US09674304B2
Techniques for substituting references to content shared within the social networking system. In an embodiment, a first reference to a first version of content is received. A second version of the content is selected based on at least one optimization objective. A second reference to the second version of the content is created for provision to a user of a social networking system. The second reference is provided for the user. The at least one optimization objective includes at least one of a business objective, a technical objective, and a legal objective. The content may include at least one of video and audio.
US09674300B2
Apparatus and method for predicting an amount of network infrastructure needed based on demographics
Methods, computer-readable media and apparatuses for predicting an amount of network infrastructure needed for a new neighborhood are disclosed. A processor generates a plurality of different user profiles based upon demographic data of existing customers, historical utilization data and historical usage data, determines a demographic of a new neighborhood, correlates one of the plurality of different user profiles to the new neighborhood based upon the demographic of the new neighborhood and predicts the amount of network infrastructure to be deployed in the new neighborhood based upon the one of the plurality of different user profiles that is correlated to the demographic of the new neighborhood.
US09674297B2
A network adapter for handling packet reordering receives a set of packets. The network adapter is configured to aggregate a subset of in-sequence packets from the set of packets into at least one segment before passing the at least one segment from the network adapter to a next layer in a protocol stack. An in-sequence packet from the set of packets is stored into a first segment. Responsive to receiving an out of sequence packet in the set of packets, the out of sequence packet is stored in a second segment. An adaptive timeout timer is activated responsive to receiving the out of sequence packet, and the first segment is held at the network adapter while the adaptive timeout timer runs. Prior to the adaptive timeout timer expiring, a missing packet is received and included in the first segment. The network adapter sends the first segment to the next layer.
US09674296B2
A data cache server may process requests from a data cache client to put, get, and delete data items into or from the data cache server. Each data item may be based on data in a data store. In response to each request to put a data item into the data cache server, the data cache server may determine whether any of the data in the data store on which the data item is based has or may have changed; put the data item into the data cache memory if none of the data in the data store on which the data item is based has been determined to have or maybe to have changed, and not put the data item into the data cache memory if data in the data store on which the data item is based has been determined to have or maybe to have changed.
US09674295B2
A system and method providing a collection of associated servers in a data center connected to the Internet. The servers, each being related to a service, deliver a client to a user, encapsulating the related services to common standard Internet browser software. The system and method provide a window to the Internet. The associated servers perform browsing for a user, stripping out viruses and malware and delivering safe content. The content enables a user to view and interact with the content on its computer, but not processing that content on the user's computer; the content is not stored on any local storage at the user's computer. The system and method for the delivery of services is tightly integrated into the Internet browsing experience and provides the end-user with anonymity, privacy, fraud protection, and multiple-client sharing of meta-information pertaining to the browsing experience.
US09674294B1
A legacy command is received from a legacy application, where the command is for accessing data. The legacy command is processed using an interface, where processing includes converting the legacy command into a collaboration environment command compatible with a collaboration environment server. Data is requested using the collaboration environment command. A collaboration environment result is received based on the collaboration environment command, where the collaboration environment result includes the requested data. The collaboration environment result is converted into a legacy result using the interface, where the legacy result includes the requested data. The legacy result is provided to the legacy application.
US09674293B2
Systems and methods are provided that allow client programs using IMS database access interfaces to access IMS database data available from IMS systems on remote logical partitions and remote zSeries mainframes rather than from a local IMS system. For example, a method may include intercepting an IMS request having a documented IMS request format from a client program executing on a source mainframe system. The method may also include selecting a destination mainframe system and sending a buffer including information from the request from the source mainframe system to the destination mainframe system and establishing, at the destination mainframe system, an IMS DRA connection with the IMS system from the request. The method may further include receiving a response from the IMS system, sending a buffer having information from the response from the destination mainframe system to the source mainframe system, and providing the information to the client program.
US09674290B1
A platform receives service requests from a principal. The service request includes a service location that is remote from the principal. A communication session between the principal and an agent that is near the service location is provided. The agent is available to perform the service, which may include remote videography services, tutorial services, or personal shopping services, over the communication session. The principal generates gesture data to direct the agent when performing the service. A visual representation of the gesture data is provided to the agent so that the agent may follow the principal's direction. The gesture data may be blended and/or overlaid image data captured by an image sensor employed by the agent. The principal may provide financial resources to the agent to enable the agent to perform the service and/or compensate the agent for their performance. The principal is enabled to provide metrics for the agent's performance.
US09674287B2
Methods and apparatus for logging, analysis, and reporting of events such as reboots in a client device (e.g., consumer premises equipment in a cable network) using applications. In one aspect, an improved event logging and monitoring system is provided within the device with which the application(s) can interface to record event or error data. In one exemplary embodiment, the client device comprises a digital set-top box having Java-enabled middleware adapted to implement the various functional aspects of the event logging system, which registers to receive event notifications (including resource exhaustion data) from other applications running on the device. The network operator can also optionally control the operation of the logging system remotely via a network agent. Improved client device and network configurations, as well as methods of operating these systems, are also disclosed.
US09674283B2
Methods and systems are provided for negotiating a session with a first server, wherein data within the session travels through at least a second server such as a proxy server; replacing a first client global unique identifier (GUID) with a second GUID generated by the second server; maintaining a GUID map table at the second server mapping the second GUID with the first GUID; requesting a plurality of leases on a file from the first server, wherein the each of the plurality of lease requests comprises a lease key and the second GUID, wherein the lease key is identical for each of the plurality of leases; providing caching services, wherein caching services are associated with a lease state corresponding to one of the plurality of leases; receiving an indication that a second client has made a lease request for the file; breaking the first lease upon receipt of the indication; and communicating a lease break notification to addresses associated with the second GUID.
US09674282B2
A method, system, and/or computer program product synchronizes Service Level Monitoring (SLM) statuses of a plurality of appliances in a cluster. A token, which comprises a global SLM data and loading distribution information, is received at a first appliance. The global SLM data and loading distribution information of the token is retrieved from the token. The token is updated with local statistics for the first appliance. The updated token is then passed to a next appliance.
US09674275B1
Techniques are described for providing a file system interface for use with network-accessible computing resources (e.g., located in a data center). A client computing device of a user may display information regarding at least some such computing resources to the user using a visual representation of a hierarchical file system (e.g., with the computing resources organized hierarchically), and allow standard file system commands to manipulate the computing resources, despite them not actually being part of a file system. Particular combinations of a file system command and a type of computing resource may be mapped to associated operations, which implement actions for computing resources of that type corresponding to functionality of that file system command. In some situations, the computing resources are provided by an online service, such as a configurable network service providing virtual computer networks to clients.
