cancellation of nonlinear self-interference signals. The transceiver is capable of receiving an incoming radio-frequency signal that includes both a desired radio-frequency signal component and a self-interference component caused by the transceiver's own radio-frequency transmission. The transceiver demodulates the incoming radio-frequency signal to generate a first demodulated signal. The transceiver combines an analog corrective signal with the first demodulated signal to generate a second demodulated signal with reduced self-interference. The transceiver processes the first and second demodulated signals to determine a desired incoming baseband signal and to determine nonlinear components of the self-interference signal, such as nonlinearities introduced by the transceiver's power amplifier.
US09413515B2
A method for selecting a network, including: selecting, from a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list of a mobile terminal, a PLMN and a corresponding Radio Access Technology (RAT) type, and performing network selection, wherein the PLMN list contains a PLMN number and a RAT type corresponding to the PLMN. The network selection may include: searching in a comparison table if the selected RAT type corresponding to the PLMN is supported by the mobile terminal, wherein the comparison table contains a PLMN number, a RAT type corresponding to the PLMN, and a duplex mode corresponding to the PLMN and the RAT type; and selecting a network according to a duplex mode which corresponds to the selected PLMN and the selected RAT type, if the selected PLMN and the selected RAT type are contained in the comparison table. The speed of network selection is increased greatly, and power consumption is lowered.
US09413514B2
Provided is an operating method in multiple cells, and a wireless device using same. The wireless device monitors a control channel in each subframe of a normal cell. The wireless device receives information regarding the transmission power of a physical signal of an expanded cell having an unmonitored control channel, and receives the physical signal in the expanded cell.
US09413512B2
A method for configuring a backhaul link subframe in a wireless communication system to which a carrier aggregation scheme is applied and an apparatus for the same are disclosed. The method comprises determining one of a plurality of subframe configurations as a first subframe configuration for a primary component carrier allocated to the relay node; configuring subframe configuration candidates for one or more secondary component carriers allocated to the relay node on the basis of the determined first subframe configuration; determining a second subframe configuration for each of the one or more secondary component carriers by using the configured subframe configuration candidates; and transmitting and receiving a signal to and from the relay node in accordance with the first subframe configuration and the second subframe configuration.
US09413510B2
A method apparatus and system for efficiently transmitting and receiving channels are provided in a wireless communication system based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). A multiplexing scheme differs according to a channel when a transmitter transmits a packet data channel, a common control channel and a control channel designated for a particular user. Uncoded 1-bit information is broadly dispersed in frequency and time domains using multiplexing technology for maximizing diversity gain in a channel for transmitting information of at least one bit to a particular user like an acknowledgement (ACK) channel. The transmitter converts a sequence obtained by multiplexing multiple bits to be transmitted to a plurality of users to parallel signals, and broadly disperses the parallel signals in the time and frequency domains. When the uncoded 1-bit information is transmitted, reception reliability is improved because channel coding and transmission are efficiently performed using a small amount of resources.
US09413503B2
A method and device for transmitting an uplink signal in a wireless communication system is provided. A user equipment transmits a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on a SRS subframe for a first serving cell to a base station if a SRS transmission on the SRS subframe for the first serving cell is overlapped with an uplink transmission for a second serving cell. The PUSCH is transmitted on remaining orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols in the SRS subframe except a single OFDM symbol reserved for the SRS transmission regardless of whether a SRS is transmitted on the single OFDM symbol or not.
US09413477B2
Technology described herein provides techniques for screen detection. This could be a dynamic screen, such as a display screen of an electronic device, or a static screen such as a street sign. In one aspect, a screen is detected in frames of image data. An active image and/or an average color image may be formed based on frames of image data. A set of lines that are candidate for boundaries of a screen are identified in the frames. The active image and/or an average color is integrated on both sides of each line in the set of lines to form integration results. A set of screen candidates are formed based on the integration results. Screens in the screen candidates are scored according to a criterion. One or top few of the screens in the set of screen candidates is selected based on the scoring.
US09413471B2
A compact photonic radio frequency receiver system includes a laser source that is configured to generate laser light Radio frequency (RF) and local oscillator (LO) input ports may receive RF and LO signals, respectively. One or more miniature lithium niobate waveguide phase modulators may be coupled to the laser source to receive the RF and LO signals and to modulate the laser light with the RF and LO signals in a first and a second path, and to generate phase-modulated laser lights including an RF-modulated light signal and an LO-modulated light signal. A first and a second miniature filter may be coupled to the miniature lithium niobate waveguide to separate a desired spectral band in the phase-modulated laser light of the first path and to facilitate wavelength locking of the laser light of the second path. An optical combiner may combine output laser lights of the first and second filters.
US09413470B1
Systems and methods for digital communication utilizing entangled qubits are disclosed. The disclosed systems and methods exploit selective entanglement swapping to transfer an entangled state between a sending device and a receiving device. Each device includes pairs of qubits that are independently entangled with pairs of qubits in the other device. By selectively entangling the qubits within a pair in the sending device, the qubits of the corresponding pair in the receiving device also are selectively entangled. When the qubits are entangled, they are projected onto a particular entangled state type. Though no information may be transferred through selective entanglement of one qubit pair, systems and methods of the present disclosure determine whether a set of pairs of qubits are entangled by determining whether the distribution of pairs is a correlated or uncorrelated distribution (a probabilistic approach) and transform the distribution type to a classical bit of data.
US09413463B2
An two-way optical communication apparatus, including a transmit element, a receive element, and a transceive processor. The transmit element is coupled to a light pipe, and transmits a first signal. The receive element is coupled to the light pipe, and receives a second signal. The transceive processor directs the transmit element to pause and then resume transmitting the first signal during first intervals, and directs the receive element to sample for the second signal during one or more second intervals within each of the first intervals, where the each of the first intervals is less than a first value and the first intervals occur at a duty cycle no greater than a second value, and where the first and second values are controlled by the transceive processor such that a user perceives the first optical signal as having a constant state for a third interval.
US09413458B2
An illumination light communication apparatus includes: a light source; a power supply circuit; a switching element which modulates an output current supplied from the power supply circuit to the light source; a visible light communication signal circuit which controls ON and OFF of the switching element to output a modulating signal for superimposing a visible light beacon signal including a unique ID onto the illumination light emitted from the light source; a control power supply circuit which supplies power to the visible light communication signal circuit; a wireless module which transmits a radio wave beacon signal including a unique ID; and a radio wave beacon controlling and transmitting circuit which controls the radio wave beacon signal transmitted from the wireless module, wherein the radio wave beacon controlling and transmitting circuit is supplied with power from the control power supply circuit.
US09413454B1
A device is configured to store information indicating a threshold bandwidth with which a multi-lane link is permitted to operate. The device may establish the multi-lane link with a peer device. The multi-lane link may include multiple lanes used to communicate data with the peer device. The device may determine fault states for the lanes included in the multi-lane link. A fault state, for a particular lane, may indicate that the particular lane is faulty. The device may determine an available bandwidth for the multi-lane link based on the fault states for the lanes. The device may selectively terminate the multi-lane link or operate the multi-lane link at the available bandwidth based on whether the available bandwidth satisfies the threshold bandwidth.
US09413440B2
The present disclosure provides a performance enhancement method for a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system. The performance enhancement method includes determining whether a connection node of a data stream matches when a transmission packet is waiting for transmission in the data stream, wherein the data stream is dedicated to serving a wireless subscriber, collecting a plurality of radio-frequency parameters and MIMO information when the connection node matches, using a time-division multiple access (TDMA) mechanism to divide the transmission packet into a plurality of sub-packets, applying Space-time block code (STBC) to the sub-packets, and transmitting the encoded sub-packets in one data stream in different time instants.
US09413438B2
Provided is a wireless communication device and a wireless communication method which can maintain compatibility with a plurality of communication schemes and send a response signal back within the allowed time specified by each communication scheme. The wireless communication device includes a radio receiving unit (120) that receives a packet having a format conforming to a first communication scheme and including a second format portion conforming to a second communication scheme using a higher frequency band than the first communication scheme and a first format portion excluding the second format portion, and a processing unit (160) that, outputs a response signal at completion of demodulation and decoding of the first format portion, regardless of whether demodulation and decoding of the second format portion are completed or not.
US09413425B2
A method, and a VSAT capable of being configured for such a method, of configuring a VSAT, the steps of which are setting, while an outdoor unit of the VSAT is at a configuration location, a maximum value of the adjustable gain of the up-converting device and transmitting, from an operating location that is separate from the configuration location, transmission signals to the satellite at the transmission frequency and with a gain value of at most the maximum value of the adjustable gain set at the configuration location.
US09413415B2
Provided is a high frequency module capable of reducing the IMD. During the transmission/reception operation based on W-CDMA, control signals VSWCC, VTRXCC are output as Hi signals from a control logic. Consequently, transistor T1 is turned ON, and transistors T2, T3 are respectively turned OFF. When the transistor T1 is turned ON, the voltage output from an operational amplifier is output as the signal VVSW to a control terminal, and the control signal VTRXC is output as a Hi signal. The signal VVSW is of a voltage level that is lower than that of the control signal VTRXC. The control signal VTRXC is a signal for turning ON a transistor circuit Q1, and the signal VVSW is a signal for supplying a DC voltage to the antenna potential. It is thereby possible to reduce the ON resistance of the transistor circuit Q1 and improve the IMD characteristics.
US09413411B2
An example provides a computing system to receive an input by a touch display of the computing system, determine a location of the touch display that received the input, and control transmit power of an antenna if the location is a back-side of the touch display.
US09413397B2
A signal conditioning system for a distributed antenna network includes a donor antenna in a first location receiving a downlink radio frequency signal from a radio frequency source. A service antenna is in a second location different from the first location, wherein the service antenna transmits the downlink radio frequency signal to an end user device, and the end user device transmits an uplink radio frequency signal back to the service antenna. Separate gain control amplifiers process the uplink and downlink signals and are located at the separate first and second locations to reduce thermal noise in the uplink and downlink signals. Reduced thermal noise allows quality transmission over optical fibers in addition to coaxial cables. First and second microcontrollers at the first and second locations control respective attenuators and transmit power level data to remote computer processors.
US09413391B2
According to one embodiment, a chien search device includes n operation units configured to perform exclusive-OR operations, for each of the coefficients. Further, the chien search device includes first register configured to hold operation results of a highest order operation unit, for each of the coefficients. Furthermore, the chien search device includes exclusive-OR operation unit configured to perform exclusive-OR operations of the results of the first exclusive-OR operations of the highest order operation unit, for each of the coefficients. Moreover, the chien search device includes second register configured to hold operation results of the exclusive-OR operation unit, for each of the coefficients. The respective operation units reduce the number of stages of exclusive-OR operations by using the second register values.
US09413389B2
An electronic device includes a transmission module communicatively coupled to a synchronizer. The transmission module is configured to transform received data for transmission, receive a first instruction from the synchronizer, based on the instruction adjust the phase of a clock signal used to time the transformation of the received data, and send the adjusted clock signal to the synchronizer. The synchronizer is configured to receive the adjusted clock signal, receive a data signal comprising a frequency and a phase of data to be transmitted, based on the adjusted clock signal and the data signal, determine a second instruction for the transmission module, and provide the second instruction to the transmission module.
US09413378B2
Methods and systems are provided for asynchronous successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) that utilize preemptive bit setting decisions. In particular, such SAR ADC may be operable to, when a failure to determine a valid output decision for each comparison step occurs, set one or more remaining bits, up to but not including one or more overlapping redundant bits in a code word corresponding to the comparison step, to a particular value. The value may be derived from a value of a bit determined in an immediately preceding decision. The failure may be determined based on dynamic and/or adaptive criteria. The criteria may be set, e.g., so as to guarantee that a magnitude of a difference between an analog input voltage to the SAR ADC and analog output voltage of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used therein is within overlapping ranges of voltages corresponding to the overlapping redundant bits.
US09413377B1
A switched capacitor circuit with feedback compensation is provided. First terminals of a feedback capacitor and at least one capacitor are coupled to a first input terminal of a differential amplifier. Second terminals of the feedback capacitor and the capacitor are coupled to an input terminal during a first period. A feedback compensation circuit amplifies a first voltage on the first input terminal of the differential amplifier by a gain greater than one to generate a second voltage. The second terminal of the feedback capacitor is coupled to the output terminal of the differential amplifier, and the feedback compensation circuit applies the second voltage to the second terminal of the capacitor during a second period.
US09413335B2
A high-frequency module includes a multilayer substrate, a filter substrate, a cover layer, a connection electrode, and inductors. The filter substrate includes a first principal surface on which an IDT electrode included in a filter unit is disposed, and the first principal surface faces a mounting surface of the multilayer substrate. The cover layer is spaced apart from and opposite to the first principal surface of the filter substrate. The connection electrode connects the multilayer substrate and the filter substrate. One of the inductors is connected between the filter unit and a first external connection terminal. Another one of the inductors is connected between the filter unit and the ground. The inductors are disposed inside the multilayer substrate. The inductors are inductively coupled to each other.
US09413328B2
A diplexer includes a first bandpass filter provided between an input terminal and a first output terminal and selectively passing a signal in a first frequency band, and a second bandpass filter provided between the input terminal and a second output terminal and selectively passing a signal in a second frequency band. The first bandpass filter includes a plurality of first resonators. The second bandpass filter includes a second resonator and a series resonant circuit. The series resonant circuit is composed of a capacitor provided between the input terminal and the second resonator, and an inductance component of a line that connects the input terminal and the second resonator via the capacitor.
US09413324B2
An electronic component includes an input port, a first output port, a ground port, a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are electrically connected in series to one another in a path between the input port and the first output port, a first inductor connected between the ground port and a portion of the path between the input port and the first output port, a second inductor electrically connected in parallel to the second capacitor, and a first sub line, wherein the second inductor and the first sub line define a first directional coupler by generating electromagnetic coupling therebetween.
US09413310B2
A buffer circuit applied to a source driver output stage circuit includes a buffer and a D-class amplifier. The buffer is coupled to an input voltage for accordingly outputting an output voltage. The D-class amplifier includes a comparator and a switch device. The comparator is for comparing the input voltage and the output voltage and accordingly outputting a comparison signal. The switch device is coupled to an operational voltage for adjusting the output voltage according to the comparison signal.
US09413309B1
Provided herein are apparatus and methods for a cascode amplifier topology for millimeter-wave power application. The cascode amplifier can use a neutralized common source stage cascoded with a bootstrapped common gate stage to provide an amplifier topology having enhanced performance, gain, stability and reliability. Additionally, a bootstrap capacitor of the common gate stage can be patterned between the source fingers and the drain fingers of a cascode transistor so as to improve device performance. Operating as an RF power amplifier, a single-stage cascode amplifier using the neutralized common source stage with the bootstrapped common gate stage can provide greater than 15 dB of power gain to signals of the E band.
US09413308B2
In RF power transistors, the current distribution along edges of the transistor die may be uneven leading to a loss in efficiency and in the output power obtained, resulting in degradation in performance. When multiple parallel dies are placed in a package, distribution effects along the vertical dimension of the dies are more pronounced. A RF power device (600) for amplifying RF signals is disclosed which modifies the impedance of a portion of the respective one of the input lead and the output lead and redistributes the current flow at an edge of the transistor die.
US09413304B2
An electronic device includes an amplifier which is configured to amplify a sound signal and includes a vacuum tube including a heater configured to heat the vacuum tube; a voltage supply which is configured to supply a first voltage and a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage; and a controller which is configured to control the voltage supply to supply the second voltage to the heater in response to supply of a drive voltage to the amplifier being started and to supply the first voltage to the heater if the vacuum tube reaches a predetermined temperature.
US09413301B2
A noise-canceling LNA circuit for amplifying signals at an operating frequency f in a receiver circuit is disclosed. The LNA circuit comprises a first and a second amplifier branch, each having an input terminal connected to an input terminal of the LNA circuit. The first amplifier branch comprises an output terminal for supplying an output current of the first amplifier branch and a common source or common emitter main amplifier. The main amplifier has an input transistor having a first terminal, which is a gate or base terminal, operatively connected to the input terminal of the first amplifier branch, a shunt-feedback capacitor operatively connected between the first terminal of the input transistor and a second terminal, which is a drain or collector terminal, of the input transistor, and an output capacitor operatively connected between the second terminal of the input transistor and the output terminal of the first amplifier branch. The second amplifier branch comprises an output terminal for supplying an output current of the second amplifier branch. The LNA circuit comprises circuitry for combining the output current of the first amplifier branch and the output current of the second amplifier branch, thereby generating a total output current of the LNA circuit.
US09413299B2
A communication system utilizing adaptive envelope tracking includes a transmit path, a feedback receiver, a parameter component and an envelope tracking component. The transmit path is configured to generate a transmit signal. The feedback receiver is configured to generate a feedback signal from the transmit signal. The parameter component is configured to generate linearity parameters from the feedback signal and the baseband signal. The envelope tracking component is configured to generate a supply control signal having time delay adjustments.
US09413294B2
The subject matter discloses an apparatus residing within an RF chip, comprising: a detection unit for detecting IQ mismatch in an IQ signal; an analog calibration module comprising a first analog calibration mechanism for calibrating IQ mismatch in the phase component and a second analog calibration mechanism for calibrating IQ mismatch in the amplitude component; and a control unit for determining a calibration sequence of the IQ signal.
US09413292B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a resonant oscillator circuit. The resonant oscillator circuit includes a clipping mechanism configured to clip an output voltage of a signal pulse generated by the resonant oscillator circuit to a predefined constant level. The resonant oscillator circuit also includes a feedback path configured to return energy from the clipping mechanism to an input of the resonant oscillator circuit.
US09413290B2
The invention relates to a suitable control method for a system of photovoltaic concentration modules, which can be used to maintain the correct orientation of the modules in order to track the sun without requiring the use of positioning sensors. The sun is tracked by performing angular movements in relation to each of the degrees of freedom at given intervals, measuring the power or current supplied by the energy collection module(s). The estimation of the sun's position and the strategy for subsequent movements are determined as a function of the reading.
US09413288B2
Photovoltaic systems with managed output and methods for managing variability of output from photovoltaic systems are described. A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules configured to receive and convert solar energy. The system also includes a sensor configured to determine an orientation for each of the plurality of photovoltaic modules, the orientations based on a maximum output from the photovoltaic system. The system also includes an orientation system configured to alter the orientation of one or more of the plurality of photovoltaic modules to provide a reduced output from the photovoltaic system, the reduced output less than the maximum output.
US09413283B2
A motor control system includes a plurality of motors, a plurality of inverters, and a controller. The plurality of inverters are configured to drive the plurality of respective motors and are coupled to a common bus line through which DC power is supplied. When power supply is interrupted, the controller is configured to calculate a frequency command value so as to maintain a bus line voltage across the common bus line and configured to supply the frequency command value to the plurality of inverters.
US09413282B2
A method of controlling an electric motor (motor) includes providing a processor having an associated memory storing a stator resistance (Rs) estimation (RSE) algorithm that is programmed to implement the RSE algorithm to execute steps including injecting a current waveform at an arbitrary frame of reference into the stator using a field-oriented-control (FOC) motor controller including an Id controller and an Iq controller, and measuring current and voltage values from the motor responsive to the injecting. The measured current and voltage values are then transformed into transformed current and voltage values in a d/q coordinate system. The transformed current and voltage values are low pass filtered to generate filtered d/q current and voltage values, and a value for Rs is estimated from the filtered d/q current and voltage values. The arbitrary frame of reference can be a time-varying frame of reference.
US09413272B2
Provided is a power generation device having a dielectric body and an electret, where power is generated by varying the distance between the dielectric body and the electret. A first electrode is connected to the electret on a side not facing the dielectric body. The first electrode is connected to a grounding terminal via a load. A second electrode may be connected to the dielectric body on a side not facing the electret. The second electrode may be directly connected to the grounding terminal.
US09413270B2
The present disclosure provides a single-phase three-wire power control system integrating the electricity of a DC power supply device to an AC power source. The single-phase three-wire power control system comprises a single-phase three-wire inverter, a driving unit, a sampling unit and a processing unit. The single-phase three-wire inverter coupled between the DC power supply device and the AC power source converts a DC voltage of the DC power supply device to an output voltage. The driving unit is coupled to the single-phase three-wire inverter. The sampling unit samples the inductor current of an inductor of the single-phase three-wire inverter. The processing unit which is coupled to the driving unit and the sampling unit controls the single-phase three-wire inverter through the driving unit. The processing unit obtains the duty ratio according to the inductance of the inductor, the total variation of the inductor current, the DC voltage and the output voltage.
US09413267B2
The present invention relates to a method for feeding an unbalanced, three-phase current into a three-phase AC voltage system, comprising the steps of: producing a positive phase-sequence system for the current to be fed in, producing a negative phase-sequence system for the current to be fed in, superimposing the positive phase-sequence system and the negative phase-sequence system to form the current to be fed in and feeding the current composed in this manner into the three-phase AC voltage system.
US09413263B2
Systems and methods are provided for a transformerless power supply configured to limit heat generation. A system includes a power supply input configured to receive power from a time-varying input voltage source. A phase control circuit is configured to generate a current control signal, where the current control signal commands power to be drawn from the power supply through an output transistor, where the current control signal commands the drawn power to have a minimum current when the time-varying input voltage is at a maximum, and where the current control signal commands the drawn power to have a maximum current when the time-varying input voltage is at a minimum. A power supply output is responsive to the output transistor, where the power supply output is configured to output power drawn from the power supply input via the output transistor, wherein the outputted power is at a consistent power level.
US09413257B2
A DC/DC flyback converter that exhibits reduced switch and transformer voltage stresses in comparison to known flyback converters. The flyback converter also employs soft switching. Embodiments of such flyback converters may be used, without limitation, in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. A front-stage of the flyback converter comprises a DC/AC step-down circuit that may be separately used for various purposes.
US09413251B2
The PD device includes: a DC/DC converter disposed between an input and an output; a primary-side controller configured to control an input current of the DC/DC converter; and a secondary-side controller connected with AC coupling to the output, and configured to feed back electric power information of the output to the primary-side controller. The primary-side controller varies an output voltage value and an available output current capacity of the DC/DC converter by controlling the input current on the basis of the electric power information fed back from the secondary-side controller.
US09413247B2
A method of operating an electrical power supply device having a primary side and a secondary side is provided. The method includes transmitting with an optocoupler arranged between the primary side and the secondary side a wide band control signal and a numerical information signal. The method further includes transmitting the control signal and the information signal over a rectangular-wave signal modulated in combination with frequency modulation and pulse width modulation. The control signal and the information signal are the modulating signals for frequency modulation and pulse width modulation of said rectangular-wave signal.
US09413242B2
A DC-DC converter has a Step-Up stage connected to a Step-Down stage. A common Step-Down controller is designed and configured such that a single reference voltage is compared to the output voltage of the Step-Down stage by a single comparator, producing a single error signal. The error signal is then compared to two different saw signals to generate first and second pulse-width modulated signals respectively. The first and second pulse-width modulated signals are inputted to a control unit that generates a first pair of control signals and a second pair of control signals, which control switching of the Step-Up stage and of the Step-Down stage.
US09413232B2
A Charge Pump Buck Converter (CPBC) includes a BC including an inductor and a CP coupled in parallel. Control logic is coupled to a switch driver coupled to a power switch(es). Control circuitry includes a voltage sensor sensing Vout and a voltage level generator for generating a first voltage level coupled to the CP stage and a second voltage level coupled to a duty cycle/rate generator block providing an input to an under voltage (UV) monitor coupled between OUT and the control logic. The control circuitry disables the CP when Vout>a first Vout level and controls the BC to regulate to a second Vout level>the first Vout level. During handoff between CP and BC during power up if Vout drops below a UV threshold, the UV monitor block modifies an input applied to the control logic for increasing charging supplied to the inductor.
US09413229B2
A method and apparatus for low voltage conversion and energy storage uses a charge pump array including a first set of capacitors in parallel with a second set of capacitors and switches for selectively coupling the first and second set of capacitors to a variable input DC voltage. A data processor programmably controls one or more of the switches to couple the first and second set of capacitors to the variable input DC voltage for a variable first time period during which the input DC voltage charges the first and second set of capacitors to a DC voltage level. An energy storage device is switchably coupled to an output of the charge pump array. The data processor programmably controls one or more of the switches to couple the charge pump array output to the energy storage device for a variable second time period during which a voltage stored across each of the capacitors during the first time period is combined to produce a higher voltage significantly higher than the input DC voltage, the higher voltage being provided to the energy storage device.
US09413223B2
A boost apparatus adapted for providing a direct-current (DC) output voltage to a load is provided, and the boost apparatus includes a boost power conversion circuit and a control chip. The boost power conversion circuit has a diode coupled to the load. Besides, the boost power conversion circuit is configured to receive a DC input voltage and provide the DC output voltage to the load in response to a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal. The control chip is coupled to the boost power conversion circuit and configured to generate the PWM signal to control the operation of the boost power conversion circuit. The control chip is also configured to stop outputting the PWM signal and enter into a shutdown state when the diode is an open circuit or a short circuit, so as to protect the boost apparatus and/or the load from being damaged.
US09413221B1
A power conversion unit includes power converters arranged sequentially to each other to convert input power that is provided at an input of the power conversion unit to output power. A set of first capacitors are arranged in series with each other and include, for each power converter, a first capacitor that is arranged in parallel with an associated power converter. Each first capacitor is also arranged to store a portion of the input power. A set of second capacitors are connected in series with each other and include a second capacitor connected between each pair of sequential power converters in the sequence. The set of second capacitors are arranged to balance the portion of the input power stored by each first capacitor.
US09413212B2
A molding apparatus and method for fixing permanent magnets in a rotor core during production of drive motors for environmental vehicles, in which the permanent magnets, which are inserted into magnet insertion apertures of the rotor core, are aligned at identical positions with respect to the axial direction of the rotor core, thus contributing to an improvement in the performance of the drive motors.
US09413209B2
A rotating electric machine including: a bracket holding a rotor and a stator of a motor; a heat sink provided fixedly to the bracket on an outside of the bracket; a resolver disposed between the heat sink and the motor; a stator circuit portion and a field circuit portion disposed to the heat sink on a side opposite to the resolver; and a control board supported on an insert case attached to the heat sink and electrically connected to the stator circuit portion and the field circuit portion. A resolver input-output terminal is electrically connected to the control board by passing through an insertion hole provided to the heat sink. The rotating electric machine configured in this manner is compact and inexpensive with an excellent heat-releasing performance and a capability of reducing man-hours required for assembly and components required for connection.
US09413198B2
A brushless synchronous electrical machine with an unwound rotor comprising poles excited through axial air gaps at both ends of the rotor by stationary exciters comprising high permeable cores and electrical winding.
US09413197B2
The inductive power supply system comprises an input power module for receiving a stable voltage source, a storage module for storing a predetermined information, a processing module for generating a control signal according to the predetermined information and a feedback signal, a driving module for transforming the stable voltage source into a driving voltage according to the control signal, an inductive coil for electrically transmitting the driving voltage to process an inductive power transmission operation, and a feedback module for generating the feedback signal according to the driving voltage received by the inductive coil, where the predetermined information represents an initial state of the inductive power supply system comprising a sinusoidal amplitude corresponding to the driving voltage, and an intruding metal can affect another sinusoidal amplitude of the feedback signal to make the processing module correspondingly generate the control signal during the inductive power transmission operation.
US09413191B2
A receiver for a wireless charging system, capable of receiving power energy using non-contact type magnetic induction, includes a coil capable of receiving the power energy and a part for generating a predetermined output power from the power energy received by the coil, a portable terminal, an NFC coil further provided outside of the coil, and a ferrite sheet further provided at the coil and the NFC coil.
US09413188B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed to charge a battery. A wall adapter may provide a power to a battery charger in a collapsed mode of operation. In the collapsed mode of operation, the wall adapter may provide the battery charger with a collapsed power. The battery charger may provide a charging current and/or voltage in a constant current charge mode of operation and/or a constant voltage charge mode of operation using the collapsed power. When operating in the constant current charge mode of operation, the battery charger provides the charging current and/or voltage having a constant current until the voltage of the battery is less than or substantially equal to a constant charge voltage. Alternatively, when operating in the constant voltage charge mode of operation, the battery provides the charging current and/or voltage having a constant voltage until the voltage of the battery is less than or substantially equal to a float voltage.
US09413182B2
Provided is a system method for periodically charging a sub-battery for an electric vehicle. In this method, an SOC self-discharge rate of the sub-battery is calculated. An LDC output voltage and a charging time of the sub-battery are set using the SOC self-discharge rate of the sub-battery and information received from an IBS. It is determined whether or not an SOC of a main battery is equal to or greater than a set value. Periodic charging is performed on the sub-battery through an operation of an LDC when the SOC of the main battery is equal to or greater than the set value.
US09413179B2
A cell phone charger comprises a main body having embedded therein a charging circuit configured to receive line AC voltage and to convert it to a DC voltage suitable for charging the mobile device. AC prongs fold into the body in a stowed position and a connection structure formed integrally with the main body grasps onto and holds the charger secured to the cell phone device. In a preferred embodiment, the AC prongs pivot independently and lie flat against an outside surface of the main body. In a further embodiment, the AC prongs are concealed by a cover plate in their stowed position.
US09413170B2
The invention relates to a redundant module for decoupling short-circuit currents in a redundant voltage supply. The redundant module comprises at least two power supply units, and the number of inputs corresponds at least to the number of power supply units. Each input is routed via a separate current path to a common current node of an output for providing an output current. Each current path forms a decoupling section, and at least one measuring element for measuring the input voltage, the input current, and/or the input power as well as a control element for regulation purposes are assigned to each decoupling section.
US09413168B2
An ESD protection device 1 includes a plurality of input electrodes 21a through 21d and a plurality of output electrodes 21e through 21h. The plurality of input electrodes 21a through 21d are disposed along a first direction. The plurality of output electrodes 21e through 21h are disposed along the first direction. The plurality of output electrodes 21e through 21h oppose the input electrodes 21a through 21d in a second direction which is tilted with respect to the first direction. End portions of the input electrodes 21a through 21d on a side closer to the output electrodes 21e through 21h in the second direction and end portions of the output electrodes 21e through 21h on a side closer to the input electrodes 21a through 21d in the second direction form main discharge units 31a through 31d.
US09413158B2
The present invention relates to a new PTC device having a configuration with which protrusion of solder paste and/or an excess portion of epoxy resin do not adversely affect a jig. Such PTC device 30 includes a PTC member 32 and leads 34 and 36 electrically connected to both sides of the PTC member. The PTC member includes a PTC element 38 and metal electrodes 40 and 42 placed on both sides of the PTC element respectively, and each lead is electrically connected to the metal electrode via an electrically conductive connection portion 50. At least one of the leads 36 has a concave portion which is defined with a bottom portion 44 located adjacently to the metal electrode of the PTC member and a wall portion 46 surrounding the electrically conductive connection portion which connects the leads to the metal electrode.
US09413155B2
A system for autonomous protection from fires and electrical shock of components used in construction of photovoltaic arrays is disclosed. The system detects conditions that left unattended will result in conflagration of combustible materials and unwanted electrification. The disclosed system provides an active control mechanism that operates to take defective components off line and thus provide protection from fire and electrification hazards that otherwise could arise. The system also provides means for annunciation and notification when actions are taken. The system can be used, for example, to determine that a photovoltaic (PV) module is at risk of conflagration of its flammable structural elements due to intense heat of plasma produced by a direct current (DC) arc at a point in the grid of conductors that collect and carry current from photovoltaic cells exposed to solar irradiation.
US09413145B2
A method for producing a low-induction busbar including providing a tray with a base and a border which projects peripherally from the base so as to form a frame and which is composed of an electrically insulating material, producing a busbar element by arranging a first busbar strips, applying a film with openings which provide access to the first busbar strips, arranging the second busbar strips, on the film, bending regions of the busbar strips forming connections making electrical contact with the capacitors through the openings, inserting the busbar element into the tray and pouring an encapsulation compound into the tray so as to surround the base of the capacitors, while leaving free the connections.
US09413142B2
An electrical switching apparatus for housing a pair of opposing circuit breakers includes a panelboard having a first longitudinal axis and configured to support the pair of opposing circuit breakers to define a gap therebetween, the gap having a second longitudinal axis extending generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis. An insulative barrier is arranged to define a plenum region having a third longitudinal axis, and is operatively disposed in the gap, wherein the third longitudinal axis extends generally parallel to said second longitudinal axis.
US09413141B2
A spark plug for combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine including: an external body forming ground electrode, intended to be received mainly in a bypass of the combustion chamber; an internal central electrode; and an interposed insulator with clearance between the external body and the internal electrode, is provided. The spark plug terminates in a nose forming portion to be received in the flame tube of the chamber of the combustion chamber, and a semi-conductor element being interposed between the central electrode and the ground electrode at the level of said nose forming portion. The external body includes at least one cooling air inlet which communicates inside the spark plug with at least one outlet arranged at the level of the nose forming portion.
US09413123B2
An electrical plug connector includes a metal shell, an insulation housing, upper-row elastic terminals, and lower-row elastic terminals. The metal shell defines a receiving cavity to receive the insulation housing. The insulation housing includes an upper member, a lower member, and a mating room between the upper member and the lower member. The upper-row elastic terminals are held on a lower surface of the upper member and include upper-row elastic contact segments extending toward the mating room for transmitting first signals. The lower-row elastic terminals are held on an upper surface of the lower member and include lower-row elastic contact segments extending toward the mating room for transmitting second signals.
US09413119B2
An electrical connector comprises a base plate and a pair of terminal modules, the base plate defines a tongue plate. Each terminal module includes a plurality of terminals and an insulative housing inserted molding with the terminals. A pair of concave portions forms on opposite sides of the tongue plate, the two terminal modules are received in said concave portions respectively. An insulative shell is injection molded over outer sides of the terminal modules and commonly forms a mating plate, the terminals define a contacting portion exposed to two opposite surfaces of the mating plate. Said electrical connector can increase the binding force of the terminal modules and the base plate.
US09413116B1
A termination ring for an electrical connector has slots for receiving multiple inner conductive shields of a cable. The shields pass through the slots, are folded back onto a rear portion of the termination ring, and are clamped onto the termination ring. After assembling a backshell onto the connector over the termination ring, a void remains between the interior surface of the backshell and the clamped inner conductive shields, thereby enabling proper mechanical engagement of the connector, termination ring, and backshell.
US09413094B2
A terminal has a base, a wire covering portion, two connecting portions and two resilient arms. The resilient arms are formed on and protrude forward respectively from front ends of the connecting portions and each resilient arm has an extension section, a U-turn portion and a folding contacting section. The extension section is formed on and protrudes forward from the front end of one of the connecting portions. The U-turn portion is formed on the extension section. The folding contacting section is formed on and extends from the U-turn portion, is parallel to the other folding contacting section, and abuts an inside surface of the extension section. The terminal is structurally strong and durable.
US09413089B2
A connector including a substantially rectangular housing made of an insulating material, a plurality of terminals which are provided for the housing and are attached to a circuit board to be electrically connected to the circuit board, and a holding bracket which is provided for the housing and is fixed on the circuit board. The holding bracket includes a first fixed terminal a fixed on the circuit board, and a second fixed terminal which is formed separately from the first fixed terminal a and is fixed on the circuit board.
US09413080B2
An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes at least one first antenna radiator, a main board including a feed part that is spaced apart from at least one portion of the at least one first antenna radiator to overlap the at least one portion of the at least one first antenna radiator and feeds an electric current to the at least one first antenna radiator according to an indirect feed method, at least one second antenna radiator disposed on a housing of the electronic apparatus, at least one first connection member for electrically connecting the at least one first antenna radiator to the at least one second antenna radiator, and at least one second connection member for electrically connecting a ground part formed on the main board to the at least one second antenna radiator. Also, other various exemplary may be implemented.
US09413071B2
There is disclosed a radio-antenna module formed on a daughterboard comprising a substrate, a radio circuit and a monopole antenna. The radio circuit is fed between two points on the monopole antenna having a predetermined relative impedance difference and neither of which points is at zero impedance (ground). The module operates well in a vertical orientation and can discriminate between right and left hand circular polarisation, making it ideal for personal navigation device and other global positioning system applications.
US09413068B2
The instant disclosure provides an antenna system with a generically small ground plane and a generic antenna radiating module, wherein the system further includes a matching circuit and a tunable capacitor each bring integrated with the ground plane and antenna in a novel configuration which provides improved antenna performance across multiple antenna resonances.
US09413065B2
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, a circuit for receiving a request to initiate a multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) communication session, and configuring a first antenna module and a second antenna module of a communication device to enable the MIMO communication session. The MIMO communication session can combine at least a portion of spectrum between a plurality of bands shared by the first antenna module and the second antenna module. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09413064B2
An antenna further comprising: a first port, a second port, where the first port is 180-degrees out of phase with respect to the second port.
US09413060B2
A high performance broadband antenna for backpack and helmet application allowing data, video, and voice transmission between parties. The antenna consists of a pair of triangle shaped elements which are configured to stick on a backpack surface or place over a helmet with a coaxial cable connecting a radiating structure to the communication equipment on the body. A metal shielding performs as a ground plane and also acts as a protectant from radiation hazards to the head or body areas. The antenna is made with materials that conform to the shape of a helmet or stick directly onto a backpack surface. This design can function under multiple frequencies on UHF and S bands; its placement on a helmet receives less Interference from Its surroundings.
US09413051B2
A radio frequency (RF) device includes an RF transmission line structure having opposing boundary walls with a non-rectilinear form factor, and a feed structure configured to introduce RF energy into an area between the opposing boundary walls to illuminate the RF transmission line structure with the RF energy across the non-rectilinear form factor. The feed structure includes a plurality of traveling-waveguide-fed leaky line-segment structures, each configured to launch the RF energy into the area with a propagation direction having an oblique angle relative to an axis of the line-segment structure.
US09413050B2
An apparatus and method for realizing non-reciprocal components, such as isolators and circulators, for operation over a broad bandwidth without requiring magnetic components/material which would prevent integrated circuit manufacture utilizing standard processes is presented. In one example, a circulator is described including varactor diodes coupled at each unit cell in a balanced manner between halves of a differential signal path and halves of a differential carrier path. In another example, variable capacitors are coupled at each unit cell between a signal path and ground, and having a tuning input of the variable capacitor receiving a signal from a carrier path.
US09413049B2
A rotary joint includes a contactless electrical connection that has an annular shape, not extending into a central region surrounded and defined by the annular contactless electrical connection. The annular shape of the electrical connection portions allows other uses for the central region, such as for passing an optical signal through the rotary joint. Feeds are coupled to annular waveguide structures in both halves of the rotary joint, for input and output of signals. The feeds may provide connections to the annular waveguide structures at regularly-spaced circumferential intervals around the waveguide structures, such as at about every half-wavelength of the incoming (and outgoing) signals. The annular waveguide structures propagate signals in an axial direction, parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotary joint. The signals propagate contactlessly (non-electrically-conductively) across a gap in the axial direction between the two annular waveguides.
US09413048B2
An electrochemical cell includes a housing, a fuel electrode comprising a metal fuel; an oxidant electrode spaced from the fuel electrode, having fuel electrode and oxidant facing sides, and a liquid ionically conductive medium for conducting ions between the fuel and oxidant electrodes to support electrochemical reactions thereat. The fuel and oxidant electrodes are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce a gaseous oxidant at the oxidant electrode to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load. The oxidant electrode includes an active layer configured to participate in the electrochemical reactions, and a current collector electrically coupled to the active layer. The oxidant electrode further includes a graphite layer comprising a mixture of graphite particles and solvophobic binder, the graphite layer providing a surface thereof for exposure to a sealant that adheres the oxidant electrode to the housing.
US09413045B2
A battery pack includes battery stacks each formed of battery cells stacked on one another and bus bars disposed at a first end side of the battery stack for connection between electrode terminals of the battery cells, a battery pack case housing the battery stacks, a fan device disposed inside the battery pack case for circulating fluid within the battery pack case and a spacer disposed between respective adjacent battery cells to guide the fluid to flow in a direction from the first end side to a second end side opposite to the first end side along lateral sides of the battery cells. Each of the battery cells includes a battery cell case as an outer shell thereof that includes an exposed portion having a predetermined exposed length by which the battery cell case projects from an end at the first end side of the spacer.
US09413043B2
Disclosed herein is a cooling member mounted at a top or a bottom of a battery module configured to have a structure in which a plurality of unit modules, each of which includes one or more battery cells, is arranged in a lateral direction or a battery pack configured to have a structure in which a plurality of battery modules is arranged in a lateral direction to remove heat generated from the battery cells during charge and discharge of the battery cells.
US09413041B2
In a method for adjusting a nickel-metal hydride storage battery, based on a correlation between a charge amount after valve opening and an increased amount of a discharge reserve capacity which are previously ascertained, the charge amount after valve opening corresponding to a target value of the set increased amount of the discharge reserve capacity is calculated and this calculated value is set as a target charge amount after valve opening. In a discharge reserve adjusting step, when a charge amount of the battery from the time when a safety valve device is opened after start of overcharge of the battery reaches the set target charge amount after valve opening, overcharge of the battery is terminated.
US09413037B2
Provided is a cell capacity adjusting device for reducing fluctuations in state of charge (SOC) among cells of a battery pack 101, which is formed by connecting a plurality of cells 111-116 in series, during suspension of operation of electrically-powered equipment whose main power source is the battery pack 101. From among the plurality of cells 111-116, one or a plurality of cells having a voltage value equal to or higher than a cell capacity adjustment target voltage are selected. By the selected cells, an intermittent operation unit 105, which operates even during the suspension of operation of the electrically-powered equipment, is caused to perform an intermittent operation. Through repetition of the intermittent operation, voltage values of the selected cells are decreased. Thus, fluctuations in state of charge (SOC) among cells are reduced without unnecessarily discharging battery stored energy of the battery pack 101.
US09413021B2
Provided is a fuel cell system capable of achieving both of improving purge efficiency and preventing deterioration of the fuel cell, and a control method of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a circulation rate adjusting unit that adjusts a circulation rate of a circulation gas, a first startup purge unit that performs the first startup purge by opening a purge valve in a state where the circulation rate of the circulation gas is increased to be a mixing promotion rate capable of promoting mixing of the fuel gas with the circulation gas at system startup of the fuel cell system, and a second startup purge unit that performs the second startup purge by opening the purge valve in a state where the gas circulation rate is reduced to be less than the mixing promotion rate after the first startup purge.
US09413020B2
A method of operating a PEM fuel cell including an anode feed circuit and a cathode feed circuit for feeding of an anode side with a reactant gas and for feeding a cathode side with a cathode gas. A shut-down mode for shutting down an electricity generating operation of the fuel system includes decreasing the supply of reactant gas and cathode gas in response of a shut-down signal, monitoring an output voltage of at least one cell of a fuel cell stack, monitoring the reactant gas pressure and the cathode gas pressure, electrically shunting of the at least one fuel cell in response of the output voltage reaching a predefined voltage level, at least reducing the pressure of the anode side to a predefined pressure level by means of at least one pump, and filling and/or flushing of at least the anode side with an inert gas.