US09674269B2
A system makes it possible to use services offered by a plurality of servers different from one another is realized with the use of a common API. The system includes a plurality of service-offering servers, a client that uses services offered by the plurality of service-offering servers, and an interchange server that performs intermediary processing when the client uses a service. The client performs communication with the interchange server while using a common API when using any service among a plurality of services offered by the plurality of service-offering servers. The interchange server uses a unique API, which is unique to the service-offering server that offers the service selected by the client, to execute a processing sequence that is unique to the service-offering server. The client may use any service among services offered by the plurality of service-offering servers with the use of a common API without any need to use a unique API, which is unique to each of the plurality of service-offering servers.
US09674265B2
Methods, systems, and computer programs are provided for managing remote display performance. One method includes operations for receiving notifications of events identified by an operating system, and for receiving notifications of display updates destined to a remote display coupled to a remote client. The method includes an operation for correlating events and display updates to determine the transmittal priority for the updates, where the priority is associated with a criticality for presenting the display updates on the remote display. Further, a subset of the display updates are identified as unnecessary for transmission to the remote client based, at least in part, on the priority of the display updates. Additionally, the method includes an operation for performing at least one of: discarding the subset; consolidating the subset into a single display update for transmittal to the remote client; or limiting the frequency of transmission of the subset to the remote client.
US09674264B2
A remote control system including a relay device capable of moving around a space where an appliance to be controlled is installed, and a communication device that is operated by a user, and communicates with the relay device. The relay device is controlled by the communication device, and includes an imaging unit, a sending unit that sends a captured image to the communication device, and a sending unit that wirelessly sends an instruction signal to the appliance to be controlled. The communication device includes a storage unit that stores data on an image of the space captured in advance, data on a partial area included in the image, and data on at least one of a request for movement to a destination and a request for transmission of an instruction signal, in association with each other.
US09674262B2
An Application Scope Platform and a method for enabling communication between a Web Application, which is adapted to run on a first Processor of a User Device, and which is being accessible via a Web Client of the User Device, and an Application Scope, which is executable on the Application Scope Platform. The Application Scope Platform comprises a Process Manager, adapted to create and manage an event triggered Application Scope, a Web Server and a Communication Interface adapted to enable the Web Application to communicate with the Application Scope Platform via said Web Client. The Application Scope Platform being adapted to run on a second Processor, and to communicate with the Web Application, which is an Application Scope enabled Web Application, irrespective of the state of the Processor, the Web Client and/or said Web Application.
US09674261B2
The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing access to an external service using a SQL query. One example method includes identifying a request for an ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) connection. The request identifies the external service and the identified request is associated with a SQL (Structured Query Language) query. The ODBC connection is created. An HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) request to be provided to the external service is generated. The HTTP request is generated based on the SQL query. The generated HTTP request is sent to the external service. An HTTP response is received from the external service in response to the HTTP request. A query result set table is populated based on the received HTTP response.
US09674260B2
Methods, apparatus and software allowing a plurality of users to exchange and display information in real time or near real time regarding the resources each of them is viewing. This information is mapped graphically through the positioning and appearance of tokens representing other users relative to the resources currently displayed to each user.
US09674250B2
The present invention relates to a Media Asset management System for managing at least one media asset maintained by a media asset repository. This system comprises a media asset repository for maintaining at least one media asset and further a user terminal that is adapted to access the media asset repository where the repository is coupled to the user terminal over a communications link. The media asset management system further comprises a media asset feedback detection Part that is adapted to detect feedback of a user at said user terminal on the media asset at managing the media asset by the user terminal and a feedback interpreting part that is adapted to determine an annotation to the media asset managed based on an interpretation/analysis of the feedback on the media asset.
US09674249B1
Software for a distributed streaming platform receives a specification for a streaming application and converts the specification into a logical plan that includes a directed acyclic graph (DAG) with operators as nodes and streams as edges. The software translates the logical plan into a physical plan using any stream modes as specified and with one or more instances of the operators per any static partitioning. Then the software obtains a plurality of containers running on a networked cluster of servers. One slave executes in each container. The software assigns the instances to the slaves for execution according to an execution plan that depends at least in part on the physical plan and number of containers obtained. Each slave monitors throughput of the streaming windows through the instances in the container and other statistics related to service level and reports the results of the monitoring, which are used for dynamic adjustment.
US09674247B1
A media player generates a first manifest file for a digital media item as the digital media item is downloaded and/or processed. The first manifest file is used to seek to locations within a buffered portion of the digital media item. When a seek request to a location in an unbuffered portion is received, the media player downloads a second manifest file from a server. The second manifest file is used to seek for subsequent seek requests.
US09674245B2
There are described methods and systems for distributing content in a network, in particular a multicast network. One method includes delivering content from a source to a destination in a content delivery network. A request for an item of content is received and a first multicast stream is identified or established, the first multicast stream comprising a first copy of the content. At least one second multicast stream is also identified or established, the second stream comprising a second copy of the content. The second copy of the content is time-shifted by a time, M, from corresponding portions of the first copy of the content. The content is then delivered to the destination using both the first and the second multicast streams.
US09674240B2
A scalable social network communication system includes a store-and-forward infrastructure to receive a first-level consultation request from a consultation requestor; a social network coupled to the store-and-forward infrastructure to select and pass the first-level consultation request to a predetermined advisor on the first-level social network, wherein the store-and-forward infrastructure allows the first-level advisor to extract, compile and forward all or portions of the first-level consultation request to next-level advisors located in the same or in a different social network domain to be further resolved, and subsequently integrate and combine all partial returned resolutions into a final compound resolution to be passed back to the original consultation requestor.
US09674237B2
A method, system, and computer program product for focus coordination in geographically dispersed systems are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A shifting of focus to a first object present in a first view is detected at a first data processing system in a first location in the geographically dispersed plurality of data processing systems. Metadata of the first view is identified, the metadata being usable to identify a second object in a second view at a second data processing system in a second location in the geographically dispersed plurality of data processing systems, the second object corresponding to the object in the view. A focus information package is constructed, wherein the focus information package includes an attribute of the first object and the metadata of the first view. The focus information package is sent to the second data processing system.