US09413007B2
Provided are a graphene powder, a production method thereof, and an electrochemical device comprising the same. The graphene powder has an elemental ratio of oxygen atoms to carbon atoms of not less than 0.07 and not more than 0.13 and an elemental ratio of nitrogen atoms to carbon atoms of not more than 0.01. In the production method, the graphene powder is produced by using a dithionous acid salt as a reducing agent. Since the graphene has a low content of nitrogen atoms and a proper amount of oxygen atoms and a proper defect, the graphene is provided with good performance of both dispersibility and conductive property, and is usable as a good conductive additive, such as the one for a lithium ion battery electrode. The production method has the advantages of low cost, high efficiency and low toxicity.
US09413002B2
Method for preparing a particulate material including particles of an element of group IVa, an oxide thereof or an alloy thereof, the method including: (a) dry grinding particles from an ingot of an element of group IVa, an oxide thereof or an alloy thereof to obtain micrometer size particles; and (b) wet grinding the micrometer particles dispersed in a solvent carrier to obtain nanometer size particles having a size between 10 to 100 nanometers, optionally a stabilizing agent is added during or after the wet grinding. Method can include further steps of (c) drying the nanometer size particles, (d) mixing the nanometer size particles with a carbon precursor; and (e) pyrolyzing the mixture, thereby forming a coat of conductive carbon on at least part of the surface of the particles. The particulate material can be used in fabrication of an anode in an electrochemical cell or electrochemical storage energy apparatus.
US09413001B2
Provided is a composite including lead oxide particles (PbO2) and functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
US09412999B2
Modified graphite particles obtained from graphite or based on graphite, the said particles having impurities in their internal structure and having on the surface a low, even nil, rate of an impurity or several impurities. In addition, these particles have at least one of the following characteristics: a tab density between 0.3 and 1.5 g/cc; a potatolike shape; and a granulometric dispersion such that the D90/D10 ratio varies between 2 and 5 and the particles have a size between 1 and 50 μm. These particles can be used for fuel cells, electrochemical generators, or as moisture absorbers and/or oxygen absorbers and they have important electrochemical properties. The electrochemical cells and batteries thus obtained are stable and safe.
US09412995B2
An electrode is provided as one capable of achieving further improvement in safety of an electrochemical device when exposed to a high-temperature environment, and an electrochemical device is provided as one using the electrode. The electrode has a current collector, an endothermic material layer provided on the current collector, and an active material layer provided on the endothermic material layer. The endothermic material layer contains an endothermic material absorbing heat at 80° C. or higher in a differential scanning calorimetry curve thereof.
US09412988B2
A porous separator including a porous base film; and a coating layer, the coating layer being on a surface of the porous base film and including a polyvinylidene fluoride homopolymer, a polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymer, and inorganic particles, wherein the separator exhibits a thermal shrinkage of about 30% or less in a machine direction (MD) or in a transverse direction (TD), as measured after leaving the separator at 150° C. for 1 hour, a peel strength of about 50 gf/cm2 or more between the coating layer and the base film, and an adhesive strength of about 20 gf/cm2 or more between the coating layer and electrodes of a battery.
US09412985B2
A safety device (1) for a lithium electrochemical generator battery, including a box (100), configured to house a plurality of lithium electrochemical generators; a cover (200) arranged gas-tightly on the opening (130) of the box; an opening (120) forming a vent situated in one of the walls of the box (100) or situated in the cover (200); a conduit (300) having two openings (311, 312) where one of the openings (311) is gas-tightly connected to the opening (120) forming a vent of the box; a covering part (400) positioned gas-tightly at an opening of a wall of the compartment and the second opening (312) of the conduit, and where said covering part comprises a portion (410) adapted to tear at a threshold pressure Ps; where the walls of the box, the cover, the conduit and the covering part are secured to each other so as to ensure sealing against the gases up to a pressure above the threshold pressure Ps.
US09412970B2
A barrier film composite includes a heat-shrinkable layer having a conformable surface conforming to a surface shape of an object in contact with the heat-shrinkable layer, and a flat surface disposed opposite to the conformable surface; and a barrier layer having a smaller thickness than the heat-shrinkable layer and disposed flat on the flat surface of the heat-shrinkable layer.
US09412966B2
An OLED encapsulating structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and a light-emitting device are disclosed. The OLED encapsulating structure comprises: a base substrate, an OLED, barrier layers, and optical modulation layers; the OLED is formed on the base substrate; the barrier layers and the optical modulation layers are alternately and periodically formed on the OLED. The OLED encapsulating structure can reduce viewing-angle dependence of an OLED caused by a micro-cavity effect.
US09412964B2
[It is an object] to provide an organic electroluminescent element with which the initial durability of the element can be greatly improved while maintaining the efficiency of the element at a high level. This is an organic electroluminescent element having an anode, a hole injection layer, a first hole transport layer, a second hole transport layer, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode, in this order, with this organic electroluminescent element being such that the aforementioned hole injection layer includes a material for which the energy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is less than −4.0 eV and also such that the energy E1(LUMO) of the LUMO of the material included in the aforementioned first hole transport layer and the energy E2(LUMO) of the LUMO of the material included in the aforementioned second hole transport layer satisfy [the inequality] E1(LUMO)>E2(LUMO).
US09412960B2
There is disclosed photovoltaic device structures which trap admitted light and recycle it through the contained photosensitive materials to maximize photoabsorption. For example, there is disclosed a photosensitive optoelectronic device comprising: a first reflective layer comprising a thermoplastic resin; a second reflective layer substantially parallel to the first reflective layer; a first transparent electrode layer on at least one of the first and second reflective layer; and a photosensitive region adjacent to the first electrode, wherein the first transparent electrode layer is substantially parallel to the first reflective layer and adjacent to the photosensitive region, and wherein the device has an exterior face transverse to the planes of the reflective layers where the exterior face has an aperture for admission of incident radiation to the interior of the device.
US09412955B2
The present invention provides a new class of excited state intramolecular charge transfer (ESIPT) dye compounds based on mono or dihydroxy substituted 1,3-bisiminoisoindole motif and metal complexes containing such compounds as ligands. The present invention also provides OLEDs containing the compound and/or metal complex as the emissive material.
US09412954B2
The present disclosure provides a novel compound capable of greatly improving the lifetime, efficiency, electrochemical stability and thermal stability of an organic electronic device, and an organic electronic device including an organic compound layer containing the compound.
US09412952B2
A photoelectric conversion element includes a transparent conductive film, a conductive film, and a photoelectric conversion layer and an electron-blocking layer disposed between the transparent conductive film and the conductive film. The photoelectric conversion layer includes a condensed polycyclic hydrocarbon which contains at least 5 benzene rings, of which a total number of rings is 7 or more and which contains no carbonyl group. The electron-blocking layer includes a compound A having a residue after removal of at least one group of Ra1 to Ra9 from a compound represented by general formula (A) and having a glass transition point (Tg) of 200° C. or more. The photoelectric conversion element exhibits high photoelectric conversion efficiency and low dark current characteristics even after heating treatment, and can be manufactured with high productivity.
US09412951B2
Organic materials and organic electroluminescent apparatuses using the same are provided. The structural general formula of the materials is shown below, wherein Ar is selected from residues of C6-C30 fused-ring aromatic hydrocarbons, Ar1 and Ar2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C6-C24 aryl, and C6-C24 heterocyclic aryl, and n is an integer selected from 2 and 3. The present organic materials can be used as electron transport layers in the organic electroluminescent apparatuses.
US09412947B2
Techniques for fabricating organic light emitting devices, and devices fabricating using the disclosed techniques, are provided. In the disclosed techniques, a layer including an emissive material and a buffer material may be deposited in a single laser transfer process, such as a laser-induced thermal imaging process. The emissive and buffer materials may be deposited in discrete layers during the transfer process. Examples of buffer materials as disclosed include blocking materials, transfer materials, and the like. Additional layers may be deposited using conventional techniques or additional laser transfer processes.
US09412937B2
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a variable resistance layer. The second electrode includes a metal. The metal is more easily ionizable than a material of the first electrode. The variable resistance layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The variable resistance layer includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer has a relatively high crystallization rate. The second layer contacts the first layer. The second layer has a relatively low crystallization rate. The first layer and the second layer are stacked along a direction connecting the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09412927B2
Techniques are described to form an absorption stack proximate to a thermopile sensor. In one or more implementations, a thermopile sensor is formed proximate to a semiconductor wafer. An absorption stack is formed proximate to the semiconductor wafer and includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer may be a material having absorption and/or reflective characteristics. The second layer may be a material having wave phase shift characteristic characteristics. The third layer may be a material having a reflective characteristic.
US09412920B2
A phosphor reflecting sheet provides a phosphor layer on one side in a thickness direction of a light emitting diode element and provides a reflecting resin layer at the side of the light emitting diode element. The phosphor reflecting sheet includes the phosphor layer and the reflecting resin layer provided on one surface in the thickness direction of the phosphor layer. The reflecting resin layer is formed corresponding to the light emitting diode element so as to be disposed in opposed relation to the side surface of the light emitting diode element.
US09412912B2
A method for transferring light-emitting elements onto a package substrate includes: providing a light-emitting unit including a temporary substrate and light-emitting elements; disconnecting the light-emitting elements from the temporary substrate to allow the light-emitting elements to float on a fluid; adjusting spacings between the light-emitting elements to have a predetermined size by controlling flow of the fluid; placing a package substrate into the fluid, followed by aligning the light-emitting elements with connecting pads of the package substrate so as to correspondingly place the light-emitting elements on the connecting pads; and removing the package substrate with the light-emitting elements from the fluid.
US09412911B2
Light emitting semiconductor junctions are disclosed. An exemplary light emitting junction has a first electrical contact coupled to a first side of the junction. The exemplary junction also has a second electrical contact coupled to a second side of the junction. The exemplary junction also has a region of set straining material that exerts a strain on the junction and alters both: (i) an optical polarization, and (ii) an emission wavelength of the junction. The region of set straining material is not on a current path between said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact. The region of set straining material covers a third side and a fourth side of the light emitting junction along a cross section of the light emitting junction. The light emitting semiconductor junction device comprises a three-five alloy.
US09412910B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, a light emitting portion, a first transparent conductive layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. The light emitting portion is provided between the first and second semiconductor layers. The second semiconductor layer is disposed between the first transparent conductive layer and the light emitting portion. The first transparent conductive layer includes oxygen. The second transparent conductive layer is provided between the second semiconductor layer and the first transparent conductive layer. The second transparent conductive layer has a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the first transparent conductive layer, and includes oxygen at a concentration higher than a concentration of oxygen included in the first transparent conductive layer.
US09412908B2
Disclosed are a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a plurality of compound semiconductor layers including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer; a pad on the plurality of compound semiconductor layers; an electrode layer under the plurality of compound semiconductor layers; and a supporting member disposed under the plurality of compound semiconductor layers and corresponding to the pad.
US09412901B2
A superlattice layer including a plurality of periods, each of which is formed from a plurality of sub-layers is provided. Each sub-layer comprises a different composition than the adjacent sub-layer(s) and comprises a polarization that is opposite a polarization of the adjacent sub-layer(s). In this manner, the polarizations of the respective adjacent sub-layers compensate for one another. Furthermore, the superlattice layer can be configured to be at least partially transparent to radiation, such as ultraviolet radiation.
US09412894B2
A photovoltaic device includes a semiconductor substrate; an amorphous first conductive semiconductor layer on a first region of a first surface of the semiconductor substrate and containing a first impurity; an amorphous second conductive semiconductor layer on a second region of the first surface of the semiconductor substrate and containing a second impurity; and a gap passivation layer located between the first region and the second region on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first conductive semiconductor layer is also on the gap passivation layer.
US09412891B2
A device for dissipating heat from a photovoltaic cell is disclosed. A first thermally conductive layer receives heat from the photovoltaic cell and reduces a density of the received heat. A second thermally conductive layer conducts heat from the first thermally conductive layer to a surrounding environment. An electrically isolating layer thermally couples the first thermally conductive layer and the second thermally conductive layer.
US09412883B2
Methods and apparatus for polysilicon MOS capacitors in a replacement gate process. A method includes disposing a gate dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate; disposing a polysilicon gate layer over the dielectric layer; patterning the gate dielectric layer and the polysilicon gate layer to form a plurality of polysilicon gates spaced by at least a minimum polysilicon to polysilicon pitch; defining a polysilicon resistor region containing at least one of the polysilicon gates and not containing at least one other of the polysilicon gates, which form dummy gates; depositing a mask layer over an inter-level dielectric layer; patterning the mask layer to expose the dummy gates; removing the dummy gates and the gate dielectric layer underneath the dummy gates to leave trenches in the inter-level dielectric layer; and forming high-k metal gate devices in the trenches in the inter-level dielectric layer. An apparatus produced by the method is disclosed.
US09412880B2
An SiC Schottky diode die or a Si Schottky diode die is mounted with its epitaxial anode surface connected to the best heat sink surface in the device package. This produces a substantial increase in the surge current capability of the device.
US09412869B2
An integrated circuit contains a transistor with a stress enhancement region on the source side only. In a DeMOS transistor, forming the stress enhancement region on the source side only and not forming a stress enhancement region in the drain extension increases the resistance of the drain extension region enabling formation of a DeMOS transistor with reduced area. In a MOS transistor, by forming the stress enhancement region on the source side only and eliminating the stress enhancement region from the drain side, transistor leakage is reduced and CHC reliability improved.
US09412864B2
A method is provided for fabricating a junction-less transistor. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a dielectric layer; and forming a semiconductor layer including a first heavily doped layer formed on the dielectric layer, a lightly doped layer formed on the first heavily doped layer and a second heavily doped layer formed on the lightly doped layer. The method also includes etching the semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer to form trenches to expose side surfaces of a portion of the semiconductor layer and a portion of the dielectric layer; and removing the portion of the dielectric layer between the adjacent trenches to form a chamber. Further, the method includes forming a gate structure around the portion of the semiconductor layer between the adjacent trenches; and forming a source region and a drain region in the semiconductor layer at both sides of the gate structure.
US09412860B2
A transistor gate dielectric including a first dielectric material having a first dielectric constant and a second dielectric material having a second dielectric constant different from the first dielectric constant.
US09412850B1
A method of trimming a fin structure includes the following operations: (i) forming a fin structure on a substrate; (ii) epitaxially growing an epitaxy structure cladding the fin structure, in which the epitaxy structure has a first lattice plane with Miller index (111), a second lattice plane with Miller index (100) and a third lattice plane with Miller index (110); and (iii) removing the epitaxy structure and a portion of the fin structure to obtain a trimmed fin structure.
US09412844B2
A device includes a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a trench extending into the semiconductor region, and a conductive field plate in the trench. A first dielectric layer separates a bottom and sidewalls of the field plate from the semiconductor region. A main gate is disposed in the trench and overlapping the field plate. A second dielectric layer is disposed between and separating the main gate and the field plate from each other. A Doped Drain (DD) region of the first conductivity type is under the second dielectric layer, wherein an edge portion of the main gate overlaps the DD region. A body region includes a first portion at a same level as a portion of the main gate, and a second portion at a same level as, and contacting, the DD region, wherein the body region is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type.
US09412841B2
A method for fabricating a field-effect transistor includes forming a spacer adjacent to sidewalls of a gate structure. The method further includes forming silicide regions in a substrate adjacent to the spacer. The method further includes depositing a first interlayer dielectric layer over the substrate. The method further includes exposing a top surface of the gate structure. The method further includes depositing a contact etch stop layer over the first interlayer dielectric layer and the top surface of the gate structure. The method further includes patterning the contact etch stop layer to remove a portion of the contact etch stop layer over the silicide regions, wherein the contact etch stop layer over the gate structure is maintained.
US09412838B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device using a high-temperature ion implantation process includes providing a substrate including a plurality of fins. In some examples, a mask material is deposited and patterned to expose a group of fins of the plurality of fins and a test structure. By way of example, a first ion implantation may be performed, at a first temperature, through the group of fins and the test structure. Additionally, a second ion implantation may be performed, at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, through the group of fins and the test structure. In various examples, an interstitial cluster is formed within the group of fins and within the test structure. In some embodiments, an anneal process is performed, where the anneal process serves to remove the interstitial cluster from the group of fins and form at least one dislocation loop within the test structure.
US09412833B2
Systems and methods for narrow semiconductor trench structures. In a first method embodiment, a method for forming a narrow trench comprises forming a first layer of insulating material on a substrate and creating a trench through the first layer of insulating material and into the substrate. A second insulating material is formed on the first layer and on exposed portions of the trench and the second insulating material is removed from the first layer of insulating material and the bottom of the trench. The trench is filled with an epitaxial material and the first layer of insulating material is removed. A narrow trench is formed by the removal of remaining portions of the second insulating material.
US09412827B2
A vertical semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a backside and extending, in a peripheral area and in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the backside, from the backside to a first surface of the semiconductor body, the body including in an active area spaced apart semiconductor mesas extending, in the vertical direction, from the first surface to a main surface arranged above the first surface, in a vertical cross-section the peripheral area extending between the active area and an edge that extends between the back-side and the first surface, in the vertical cross-section each of the mesas including first and second side walls, a first pn-junction extending between the first and second side walls, and a conductive region in Ohmic contact with the mesa and extending from the main surface into the mesa. Gate electrodes are arranged between adjacent mesas and extend across the first pn-junctions.
US09412826B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes processes of: (a) implant first conductivity type first impurities in a first region of a first surface; (b) form a second conductivity type semiconductor region exposed in the second region of the first surface by implanting second conductivity type second impurities in the second region; (c) implant charged particles at a dose amount larger than those of the first and the second impurities in a third region of the first surface which at least partially overlaps with the first region and is adjacent to the second region so that an implantation depth of the charged particles becomes shallower than that of the first impurities. After having performed the processes of (a) to (c), a metal is deposited on the second and the third regions, and the metal is caused to react with the semiconductor substrate to form the silicide layer.
US09412824B2
A semiconductor component includes a semiconductor body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. In the semiconductor body, a dopant region is formed by a dopant composed of an oxygen complex. The dopant region extends over a section L having a length of at least 10 μm along a direction from the first side to the second side. The dopant region has an oxygen concentration in a range of 1×1017 cm−3 to 5×1017 cm−3 over the section L.
US09412821B2
A hollow-channel memory device comprises a source layer, a first hollow-channel pillar structure formed on the source layer, and a second hollow-channel pillar structure formed on the first hollow-channel pillar structure. The first hollow-channel pillar structure comprises a first thin channel and the second hollow-channel pillar structure comprises a second thin channel that is in contact with the first thin channel. In one exemplary embodiment, the first thin channel comprises a first level of doping; and the second thin channel comprises a second level of doping that is different from the first level of doping. In another exemplary embodiment, the first and second levels of doping are the same.
US09412793B2
Provided is a light-emitting device which can emit monochromatic light with high purity due to a microcavity effect and which can emit white light in the case of a combination of monochromatic light. Provided is a high-definition light-emitting device. Provided is a light-emitting device with low power consumption. In a light-emitting device with a white-color filter top emission structure, one pixel is formed of four sub-pixels of RBGY, an EL layer includes a first light-emitting substance which emits blue light and a second light-emitting substance which emits light corresponding to a complementary color of blue, and a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective electrode (an upper electrode) is formed so as to cover an edge portion of the EL layer.
US09412790B1
A method for forming a resistive switching device. The method includes providing a substrate having a surface region and forming a first dielectric material overlying the surface region. A first wiring structure is formed overlying the first dielectric material. The method forms one or more first structure comprising a junction material overlying the first wiring structure. A second structure comprising a stack of material is formed overlying the first structure. The second structure includes a resistive switching material, an active conductive material overlying the resistive switching material, and a second wiring material overlying the active conductive material. The second structure is configured such that the resistive switching material is free from a coincident vertical sidewall region with the junction material.
US09412786B1
Magnetoresistive device architectures and methods for manufacturing are presented that facilitate integration of process steps associated with forming such devices into standard process flows used for surrounding logic/circuitry. In some embodiments, the magnetoresistive device structures are designed such that the devices are able to fit within the vertical dimensions of the integrated circuit associated with a single metal layer and a single layer of interlayer dielectric material. Integrating the processing for the magnetoresistive devices can include using the same standard interlayer dielectric material as used in the surrounding circuits on the integrated circuit as well as using standard vias to interconnect to at least one of the electrodes of the magnetoresistive devices.
US09412784B1
The present disclosure illustrates a pre-flash time adjusting circuit. The pre-flash time adjusting circuit comprises a first pre-flash time adjusting unit coupled to an image sensing array. The image sensing array comprises a plurality of pixel units. The first pre-flash time adjusting unit comprises a switching module and a storage capacitor. When the image sensing array senses a light beam, the switching module selectively connects a first switch and the storage capacitor, such that the storage capacitor starts to charge the first pixel units of the first pixel group, until base-emitter voltages of a plurality of bipolar junction transistors disposed in the first pixel units reaches a stable state.
US09412782B2
A pixel sensor having a main photodetector and a parasitic photodiode and a method for reading out that pixel sensor are disclosed. The pixel sensor is read by reading a first potential on a floating diffusion node in the pixel sensor while the floating diffusion node is isolated from the main photodiode. The pixel sensor is then exposed to light such that the floating diffusion node and the photodetector are both exposed to the light. A second potential on the floating diffusion node is then readout while the floating diffusion node is isolated from the main photodiode. After the first and second potentials are readout, a third potential on the floating diffusion node is readout. The main photodiode is then connected to the floating diffusion node, and a fourth potential on the floating diffusion node is readout. First and second light intensities are determined from the readout potentials.
US09412779B2
A method, apparatus and system are described providing a high dynamic range pixel. An integration period has multiple sub-integration periods during which charges are accumulated in a photosensor and repeatedly transferred to a storage node, where the charges are accumulated for later transfer to another storage node for output.
US09412771B2
A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor and a method of manufacturing a display substrate having the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the method of manufacturing a thin film transistor comprises forming an oxide semiconductor layer over a substrate, plasma-treating the oxide semiconductor layer with a plasma generated from a nitrogen gas or a nitric oxide gas so as to decrease defects in the oxide semiconductor layer, and annealing the plasma-treated oxide semiconductor layer to form a channel layer.
US09412770B2
The present invention provides a pixel structure of a display panel and a method for manufacturing the same. The pixel structure comprises a first pixel area and a second pixel area that are adjacent to each other. The first pixel area has a first transparent conductive layer disposed therein and the second pixel area has a second transparent conductive layer disposed therein. The first transparent conductive layer in the first pixel area and the second transparent conductive layer in the second pixel area are located at different heights. The pixel structure of the present invention can efficiently increase an aperture ratio for the pixels on the display panel.
US09412769B2
Example embodiments relate to a transistor, a method of manufacturing a transistor, and/or an electronic device including the transistor. In example embodiments, the transistor includes a first field effect transistor (FET) and a second FET connected in series to each other, wherein a first gate insulating film of the first FET and a second gate insulating film of the second FET have different leakage current characteristics or gate electric field characteristics.
US09412759B2
A gate contact with reduced contact resistance is provided by increasing contact area between the gate contact and a gate conductive portion of a gate structure. The gate contact forms a direct contact with a topmost surface and at least portions of outermost sidewalls of a portion of the gate conductive portion, thus increasing the contact area between the gate contact and the gate structure. The gate contact area of the present application can be further increased by completely surrounding a portion of the gate conductive portion of the gate structure with the gate contact.
US09412756B2
In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a stacked body is formed by alternately stacking dielectric films and conductive films on a silicon substrate and a plurality of through holes extending in the stacking direction are formed in a matrix configuration. A shunt interconnect and a bit interconnect are provided above the stacked body. Conductor pillars are buried inside the through holes arranged in a line immediately below the shunt interconnect out of the plurality of through holes, and semiconductor pillars are buried inside the remaining through holes. The conductive pillars are formed from a metal, or low resistance silicon. Its upper end portion is connected to the shunt interconnect and its lower end portion is connected to a cell source formed in an upper layer portion of the silicon substrate.
US09412753B2
A method of making multi-level contacts includes providing an in-process multilevel device having a device region and a contact region including a stack of a plurality of alternating sacrificial layers and insulator layers located over a major surface of a substrate. A contact mask with at least one contact mask opening and at least one first terrace mask opening is provided over the stack, where the at least one first terrace mask opening is larger than the at least one contact mask opening. At least one first contact opening and at least one first terrace opening are simultaneously formed extending substantially perpendicular to the major surface of the substrate through the stack to a first sacrificial layer by etching a portion of the stack through the at least one contact mask opening and the at least one first terrace mask opening. A first electrically conductive via contact is deposited in the at least one first contact opening.
US09412752B1
A 3D NAND flash memory includes even and odd stacks of conductive strips. Some of the conductive strips in the stacks are configured as word lines. Data storage structures are disposed on the sidewalls of the even and odd stacks. Active pillars include even and odd semiconductor films on the data storage structures connected at the bottom ends so that the semiconductor films can be thin films having a U-shaped current path. An even pad connected to the even semiconductor film and an odd pad connected to the odd semiconductor film are disposed over the even and odd stacks respectively. A segment of a reference line is connected to the even pad, and an inter-level connector is connected to the odd pad. A segment of a bit line comprises an extension contacting the inter-level connector.
US09412748B2
An improvement is achieved in the performance of a semiconductor device. In a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, using a control gate electrode and a memory gate electrode which are formed over a semiconductor substrate as a mask, n-type impurity ions are implanted from a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the semiconductor substrate. Then, using the control gate electrode, the memory gate electrode, and first and second sidewall spacers as a mask, other n-type impurity ions are implanted from a direction inclined relative to the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09412743B2
The present invention provides a complementary metal oxide semiconductor device, comprising a PMOS and an NMOS. The PMOS has a P type metal gate, which comprises a bottom barrier layer, a P work function metal (PWFM) layer, an N work function tuning (NWFT) layer, an N work function metal (NWFM) layer and a metal layer. The NMOS has an N type metal gate, which comprises the NWFT layer, the NWFM layer and the low-resistance layer. The present invention further provides a method of forming the same.
US09412736B2
In an approach to fabricating a silicon on insulator wafer, one or more semiconductor device elements are implanted and one or more shallow trench isolations are formed on a top surface of a first semiconductor wafer. A first dielectric material layer is deposited over the top surface of the first semiconductor wafer, filling the shallow trench isolations. A dielectric material layer on a bottom surface of a second semiconductor wafer is bonded to a dielectric material layer on the top of the first semiconductor wafer and one or more semiconductor devices are formed on a top surface of the second semiconductor wafer. Then, one or more through silicon vias are created connecting the one or more semiconductor devices on the top surface of the second semiconductor wafer and the one or more semiconductor device elements on the top surface of the first semiconductor wafer.
US09412733B2
Aspects of the present disclosure describe a Schottky structure with two trenches formed in a semiconductor material. The trenches are spaced apart from each other by a mesa. Each trench may have first and second conductive portions lining the first and second sidewalls. The first and second portions of conductive material are electrically isolated from each other in each trench. The Schottky contact may be formed at any location between the outermost conductive portions. The Schottky structure may be formed in the active area or the termination area of a device die. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09412730B2
An integrated circuit according to an embodiment of the invention includes a substrate having a first cell and a second cell, the first and the second cells being adapted to perform a substantially same functionality. Corresponding functional structures of the first and the second cell are electrically connected, at different locations inside the standard cells, to information carrying signal interconnection lines, wherein the functional structures are adapted to serve as an information carrying signal input or as an information carrying signal output.
US09412728B2
A method for performing a post processing pattern on a diced chip having a footprint, comprises the steps of providing a support wafer; applying a first dry film photoresist to the support wafer; positioning a mask corresponding to the footprint of the diced chip on the first dry film photoresist; expose the mask and the first dry film photoresist to UV radiation; remove the mask; photoresist develop the exposed first dry film photoresist to obtain a cavity corresponding to the diced chip; positioning the diced chip inside the cavity; applying a second dry film photoresist to the first film photoresist and the diced chip; and expose and develop the second dry film photoresist applied to the diced chip in accordance with the post processing pattern.
US09412721B2
A communications structure comprises a first semiconductor substrate having a first coil, and a second semiconductor substrate having a second coil above the first semiconductor substrate. Inner edges of the first and second coils define a boundary of a volume that extends below the first coil and above the second coil. A ferromagnetic core is positioned at least partially within the boundary, such that a mutual inductance is provided between the first and second coils for wireless transmission of signals or power between the first and second coils.
US09412720B2
A semiconductor package may include a packaging substrate, a first semiconductor chip on the packaging substrate, and a support plate on the packaging substrate. The support plate may be spaced apart from the first semiconductor chip in a direction parallel with respect to a surface of the packaging substrate. A second semiconductor chip may be provided on the first semiconductor chip and on the support plate so that the first semiconductor chip is between the second semiconductor chip and the packaging substrate and so that the support plate is between the second semiconductor chip and the packaging substrate. An adhesion layer may bond the second semiconductor chip to the first semiconductor chip and may bond the second semiconductor chip to the support plate. In addition, an electrical coupling may be provided between the first semiconductor chip and the packaging substrate.
US09412713B2
A method of treating a copper containing structure on a substrate is disclosed. The method includes electrodepositing the copper containing structure on a substrate, annealing the copper containing structure, and forming an interface between a pad of the copper containing structure and a solder structure after anneal. The interface can have improved resistance to interfacial voiding. The copper containing structure is configured to deliver current between one or more ports and one or more solder structures in the integrated circuit package. Annealing the copper containing structure can move impurities and vacancies to the surface of the copper containing structure for subsequent removal.
US09412707B2
Embodiments of the inventive aspect include a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package including a plurality of stacked semiconductor chips in which edges of a semiconductor wafer substrate may be prevented from being damaged or cracked when the semiconductor package is manufactured at a wafer level, while a diameter of a molding element is greater than a diameter of the semiconductor wafer substrate. The molding element may cover a surface of the wafer substrate and the plurality of stacked semiconductor chips. Embodiments may include a wafer level semiconductor package including a circular substrate having a first diameter, a circular passivation layer attached to the circular substrate, the passivation layer having the first diameter, and a circular molding element covering surfaces of the plurality of semiconductor chips, and covering an active area of the substrate. The circular molding element may have a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter.
US09412705B2
A ferroelectric memory cell (1) and a memory device (100) comprising one or more such cells (1). The ferroelectric memory cell comprises a stack (4) of layers arranged on a flexible substrate (3). Said stack comprises an electrically active part (4a) and a protective layer (11) for protecting the electrically active part against scratches and abrasion. Said electrically active part comprises a bottom electrode layer (5) and a top electrode layer (9) and at least one ferroelectric memory material layer (7) between said electrodes. The stack further comprises a buffer layer (13) arranged between the top electrode layer (9) and the protective layer (11). The buffer layer (13) is adapted for at least partially absorbing a lateral dimensional change (ΔL) occurring in the protective layer (11) and thus preventing said dimensional change (ΔL) from being transferred to the electrically active part (4a), thereby reducing the risk of short circuit to occur between the electrodes.
US09412694B2
A polysilicon fuse is disclosed that is capable of securing good insulation after being cut into small areas. A manufacturing method for the fuse and a small-size and highly-reliable semiconductor device including a polysilicon fuse also are disclosed. By forming a cavity inside a polysilicon portion serving as a melting portion by setting the melting portion of the polysilicon fuse to be a vertical type, a gap is formed between an upper part electrode and the surface of melted polysilicon when the polysilicon fuse is cut off. Because of this gap, good insulation can be secured. By using this polysilicon fuse, a semiconductor device that has a small size and high reliability is provided.
US09412688B2
The wiring board of the present invention includes at least one insulating layer and at least one conductor layer being alternately laminated, a semiconductor element connection pad formed on an upper surface of the insulating layer at an uppermost layer of the insulating layers, a cap connection pattern arranged so as to surround a region where the semiconductor element connection pad is formed, and at least one strip-shaped pattern extending from the semiconductor element connection pad to a region outside an end portion on the region side of the cap connection pattern. The cap connection pattern is formed by a plurality of island-shaped patterns spaced apart from one another, and the strip-shaped pattern is formed between the adjacent island-shaped patterns on the upper surface of the insulating layer at the uppermost layer.
US09412686B2
The present disclosure relates to an interposer structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The interposer structure includes a first dielectric layer, a conductive pad, and a bump. The conductive pad is disposed in the first dielectric layer, wherein a top surface of the conductive pad is exposed from a first surface of the first dielectric layer, the conductive pad further includes a plurality of connection feet, and the connection feet protrude from a bottom surface of the conductive pad to a second surface of the first dielectric layer. The bump is disposed on the second surface of the first dielectric layer, and the bump directly contacts to the connection feet. Through the aforementioned interposer structure, it is sufficient to achieve the purpose of improving the electrical performance of the semiconductor device and avoiding the signal being loss through the TSV.
US09412683B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device having an interlayer insulating film, a molybdenum containing layer, a barrier metal layer and a plug material layer is provided. The interlayer insulating film is formed on a substrate or on a conductive layer formed on a substrate. The interlayer insulating film has a hole reaching the substrate or the conductive layer. The molybdenum containing layer is formed in the substrate or in the conductive layer at a bottom portion of the hole. The barrier metal layer is formed on the molybdenum containing layer and on a side surface of the hole. A portion of the barrier metal layer is formed on the side surface contains at least molybdenum. A portion of the barrier metal layer is formed on the molybdenum containing layer includes at least a molybdenum silicate nitride film. The plug material layer is formed via the barrier metal layer.
US09412677B2
Various embodiments of an interposer for mounting a semiconductor die, as well as methods for forming the interposer, are disclosed. The interposer includes flexible solder pad elements that are formed from a core material of the interposer, such that the interposer may absorb thermally induced stresses and conform to warped or uneven surfaces. Embodiments of electronic device packages including a semiconductor die mounted to and electrically connected to the interposer, as well as methods for forming the electronic device packages, are also disclosed. In one electronic device package, the semiconductor die is electrically connected to the interposer with wire bonds attached to a routing layer of the interposer. In another electronic device package, the semiconductor die is electrically connected to the interposer by bonding the semiconductor die to the flexible solder pad elements of the interposer in a flip-chip configuration. A computer system incorporating an electronic device package with an interposer according to the present invention is also disclosed.
US09412670B2
A system and method of applying power to a target plasma chamber include, characterizing a no plasma performance slope of the target plasma chamber, applying a selected plasma recipe to a first wafer in the target chamber, the selected plasma recipe includes a selected power set point value and monitoring a recipe factor value on the RF electrode. A ratio of process efficiency is generated comparing the reference chamber and the target chamber, the generating using as inputs the no plasma performance slopes of the target chamber and the reference chamber and the monitored recipe factor value. An adjusted power set point value is calculated, the adjusted power set point configured to cause power delivered to a plasma formed in the target chamber to match power that would be delivered to a reference plasma formed in the reference chamber.
US09412669B2
A semiconductor device includes an n channel conductivity type FET having a channel formation region formed in a first region on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and a p channel conductivity type FET having a channel formation region formed in a second region of the main surface, which second region is different from the first region. An impurity concentration of a gate electrode of the n channel FET has an impurity concentration greater than an impurity concentration of the gate electrode of the p channel FET to thereby create a tensile stress in the direction of flow of a drain current in the channel forming region of the n channel FET. The tensile stress in the flow direction of the drain current in the channel forming region of the n channel FET is greater than a tensile stress in the direction of flow of a drain current in the channel forming region of the p channel FET.
US09412668B2
Impurity atoms of a first type are implanted through a gate and a thin gate dielectric into a channel region that has substantially only the first type of impurity atoms at a middle point of the channel region to increase the average dopant concentration of the first type of impurity atoms in the channel region to adjust the threshold voltage of a transistor.
US09412665B2
A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are capable of improving GIDL in a buried gate, and preventing degradation of device characteristics and reliability due to reduction in gate resistance. The semiconductor device may include: junction regions formed at both sidewalls of a trench formed in a semiconductor substrate; a first gate electrode formed in a lower portion of the trench; a second gate electrode formed on at least one inner sidewall of the trench which overlaps one of the junction regions on the first gate electrode; and a third gate electrode formed on one side of the second gate electrode on the first gate electrode.
US09412662B2
A semiconductor structure and a method of manufacture are provided. Devices, such as integrated circuit dies, are mounted on a substrate, such as another die, packaging substrate, interposer, or the like, and recesses are formed in the substrate along the scribe lines. One or more molding compound layers are formed in the recesses and between adjacent dies. A backside thinning process may be performed to expose the molding compound in the recesses. A singulation process is performed in the molding compound layer in the recesses. In an embodiment, a first molding compound layer is formed in the recess, and a second molding compound is formed over the first molding compound layer and between adjacent dies. The devices may be placed on the substrate before or after forming the recesses.
US09412658B2
In-situ melting and crystallization of sealed cooper wires can be performed by means of laser annealing for a duration of nanoseconds. The intensity of the laser irradiation is selected such that molten copper wets interconnect interfaces, thereby forming an interfacial bonding arrangement that increases specular scattering of electrons. Nanosecond-scale temperature quenching preserves the formed interfacial bonding. At the same time, the fast crystallization process of sealed copper interconnects results in large copper grains, typically larger than 80 nm in lateral dimensions, on average. A typical duration of the annealing process is from about 10's to about 100's of nanoseconds. There is no degradation to interlayer low-k dielectric material despite the high anneal temperature due to ultra short duration that prevents collective motion of atoms within the dielectric material.
US09412657B2
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor, a Through Silicon Via (TSV) template wafer and production wafers form a sandwich structure, in which the TSV template wafer has TSV structures uniformly distributed therein, for providing electrical connection between the production wafers to form 3D interconnection. The TSV template wafer is obtained by thinning a semiconductor wafer, which facilitates reducing the difficulty in etching and filling. Connection parts are provided on the TSV template wafer, for convenience of interconnection between the overlying and underlying production wafers, which facilitates reducing the difficulty in alignment and improving the convenience of design of electrical connection for 3D devices.
US09412655B1
A method includes forming a plurality of sacrificial lines embedded in a first dielectric layer. A line merge opening and a line cut opening are formed in a hard mask layer formed above the first dielectric layer. Portions of the first dielectric layer exposed by the line merge opening are removed to define a line merge recess. A portion of a selected sacrificial line exposed by the line cut opening is removed to define a line cut recess between first and second segments of the selected sacrificial line. A second dielectric layer is formed in the line cut recess. The hard mask is removed. The plurality of sacrificial lines is replaced with a conductive material to define at least one line having third and fourth segments in locations previously occupied by the first and second segments and to define a line-merging conductive structure in the line merge recess.
US09412638B2
An end effector pad including a fence member, a first recessed support member extending from a first side of the fence member, a second recessed support member extending from a second side of the fence member opposite the first side, a first glass plate having a relatively low coefficient of friction disposed on top of the first recessed support member for supporting a substrate thereon, and a second glass plate having a relatively low coefficient of friction disposed on top of the second recessed support member for supporting a substrate thereon.
US09412625B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for package assembly including an embedded element and a molded insulator material. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an electrical element (such as a die or a bridge interconnect structure) positioned on a surface of an insulator layer, a conductive pad positioned on the surface of the insulator layer and spaced apart from the electrical element, and a molded insulator material disposed on the surface of the insulator layer adjacent to the electrical element and on the conductive pad. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09412621B2
A semiconductor device in which a gettering layer is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a method for forming the same are disclosed, resulting in increased reliability of the semiconductor substrate including the gettering layer. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; a gettering layer formed of a first-type impurity and a second-type impurity in the semiconductor substrate so as to perform gettering of metal ion; and a deep-well region formed over the gettering layer in the semiconductor substrate.
US09412612B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. A substrate having a first area and a second area is provided. A target layer and a hard mask layer are sequentially formed on the substrate in the first area and in the second area. Transfer patterns are formed in a spacer form on the hard mask layer in the first area. A photoresist layer is formed directly on the hard mask layer, and covers the transfer patterns and the hard mask layer in the first area and in the second area. The photoresist layer in the first area is removed. The hard mask layer is patterned by using the transfer patterns as a mask.
US09412604B2
The present inventive concept provides methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device including forming an inner mask layer on an etching target film, the inner mask layer including a polymer; forming a porous film on the etching target film, the porous film covering the inner mask layer; supplying an acid source to an outer surface area of the inner mask layer through the porous film; inducing a chemical reaction of the polymer included in the inner mask layer in the outer surface area by using the acid source; forming inner mask patterns by removing a chemically reacted portion of the inner mask layer; and etching the etching target film by using at least a portion of the porous film and the inner mask patterns as an etching mask.
US09412601B2
A method for processing a carrier may include: forming a plurality of structure elements at least one of over and in a carrier, wherein at least two adjacent structure elements of the plurality of structure elements have a first distance between each other; depositing a first layer over the plurality of structure elements having a thickness which equals the first distance between the at least two adjacent structure elements; forming at least one additional layer over the first layer, wherein the at least one additional layer covers an exposed surface of the first layer; removing a portion of the at least one additional layer to expose the first layer partially; and partially removing the first layer, wherein at least one sidewall of the at least two adjacent structure elements is partially exposed.
US09412599B2
A gate oxide film is formed in a region having a MOSFET on a semiconductor substrate formed therein, and a first polysilicon film serving as a gate electrode of the MOSFET is further formed. Thereafter, a charge storage three-layer film is formed by opening a region having a MONOS type FET formed therein, exposing a semiconductor surface of the semiconductor substrate, and sequentially depositing a first potential barrier film, a charge storage film, and a second potential barrier film. In this case, before the charge storage three-layer film is formed, an anti-oxidation film is formed on the first polysilicon film.
US09412595B2
Systems and methods are provided for ion implantation. For example, ion implantation is performed using a first ion implant tool. At least one condition parameter associated with the first ion implant tool is dynamically obtained. Whether the first ion implant tool is in a first condition is determined based on the at least one condition parameter. Ion implantation is performed using a second ion implant tool based on the determination.
US09412585B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film containing a predetermined element, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times after supplying a nitriding gas to the substrate. The cycle includes performing the following steps in the following order: supplying a carbon-containing gas to the substrate; supplying a predetermined element-containing gas to the substrate; supplying the carbon-containing gas to the substrate; supplying an oxidizing gas to the substrate; and supplying the nitriding gas to the substrate.
US09412584B2
A thin film containing boron and a borazine ring structure is formed on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times under a condition where the borazine ring structure is preserved in a borazine compound. The cycle includes: supplying a source gas containing boron and a halogen element to the substrate; and supplying a reactive gas including a borazine compound to the substrate.
US09412583B2
To form a dielectric layer, an organometallic precursor is adsorbed on a substrate loaded into a process chamber. The organometallic precursor includes a central metal and ligands bound to the central metal. An inactive oxidant is provided onto the substrate. The inactive oxidant is reactive with the organometallic precursor. An active oxidant is also provided onto the substrate. The active oxidant has a higher reactivity than that of the inactive oxidant.