US09674234B2
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for managing third-party application programming interfaces in a collaboration space. A collaboration space, such as a wiki site, can host a set of collaboration tools and resources, including, for example, content tools, communication tools, and other resources for the users of the space. The collaboration space can also incorporate and expose a set of application programming interfaces, such as command and data-passing structures to permit users to invoke third-party applications and/or services from within the wiki site or other collaboration space. The set of applications/services be hosted on a remote server or co-hosted on the collaboration server, and can include, for instance, database, spreadsheet, media content, or other applications or services. The invoked applications/services can return data to the requesting user via the collaboration space. Users can subscribe to different applications and/or services available via the collaboration space.
US09674232B1
A method and computer readable medium for providing Enterprise conferencing is provided. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a first SIP INVITE message is exchanged between a Media Gateway of the Enterprise and a first Media Server of a Conferencing Service Provider. Then, an Application Server of the Conferencing Service Provider establishes conference call resources at the Conferencing Service Provider. A first RTP session is established between the Media Gateway and the first Media Server, and then a PROMPT AND COLLECT message is sent from the Application Server to the first Media Server to gather data from the caller for establishing the Enterprise conferencing. After receipt of the data by the Application Server, an SIP INFO message is sent from the Application Server to a second Media Server of the Conferencing Service Provider, selecting the second Media Server to host the call.
US09674230B1
An export operator includes multiple parallel connections that service a group of operators in a streaming application, and outputs data on the multiple parallel connections to an import operator. Each data tuple output by the export operator includes an identification of which operator sent the data tuple to the export operator, and may also include an identification of missing data, if any. Providing an export operator with multiple parallel connections that can service a group of operators in parallel reduces the likelihood of having an export operator become a bottleneck to system performance.
US09674214B2
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request to remove data that is associated with a protected social entity. The data maintained on one or more social networks is scanned, where scanning includes identifying data that is associated with one or more social entities. One or more characteristics of the identified data are determined, and a reference to the identified data that indicates the characteristic, is generated for each of the one or more characteristics. A match between the one or more generated references and one or more stored references is identified, where the one or more stored references each reference one or more characteristics associated with the protected social entity, and where the one or more stored references are stored in one or more social risk databases. A request to the one or more social networks to remove the identified data associated with the one or more generated references is submitted.
US09674212B2
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a risk threshold from a protected social entity, and scanning data that is maintained across multiple social networks, where scanning includes identifying data that is associated with the protected social entity. One or more characteristics of the identified data is determined, and based on the one or more characteristics of the data identified across the multiple social networks, a risk to the protected social entity is determined. A request to a social network for the removal of the data associated with the risk is submitted.
US09674211B2
A method of assessing a risk level of an enterprise using cloud-based services from one or more cloud service providers includes assessing provider risk scores associated with the one or more cloud service providers and in view of darknet intelligence data; assessing cloud service usage behavior and pattern of the enterprise; and generating a risk score for the enterprise based on the provider risk scores and on the cloud service usage behavior and pattern of the enterprise. The risk score is indicative of the risk of the enterprise relating to the use of the cloud-based services from the one or more cloud service providers.
US09674208B2
In an embodiment, a data processing method providing an improvement in computer security comprises selecting, from a queue identifying a plurality of web pages, a particular web page to retrieve from one of a plurality of internet sources; causing retrieving a copy of the particular web page from a particular internet source; determining a hierarchical structure of the particular web page; based upon a hierarchical structure of the particular web page and without consideration of content of the particular web page, identifying one or more features, of links in the particular web page or files referenced in the particular web page, that indicate one or more security threats; determining a reputation score for the particular web page; determining a specified remediation measure, based upon the reputation score, to remediate a security threat that is identified in the particular web page; providing the specified remediation measure to one or more of a compromised computer, a sensor computer and an enterprise computer.
US09674206B2
A method, a device, and a system for alerting against unknown malicious codes are disclosed. The method includes: detecting characteristics of a packet; judging whether any suspicious code exists in the packet according to a result of the detection; recording a source address of the suspicious code if the suspicious code exists in the packet; and sending alert information that carries the source address to a monitoring device. The embodiments of the present invention can report source addresses of numerous suspicious codes proactively at the earliest possible time, lay a foundation for shortening the time required for overcoming virus threats, and avoid the trouble of installing software on the client.
US09674203B2
An approach for authentication is provided. The approach performs identifying, by one or more computer processors, an account attempting to access content. The approach performs identifying, by one or more computer processors, a file including at least authentication information. The approach performs identifying, by one or more computer processors, a location of the authentication information within the identified file. The approach performs identifying, by one or more computer processors, a length of the authentication information. The approach performs identifying, by one or more computer processors, the authentication information in the identified file based at least on the identified location and the identified length of the authentication information. The approach performs includes determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the identified authentication information matches previously submitted authentication information for the identified account attempting to access content requiring authentication.
US09674197B2
A system and method to allow a disabled device to receive an incoming communication after the termination of an emergency communication session with a service provider. A disabled device is a device having a portion of its service plan that allows the device to send or receive communications either temporarily or permanently disabled. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications during a defined period of time after the emergency communication session. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications from numbers or URIs contained in a repository of allowed numbers. In some embodiments, the system allows the disabled device to receive all incoming communications if the service provider initiating the communication enters an authenticated routing key or passcode.
US09674196B2
A device includes a receiver configured to receive a request to perform a function. A secure element connected with the receiver, the secure element to verify the request to perform the function, where the secure element is configured to operate in either a report mode or a silent mode. Details about a status of the performance of the function are displayed when the device operates in the report mode, and no details about the status of the performance of the function are displayed when the device operates in the silent mode.
US09674188B2
Techniques for authentication via a mobile device are provided. A mobile device is pre-registered for website authentication services. A user encounters a website displaying an embedded code as an image alongside a normal login process for that website. The image is identified by the mobile device, encrypted and signed by the mobile device and sent to a proxy. The proxy authenticates the code and associates it with the website. Credentials for the user are provided to the website to automatically authenticate the user for access to the website bypassing the normal login process associated with the website.
US09674185B2
A method and system are provided. The method includes training for one or more secondary signatures of a user. The method further includes identifying one or more inherent expressions of the user as the one or more secondary signatures. The method also includes authenticating the user using a primary signature and at least one of the one or more secondary signatures. The one or more inherent expressions are unintended expressions performed by the user in relation to the user providing the primary signature.
US09674166B2
The invention relates to a method for securing a request for executing a first application (P1) in a first device (11) of a secured environment, by a second application (P2) located in a second device (10), said method including the following steps: receiving a first request to execute the first application, from the second application; generating a random number and a session key that is dependent on the random number, sending said random number to a trusted entity (12), said random number being intended for enabling the trusted entity to generate the session key, receiving a second request for executing the first application, from a third application (P3) generated by the trusted entity and transmitted to the second device, said third application including the session key, authenticating the third application by means of the session key, said authentication being the condition for the execution of the first application.