US09412582B2
A structure for constituting a process chamber in which a plurality of substrates is processed by reacting a predetermined precursor gas therein includes an outer tube having a cylindrical shape with an upper end portion closed and a lower end portion opened, and an inner tube, installed within the outer tube, including a first exhaust slit and a second exhaust slit through which the predetermined precursor gas is exhausted, the first exhaust slit located in a substrate arrangement region in which the plurality of substrates are arranged, and the second exhaust slit located in a region lower than the substrate arrangement region.
US09412581B2
Methods are described for forming a flowable low-k dielectric layer on a patterned substrate. The film may be a silicon-carbon-oxygen (Si—C—O) layer in which the silicon and carbon constituents come from a silicon and carbon containing precursor while the oxygen may come from an oxygen-containing precursor activated in a remote plasma region. A similarly deposited silicon oxide layer may be deposited first to improve the gapfill capabilities. Alternatively, or in combination, the flow of a silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor may be reduced during deposition to change the properties from low-k to high strength roughly following the filling of features of the patterned substrate.
US09412577B2
Vacuum ultraviolet photoionization and chemical ionization combined ion source for mass spectrometry
This invention relates to the field of mass spectrometry, and more specifically to a vacuum ultraviolet photoionization and chemical ionization combined ion source, which consists of a vacuum ultraviolet light source and an ion source chamber. An ion acceleration electrode, an ion repulsion electrode, an ion extraction electrode, and a differential interface electrode positioned inside the ion source chamber are arranged along the exit direction of the vacuum ultraviolet light beam in sequence and spaced, coaxial, and parallel from each other. The ion acceleration electrode, the ion repulsion electrode, the ion extraction electrode, and the differential interface electrode are all plate structures with central through holes. The vacuum ultraviolet light beam passes through the central through holes of the electrodes along the axial direction. By utilizing a single vacuum ultraviolet light source, the ion source is feasible to switch between two ionization modes, vacuum ultraviolet photoionization (VUV PI) and chemical ionization (CI), under suitable ion source pressure, thus greatly expanding the range of detectable samples.
US09412571B2
Compressed data of mass spectra obtained at respective measurement points and normalization coefficients for XIC normalization or the like are stored in a memory (21). When a normalized imaging graphic at a specific m/z value is to be displayed, a data decompression processor (23) reads the minimally required set of compressed data from the memory (21) and restores the intensity value corresponding to the m/z value at each measurement point. A normalizing calculation processor (29) reads an XIC normalization coefficient corresponding to the m/z value from the memory (21) and corrects the intensity values at each measurement point by multiplying those values by the coefficient. An imaging graphic creation processor (27) assigns a display color to each of the corrected intensity values to create an imaging graphic, and displays the imaging graphic on the screen of a display unit (6). According to this method, even in the case of sequentially displaying imaging graphics while changing the normalization condition, those graphics can be displayed at high speeds if the normalization coefficients are previously calculated and stored.
US09412567B2
A plasma monitoring method using a sensor, the sensor having a substrate; a first electrode, the first electrode being a conductive electrode and formed on the substrate while being isolated from the substrate; an insulating film formed on the first electrode; a contact hole formed in the insulating film and having a depth from a surface of the insulating film to the first electrode; and a second electrode, the second electrode being a conductive electrode, formed on the surface of the insulating film, and faced to plasma during a plasma process, the plasma monitoring method including measuring and monitoring potentials of the first electrode and the second electrode or a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode during the plasma process is disclosed. A plasma monitoring system carrying out the plasma monitoring method is also disclosed.
US09412566B2
Methods are disclosed for depositing material onto and/or etching material from a substrate in a surface processing tool having a processing chamber, a controller and one or more devices for adjusting the process parameters within the chamber. The method comprises: the controller instructing the one or more devices according to a series of control steps, each control step specifying a defined set of process parameters that the one or more devices are instructed to implement, wherein at least one of the control steps comprises the controller instructing the one or more devices to implement a defined set of constant process parameters for the duration of the step, including at least a chamber pressure and gas flow rate through the chamber, which duration is less than the corresponding gas residence time (Tgr) of the processing chamber for the step.
US09412561B2
An ion implantation apparatus includes a beam scanner, a beam measurement unit that is able to measure an ion irradiation amount distribution in a beam scanning direction at a wafer position, and a control unit that outputs a control waveform to the beam scanner for scanning an ion beam. The control unit includes an output unit that outputs a reference control waveform to the beam scanner, an acquisition unit that acquires the ion irradiation amount distribution measured for the ion beam scanned based on the reference control waveform from a beam measurement unit, and a generation unit that generates a correction control waveform by using the acquired ion irradiation amount distribution. The control unit outputs the correction control waveform so that the ion irradiation amount distribution becomes a target distribution and the ion irradiation amount distribution per unit time becomes a target value.
US09412549B2
Various embodiments of a circuit breaker are described where a movable bridge connector is employed as part of the conductive path when the circuit breaker is in a closed configuration. When the circuit is opened, the connector is displaced from the two fixed contacts otherwise bridged by the connector. In one such embodiment, the circuit breaker utilizes the electromagnetic forces generated in response to the opening event to break the circuit.
US09412545B2
An electromagnetic relay includes a contact part including a fixed contact and a movable contact, the movable contact being displaceable in an approaching/separating direction with respect to the fixed contact; a drive part including a coil, a movable core, and a fixed core, the movable core being connected to the movable contact via an axial core, and the fixed core including a first plate member having a through hole through which the axial core is inserted and a second plate member that encapsulates the coil; and a permanent magnet polarized in a direction substantially perpendicular to the approaching/separating direction. The first plate member or the second plate member includes an extension part that extends toward the contact part, the extension part being configured to hold the permanent magnet.
US09412544B2
A system and method for driving a relay circuit involves driving a relay circuit using a first driver circuit if a voltage of a battery supply for the relay circuit is lower than a voltage threshold and driving the relay circuit using a second driver circuit if the voltage of the battery supply for the relay circuit is higher than the voltage threshold.
US09412540B2
A small-size switch having an arc runner is provided. The switch includes fixed contacts each of which is bonded with each one end of fixed contactors 6U; movable contacts 10U each of which is bonded with each of movable contactors 9 and each of which can contact with or leave from each of the fixed contacts; an interphase barrier 80 that is disposed so as to partition the movable contacts 10U one by one and that is an insulator; and an arc runner that has an arc extinguish portion 12A and that is disposed so as not to intrude in a space where the interphase barrier 80 and the movable contactor 9 are most closely located.
US09412539B2
An air circuit breaker with a self-locking function, includes: an air circuit breaker body; wherein the air circuit breaker further includes an input unit for inputting a locking code or an unlocking code; an authentication processing unit for receiving the locking code or the unlocking code from the input unit and outputting a control signal after authenticating; and a locking unit for receiving the control signal from the authentication processing unit and locking or unlocking the air circuit breaker body.
US09412535B2
A keyswitch structure includes a base, a keycap, a lift mechanism, and a magnetic member. The keycap is capable of moving up and down relative to the base through the lift mechanism. The lift mechanism includes a support that has a side edge portion, abutting against the base through a sharp edge, and a magnetic portion at the side edge portion. The magnetic portion extends outward from the side edge portion. The support is movably connected to the keycap through another side edge portion of the support. The magnetic member is disposed on the base corresponding to the magnetic portion. The magnetic portion and the magnetic member produce a magnetic attraction force therebetween. When an external force applied to the keycap is eliminated, the magnetic attraction force drives the support to rotate about the sharp edge relative to the base, so that the keycap moves away from the base.
US09412533B2
A low travel switch assembly and systems and methods for using the same are disclosed. The low travel dome may include a domed surface having upper and lower portions, and a set of tuning members integrated within the domed surface between the upper and lower portions. The tuning members may be operative to control a force-displacement curve characteristic of the low travel dome.
US09412532B2
A portable power source includes a main body and a power button. The main body includes a receiving portion. The receiving portion defines a receiving groove and includes a protrusion received in the receiving groove. The protrusion includes a contact switch. The power button includes a button body and a latching arm. The button body pushes the contact switch to turn on/off the portable power source, and the latching arm rebounds the button body away from the contact switch.
US09412529B2
A clasping connection structure of a contactor is disclosed, including a base, a housing and a bobbin; accommodating chambers is formed on the housing and configured to accommodate contact head therein, the accommodating chambers are separated via a side plate, the bobbin and the housing are connected via a first clasp, the first clasp is protruded and extended at a central side plate of the housing, the central side plate is located at an axial center line of the housing, correspondingly, a limiting slot for matching with the central side plate is formed on the bobbin, the bobbin is inserted in the housing, the central side plate passes through the limiting slot, the clasp of the central side plate is hooked on the bobbin at a side of the limiting slot, to connect the bobbin and the housing, the housing and the base are connected via a second clasp. The contactor of the invention is adapted to the automatic assembling, and has reduced manufacturing cost.
US09412526B2
A switch includes: a case including a bottom portion and a side wall; a fixed terminal provided on the bottom portion of the case; a supporting member provided in the case; a movable contact strip supported by the supporting member so as to be pivotable in a vertical direction above the fixed terminal; a resilient member provided between the side wall of the case and the movable contact strip, and configured to urge one end portion of the movable contact strip obliquely upward; and a pressing member provided above the resilient member. The movable contact strip pivots and an opened-closed state between the movable contact strip and the fixed terminal is switched by pressing a center portion of the resilient member downward by the pressing member.
US09412516B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a resolver having a stator mounted around a rotator and configured to detect a rotational angle of a motor, the method including: forming the stator to have a core with protrusions disposed at a predetermined interval along a rotational direction of the rotator; winding a signal source coil around the protrusions of the core to generate an alternate current (AC) magnetic field when an input voltage signal is applied thereto; and winding a plurality of output signal coils alternately along the rotational direction of the rotator around the protrusions of the core, along the rotational direction of the rotator, to generate induced voltage signals of different phases in response to the AC magnetic field generated by the signal source coil and the rotation of the rotator.
US09412514B2
An arrangement for the inductive wireless transmission of energy to a receiver coil of an electrically operated vehicle includes a controllable power supply, an electrically conductive first coil of circular shape, and an electrically conductive second coil of circular shape. The first and second coils are connected to the controllable power supply such that a current direction in the second coil is directed opposite to a current direction in the first coil.
US09412513B2
To improve power transmission efficiency in wireless power feeding by using a magnetic body. A wireless power transmission system 100 feeds power by wireless from a feeding coil L2 to a receiving coil L3 based on a magnetic-field resonance phenomenon between the feeding coil L2 and receiving coil L3. A transmission control circuit 200 supplies AC power to the feeding coil L2 at a drive frequency so as to make the feeding coil L2 feed the AC power to the receiving coil L3. A magnetic body F is disposed between the feeding coil L2 and receiving coil L3. The magnetic body F is disposed in a space between coil surfaces of the feeding coil L2 and receiving coil L3.
US09412507B2
Provided is a shaft positioning system for an electromechanical actuator. According to various examples, the positioning system includes a shaft coupled to an electromechanical actuator. The shaft moves along a linear axis and the electromechanical actuator is free to translate during normal operation. An electromagnetic coil positioned around at least a portion of the shaft. The electromagnetic coil produces a magnetic field when electrical current is applied. A metal housing surrounds at least a portion of the electromagnetic coil. The shaft is placed in a predetermined position when the metal housing is in contact with a first magnet and translational motion of the electromechanical actuator is restricted when the shaft is placed in the predetermined position.
US09412506B2
A magnetic system described herein includes first and second magnetic structures that simultaneously produce repel forces and attract forces that combine to produce a composite force that can be an attract force, a repel force, or a force that transitions from an attract force to a repel force.
US09412505B2
A NdFeB system sintered magnet produced by the grain boundary diffusion method and has a high coercive force and squareness ratio with only a small decrease in the maximum energy product. A NdFeB system sintered magnet having a base material produced by orienting powder of a NdFeB system alloy and sintering the powder, with Dy and/or Tb (the “Dy and/or Tb” is hereinafter called RH) attached to and diffused from a surface of the base material through the grain boundary inside the base material by a grain boundary diffusion treatment, wherein the difference Cgx-Cx between the RH content Cgx (wt %) in the grain boundary and the RH content Cx (wt %) in main-phase grains which are grains constituting the base material at the same depth within a range from the surface to which RH is attached to a depth of 3 mm is equal to or larger than 3 wt %.
US09412492B2
A torque-balanced, gas-blocking wireline cable and a method of making the cable includes an electrically conductive cable core for transmitting electrical power and surrounding inner and outer layers of a plurality of armor wires. Gas blocking is achieved by placing a soft polymer layer over the core before the inner wires are cabled thereon. The inner wires imbed partially into the soft polymer layer such that no gaps are left between the inner wires and the core. A second soft polymer layer is optionally extruded over the inner wires before the outer wires are applied. The second soft polymer layer fills any spaces between the inner and outer wire layers and prevents pressurized gas from infiltrating between the wires. The inner wires have larger diameters than the outer wires such that the inner wires carry approximately 60% of the load and torque imbalance is prevented.
US09412488B2
To provide an electric cable that can satisfy flame retardancy and battery fluid resistance in the CHFUS region provided in ISO 6722 and also satisfy wear resistance and low-temperature impact property by using a halogen-containing flame retardant. An electric cable in which a coat layer is formed of a resin composition that includes (A) 55 to 85 parts by mass of a polypropylene homopolymer, (B) 5 to 20 parts by mass of a polypropylene-based modified resin, (C) 5 to 20 parts by mass of a polyolefin-based copolymer, and (D) 5 to 15 parts by mass of a modified olefin-based elastomer, respectively and further includes 1 to 45 parts by mass of a metal hydroxide and 10 to 80 parts by mass of a halogen-containing flame retardant based on 100 parts by mass of the resins (A), (B), (C), and (D) in total.
US09412486B2
To provide a composite oxide powder for a solid oxide fuel cell containing lanthanum, strontium and/or calcium, manganese and oxygen and having a highly uniform composition, and its production method. A composite oxide powder containing lanthanum, strontium and/or calcium, manganese and oxygen, wherein the coefficient of variation (α) of lanthanum is at most 6.0% and the coefficient of variation (β) of manganese is at most 13.0%, as calculated from the peak area ratio of the Lα ray of lanthanum and the Kα ray of manganese measured by an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer attached to a scanning electron microscope.
US09412485B2
A LaNiO3 thin film having extremely few voids is uniformly formed. Provided is a LaNiO3 thin film-forming composition for forming a LaNiO3 thin film. It includes: a LaNiO3 precursor; a first organic solvent; a stabilizer; and a second organic solvent. The first organic solvent includes carboxylic acids, alcohols, esters, ketones, ethers, cycloalkanes, aromatic compounds, or tetrahydrofuran. The stabilizer includes β-diketones, β-ketones, β-keto esters, oxyacids, diols, triols, carboxylic acids, alkanolamines, or polyvalent amines. The second organic solvent has a boiling point of 150° C. to 300° C. and a surface tension of 20 to 50 dyn/cm. The LaNiO3 precursor content is 1 to 20 mass % with respect to 100 mass % of the composition. The stabilizer content is 0 to 10 mol with respect to 1 mol of a total amount of the LaNiO3 precursors. The second organic solvent content is 5 to 20 mass % with respect to the composition.
US09412483B2
A contact element is provided. The contact element has a composite wire. The composite wire has a core made of steel or a steel alloy, a copper alloy layer surrounding the core and a metallic coating applied to the copper alloy layer. The contact element is configured as a connecting wire, a connection wire, a cable wire, a cable strand, a plug-in pin for plug connectors, a weaving wire, a woven wire mesh, a knitted wire mesh or a spring element.
US09412480B2
A method and apparatus are provided for implementing Bragg-diffraction leveraged modulation of X-ray pulses using MicroElectroMechanical systems (MEMS) based diffractive optics. An oscillating crystalline MEMS device generates a controllable time-window for diffraction of the incident X-ray radiation. The Bragg-diffraction leveraged modulation of X-ray pulses includes isolating a particular pulse, spatially separating individual pulses, and spreading a single pulse from an X-ray pulse-train.
US09412473B2
A novel redundancy scheme to repair no more than one defect per I/O in a One-Time-Programmable (OTP) memory is disclosed. An OTP memory has a plurality of OTP cells in a plurality of I/Os and at least one auxiliary OTP cell associated with each I/O. At least one volatile cell in each I/O corresponds to the auxiliary OTP cells. At least one Boolean gate to invert the data into and/or out of the main OTP memory in each I/O independently based on the data in the volatile cells. The data in each I/O of the OTP memory can be inverted if no more than one defect per I/O is found. Furthermore, the inversion scheme can be achieved by reading the auxiliary OTP cells and storing into the volatile cells by automatically generating at least one read cycle upon initialization.
US09412472B2
Apparatuses and methods involving the determination of soft data from hard reads are provided. One example method can include determining, using a hard read, a state of a memory cell. Soft data is determined based, at least partially, on the determined state.
US09412471B2
In a method of reading data from a nonvolatile memory device, a first read operation for memory cells coupled to a first word line is performed by applying a first read voltage to the first word line, a first read retry is performed to obtain an optimal read level regardless or independent of whether data read by the first read operation is error-correctable, and the optimal read level is stored to perform a subsequent second read operation using the optimal read level. Related methods and devices are also discussed.
US09412469B1
Methods and apparatuses for performing a disturb test on a memory are disclosed. Circuitry may be configured to store test data into one or more data storage cells. A regulation circuit may adjust a level of a power supply coupled to the one or more data storage cells from a first level to a second level. Once the voltage level of the power supply has reached the second level, the circuitry may perform a read operation on the one or more data storage cells. Upon completion of the read operation, the regulation circuit may return the voltage level of the power supply to the first level, and the circuitry may perform another read operation, the results of which, the circuitry may compare to the test data.
US09412467B2
A semiconductor device includes a test port configured to communicate with a test system, a test command controller coupled to communicate with the test port, a peripheral module configured to communicate with the test command controller, a processor, and a test memory configured to communicate with the test command controller and the processor. The test command controller is configured to issue a first set of one or more instructions to test the peripheral module and to issue a second set of one or more instructions to the processor to process information in the test memory resulting from the test of the peripheral module.
US09412463B1
Read disturb due to hot electron injection is reduced in a 3D memory device by controlling the magnitude and timing of word line and select gate ramp down voltages at the end of a sensing operation. In an example read operation, a predefined subset of word lines includes source-side and drain-side word lines. For the predefined subset of word lines, word line voltages are ramped down before the voltages of the select gates are ramped down. Subsequently, for a remaining subset of word lines, word line voltages are ramped down, but no later than the ramping down of the voltages of the select gates. The timing of the ramp down of the selected word line depends on whether it is among the predefined subset or the remaining subset. The predefined subset can include a number of adjacent or non-adjacent word lines.
US09412445B1
A resistive memory apparatus and a reading method thereof are provided. In this method, two reading pulses are applied to a resistive memory cell, such that a first reading resistance and a second reading resistance of the resistive memory cell at different temperatures are sequentially obtained. Next, a resistive state of the second reading resistance is determined according to the reading resistances and the temperatures corresponding to the reading resistances. Thereafter, a logic level of storage data of the resistive memory cell is determined according to the resistive state of the second reading resistance.
US09412444B2
An electronic device including a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory includes a bit line; a source line; a plurality of resistive memory cells among which a selected memory cell forms a current path between the bit line and the source line; a read current supply unit configured to supply read current to the bit line in a read operation; a sense amplifier configured to generate read data in response to a voltage level of the bit line in the read operation; and a variable switch element configured to flow current from the source line to a ground terminal in the read operation, and be decreased in its resistance value as a voltage level of the source line is high.
US09412436B1
Memory elements are provided that exhibit immunity to soft error upset events when subjected to radiation strikes such as high-energy atomic particle strikes. Each memory element may each have four inverter-like transistor pairs that form a bistable element, a pair of address transistors, and a pair of relatively weak transistors connected between two of the inverters that create a common output node which is resistant to rapid changes to its state. The transistors may be connected in a pattern that forms a bistable memory element that is resistant to soft error upset events due to radiation strikes. Data may be loaded into and read out of the memory element using the address transistor pair.
US09412434B1
Semiconductor systems are provided. A semiconductor system may include a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device. The first semiconductor device may output a command and a power supply voltage. The second semiconductor device may generate pulses of a reset signal for an initialization operation and pulses of an auto-refresh signal for an auto-refresh operation in response to a first reset command generated in response to the command after the power supply voltage reaches a target voltage level. The second semiconductor device may generate the pulses of the reset signal in response to a second reset command generated in response to the command.
US09412433B2
A DRAM includes: a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature operating condition of the DRAM; and a binary counter coupled to the temperature sensor, for receiving external commands to perform a refresh operation, and incrementing a count upon each received external command, wherein the refresh operation will be selectively skipped according to a value of the binary counter. The binary counter is activated to a first mode when the temperature sensor determines the temperature operating condition of the DRAM goes below a first threshold and activated to a second mode when the temperature sensor determines the temperature operating condition of the DRAM goes below a second threshold lower than the first threshold.
US09412431B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a command generator suitable for generating an internal active command signal corresponding to an active command signal, wherein, when an active section of the active command signal lasts for a predetermined time or longer, the internal active command signal is additionally activated; an address storage suitable for storing an address signal based on an activation number of the internal active command signal; and a refresh operation driver suitable for performing a refresh operation on a word line corresponding to the stored address signal.
US09412420B2
A method for forming a seal for hermetically sealing a hard disk drive assembly. The method includes forming a solder channel within a top cover of a disk drive enclosure and disposing a solder preform on a base of the disk drive enclosure such that the solder preform aligns with the solder channel when the top cover is positioned on the base.
US09412419B2
A hard disk drive (HDD) module includes two cartridges for receiving two HDDs. Each cartridge includes a bottom tray and a top cover adjustably connected to the bottom tray. Each top cover includes a top plate located above the corresponding bottom tray. The cartridges are arranged up and down. The bottom tray of the upper cartridge is fastened to the top cover of the lower cartridge.
US09412404B2
A magnetic storage medium according to one embodiment includes a substrate; an onset layer formed above the substrate, the onset layer comprising ruthenium and titanium oxide; and a magnetic oxide layer formed directly on the onset layer. A method according to one embodiment includes sputtering using a target of ruthenium and titanium oxide for forming an onset layer above a substrate, the onset layer comprising ruthenium and titanium oxide; and forming a magnetic oxide layer directly on the onset layer. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
US09412399B2
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic head having an amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer. The ferromagnetic reference layer may have amorphous structure as a result of an amorphous ferromagnetic underlayer that the ferromagnetic reference layer is deposited thereon. The amorphous ferromagnetic reference layer enhances magnetoresistance, leading to an improved magnetic head.
US09412391B2
According to an embodiment, a signal processing device includes a background calculator, a signal generator, an extractor, a similarity calculator, and a mixer. The background calculator is configured to calculate a first background signal in which a speech signal is removed, based on the acoustic signals. The signal generator is configured to generate a reference signal from at least one of the acoustic signals. The extractor is configured to extract a second background signal by removing a speech signal from the reference signal. The similarity calculator is configured to calculate a similarity between feature data of the background signals. The mixer is configured to calculate a weighted sum of the background signals in such a way that a greater weight is given to the first background signal as the similarity is higher and a greater weight is given to the second background signal as the similarity is lower.
US09412381B2
A triple factor authentication in one step method and system is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an Integrated Voice Biometrics Cloud Security Gateway (IVCS Gateway) intercepts an access request to a resource server from a user using a user device. IVCS Gateway then authenticates the user by placing a call to the user device and sending a challenge message prompting the user to respond by voice. After receiving the voice sample of the user, the voice sample is compared against a stored voice biometrics record for the user. The voice sample is also converted into a text phrase and compared against a stored secret text phrase. In an alternative embodiment, an IVCS Gateway that is capable of making non-binary access decisions and associating multiple levels of access with a single user or group is described.
US09412371B2
A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code having programming instructions tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The programming instructions are operable to receive a current waveform of a communication between a plurality of participants. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to create a voiceprint from the current waveform if the current waveform is of a human voice. Furthermore, the programming instructions are operable to determine one of whether a match exists between the voiceprint and one library waveform of one or more library waveforms, whether a correlation exists between the voiceprint and a number of library waveforms of the one or more library waveforms and whether the voiceprint is unique. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to transcribe the current waveform into text and provide a match indication display (MID) indicating an association between the current waveform and the one or more library waveforms based on the determining.
US09412369B2
Event audio data that is based on verbal utterances associated with a pharmaceutical event associated with a patient may be received. Medical history information associated with the patient may be obtained, based on information included in a medical history repository. At least one text string that matches at least one interpretation of the event audio data may be obtained, based on information included in a pharmaceutical speech repository, information included in a speech accent repository, and a drug matching function, the at least one text string being associated with a pharmaceutical drug. One or more adverse drug event (ADE) alerts may be determined based on matching the at least one text string and medical history attributes associated with the at least one patient with ADE attributes obtained from an ADE repository. An ADE alert report may be generated, based on the determined one or more ADE alerts.
US09412353B2
An apparatus and method for cancelling a noise of an audio signal in an electronic device is provided. The method includes recording audio signals using a plurality of microphones and changing an audio signal which is introduced into a first microphone during a noise generation interval to an audio signal which is introduced into a second microphone, wherein the first microphone includes one or more microphones which are influenced by the noise among the plurality of microphones.
US09412345B2
An apparatus and method of varying the tonal aspects of a string instrument such as an acoustic or electric guitar is disclosed. The apparatus and method employing a unique zero fret assembly. The zero fret assembly includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion is configured to connect with a fret board, headstock or body of an instrument. The upper portion is configured to engage the lower portion. The upper portion is also configured to receive and support an instrument's strings. The upper portion is selectively movable relative to the lower portion by an operator to change the tonal nature of the instrument.
US09412344B2
Methods and apparatus for providing a high performance stringed instrument. In one embodiment, the stringed instrument comprises an electric guitar constructed entirely of sheet metal, with the body and neck permanently joined together to produce a one piece (unitary) style guitar construction. This method of construction results in improved overall consistency of the product. In particular, the construction utilizes a substantially homogenous material throughout the guitar and further includes a stronger, stiffer and straighter neck that allows for a more consistent sound than is possible using traditional manufacturing materials such as wood. Such a construction also offers improved sustain of string vibration, an attribute that is highly desirable to guitar players. The incorporation of a unique supporting structure into the headstock contributes to a unique warm timbre when played that has heretofore been unachievable in combination with improved sustain characteristics.
US09412342B2
Disclosed are a timing controller, a driving method thereof, and an LCD device using the same. The timing controller includes a receiver configured to receive a timing signal and input video data, a control signal generator configured to generate a control signal by using the timing signal, a data aligner configured to output image data aligned, and a transferor configured to include a plurality of ports for transferring the aligned image data and the control signal to a plurality of source driving ICs. When number of source driving ICs is greater than number of ports, each of the ports is connected to at least two or more source driving ICs.
US09412339B2
A display method and display device are described where the method includes when a first device is in a first status, the first device displays a first output content of the first device in a first display area of a display module, when it is detected that the first device goes into a second status from the first status, the first device displays the first output content in a second display area of the display module, and displays a second output content in a third display area of the display module, wherein, the first output content is different from the second output content, the second area does not overlap with the third area, and the first area contains the second and third areas.
US09412337B2
A locally dimmed display has a spatial light modulator illuminated by a light source. The spatial light modulator is illuminated with a low resolution version of a desired image. The illumination may comprise a series of lighting elements that vary smoothly from one element to another at the spatial light modulator.
US09412334B2
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate including a first color filter configured to transmit light in a first wavelength range, a second color filter configured to transmit light in a second wavelength range of greater wavelengths than the first wavelength range, a first switching element disposed above the second color filter, a second switching element disposed above the second color filter, a first pixel electrode which is electrically connected to the first switching element and is located above the first color filter, and a second pixel electrode which is electrically connected to the second switching element and is located above the second color filter.
US09412324B2
A drive device of the present invention includes a VCOM selection circuit (122) for switching, before a display panel (102) is turned off, an electric potential of a counter electrode COM of each of pixels P from a VCOM1 to a VCOM2 which causes an electric potential of a drain electrode of each of the pixel P to be identical to the electric potential of the counter electrode COM after the display panel (102) is turned off.
US09412323B2
The present disclosure provides a power saving method for a LCD comprising a plurality of scan lines. The power saving method comprises segregating the scan lines into a plurality of scan line groups; and individually performing a waveform-shaping function on each of the scan-line groups at different time points.
US09412320B2
A method and apparatus for adjusting display backlight and an associated computer program product are provided. The method is applied to an electronic device. The method includes the steps of: utilizing at least one light sensor of the electronic device to detect ambient light; and performing a plurality of detection operations to selectively control the electronic device to enter a specific mode to adjust brightness level of a backlight module of a display panel of the electronic device. The detection operations includes: detecting whether the ambient light is less than a predetermined ambient brightness threshold value for a time period; and detecting whether a length of the time period reaches a predetermined time threshold value. For example, the specific mode can be a low-light mode, which is suitable for a user who has stayed in the dark for a time period (e.g. tens of minutes, or one or more hours).
US09412317B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a display device and a method of driving it, capable of displaying images properly even upon asynchronous input of image data while taking advantages of decreased power consumption implemented by intermission driving.When there is an external input of new image data (image F) in a non-refreshing period in an intermission driving display device which performs intermittent refreshing based on the latest image data that is inputted in and read out from a frame memory, a coercive refreshing is started immediately based on the new image data (image F) (see the sixth frame period). Also, when there is an external input of image data (image G) during a refreshing period for the image F, the ongoing frame period including the refreshing of the image F is completed and immediately thereafter, a coercive refreshing based on the image data (image G) is started (see the ninth frame period).
US09412306B2
A driving apparatus includes: a plurality of shift registers disposed at a plurality of stages, respectively, where each of the shift registers includes: a first driver which generates an intermediate output signal and a first output signal based on a first signal, where the first driver includes: an input signal terminal, to which the first signal is applied; and an inversion input signal terminal, to which a second signal, which is an inverted signal of the first signal, is applied; and a second driver which receives the first output signal and generates a second driver output signal having a pulse voltage at a first level based on the first output signal and a pulse voltage at a second level based on a first clock signal or a second clock signal.
US09412302B2
A pixel driving circuit, comprises: a line (Data), a first scanning line (Scan1), a second scanning line (Scan2), an enabling control line (Em), a power supply line (S), a light emitting device (D), a driving transistor (DTFT), a storage capacitor (C), a resetting unit (1), a data writing unit (2) and a light emitting control unit (3), and further discloses a pixel driving method, an array substrate and a display apparatus. The pixel driving circuit of the present disclosure solves the problem of non-uniformity of the threshold voltage caused by the manufacturing process and long-time operation of the pixel point driving transistor by means of compensating, so that the current flowing through each pixel point light emitting device is not affected by the threshold voltage, thereby finally ensuring the uniformity of the image display.
US09412295B2
A pixel circuit including a light emitting element outputting a gray scale based on a current supplied thereto, a first transistor configured to control an amount of current supplied to the light emitting element based on a gray scale data voltage supplied to a gate electrode of the first transistor, a second transistor connected between the gate electrode of the first transistor and an initialization voltage, a third transistor connected between the gate electrode of the first transistor and a first terminal of the first transistor; a fourth transistor connected between the first terminal of the first transistor and the light emitting element, and a fifth transistor connected between a second terminal of the first transistor and a data line. The data line is selectively supplied with the gray scale data voltage and a power supply voltage for light emitting of the light emitting element to the fifth transistor.
US09412294B2
The present invention relates to a data transmission device, a data transmission method, and a display device using the data transmission device. The data transmission device comprises a multichannel V-By-One interface module, which comprises a receiving end, a transmitting end, and a buffer module arranged between the receiving end and the transmitting end. The receiving end transmits a plurality of control signals for a plurality of channels to the buffer module. The buffer module transmits one low-level control signal to the transmitting end when all the received control signals are at a low level. After receiving the one low-level control signal, the transmitting end simultaneously transmits output data corresponding to the respective channels, realizing time synchronization of all the output data, thus avoiding abnormal display of images, enhancing display quality of the images, and finally achieving the effect of optimizing and improving user experience.
US09412287B2
A traffic advisor for an emergency vehicle. The traffic advisor includes a base capable of being attached to a roof of an emergency vehicle. The traffic advisor additionally includes a display member coupled to the base and shiftable relative to the base between a stowed position and a deployed position. The display member is further configured to display one or more advisory messages. The traffic advisor may also include an actuation system for shifting the display member between the stowed position and the deployed position. As such, in the deployed position, the traffic advisor is operable to display advisory messages that are clearly viewable from a position rearward of the emergency vehicle.
US09412282B2
Data is collected during the operation of a vehicle and used to produce a ranking of a driver's efficiency performance, and that ranking is shared on a hosted website, such that the drivers can compare their performance metrics to their peers. Fleet operators can use these performance metrics as incentives, by linking driver pay with efficiency performance. Individual fleet operators can host their own website, where driver rankings in that fleet can be compared, or the website can be hosted by a third party, and multiple fleet operators participate. The third party can offset their costs for operating the website by charging participating fleet operators a fee, and/or by advertising revenue. In some embodiments, all driver efficiency performance data is displayed in an anonymous format, so that individual drivers cannot be identified unless the driver shares their user ID.
US09412276B2
A device and method for reminding following distance are provided. The following distance reminding device (FDRD) adapted for a first vehicle is capable of computing a following distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle. The FDRD comprises an image acquiring module, a reminding module, and a processing module. The image acquiring module receives a vehicle image of the second vehicle. The processing module extracts a license plate image from the vehicle image, and computes the following distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle according to image characteristics of the license plate image. The processing module computes a safe distance according to a driving speed of the first vehicle and the image characteristics, and determines whether the following distance is more than the safe distance or not, in order to control the reminding module to correspondingly send a reminding message.
US09412275B2
Some embodiments provide a program that receives from several data providers route data and graphical representation of route data (e.g., transit systems, schedules, stops, etc.) for different localities. The program also stores this data on a set of servers for later retrieval and transmission to commute applications operating in different localities. The program further retrieves from external vendors location data of transit vehicles that traverse routes based on the route data and schedule data. The location data is for transmitting to commute applications.
US09412263B2
A dispensing system is provided including a housing that removably supports a container. A material is contained within the container. The material is dispensed from the container. The housing includes a wireless communication system that transmits a first set of information related to a user of the dispensing system. An example method of operating the dispensing system is also provided.
US09412262B2
A system and method for integrating furniture accessories with automated furniture items is provided. In embodiments, a communication protocol enables a remote device to control an automated furniture accessory coupled to a control component of an automated furniture item. Items of identifying information are provided to a control component based on coupling the automated furniture accessory to the CAN bus of the control component. According to the communication protocol, one or more packets of information are provided to the remote device using a wireless communication device of the control component. The remote device may then be used to control features of the automated furniture accessory, based on wireless communication with the control component. In some embodiments, the firmware of the remote device may be updated to enable the control component to be coupled to updated automated furniture accessories, and enable the remote device to control such accessories.
US09412247B2
A system is provided, wherein the system includes a fire alarm system within a secured area, a call station of the fire alarm system, and a cellphone that includes at least one fire detection device and that forms a cellular connection with the fire alarm system, wherein the fire alarm system determines a location of the cellphone based upon the cellular connection, and wherein the fire alarm system detects a fire within the secured area and provides instructions through the cellphone for exiting the secured area based upon the detected location of the cellphone.
US09412240B2
At a first point in time, a first game outcome is determined in association with a play of a first game, the determined first game outcome is displayed, any first game award associated with the determined first game outcome is displayed, and if a second game triggering event occurs in association with the play of the first game, a second game outcome is determined in association with a play of the second game, the determined second game outcome is displayed, and any second game award associated with the determined second game outcome is displayed. At a second, different point in time, independent of any occurrence of any second game triggering event, a second game outcome in association with a play of the second game is determined, the determined second game outcome is displayed, and c any second game award associated with the determined second game outcome is displayed.
US09412223B2
An operation unit has a touch panel that senses a press, and a button plate disposed above the touch panel, and having a plurality of push buttons, each of which protrudes on a side opposite to a side where the touch panel is disposed. The button plate is provided along a surface of the touch panel, and has a base section having apertures at respective positions where the plurality of push buttons are formed, top surface sections, each of which constitutes corresponding one of the plurality of push buttons and serves as an operation surface, and bending deformable sections, each of which connects, in a freely elastically deformable manner, a peripheral section of corresponding one of the top surface sections and an edge of corresponding one of the apertures formed in the base section.
US09412220B2
When the game result of a base game in which symbols 501 are rearranged on a lower image display panel 141 is bonus winning, the execution of a first bonus game in which a selection game is executable for a predetermined number of times is allowed, one of a predetermined number of options associated with selectable game results is selected for each time of the selection game in the first bonus game, and a second bonus game is executed after the end of the first bonus game when in the first bonus game the selection game is executed for the predetermined number of times.
US09412218B2
The invention includes a system and method for providing linked play via gaming and other devices. In some embodiments, a casino server registers a group for linked play and a group objective and format are established. The linked play commences according to the group format on the gaming devices while the casino server, or another device, concurrently facilitates interaction between the group members operating the gaming devices. The linked play is terminated according to the group format and a determination is made by the casino server whether the group objective has been achieved. Prizes are awarded via the gaming devices if the group objective was achieved.
US09412216B2
A manually operable dispenser for dispensing disposable earplugs. The dispenser includes a housing, index body, and plate. The housing forms an opening for receiving earplugs from a container. The index body includes a handle, hub, guide cone and shield. The hub forms opposing major faces and a plurality of circumferentially arranged bores. The guide cone projects from the upper major face, tapering in diameter to a leading end. A base of the shield is disposed above the leading end opposite the upper major face. A wall of the shield projects radially outwardly to an edge having a diameter greater than a diameter of the leading end. The shield and the handle are rotationally affixed. The hub is rotatably mounted within the opening. The plate is connected to the housing and forms a dispensing aperture. A manually-applied rotational force at the handle selectively aligns individual ones of the bores with the dispensing aperture.
US09412200B2
A system and a method are disclosed that allow for generation of a model or reconstruction of a model of a subject based upon acquired image data. The image data can be acquired in a substantially mobile system that can be moved relative to a subject to allow for image acquisition from a plurality of orientations relative to the subject. The plurality of orientations can include a first and final orientation and a predetermined path along which an image data collector or detector can move to acquire an appropriate image data set to allow for the model of construction.
US09412197B2
Aspects of this disclosure generally relate to a process for rendering graphics that includes performing, with a hardware shading unit of a graphics processing unit (GPU) designated for vertex shading, vertex shading operations to shade input vertices so as to output vertex shaded vertices, wherein the hardware unit is configured to receive a single vertex as an input and generate a single vertex as an output. The process also includes performing, with the hardware shading unit of the GPU, a geometry shading operation to generate one or more new vertices based on one or more of the vertex shaded vertices, wherein the geometry shading operation operates on at least one of the one or more vertex shaded vertices to output the one or more new vertices.
US09412195B2
By packing the depth data in a way that is independent of the number of samples, so that memory bandwidth is the same regardless of the number of samples, higher numbers of samples per pixel may be used without adversely affecting buffer cost. In some embodiments, the number of pixels per clock in a first level depth test may be increased by operating in the pixel domain, whereas previous solutions operated at the sample level.
US09412191B2
The generation of characters within computer animations is currently a labor intensive and expensive activity for a wide range of businesses. Whereas prior art approaches have sought to reduce this loading by providing reference avatars, these do not fundamentally overcome the intensive steps in generating these reference avatars, and they provide limited variations. According to the invention a user is provided with a simple and intuitive mechanism to affect the weightings applied in establishing the physical characteristics of an avatar generated using an inheritance based avatar generator. The inheritance based generator allowing, for example, the user to select a first generation of four grandparents, affect the weightings in generating the second generation parents, and affect the weightings in generating the third generation off-spring avatar from these parents. Accordingly the invention provides animators with a means of rapidly generating and refining the off-spring avatar to provide the character for their animated audio-visual content.
US09412189B2
A method and system for detecting a known measurable object feature using a video inspection system. The method and system displays an image of a viewed object and detects a known measurable object feature on the viewed object. The method and system then displays a set of available measurement types including a measurement type associated with the detected known measurable object feature and/or automatically positions a plurality of measurement markers on the displayed image based on the measurement type associated with the detected known measurable object feature.
US09412184B2
The present invention relates to differential phase-contrast imaging of an object (108). When reconstructing image information from differential phase-contrast image data, streak- like artefacts (502) may occur. The artefacts (502) may substantially reduce legibility of reconstructed image data. Accordingly, it may be beneficial for removing or at least suppressing said artefacts (502). Thus, a method (400) for regularized phase retrieval in phase-contrast imaging is provided comprising receiving (402) differential phase-contrast image data of an object (108); generating (404) reconstructed image data of an object (108) and presenting (406) reconstructed image data of the object (108). The differential phase-contrast image and the reconstructed image data comprise a two-dimensional data structure having a first dimension and a second dimension. Generating reconstructed image data comprises integration of image data in one of the first dimension and the second dimension of the data structure. A gradient operator is determined in the other one of the first dimension and second dimension of the data structure and the data structure is employed for reconstructing image data resulting in a reduction of artefacts (500) within the reconstructed image data.
US09412158B2
A machine vision system includes a computer with one or more processors and software that has a plurality of tool routines each performing a different image analysis function. A machine vision application program is created by selecting certain ones of the plurality of tool routines to analyze the image. A maximum number of processors on the computer is designated as available for executing a machine vision application, wherein the maximum number may be less than the total number of processors on the computer. When the machine vision application program operates execution of each tool routine is limited to using simultaneously no more than the maximum number of processors.
US09412157B2
Provided are an apparatus and a method for high speed filtering of an image for high precision that may include a coordinate determining unit to determine coordinates (P,Q) on a screen with respect to a first pixel to be filtered, a pixel determining unit to determine a second pixel with coordinates including either P or Q, a block setting unit to set a first block comprising the first pixel, and a second block comprising the second pixel, and a processing unit to filter the first pixel by comparing the first block and the second block.
US09412156B2
A data structure defining a high dynamic range image comprises a tone map having a reduced dynamic range and HDR information. The high dynamic range image can be reconstructed from the tone map and the HDR information. The data structure can be backwards compatible with legacy hardware or software viewers. The data structure may comprise a JFIF file having the tone map encoded as a JPEG image with the HDR information in an application extension or comment field of the JFIF file, or a MPEG file having the tone map encoded as a MPEG image with the HDR information in a video or audio channel of the MPEG file. Apparatus and methods for encoding or decoding the data structure may apply pre- or post correction to compensate for lossy encoding of the high dynamic range information.