US09674152B1
A method and apparatus for a connection manager have been disclosed. By providing for persistent connections with clients, the connection manager allows for servers to communicate with clients, which would otherwise be inaccessible.
US09674143B2
The security control apparatus includes a network control unit for receiving a security protocol-based packet that includes a protocol control header and data and that is transmitted between a cloud-based virtual desktop interaction remote agent unit and a virtual machine of a cloud-based virtual desktop interaction device, and blocking network traffic between cloud-based virtual desktop interaction remote agent unit and the virtual machine, depending on received results of checking. A policy checking unit checks whether information extracted from the security protocol-based packet is compliant with control policies, and transmits results of checking to the network control unit. If the information is not compliant with the control policies, a security solution interaction unit transmits the extracted information to an external security solution, and transmits results of checking by a corresponding security solution to the network control unit.
US09674141B2
Various embodiments are generally directed to implementing a secure mailbox in resource-constrained embedded systems. An apparatus to establish communication with a trusted execution environment includes a processor component, a co-processor component for executing the trusted execution environment, a host operating system component for execution by the processor component and including one or more application components, a mailbox array component for execution by the co-processor to store one or more mailbox components, each mailbox component being associated with a mailbox identification number, and a mailbox firewall component for execution by the co-processor component to facilitate communication between the one or more application components and the one or more mailbox components. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09674138B2
A method and apparatus for maintaining in a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) repository entries that are managed by an LDAP directory server. An LDAP directory server receives a client request to add a specified entry to an LDAP repository, determines, based on a managed entry configuration, that the specified entry requires a managed entry operation, and adds the specified entry to the LDAP repository. The LDAP directory server further adds a managed entry to the LDAP repository in accordance with the managed entry operation, where the managed entry is added to the LDAP repository without receiving any client request specifying the managed entry.
US09674133B2
Various embodiments prevent erroneous transmission of electronic mails and therefore forestall information leakage in an electronic mail delivery apparatus. When an electronic mail is to be transmitted, a hidden letter selection unit presents a mail address specified as a transmission destination or source of the electronic mail with a part of the mail address presented as a hidden letter part. If a correct letter is entered in the hidden letter part of the mail address, a selective mail delivery unit executes the transmission of the electronic mail. If a correct letter is not entered in the hidden letter part of the mail address, the transmission of the electronic mail is stopped. Thereby, the effectiveness of operation for mail address checking can be improved, and the checking operation can be prevented from losing substance.
US09674122B2
A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.
US09674121B2
Methods, devices, systems, and non-transitory processor-readable storage media for providing a collaboration tool for soliciting responses from users, including operations for receiving at a computing device a request from a user, transmitting to a plurality of computing devices an invitation message that causes the plurality of computing devices to render a display that solicits a response to the request, receiving a response message related to the request from at least one of the plurality of computing devices, evaluating the received response message to determine whether the received response message fulfills the request, and transmitting to the plurality of computing devices a cancellation message in response to determining that the received response message fulfills the request, the cancellation message configured to cause the plurality of computing devices to perform operations to automatically clean-up the display that solicits the response to the request.
US09674108B1
A system, may include a private cloud network operated by an operator for a client. The private cloud network may be connected to a public cloud network that operates a web platform and a plurality of groups of gateway devices. A first group of gateway devices may be located at an operator data center associated with the operator, and may provide connectivity for the operator data center to connect to the public cloud network via the private cloud network. A second group of gateway devices may be located at a client data center associated with the client, and may provide connectivity for the client data center to connect to the public cloud network via the private cloud network. The private cloud network may be connected to the public cloud network, the operator data center, and the client data center in a hub-and-spoke connection configuration.
US09674077B2
The invention discloses a vehicular communication system and a routing method thereof. The routing method includes the following steps. When a first relay node of the relay nodes, which locates in a last road slot of each of the road section, receives the route reply packet, the first relay node is configured to obtain a plurality of moving traces of a plurality of specific relay nodes according to the route reply packet; estimate at least one connection life period related to a plurality of specific road slots according to the moving traces; estimate at least one connection available interval of the specific road section according to the at least one connection life period; and append the at least one connection available interval to the route reply packet and forward the route reply packet.
US09674061B2
A management system includes an application source node that applies for subscription of alive and dead state information to a node to be monitored, a node to be monitored that interconnects with the application source node and makes a request to a node whose routing table includes the node to be monitored for monitoring the node to be monitored and notifying the application source node of a monitoring result when receiving the subscription application, and a monitoring node that monitors the node to be monitored when receiving the request from the node to be monitored and makes a notification to the application source node when a response from the node to be monitored stops. The application source node determines that the node to be monitored stops when communication with the node to be monitored is disconnected and the notification is received from the monitoring node.
US09674049B2
A remote access service is provided by receiving remote access transport agent (RATA) capability information of a home remote access server (RAS) and a remote RAS from the home RAS and the remote RAS, respectively, generating a RATA profile based on the RATA capability information, supported by the home RAS and the remote RAS, and transmitting the generated RATA profile to the home RAS and the remote RAS, respectively.
US09674045B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for modeling packet technology services using a packet virtual network (PVN) are provided. In some aspects, and at a computing platform, a method includes providing a plurality of flow interface objects. Each flow interface object can be associated with a physical device. The method further includes configuring the flow interface objects into a PVN, wherein the flow interface objects represent network devices or device sub-interfaces. The method further includes displaying the PVN for visually modeling an Ethernet and/or a non-Ethernet packet technology service. An exemplary system includes a computing platform having at least one processor and a memory, the computing platform being configured to access a plurality of flow interface objects stored in the memory and a PVN)-modeling module (PVN-MM) for grouping the flow interface objects into a PVN for modeling a service.
US09674038B2
A method is disclosed for automatically configuring network devices of a data network having at least two configurable network devices, whose configuration parameters are deployable over the data network to the configurable network devices from an initial configuration state to a desired configuration state. At least one of the configurable network devices is from a first type of network devices, whose configuration requires a pre-defined series of at least one intermediate configuration state. A central deployment network device determines the actual state of each configurable network device for comparing with desired states of the configurable network devices, and in case of a difference, determines a subsequent intermediate and or respective subsequent desired configuration state wherein actual states of the configurable network devices are considered.