US09412151B2
This invention improves the image quality of areas that the user want sharply focused. Depth values representing positions in a depth direction of scenes including the photographed object are estimated to generate a depth map. The focus map generation unit, based on the virtual focus parameter 305 and the depth map, generates by an area dividing operation a focus map representing an area to be sharply focused (in-focus area) and an area to be blurred (out-of-focus area). The in-focus area image processing unit places greater importance on the in-focus area in the image processing to generate an in-focus area image. The out-of-focus area image processing unit puts greater importance on the out-of-focus area in the image processing to generate an out-of-focus area image. The image blending unit generates a refocused image by blending the in-focus area image and the out-of-focus area image.
US09412145B2
This system for processing digital data may include a set of slave processing units for the execution of elementary functions, an interconnection module, which is designed to communicate with a data transfer network and to transfer data between the processing units, on the one hand, and the data transfer network, on the other hand, and a controller controlling the interconnection module to control the data transfer.
US09412143B2
The present disclosure relates generally to the technological arts of digital watermarking and fingerprinting. One claim recites a method comprising: obtaining digital data representing imagery captured with a camera; storing the digital data at a location in electronic memory; processing the digital data with a processor, said processing comprising generating a digital fingerprint of the imagery; storing the digital fingerprint of the imagery and the location in a storage repository or index; transforming the digital data with digital watermarking upon a request to output the digital imagery to a physical domain, said digital watermarking comprising a plural bit identifier; and associating the plural bit identifier with the fingerprint and location in the storage repository or index. Of course, other combinations, features and claims are disclosed as well.
US09412136B2
A social networking system determines common location information included in a set of posts between a set of users. Using the determined common location information, the social networking system generates a message interface for grouping a set of messages into a conversation thread. For example, the messages may be grouped into a conversation thread based on common location information in the messages and being associated with participants sharing a social relationship. When a group conversation is created, the social networking system presents a message interface containing the conversation thread to one or more participants of the thread. The social networking system adds the set of messages to the conversation thread based on social information about the social relationships among the participants of the conversation thread. The social networking system then presents the message interface for display to one or more of the participants.
US09412135B2
Embodiments for extracting data for online account includes systems that receive at least one check images, apply one or more optical character recognition processes to at least a portion of the at least one check image, and convert image based data to text based data. The embodiments further identify check data in the text based data, identify online data from the check data, incorporate at least a portion of the online data into a portion of an online account, and provide the online account portion to a customer.
US09412134B2
The present invention provides a system and method that enables users, such as institutional investors and financial institutions, to interactively engage in capital market transactions, including the trading of Over-the-Counter financial products, via the Internet (including the World Wide Web). The system includes a variety of servers, applications, and interfaces that enable users to interactively communicate and trade financial instruments among one another. Interactive communications supported by the system include: requesting price quotes, monitoring and reviewing quote requests, issuing price quotes, monitoring and reviewing price quotes, negotiation between users, acceptance of price quotes, reporting, portfolio management, analysis of financial information and market data, and communications among users via an automated processor. Such automated communications enable connectivity with users' internal, back-end systems to execute automated, straight-through processing, including transaction pricing, payment scheduling and journaling, derivatives trading, trade confirmation, and trade settlement.
US09412132B2
A method for offering at least one credit product by at least one credit issuer to a consumer at a point-of-sale between a merchant and the consumer. The method includes the steps of: providing a credit issuer data set including a plurality of data fields to a central database; initiating a transaction between the consumer and the merchant at the point-of-sale; offering, to the consumer at the point-of-sale, the at least one credit product; and presenting, to the consumer at the point-of-sale, at least one data field in the credit issuer data set. The at least one data field presented to the consumer is populated with data directed to the credit product, the credit issuer, or any combination thereof. An apparatus and system are also disclosed.
US09412119B2
An engine, platform, system and method of interconnecting content generation, advertisement relevance, and traffic stimulation. The present invention may include the generation of one or more content items into a primary content window, the presentation of one or more content items in a secondary content window, a repeated crawl of the one or more content items in the primary content window, the presentation of a first plurality of advertisements relevant to the repeated crawl, the maintenance of a viewer of the primary content window at least partially based upon the one or more content items in the secondary content window, at least until the presentation of a second plurality of advertisements relevant to the repeated crawl, a targeting of at least one subset of traffic in accordance with the generation of the content in the primary content window, and a tracker that increases proportionally with the relevance of the first plurality of advertisements.
US09412118B2
A wireless device is enabled to provide offers. The wireless device receives card data for a financial account card and stores the card data in a memory associated with the wireless device. Responsive to using the card data in a transaction at a first merchant location, the wireless device receives transaction line-item data from a computing system associated with the first merchant location. The wireless device determines merchant information for a second merchant location and determines an offer associated with the second merchant location based on the line-item data and the merchant information for the second merchant. The wireless device presents the offer when the wireless device is near the second merchant location.
US09412107B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for screening transactions. Transactions stored in a transaction database may provide a statistical basis for determining a probability of fraud for a pending transaction. The cost of fraud may be determined for each of a plurality of possible actions based on the probability of fraud, and the action that provides the lowest cost of fraud chosen. A cumulative cost of fraud may be determined for a set of transactions in the database. If taking the action with the lowest cost of fraud for the transaction would result in a higher cumulative cost of fraud, an action having the higher cost of fraud for the transaction may be chosen. The transaction may be added to the database, and the probability of fraud adjusted based on an amount of time since acceptance of the transaction. The statistical basis may be optimized based on a cost error.
US09412104B2
A transaction product includes a primary member, an auxiliary member, and a machine-readable account identifier. The primary member defines a first panel and a second panel, the first panel defines two or more embossed sections defining interior ledge segments that define a track therebetween, and the first and second panels are coupled to one another such that the track is interposed between the first and second panels. The auxiliary member is interposed between the first and second panels, is partially positioned within the track, and is configured to move within the track in one or more of a first direction and a second direction. Movement of the auxiliary member is limited by interaction between the auxiliary member and the interior ledge segments of the two or more embossed sections. The machine-readable account identifier links the primary member to an account or record and is secured to the primary member.
US09412100B1
A payment service system may operate to handle physical currency management for one or more merchants. The payment service system may assign a courier to pickup a currency storage compartment of a merchant. The payment service may then receive a notification related to the arrival of the courier at the location of the currency storage compartment and transfer funds to an account of the merchant. After transferring the funds, the payment service system may then request the merchant device to allow pickup of the currency storage compartment by the courier.
US09412093B2
When a second pattern is to be generated by adding an event to a first pattern including events, an extraction program causes a computer to execute the following process based on combinations of events. That is, the extraction program causes the computer to generate the second pattern when the number of occurrence, in the second pattern, of each of the events included in the combinations is not more than a threshold. The extraction program causes the computer to calculate, based on data including a plurality of events, a frequency at which one or more of the generated second patterns occur in the data. The extraction program causes the computer to extract the second pattern having the frequency satisfying a predetermined condition. The extraction program causes the computer to add a new event to the extracted second pattern.
US09412089B2
Methods and systems for linking a service provider account with patient care information are disclosed. A patient's account information is received. A service account for the patient is identified, and an association between a patient's care record and the service account is stored. Care information for the patient is received and transmitted to a device associated with the patient's service account.
US09412087B2
A method, system, and corresponding apparatus are provided for mapping product identification to medication identification. In particular, a method may include receiving a product identifier associated with a medication container; comparing the product identifier with a database of product identifier formats; and retrieving a medication identifier from the product identifier in response to the product identifier corresponding to a single product identifier format in the database. Methods may include applying an algorithm to the product identifier in response to the product identifier failing to correspond with a product identifier format in the database and creating a mapped product identifier to a single medication identifier in the database in response to the application of the algorithm to the product identifier resulting in the single medication identifier match.
US09412082B2
A method and system for controlling demand events in a utility network with multiple customer sites. The value of a demand response parameter threshold for invoking a demand response event is calculated based on the number of available demand response events and the number of opportunities remaining to issue the available demand response events. This parameter represents the utility objectives for using the demand response program (e.g., cost savings, reliability, avoided costs). A current value of the demand response parameter is compared to the threshold value, and a determination is made whether or not to call a demand response event for the current opportunity, or to save the event for a future opportunity based upon this comparison.
US09412080B2
A system handles conditional dependencies between alternative product segments of a production process modeled within a manufacturing execution system (MES). The system includes data processing units connected to a network and production components. The data processing units run MES software for controlling and monitoring the process. The MES software includes a production modeler embedding time-sensitive dependency information in each product segment to define the start of execution in relation to another product segment. The production modeler embeds in each product segment programmed for alternative execution conditional dependency information and a sequence attribute about the order of evaluation of the specified condition. The MES software, during execution of a product segment preceding alternative executions, checks the condition specified as first in the set of sequence attributes and, if that condition is satisfied, executes the product segment corresponding with that condition, otherwise iterates the check for execution until a condition is satisfied.
US09412079B2
A system and method is disclosed for scenario management. The system includes a database configured to store data describing a plurality of scenarios, each scenario comprising one or more fields and data describing the supply chain network comprising a plurality of network components, each network component configured to supply one or more items to satisfy demand. The system further includes a server coupled with the database; the server accesses the data describing the plurality of scenarios and accesses the data describing the supply chain network. The server further traverses the one or more fields of the plurality of scenarios until a value is determined and stores the determined value in the database for each of the one or more fields of the plurality of scenarios.
US09412060B2
A semiconductor device capable of wireless communication, which has high reliability in terms of resistance to external force, in particular, pressing force and can prevent electrostatic discharge in an integrated circuit without preventing reception of an electric wave. The semiconductor device includes an on-chip antenna connected to the integrated circuit and a booster antenna which transmits a signal or power included in a received electric wave to the on-chip antenna without contact. In the semiconductor device, the integrated circuit and the on-chip antenna are interposed between a pair of structure bodies formed by impregnating a fiber body with a resin. One of the structure bodies is provided between the on-chip antenna and the booster antenna. A conductive film having a surface resistance value of approximately 106 to 1014 Ω/cm2 is formed on at least one surface of each structure body.
US09412048B2
Systems and methods for cookware detection are provided. One example system includes a vision sensor positioned so as to collect imagery depicting a cooktop. The system includes one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include obtaining a frame of imagery depicting the cooktop and using a classifier to classify the frame of imagery as either depicting cookware or not depicting cookware. When the frame is classified as depicting cookware, the operations include performing one or more operations in response to the detected cookware.
US09412044B2
A method (10) for respiratory motion compensation by applying principle component analysis (PCA) on cardiac imaging samples obtained using 2D/3D registration of a pre-operative 3D segmentation of the coronary arteries.
US09412041B1
Artificial retina may be implemented. A retinal apparatus may comprise an input pixel layer, hidden photoreceptive layer, an output neuron layer, and/or other components. Individual cones of the photoreceptive layer may be configured to receive input stimulus from one or more cones within the cone circle of confusion. The cone dynamic may be described using a diffusive state equation characterized by two variables configured to represent membrane voltage and current. Diffusive horizontal coupling of neighboring cones may effectuate non-separable spatiotemporal response that is configured to respond to contrast reversing and/or coherent moving stimulus. The photoreceptive layer high-pass filtered output may facilitate contrast detection by suppressing time-invariant component of the input and reducing sensitivity of the retina to the static inputs.
US09412036B2
In one example embodiment, a method includes determining at least one of integral column sums and integral row sums for pixels of an image and determining at least one of a column-wise sum of pixel values and a row-wise sum of pixel values associated with an area within the image based on at least one of the determined integral column sums and the determined integral row sums corresponding to a plurality of the pixels forming the area.
US09412035B2
Systems and methods for image organization are provided. An computing device in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure includes a processor configured to receive an image set comprising a plurality of images, compare a portion of each image in the image set with a verified cue library including a plurality of visual cues that correspond to different geographic place tags, and display a recommendation panel including a recommended place tag corresponding to a visual cue that matches the portion.
US09412033B2
An image processing which is capable of preventing page missing even when there is an image having no foreground image. In a case where a foreground image is extracted from an obtained image, the foreground image is generated as an image for one page, and in a case where no foreground image is extracted from the obtained image, an image indicating that no foreground image is extracted is generated as an image for one page.
US09412032B2
A schedule managing method capable of automatically generating schedule data using data extracted from an image, and an apparatus thereof are provided. The schedule managing method preferably includes: setting at least one recognition region within an image; extracting data from the set recognition region; categorizing the extracted data according to a predetermined categorization rule; and generating schedule data using the categorized data.
US09412031B2
A method for recognition of an identifier such as a license plate includes storing first visual signatures, each extracted from a first image of a respective object, such as a vehicle, captured at a first location, and first information associated with the first captured image, such as a time stamp. A second visual signature is extracted from a second image of a second object captured at a second location and second information associated with the second captured image is acquired. A measure of similarity is computed between the second visual signature and at least some of the first visual signatures to identify a matching one. A test is performed, which is a function of the first and the second information associated with the matching signatures. Only when it is confirmed that the test has been met, identifier recognition is performed to identify the identifier of the second object.
US09412025B2
A sequence of video images is generated of a pavement area of an airport which contains one or more objects. A processor accesses a background model of the pavement area and determines in a current image a single cluster of foreground pixels that is not part of the background model and assigns a first value to each foreground pixel in the cluster to create a foreground mask. The background model is updated by learning new conditions. A convex hull is generated from the foreground mask. A ratio is determined from pixels captured by the complex hull and pixels in the foreground mask. A ratio higher than a threshold value indicates an object not being an airplane and an alert is displayed on a computer display. Images may be thermal images. A surveillance system based on the calculated ratio is disclosed.
US09412024B2
System and method for identifying erroneous videos and assessing video quality is provided. Feature vectors are generated corresponding to a plurality of frames associated with the one or more videos. The feature vectors are subsequently subjected to anomaly detection to obtain first and second normalized path lengths and normalized anomaly measures. The first and second normalized path lengths and normalized anomaly measures are provided to a regression model to identify the erroneous video.
US09412022B2
A method for biometric recognition may be employed on multiple biometrics, including irises and ears. The method includes decomposing the radiometric profile of each line of an image into a plurality of wavelets using a wavelet transform process. A unique signal is calculated using the plurality of wavelets. A template is assembled using the signal and areas of interest in the template are identified. The template is then compared to a second template using the plurality of areas of interest.
US09412021B2
An approach for controlling transmission of data based on gaze interaction. A data transmission determination platform determines one or more gaze metrics for one or more users. The one or more gaze metrics, relate, at least in part, to a level of interaction of each user with an object. The data transmission determination platform then processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more gaze metrics, user preference information, propagation information from one or more entities associated with the object, or a combination thereof to determine data to transmit one or more devices associated with at least a subset of the at least one or more users.
US09412019B2
Methods for extracting a shape feature of an object and security inspection methods and apparatuses. Use is made of CT's capability of obtaining a 3D structure. The shape of an object in an inspected luggage is used as a feature of a suspicious object in combination with a material property of the object. For example, a false alarm rate in detection of suspicious explosives may be reduced.
US09412013B2
A hand motion recognizing apparatus obtains an image with first resolution including a hand and an image with second resolution higher than the first resolution including the hand, maps the image with the first resolution and the image with the second resolution, extracts a hand position from the image with the first resolution, obtains a hand region corresponding to the hand position from the image with the second resolution mapped to the image with the first resolution, and subsequently estimates a hand motion from the hand region.
US09412008B2
A tracking apparatus includes an image data acquisition unit, a tracking process unit, a contrast information acquisition unit, a contrast information similarity evaluation unit, and a control unit. The image data acquisition unit acquires image data. The tracking process unit detects a candidate position of a tracking target in image data. The contrast information acquisition unit acquires contrast information at the candidate position. The contrast information similarity evaluation unit evaluates a similarity between contrast information at a position of the tracking target decided in a past frame and current frame. The control unit decides the position of the tracking target in the current frame based on the evaluation of the similarity.
US09412004B2
A database stores a number N of biometric data representatives which correspond to a set of characteristics of said biometric data. Acquired biometric data is obtained. Then, transformed biometric data is obtained by transforming the acquired biometric data according to said set of characteristics. Next, N deviation values are obtained by applying a comparison between the transformed biometric data and the N representatives in the database. Finally, a vector representing the acquired biometric data is obtained, the representation vector having a number of components less than or equal to N, said components being determined in relation to said N deviation values.
US09412001B2
A system recognizes an object employed by an electronic device, by capturing an image using a camera module and transmitting information recognized from the captured image to an external electronic device connected with the electronic device via a communication network. The system receives information associated with the recognized information from the external electronic device and displays the received information on a display.
US09411997B1
A radio frequency identification (RFID) network and methods for tracking subjects in a closed environment includes distributing RFID readers across the environment. Readers have unique reader identifiers and communicate with a computer system. These identifiers and reader locations are stored. The location of subjects bearing passive RFID tags is acquired by reading the unique subject identifiers off the tags and associating these RFID tags with the reader identifiers of the readers making the readings. A subject data store includes the location data of the subjects obtained by the RFID readers and electronic addresses of the subjects. An instruction set data store comprising sets, each set corresponding to one of a plurality of events, is also maintained. In accordance with the instruction set data store, in response to an event, different event messages are sent to different subjects based upon their location in the closed environment and/or their class label.
US09411993B2
Systems and methods for use in detecting the presence of an RFID device are provided. One RFID detection system includes a detection circuit that includes an oscillating circuit. The detection circuit is configured to hold the RFID detection system in a low power mode in which the RFID detection system is configured to not actively attempt to communicate with nearby RFID devices. The detection circuit is further configured to monitor one or more parameters of a signal of the oscillating circuit and compare the one or more monitored parameters to one or more reference parameters. The detection circuit is further configured to, based on the comparison, determine whether to transition the RFID detection system from the low power mode into an active communication mode in which the RFID detection system is configured to actively attempt to communicate with nearby RFID devices.
US09411992B1
The protocol management method concerns a RFID transponder which comprises first and second field detectors respectively for first and second interrogation fields in order to watch for the reception of these first or second interrogation fields at least respectively during executions of corresponding first and second communication protocols. If during the execution of a communication protocol the reception of the corresponding interrogation field is no more detected by the corresponding field detector while the power provided by the power generator remains equal or superior to the requested power level, then this communication protocol is stopped and the RFID transponder enters a Standby state. When the transponder is in this Standby state, the corresponding field detector continues to watch for the reception of the corresponding interrogation field in order to detect if it is again received and, if this is the case, to trigger a restart of this corresponding communication protocol.
US09411991B2
A reader for a card having an information strip, the reader comprising a first movable member, a read head capable of reading the information strip, the read head disposed on the first movable member and a second movable member which upon translation causes the first movable member to translate in a direction opposite to the second movable member. The reader includes a guide slot disposed in line with the direction of translation of the second movable element such that when a card is placed in the guide slot and subsequently moved transversely along the guide slot, the card urges the first movable member in the opposite direction and moving the head across the information strip as the information strip is moved in the opposite direction as the read head movement.
US09411990B2
A working method of a multi-slot card reader based on the standard CCID protocol comprises: powering up to perform initialization, and establishing a connection with a host through a USB interface; when a USB configuration instruction is received, returning configuration information of the USB interface to the host; waiting to receive an instruction delivered by the host, when a flag bit of a reset is detected, determining the type of the flag bit of the reset, for example, if the flag bit is a contact card flag bit, recording, according to the type of a change of a card placement pin level of a current contact card slot, a corresponding state of the contact card slot, or for example, if the flag bit is a periodic flag bit, sending a card search instruction corresponding to a current non-contact card slot, and recording a corresponding state of the non-contact card slot; and if the flag bit is a USB flag bit, performing a corresponding operation on a current card slot according to the received instruction. The card reader adopts a USB chip having multiple terminations and serves as a composite device of the standard CCID. When accepting access of a host, the card reader access different card slots through different terminations, so that the compatibility is desirable.
US09411988B2
A terminal includes first and second communication modules for communicating with a personal device for performing transactions, called a transactional device. The first communication module includes a contact reading interface, and the second communication module includes a contact-free reading interface. The terminal also includes a detection module including: at least one transactional device position sensor, delivering an item of data representative of a position of a transactional device relative to the terminal; and at least one control module for controlling at least one communication module of the first and second communication modules, the at least one control module activating the communication module on the basis of the item of data representative of the position of the transactional device.
US09411975B2
Methods and apparatus to securely share data are disclosed. An example includes generating, at a first device of a first user of cloud services, an archive file representative of a drive of the first device; encrypting, via a processor, the archive file to form an encrypted archive file; and conveying the encrypted archive file to a cloud service provider, the encrypted archive file to be decrypted by a second device of a second user of the cloud services, the decrypted archive file to be mounted to an operating system of the second device.
US09411971B2
In some embodiments, an electronic signature service automatically updates electronic documents to prevent execution by an unauthorized signatory. The electronic signature service can receive an electronic document to be electronically signed on behalf of an organization. The electronic signature service can retrieve organization data indicative of signatories that are authorized to electronically sign the electronic document. The organization data may be inaccessible to a first signatory that is associated with the document. The electronic signature service can determine from the organization data that the first signatory is not authorized to electronically sign the document. The electronic signature service can update the electronic document with a second signatory that is determined from the organization data as being authorized to execute the document. The electronic signature service can prevent the first signatory from executing the document and provide access to the electronic document by a computing device associated with the second signatory.
US09411968B2
A communication apparatus performs encryption on data transmitted from another communication apparatus by using first or second cryptographic algorithm, or performs decryption on the data that has been encrypted using the first or second cryptographic algorithm, by using one of the first and second cryptographic algorithms used for the encryption, where the second cryptographic algorithm provides a higher security level than the first cryptographic algorithm. The communication apparatus includes an encryption unit configured to perform, upon receiving the data including a cryptographic class identifying a parameter to be used for performing the encryption or the decryption, the encryption or the decryption by using one of the first and second cryptographic algorithms, based on the cryptographic class.