US09674037B2
Systems and methods are provided for centralized access, control, and management of APs. According to one embodiment, multiple APs of a private IP network are decoupled from potentially transient IP addresses by assigning a unique identifier to each of the multiple APs by an AC. An AC GUI is presented by the AC to an administrator through which (i) commands are provided by the administrator and (ii) the administrator is provided with access to a first AP of the multiple APs responsive to a command received from the administrator though the AC GUI and based upon the first AP's assigned unique identifier. The first AP is accessed, controlled or debugged by the AC based on the command. The access to the first AP enables a first AP GUI of the first AP through which the network administrator is provided with an ability to issue multiple commands to the first AP.
US09674031B2
A system, method and computer program product are provided for managing a distributed computing system that features multiple hosts executing a distributed application. On each host a collector process collects application-level and/or system-level metrics and reports them to a data repository. A controller executes actor processes that compare the metrics, and/or trends in the metrics, to predetermined thresholds. If a threshold is met or passed, the corresponding actor or the controller initiates one or more remedy processes that take action intended to alleviate the condition detected by the actor. When a remedy is triggered, the controller takes a snapshot of the system to identify the current state, and saves information indicating how well the executed remedies corrected the situation. When a new snapshot matches an existing snapshot, the controller uses the saved information to determine which remedies to apply to the present occurrence of the mutual state.
US09674028B2
A multi-network based-simultaneous data transmission service is performed by: transmitting, over one or more networks, two or more partial data divided from data to be transmitted in relation to a particular service; when a network switching of the one or more networks is required, identifying a type of the particular service; and performing the network switching at a network switching timing controlled based on the identified type of the particular service.
US09674021B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal, including: an input formatting module configured to demultiplex an input stream into at least one Data Pipe (DP); a BICM (Bit Interleaved Coding and Modulation) module configured to perform error correction processing on data of the DP; a frame building module configured to map the data of the DP to symbols within a frame; an OFDM generation module configured to generate a transmission signal by inserting a preamble into the frame and performing OFDM modulation; and a transmission parameter control module configured to set at least one transmission parameter and control transmission signal processing of the frame building module and the OFDM generation module.
US09674015B2
A circuit for generating a modulated signal in a transmitter of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The circuit comprises a transmitter driver circuit having a first current path for receiving a first input signal of a pair of differential input signals and a second current path for receiving a second input signal of the pair of differential input signals, the transmitter driver circuit comprising a tail current path coupled to each of the first current path and the second current path; a first current source coupled between a first reference voltage and ground, wherein a first current of the first current source is proportional to the tail current of the tail current path; a first pull-up current source coupled between the first reference voltage and a first output node of the transmitter driver circuit; and a second pull-up current source coupled between the first reference voltage and a second output node of the transmitter driver circuit. A method of generating a modulated signal in a transmitter of an integrated circuit is also disclosed.
US09674008B2
A predictive decision feedback equalizer using body bias of one or more field effect transistors (FETs) to provide an offset for a predictive tap. In one embodiment, a predictive tap of the predictive decision feedback equalizer includes a differential amplifier composed of two FETs in a differential amplifier configuration, and the body bias of one or both FETs is controlled to provide an offset in the differential amplifier. In one embodiment a current DAC driving a DAC resistor is used to provide the body bias voltage, and a feedback circuit, including a replica circuit forming the maximum possible DAC output voltage, is used to control the bias of the current sources of the current DAC.
US09674004B2
A station acquires, when one or a plurality of base stations transmit a signal addressed to a plurality of mobile stations by using the same radio resource, a first dedicated pilot signal allocated to the mobile station and a second dedicated pilot signal allocated to another mobile station. The mobile station receives a radio signal from the base station that is connected to the mobile station. By using the second dedicated pilot signal, the station estimates a channel through which the radio signal transmitted from the base station connected to the other mobile station reaches the mobile station. When the mobile station decodes a data signal addressed to the mobile station from the received radio signal by using the first dedicated pilot signal allocated to the mobile station, the mobile station suppresses an interference signal in the radio signal by using the estimate information.
US09674001B2
A system and method for providing packet-switched telephony service. The system provides call control, signaling, and/or delivery of voice, video, and other media in substantially real time. One embodiment of the system includes a call client application on a user device, and a call server located at a packet-switched telephony service provider. The call server is preferably operable to communicate with the call client in a non-native protocol and with the gateway in a native protocol.
US09673999B2
A member device of a stacked switches system sends a first received unicast packet via an inter-group stack port which belongs to an aggregated stack link group on a forwarding path towards a different stack group when the first received unicast packet is to be egressed by another member device in the different stack group. The member device is further to send a second received unicast packet via an intra-group stack port on a forwarding path towards another member device in a same stack group when the second received unicast packet which is to be egressed by the another member device in the same stack group. The member device is further to send a third received unicast packet via a data port on the member device which associates with a egress port identification of the third received unicast packet when the third received unicast packet is to be egressed by the member device.
US09673985B2
In an embodiment of the present invention, a processor includes content storage logic to parse digital content into portions and to cause each portion to be stored into a corresponding page of a memory. The processor also includes protection logic to receive a write instruction having a destination address within the memory, and if the destination address is associated with a memory location stores a portion of the digital content, erase the page associated with the memory location. If the destination address is associated with another memory location that does not store any of the digital content, the protection logic is to permit execution of the write instruction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09673984B2
Scalable session management is achieved by generating a cookie that includes an encrypted session key and encrypted cookie data. The cookie data is encrypted using the session key. The session key is then signed and encrypted using one or more public/private key pairs. The encrypted session key can be decrypted and verified using the same private/public key pair(s). Once verified, the decrypted session key can then be used to decrypt and verify the encrypted cookie data. A first server having the private/public key pair(s) may generate the cookie using a randomly generated session key. A second server having the same private/public key pair(s) may decrypt and verify the cookie even if the session key is not initially installed on the second server. A session key cache may be used to provide session key lookup to save public/private key operations on the servers.
US09673983B2
Disclosed is a method for protecting message data. In the method, the message data is padded with padding bits generated based on a deterministic function performed on the message data. The padded message data is compressed to generate compressed data. A length of the compressed data is dependent on the padding bits. The compressed data is encrypted to generate encrypted message data.
US09673964B2
An example method for active load modulation includes determining a modulated portion and an unmodulated portion of a bit. Further, the example method includes during the modulated portion of the bit, holding a phase of a received carrier signal. In addition, the example method includes, during the unmodulated portion of the bit, synchronizing to the received carrier signal.
US09673955B2
An objective is to appropriately select a “timing reference cell” and a “Pathloss reference cell” for an Scell in an sTAG. A mobile station UE according to the present invention includes a second management unit 11B configured to use a “UL Cell” managed in association with a “DL only Cell” where to perform a downlink communication only, as a Pcell or an Scell in a pTAG.
US09673950B2
A method is presented for transmitting signals at a User Equipment (UE) in a multi-antenna wireless communication system. Acknowledgment (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) information is received from a base station (BS). At least one transport block negatively acknowledged by the ACK/NACK information is retransmitted to the BS. An uplink grant for retransmitting the at least one transport block is not detected. If a number of the at least one transport block is not equal to a number of transport blocks indicated by a most recent uplink grant, cyclic shift values and orthogonal cover codes (OCCs) of a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) for the at least one transport block are configured based on a cyclic shift field included in the most recent uplink grant and a number of layers corresponding to the at least one transport block.
US09673944B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for controlling packet access, a network side device, a terminal device and a communication system. The method includes: generating an access trigger message, where the access trigger message carries a temporary mobile group identity TMGI allocated to a user equipment UE; and sending the access trigger message to packet trigger an access operation of the UE for the TMGI. In the embodiments of the present invention, the group identity TMGI already existing in an MBMS can be used as the group identity of packet triggering UE access, and the access trigger message carrying the TMGI can be correspondingly generated and sent so as to trigger an access operation of the UE belonging to the TMGI, thereby implementing the function of the packet triggering user access.
US09673939B2
Disclosed in some examples is a method for providing a HARQ response in an LTE network for a PUCCH format 1b. The method includes receiving one or more downlink assignments of a bundling window over a wireless downlink control channel; setting a reception status for each sub-frame of a downlink data channel in the bundling window based on whether the sub-frame on the downlink data channel was associated with a particular one of the received downlink assignments and based upon whether the sub-frame was successfully received; setting a reception status of sub-frames of the downlink data channel in the bundling window that did not have a corresponding downlink assignment to a predetermined value; and transmitting a response, the response based upon the reception statuses set by the response module.
US09673932B2
Transmission of uplink control message for a wireless system. The uplink control message may be encoded according to one of multiple possible schemes. The choice of encoding scheme may be made based on the control message size and/or based on the available transmission resources and/or based on the detection scheme used on the receiving end. A modulation scheme may also be selected based on such factors. CDM may be used for certain control messages. Block code encoding, such as Reed-Muller encoding may be used for certain control messages. Different transmission resources may be allocated for different control message uses. The encoding specifics may be selected to obtain a certain hamming distance and/or size of the encoded message or based on other factors.
US09673931B2
A serial communication link including first and second components. The first component includes a first management module and a first encoder that provides A-bit/B-bit encoded data to a first channel, where A
US09673925B2
Usage of a universal controlling device is monitored by determining a current operating mode of the universal controlling device, sensing an event occurring within the universal controlling device, and storing within a memory of the universal controlling device data indicative of the event occurring in the current operating mode of the universal controlling device.
US09673922B2
A method for estimating the speed of a user equipment connected to a base station of a wireless network, the method comprising the following steps: —performing signal strength measurements (S) of a radio signal transmitted between the user equipment and the base station; —performing a spectral analysis (11) of the signal strength measurements; —determining the frequency of a local maximum in the power spectrum of the signal strength measurements; —estimating (12), from previously established reference data, the speed of the user equipment that corresponds to the determined frequency, the reference data associating a given user equipment speed with a certain determined frequency.
US09673916B2
An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include antennas. The antennas may include phased antenna arrays for handling millimeter wave signals. Antennas may be located in antenna signal paths. The antenna signal paths may include adjustable components such as adjustable filters, adjustable gain amplifiers, and adjustable phase shifters. Circuitry may be incorporated into an electronic device to facilitate wireless self-testing operations. Wireless self-testing may involve use of one antenna to transmit an over-the-air antenna test signal that is received by another antenna. The circuitry that facilitates the wireless self-testing operations may include couplers, adjustable switches for temporarily shorting antenna signal paths together, mixers for mixing down radio-frequency signals to allow digitization with analog-to-digital converters, and other circuitry for supporting self-testing operations.
US09673911B2
An optical receiver may include a digital signal processor to receive an input sample that includes transmitted data, transmitted by an optical transmitter, and nonlinear distortion. The digital signal processor may process the input sample to generate an estimated data value. The estimated data value may be an estimate of the transmitted data. The digital signal processor may remove the estimated data value from the input sample to generate a noise sample. The digital signal processor may determine a nonlinear distortion value based on the input sample, the estimated data value, and the noise sample. The nonlinear distortion value may be an estimate of the nonlinear distortion included in the input sample. The digital signal processor may remove the nonlinear distortion value from the input sample to generate an output sample, and may output the output sample.
US09673908B2
Disclosed herein is a notch filter and a method for generating an electrical signal with a suppressed frequency band. The filter generates an optical signal by modulating a modulation optical wave with an electrical signal to generate first and second sidebands. The first sideband or the second sideband has less power than the other. The filter then modifies the optical signal by equalizing the power of light within the first side band at a selected frequency band and light within the second side band at the selected frequency band. The filter then produces an antiphase relationship between the light within the first side band at the selected frequency band and the light within the second side band at the selected frequency band. The filter then detects the modified optical signal to generate a copy of the electrical signal with suppressed frequency components within the selected frequency band.
US09673906B2
A photonic device for amplitude modulation of an optical signal, in which a source of the optical signal is coupled to an input waveguide separating through an optical splitter into two arms which recombine through an optical combiner in an output waveguide, wherein the arms are phase shifted by π/2 and each include an electro-optical amplitude modulator. The device may be adapted to modulate a wavelength multiplexed signal.
US09673904B2
Optical fiber-based wireless systems and related components and methods are disclosed. The systems support radio frequency (RF) communications with clients over optical fiber, including Radio-over-Fiber (RoF) communications. The systems may be provided as part of an indoor distributed antenna system to provide wireless communication services to clients inside a building or other facility. The communications can be distributed between a head end unit (HEU) that receives carrier signals from one or more service or carrier providers and converts the signals to RoF signals for distribution over optical fibers to end points, which may be remote antenna units (RAUs). In one embodiment, calibration of communication downlinks and communication uplinks is performed to compensate for signal strength losses in the system.