US09411961B2
Disclosed are methods, apparatus and systems, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for authenticating data for playing a game of chance on a gaming machine. A motherboard is provided in the gaming machine. A peripheral component is in communication with the motherboard over a bus. The peripheral component has access to authentication code in a memory. An authentication instruction message is received over the bus. Responsive to receiving the authentication instruction message, the authentication code is executed on a processor to perform an authentication process on the data. A signal is output, indicating whether the authentication process is successful in authenticating the data. In one implementation, the signal enables play of the game of chance on the gaming machine when the authentication process is successful, and disables play of the game of chance when the authentication process is unsuccessful.
US09411959B2
A security device may receive actual behavior information associated with an object. The actual behavior information may identify a first set of behaviors associated with executing the object in a live environment. The security device may determine test behavior information associated with the object. The test behavior information may identify a second set of behaviors associated with testing the object in a test environment. The security device may compare the first set of behaviors and the second set of behaviors to determine a difference between the first set of behaviors and the second set of behaviors. The security device may identify whether the object is an evasive malicious object based on the difference between the first set of behaviors and the second set of behaviors. The security device may provide an indication of whether the object is an evasive malicious object.
US09411949B2
The present invention relates to an encrypted image with a matryoshka structure and a mutual agreement authentication system and method using the same. The encrypted image with a matryoshka structure is used in authentication in an authentication system having a plurality of layers and comprises: a first encrypted image which can be opened by only a server of any one layer of the authentication system; and a second encrypted image which can be opened by only a server of another layer distinguished from the any one layer, wherein any one sealed encrypted image of the first and second encrypted images is embedded and sealed in the other encrypted image.
US09411948B1
A first cryptographic device is configured to generate a passcode for submission to a second authentication device. The second authentication device determines a particular type of shuffling to be applied to a passcode in conjunction with submission of that passcode for authentication, and verifies that the passcode has been entered in accordance with the particular type of shuffling. The first cryptographic device may comprise an authentication token and the second cryptographic device may comprise at least one authentication server. By way of example, the second cryptographic device may generate a shuffle indicator signal specifying the particular type of shuffling, such that the shuffle indicator signal can be transmitted and thereby made apparent to a user associated with the first cryptographic device. The user then alters his or her manner of entry of the passcode based on the received shuffle indicator signal, such as entering the passcode in a reverse order.
US09411940B2
Example embodiments may relate systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media configured to correlate image data of a user performing physical activity with data collected during the user's performance. Data may include sensor data measuring, force, acceleration, speed, and/or processed sensor data from one or more sensors. Certain embodiments may determine whether the user is within a performance zone based on user attributes. Correlation of the image data with physical activity data may be based, at least in part, whether the user is within a performance zone.
US09411928B2
Apparatuses and methods of frequency hopping algorithms are described. One method monitors a signal on one or more electrodes of a sense network at a first operating frequency and detects noise in the signal at the first operating frequency. The method then switches to a second operating frequency, based on said detecting, for scanning the electrodes to detect a conductive object proximate to the plurality of electrodes, wherein a constant integration time is used for one half-period when scanning the electrodes at both the first and second operating frequencies.
US09411925B2
A method according to one embodiment includes receiving a printed circuit board design in a memory; generating, using a processor, multiple schematic windows of the printed circuit board design; generating, using the processor, multiple layout windows of the printed circuit board design; and outputting the multiple schematic windows of the printed circuit board design simultaneously with outputting the multiple layout windows of the printed circuit board design. A first of the schematic windows is paired with a first of the layout windows, the paired windows depicting representations of a common sub-portion of the printed circuit board design.
US09411923B2
An electronic design automation system combines features of discrete EDA/CAD systems and manufacturing systems into a monolithic system to enable a layperson to efficiently design, construct and have manufactured a specific class of custom electronic device, namely a computer processing unit with embedded software. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is provided as the front-end to a Computer Aided Design (CAD) server that generates sophisticated control and manufacturing instructions that are delivered to a fabrication supply chain, which produces a specified device that is then transported via managed logistics into inventory and ordering systems at vendors for delivery to a designated customer.
US09411921B2
A method for analyzing circuits includes identifying one or more device zones in a full device structure. The device zones provide areas of interest to be analyzed. A partial device is generated that representatively includes the one or more device zones. Analytical meshes of the partial device are reduced by employing physical characteristics of the full device structure. The partial device is simulated, using a processor, to obtain device output information in the areas of interest that is representative of the full device structure. Systems are also disclosed.
US09411916B2
In one embodiment, techniques are shown and described relating to a distributed approach for feature modeling on an LLN using principal component analysis. In one specific embodiment, a computer network has a plurality of nodes and a router. The router is configured to select one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes that will collaborate with the router for collectively computing a model of respective features for input to a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) model. In addition, the selected one or more nodes and the router are configured to perform a distributed computation of a PCA model between the router and the selected one or more nodes.
US09411911B2
A device for controlling the course of a process in the production of parts in a tool with or without subsequent reject separation, includes a sensor, which is fitted to the tool to detect measured values during a production process, which can mean an assembly process, a jointing process and any other process, until the part to be produced is finished and ready for delivery. The device includes an output element and a data processing system having a display for reading in and displaying the detected measured values. The data processing system analyzes target parameters provided by the user and the detected measured values to determine an output quantity that is transferred by the output element for the purpose of controlling the course of the process. Operation of the device performs a method for controlling the course of a process.
US09411899B2
A system and method of providing contextual breadcrumbs is disclosed. A current page may be caused to be displayed on a device. Contextual breadcrumbs may be caused to be displayed on the current page. The contextual breadcrumbs may comprise a simplified representation of a first different page. The first different page may be different from the current page. The simplified representation of the first different page may comprise context information regarding a function of the first different page. The context information regarding a function of the first different page may comprise a visual representation of functional options of the first different page. At least one of the contextual breadcrumbs may be configured to enable the user to act upon the functional options of the first different page from the current page.
US09411898B1
Generating and storing, for a multitude of polygonal areas, spatial coordinates of a multitude of piecewise-linear spatial boundary segments. The polygonal boundary of each area comprises boundary segments; each boundary segment forms a portion of the polygonal boundary of at most two adjacent spatial areas. Can further include one or both of (i) an indicator, for each spatial boundary segment, of the at most two corresponding adjacent spatial areas that are separated by that boundary segment or (ii) an indicator, for each spatial area, of one or more boundary segments that together form the entire polygonal boundary of that spatial area. The electronic indicia of the second dataset can be used, inter alia, (i) to determine in which of a multitude of at least partly contiguous spatial areas is located a given spatial point, or (ii) to graphically render the polygonal borders of the areas.
US09411895B2
Search results are provided with personalized deeplinks for an end user. User behavior information is gathered regarding web pages visited by the end user. When the end user submits a search query, the website category of a search result is identified and user behavior information regarding web pages visited at other websites within the website category is identified. At least one deeplink is selected for the search result based on that user behavior information. In some instances, user behavior information may be tracked for a group of end users. The user behavior information for the group of end users may be used in conjunction with the user behavior information for the end user to facilitate deeplink selections for search results returned in response to search queries from the end user.
US09411884B1
Systems and methods for noise based interest point density pruning are disclosed herein. The systems include determining an amount of noise in an audio sample and adjusting the amount of interest points within an audio sample fingerprint based on the amount of noise. Samples containing high amounts of noise correspondingly generate fingerprints with more interest points. The disclosed systems and methods allow reference fingerprints to be reduced in size while increasing the size of sample fingerprints. The benefits in scalability do not compromise the accuracy of an audio matching system using noise based interest point density pruning.
US09411882B2
Control data templates are generated independent of a plurality of audio elements based on user input. The user input relates to parameter values and control inputs for operations. In response to receiving audio elements after the control data templates are generated, audio objects are generated to store audio sample data representing the audio elements. Control data is generated based on the parameter values and the control inputs for the operations in the control data templates. The control data specifies the operations to be performed while rendering the audio objects. The control data is then stored separately from the audio sample data in the audio objects. The audio objects can be communicated to downstream recipient devices for rendering and/or remixing.
US09411873B2
A system that implements a data storage service may store data on behalf of storage service clients. The system may maintain data in multiple replicas of partitions that are stored on respective computing nodes in the system. The system may split a data partition into two new partitions, and may split the replica group that stored the original partitions into two new replica groups, each storing one of the new partitions. To split the replica group, the master replica may propagate membership changes to the other members of the replica group for adding members to the original replica group and for splitting the expanded replica group into two new replica groups. Subsequent to the split, replicas may attempt to become the master for the original replica group or for a new replica group. If an attempt to become master replica for the original replica group succeeds, the split may fail.
US09411872B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for synchronizing application state information across devices. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure are related to generating and storing of application state information. Key-value pairs are stored on a client device and synchronized with an application synchronization service.
US09411867B2
A method and apparatus for processing database data in a distributed database system, wherein the distributed database system comprises a plurality of computing nodes communicatively coupled via computer networks, the method comprising: creating a plurality of different data replicas wherein each of the data replicas is created in the following way: sorting the database data according to at least one data attribute; generating a row key based on the at least one data attribute; and using the sorted database data with the row key as the data replica, storing different data replicas in different computing nodes; and creating an index for each of the data replicas according to its row key.
US09411862B1
A method for serving a request for hierarchical data includes receiving, at a processing circuit, a request for hierarchical data stored in one or more databases. The request includes an indication of a particular data hierarchy. The method further includes identifying, by the processing circuit, one or more entity count records corresponding to the particular data hierarchy. The entity count records indicate a distribution of the hierarchical data within the data hierarchy. The method further includes splitting the request for hierarchical data into a plurality of sharded requests based on the distribution of the hierarchical data indicated by the one or more entity count records, assigning the plurality of sharded requests to one or more processing sites for processing at least a subset of the sharded requests in parallel, and reporting a combined result of processing the plurality of sharded requests.
US09411861B2
A method, apparatus and program product are provided for performing a query of a database. A database query is received, which includes first and second operations respectively configured to generate first and second disjoint results sets from a dataspace. The database query is analyzed to identify a set of attributes from the dataspace that are used by at least one of the first and second operations in the database query. During execution of the database query, a plurality of records from the dataspace is iteratively processed in a single pass, including, for each of the plurality of records, processing such record by retrieving the plurality of attributes for such record from the dataspace and performing each of the first and second operations on the record using the retrieved attributes for such record to build the first and second disjoint results sets.
US09411858B2
A method for a computer system includes receiving a first user communication, determining a first group of users, determining a target number of users, determining whether the first group of users includes the target number of users, and if not, providing the communication to the first group of users, determining a hierarchal mapping of groups of users in response to user memberships, determining a second group of users from the hierarchal mapping, determining a plurality of social network relationship factors for the second group of users with respect to the first user, and providing the communication to at least a subset of users in the second group of users in response to the first plurality of social network relationship factors.
US09411855B2
Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods, and computer readable media for performing actions in response to information updates provided in an information feed. In one implementation, an information update is selected for comparison with a data record creation rule. The data record creation rule may specify a data record creation operation for creating a data record based the selected information update. The selected information update may be capable of being displayed in an information feed. A determination may be made as to whether the selected information update includes information satisfying a trigger condition associated with the data record creation rule. When the information in the selected information update satisfies the trigger condition, the data record creation operation may be performed to create the data record. The data record creation operation may identify information to include in the data record.
US09411835B1
A method of validating data between a first system and at least one second system, wherein the first and second systems have corresponding data volumes, the method comprising isolating first and second data volumes in the first and second systems respectively, wherein the first and second data volumes comprise the corresponding data volumes; generating a checksum for the first and second data volumes; comparing the checksum between the first and second data volumes; and indicating an error if the checksum between the first and second data volumes is different; and inserting results into a database for reporting, for event monitoring or for statistical analysis.
US09411825B2
A system, method and a computer program product for handling text distracters in a visual search have been disclosed. The system considers an image captured on a handheld device, as a query image and subsequently identifies the textual portions of the query image. The textual portions of the query image are smoothened in order to reduce the keypoints present in the textual portions. Non-textual portions in proximity to the textual portions are also selectively smoothened in order to prevent formation of an artificial border between the textual portions and non-textual portions. Further, the features are extracted from the non-textual portions of the query image are compared with the features of the images stored in a repository. An image whose features match with the extracted features is identified as an image relevant to the query image, and the identified image is transmitted, along with the associated metadata to the handheld device for display.
US09411819B1
Described are techniques for managing a federated namespace of a data storage system federation. A node identifier is assigned to a node. The node identifier uniquely identifies the node in the data storage system federation and is included in a federated node identifier namespace. A portion of a federated target port identifier namespace may be associated with the node identifier. The portion may include target port identifiers reserved from the federated target port identifier namespace for the node. Data storage management information for the data storage system federation may be updated to indicate that the node identifier is allocated from the federated node identifier namespace and that the portion of the federated target port identifier namespace is assigned to the node identifier.
US09411812B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for file system management. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a request at a kernel to perform a file operation on a particular file; identifying a flag bit associated with the file; invoking user space file handler to perform particular action when the flag bit is set; determining whether notification that action has been performed by file handler is received; and allowing the file operation on the file when notification is received.
US09411797B2
Slicers are configured to filter tabular data arranged in columns. A user may use the slicers to filter tabular data from a client application and/or a server based application/service. Slicers may be created for one or more columns and for all/portion of the tabular data within a column. Selection of a slicer element filters the associated tabular data and updates a display of the other slicers. Interaction with the slicers may also update other user interface controls that filter the tabular data (e.g. selecting a slicer element changes a value of a filtering setting in a drop down menu and/or selecting the filtering setting in the drop down menu changes a state of a slicer element). A slicer element may be associated with other objects in the spreadsheet and/or included within one or more functions of a spreadsheet.
US09411791B2
A device control method and system that sets a control setting through a user interface generated by using an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) document is provided. Operation control of a device is set through a user interface that is generated using an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) document. A user interface is generated for control settings of a device based on received first information, second information corresponding to control setting values is input through the user interface, and the second information is transmitted to the device and corresponding control settings of the device are set. Accordingly, operation control of the device can be controlled through a user interface by using a single standardized document regardless of the type of device.
US09411790B2
Systems, methods, and media for generating structured documents are provided herein. Methods may include receiving digital source content, the digital source content having source data elements where each source data element includes one or more attributes, determining the one or more attributes for each of the source data elements, tagging each of the source data elements with an identifier based upon their one or more attributes, the identifier defining a function for a particular source data element with a structured document, and generating a structured document from the tagged source data elements.
US09411775B2
Apparatus, methods and systems for supporting Send with Immediate Data messages using Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) and the Internet Wide Area RDMA Protocol (iWARP). iWARP logic in an RDMA Network Interface Controller (RNIC) is configured to generate different types of Send with Immediate Data messages, each including a header with a unique RDMA opcode identifying the type of Send with Immediate Data message, and send the message to an RDMA remote peer using iWARP implemented over an Ethernet network. The iWARP logic is further configured to process the Send with Immediate Data messages received from the RDMA remote peer. The Send with Immediate Data messages include a Send with Immediate Data message, a Send with Invalidate and Immediate Data message, a Send with Solicited Event (SE) and Immediate Data message, and a Send with Invalidate and SE and Immediate Data message.
US09411773B2
Data is communicated through two separate circuits or circuit groups, each having clock and mode inputs, by sequentially reversing the role of the clock and mode inputs. The data communication circuits have data inputs, data outputs, a clock input for timing or synchronizing the data input and/or output communication, and a mode input for controlling the data input and/or output communication. A clock/mode signal connects to the clock input of one circuit and to the mode input of the other circuit. A mode/clock signal connects to the mode input of the one circuit and to the clock input of the other circuit. The role of the mode and clock signals on the mode/clock and clock/mode signals, or their reversal, selects one or the other of the data communication circuits.
US09411771B2
A server system includes a baseboard management controller and calculation modules. Each calculation module includes a system on chip, slave devices and a switch. The switch is connected with the baseboard management controller, the system on chip and the slave devices. The switch issues an address selection signal to select one of the slave devices to be connected with the switch. The switch switches the baseboard management controller and the system on chip to be connected with one of the slave devices by a control signal.
US09411764B2
For optimizing redundant high availability serial attached SCSI storage (SAS) topology by providing multiple paths to a same SAS target through a single SAS port on a base unit in a computing environment, the SAS port of a raid controller is attached to one of a multiplicity of just a bunch of disks (JBOD) expansion units having SAS expanders using an SAS cable for providing limited hardware footprint. Load balancing is provided between the base unit and each of the SAS expanders by converting the single SAS port into both dual and redundant paths using the SAS cable.
US09411758B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a first module that issues a first transaction from a first interface unit to be a bus master, a second module that includes a second interface unit to be a bus slave and a third interface unit to be a bus master, and issues a second transaction in response to the first transaction, a third module that receives the second transaction by a fourth interface unit to be a bus slave, a bus master stop request control unit that asserts a bus master stop request and completes an assertion process in response to assertion of a bus master stop acknowledgement, and a code addition unit that adds to the first transaction a compulsory process request code for forcing issuance of the second transaction regardless of the bus master stop request.
US09411755B2
Systems and methods for debouncing a signal line within a computer device are provided. The mechanical nature of physical buttons and switches oftentimes present irregular or noisy signals on a signal line when depressed by a user. Thus, noise and/or irregular waveforms may be present on a signal line that is monitored to produce interrupt signals, when deemed valid and genuine. In many embodiments given herein, debounce modules and techniques set a debounce interval timer and/or a noise filtering interval timer in which debounce modules and/or techniques may note whether the signal line is still asserted (e.g., possibly a genuine interrupt signal) during the debounce interval timer and stable (e.g., no further interrupts have fired) during the noise filtering interval timer.
US09411745B2
Methods, devices, and instructions for performing a reverse translation lookaside buffer (TLB) look-up using a physical address input, including obtaining with a first processor the physical address input, wherein the physical address input indicates a physical address corresponding to a shared memory, obtaining a first mask associated with a first virtual address from a first TLB entry within a TLB associated with the first processor, wherein the obtained first mask is a bit pattern, obtaining from the first TLB entry a first page frame number associated with the shared memory, applying the obtained first mask to the obtained first page frame number to generate a first value, applying the obtained first mask to the obtained physical address input to generate a second value, and comparing the first value and the second value to determine whether the first value and the second value match.
US09411740B2
This technology provides an electronic device. An electronic device in accordance with an implementation of this document includes semiconductor memory, and the semiconductor memory includes a contact plug; a first stack structure disposed over the contact plug and coupled to the contact plug, wherein the first stack structure includes a pinning layer controlling a magnetization of a pinned layer; and a second stack structure disposed over the first stack structure and coupled to the first stack structure, wherein the second stack structure includes a MTJ (Magnetic Tunnel Junction) structure which includes the pinned layer having a pinned magnetization direction, a free layer having a variable magnetization direction, and a tunnel barrier layer interposed between the pinned layer and the free layer, wherein a width of the first stack structure is larger than a width of the contact plug and a width of the second stack structure.
US09411738B2
Various embodiments for cache management in a distributed computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, a processor device, for a plurality of input/output (I/O) operations, initiates a process, separate from a process responsible for data segment assembly, for waking a predetermined number of waiting I/O operations.
US09411725B2
Described are embodiments of mediums, methods, and systems for application-reserved use of cache for direct I/O. A method for using application-reserved cache may include reserving, by one of a plurality of cores of a processor, use of a first portion of one of a plurality of levels of cache for an application executed by the one of the plurality of cores, and transferring, by the one of the plurality of cores, data associated with the application from an input/output (I/O) device of a computing device directly to the first portion of the one of the plurality of levels of the cache. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09411723B2
A data exchange system including: a microprocessor; a non-volatile memory; a first communication channel linking the microprocessor to the non-volatile memory; a first supply channel configured to supply electrical energy to the microprocessor and to the non-volatile memory; a control device; a second communication channel through which an external device can exchange data with the non-volatile memory; a second supply channel configured to supply the control device and the non-volatile memory.
US09411715B2
A system, method, and computer program product for optimizing thread stack memory allocation is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving source code for a program, translating the source code into an intermediate representation, analyzing the intermediate representation to identify at least two objects that could use a first allocated memory space in a thread stack memory, and modifying the intermediate representation by replacing references to a first object of the at least two objects with a reference to a second object of the at least two objects.
US09411711B2
Arrangements described herein relate to adopting an existing automation script to a new framework. A first version of an automation script configured to execute in a first framework, and expected unit test results for the automation script, are received. A second version of the automation script is created from the first version of the automation script. The second version of the automation script is configured to execute in at least a second framework. The first version of the automation script is executed in the first framework to run a first version of a unit test and the second version of the automation script is executed in the second framework to run a second version of the unit test. Results generated by execution of the first and second versions of the automation script are analyzed to validate the second version of the automation script.
US09411709B2
In a distributed system including a debug server and debug clients coupled for data communications through a network, where the debug server includes a debug administrator, message router, back-end debugger, and a debuggee, collaborative software debugging includes: presenting a client-specific GUI; detecting user input through the GUI, including user input specifying a location to establish an event; establishing a client-specific event alert to be invoked upon receipt of an event notification for the event; generating application-level messages, including a request to establish the event; sending application-level messages to the debug server, including the request; receiving client-specific debug results, including an event notification for the event; and displaying the client-specific debug results, including invoking the client-specific event alert responsive to the event notification, without invoking an alert by at least one of the other debug clients receiving the event notification.