US09673900B2
Optical synthesis of frequency-tracking signals employs square-law based frequency conversion of pairs of optical signals having a predetermined, relative frequency shift to provide output signals. An optically synthesized tracking signal source includes a square-law photodetector configured to provide a first output signal having a frequency equal to a frequency difference between a first optical signal pair. Another square-law photodetector is configured to provide a second output signal having a frequency equal to a frequency difference between a second optical signal pair that is a frequency-shifted version of the first pair. The signal source further includes an optical wavemeter configured to determine one or both of the first pair frequency difference and the second pair frequency difference. The first and second output signals are tracking signals having a frequency offset determined by a relative frequency shift between the first and second pairs of optical signals.
US09673893B2
When an unsafe port with a loss of signal is detected, a transceiver may enable one laser in a group of lasers associated with the unsafe port and may disable the remaining lasers. Then, the transceiver may instruct a transmitter associated with the one laser to transmit an optical signal on the unsafe port using a reduced transmit power that is less than a threshold value associated with the Class 1 conditions and at a different time than enabled lasers in other groups of lasers. Alternatively, for a safe port on which valid communication is received, the transceiver may enable lasers in a group of lasers associated with the safe port. Then, the transceiver may instruct transmitters associated with the lasers in this group of lasers to transmit optical signals on the safe port using a normal transmit power for the lasers that is greater than the threshold value.
US09673884B2
An electronic device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a plurality of antennas for transmitting and receiving radio waves, at least one sensor for sensing a physical quantity or physical changes, a sensor hub for outputting a control signal in response to an output from the at least one sensor, and a communication module for controlling wireless communication using the plurality of antennas in response to the control signal. Various other exemplary embodiments are possible.
US09673883B2
A method and an apparatus for implementing channel measurement are disclosed in the present invention. The method includes: determining an antenna port subset, which is required to be measured, for a UE according to current state information of the user equipment UE; and informing the UE to perform channel measurement for the subset of antenna ports that is required to be measured and feed back channel state information. Through the present invention, when the state information of the UE meets a certain condition, the UE measures only the reference signals of a part of antenna ports, and feeds back channel state information for this part of antenna ports. Therefore, the overhead generated by the feedback of the UE to the channel state information is reduced.
US09673879B2
A communication method that includes transmitting a power save multi-poll (PSMP) frame containing a power save mode (PSM) of a non-access point (AP) station (STA) to a first station and to a second station which are paired with an AP on the basis of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology. Information on the PSM indicates the point in time of starting a downlink transmission period, the duration of the downlink transmission period, and transmission object station identification information. The method further involves transmitting a data frame to the first station and to the second station on the basis of the MIMO technology during the downlink transmission period. The transmission object station identification information indicates a group identifier for indicating an object station group including the first station and the second station.
US09673877B1
A multiple input, multiple function, multiple output (MIMFMO) radiofrequency (RF) processor including a MIMFMO RF processor element. The MIMFMO RF processor element is configured to receive multiple RF input signals, perform multiple RF operations on the multiple RF input signals, and output processed RF output signals to multiple output circuits.
US09673873B2
In a mobile communications system, a base station includes a generation unit and a transmission unit. The generation unit generates broadcast information indicating, among a plurality of available frequency bands for wireless communication, a frequency band to be used to transmit same data at a same timing with another base station. The transmission unit broadcasts the broadcast information. A mobile station includes a reception unit and a control unit. The reception unit receives the broadcast information broadcast by the base station. The control unit controls, based on the broadcast information, reception of same data transmitted at the same timing from the base station and the other base station.
US09673870B2
Near-field communications (NFC) with NFC reader devices are facilitated. In accordance with one or more embodiments, an apparatus includes a NFC circuit that wirelessly communicates with different types of local NFC readers using an NFC protocol, a host circuit having one or more modules that communicate with one of the types of local NFC readers via the NFC circuit, and second (e.g., secure) modules that respectively communicate with a specific one of the different types of local NFC readers, also via the NFC circuit, using secure data stored within the second module. A routing circuit is responsive to an NFC communication received from a specific one of the NFC readers, by identifying one of the first and second modules that communicates with the specific one of the NFC readers, and routing NFC communications between the specific one of the NFC readers and the identified one of the modules.
US09673864B2
A wireless hierarchical heterogonous pico-net providing communication between smart-phone based analysis and control application and multiplicity of sensors and actuators embedded in the ski equipment is described. The topology of this pico-net comprises two layers of hierarch, where the first layer is configured as a Bluetooth wireless network using a Round-Robin scheduling method and consisting of a single master and up-to seven slaves, and the second layer of the hierarchy is configured as a sub-nets consisting of multiplicity of sensors and actuators and communicating internally using ANT personal area network (PAN) wireless interface, or via a digital wire interface. Such network topology provides deterministic latency of a hierarchy a single-hop Bluetooth network, irrespective of the numbers of sensors and actuators embedded within each sub-net of the second layer of hierarchy. The network latency is upper-bounded by the number of slaves in the first layer of hierarch, Furthermore, the Round-Robin scheduling method is supplemented with the gating-off the slave RF transmission when the slave has no data to send, or when the difference between current sensor samples and the previous sensor sample is smaller then predefined threshold. Such discontinued transmission lowers slave power consumption system interference.
US09673861B2
Cancelling crosstalk between at least one transmitter chain and a receiver chain in a wireless communication node makes use of a single feedback path from the transmitter chain that is shared between processing of transmit signals (x) in the transmitter chain and reception signals (s) received in the receiver chain. Information in the shared feedback is used in a crosstalk model to cancel crosstalk in the reception signals.
US09673845B2
A mixing stage includes a first modulation stage that receives an input signal from a first common node of the mixing stage, a first local oscillator input that receives a local oscillator signal, and a first modulation signal output adapted to provide a first modulated signal. A second modulation stage of the mixing stage includes a second input that receives a phase inverted representation of the input signal from a second common node of the mixing stage, a second local oscillator input that receives the local oscillator signal, and a second modulation signal output adapted to provide a second modulated signal. A current generation circuit provides a supply current to the first common node and to the second common node. A current control circuit is adapted to superimpose an offset current to the current of at least one node of the first common node and the second common node.
US09673844B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a first voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), selecting a VSWR circle from among a group of VSWR circles based on the first VSWR, identifying a group of sets of tuning settings for variable reactance elements of a matching network of the communication device where the identifying of the group of sets of tuning settings is based on each set of tuning settings of the group of sets of tuning settings being associated with the VSWR circle, and selecting a set of tuning settings from among the group of sets of tuning settings responsive to a second VSWR determined for the set of tuning settings satisfying a VSWR threshold. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09673842B2
A transceiver for receiving multiple desired signals is described. The transceiver includes a first downconverter that receives a first received signal. The transceiver also includes a second downconverter that receives the first received signal. The transceiver further includes a first adder that receives an output of the first downconverter and a second received signal. The transceiver also includes a second adder that receives an output of the second downconverter.
US09673835B1
A hybrid SAR-ADC that uses a combination of voltage-based signal processing and time-based signal processing to convert an analog input signal to a digital output signal is disclosed. In some embodiments, the hybrid SAR-ADC has a voltage-based signal processing element configured to convert an analog input signal to a first digital signal having a plurality of MSBs and to generate a residue voltage from an input voltage and the first digital signal. A voltage-to-time conversion element is configured to convert the residue voltage to a time domain representation. A time-based signal processing element is configured to convert the time domain representation to a second digital signal comprising a plurality of LSBs. By determining the plurality of MSBs using voltage-based signal processing and determining the plurality of LSBs using time-based signal processing, the hybrid SAR-ADC is able to achieve low power and compact area.
US09673823B2
A semiconductor device using a programming unit with is provided. A highly reliable semiconductor device using the programming unit is provided. A highly integrated semiconductor device using the programming unit is provided. In a semiconductor circuit having a function of changing a structure of connections between logic cells such as PLDs, connection and disconnection between the logic cells or power supply to the logic cells is controlled by a programming unit using an insulated gate field-effect transistor with a small amount of off-state current or leakage current. A transfer gate circuit may be provided in the programming unit. To lower driving voltage, a capacitor may be provided in the programming unit and the potential of the capacitor may be changed during configuration and during operation.
US09673819B2
This application discloses a system to detect meta-stable glitches in a signal, such as an output of latch or other storage element. The system can include a sampling circuit configured to sample an output of a storage element. The system can include a mono-shot circuit configured to monitor the output of the storage element and generate a pulse when the monitored output of the storage element differs from the sampled output. The system can include a drive circuit configured to generate a glitch signal based, at least in part, on the sampled output, and to output the glitch signal in response to the pulse from the mono-shot circuit. The system can include an error detection circuit configured to receive the sampled output from the sampling circuit and the glitch signal from the drive circuit, and to generate an error signal when the sampled output differs from the glitch signal.
US09673817B2
A method for operating a terminal according to an embodiment includes detecting an object that contacts the terminal, determining an operation of the terminal corresponding to the detected object, and performing the determined operation of the terminal.
US09673812B2
A gate driver that drives a field-effect transistor on the basis of an input signal includes a comparator that compares an applied voltage applied between the drain and the source of a field-effect transistor to a reference voltage for detecting noise occurring between the drain and the source of the field-effect transistor, and a gate voltage switching circuit that, if the field-effect transistor is off, switches the voltage applied between the gate and the source of the field-effect transistor from a first voltage to a second voltage when the output of the comparator transitions from a state indicating that the applied voltage between the drain and the source is less than the reference voltage to a state indicating that the applied voltage between the drain and the source is equal to or greater than the reference voltage.
US09673810B2
A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a piezoelectric element that is displaced according to a voltage of a drive signal; a cavity which is filled with a liquid and of which an inside volume is changed due to the displacement of the piezoelectric element; a nozzle that communicates with the cavity and is capable of discharging the liquid; a charge source that supplies a charge to the piezoelectric element; and a connection path selecting section that causes the piezoelectric element and the charge source to be electrically connected to each other by using a first signal path or a second signal path. The charge source includes: a first auxiliary power source that outputs two types or more of voltages; and a second auxiliary power source that outputs three types or more of voltages by using the two types or more of voltages output from the first auxiliary power source.
US09673798B1
Systems and methods for generating periodic signals with reduced duty cycle variation are described. In some cases, a calibration procedure may be performed prior to a memory operation (e.g., prior to a read operation or a programming operation) in which a duty cycle correction circuit receives an input signal (e.g., an input clock signal), steps through various delay settings to determine a first delay setting corresponding with a signal high time for the input signal and a second delay setting corresponding with a signal low time for the input signal, generates a delayed version of the input signal corresponding with a mid-point delay setting between the first delay setting and the second delay setting, and generates a corrected signal using the delayed version of the input signal and the input signal.
US09673789B1
A signal-generating circuit includes a first P-type transistor, a second P-type transistor, a first N-type transistor, a second N-type transistor, a first inverter, a second inverter, and a third inverter. The first P-type transistor supplies a supply voltage to a first node according to an input signal. Both of the second P-type transistor and the first N-type transistor couple the first node to a second node according to the input signal. The second N-type transistor couples the first node to a ground according to the input signal. The first inverter is coupled to the second node to generate a first signal. The second inverter is coupled between the first node and a third node. The third inverter is coupled to the third node to generate a second signal. The second signal and the first signal are the reverse of each other and synchronous.
US09673781B2
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a radio-frequency-to-baseband-function-reuse receiver with shared amplifiers for common-mode and differential-mode amplification is provided. The receiver includes two set networks connected in parallel. The set networks includes a first and a second input capacitors, a first and a second output capacitors, a first transconductance amplifier having an input terminal, a second transconductance amplifier having an input terminal, a first switch, and a second switch. The first and the second input capacitors connect to a first node. The first and the second output capacitors connect to a second node. The first transconductance amplifier connects between the first input capacitor and the first output capacitor. The second transconductance amplifier connects between the second input capacitor and the second output capacitor. The first switch connects between the input terminal of the first transconductance amplifier and the second node. The second switch connects between the input terminal of the second transconductance amplifier and the second node.
US09673780B2
The present invention addresses the problem of reducing a circuit scale without causing a reduction in processing efficiency. This multi-stage filter processing method measures, at each stage, either the number of input data or the number of intermediate data that is generated by filter calculation processing during the stages before the final stage is reached. Coefficient data regulating for each stage the number of data sufficient to perform the filter calculation processing is held. Input data or the intermediate data that is generated in a current stage is held in a memory until the number of data reaches the number of data sufficient to perform the filter calculation processing in the current stage, on the basis of the coefficient data. When the number of data has reached, the filter calculation processing for the current stage is performed on the input data or the intermediate data that was held.
US09673779B2
An electroacoustic transducer has reduced loss due to acoustic waves emitted in the transverse direction. For this purpose, a transducer comprises a central excitation area, inner edge areas flanking the central excitation area, outer edge areas flanking the inner edge areas, and areas of the busbar flanking the outer edge areas. The longitudinal speed of the areas can be set so that the excitation profile of a piston mode is obtained.
US09673777B2
Quartz cuts are provided which exhibit temperature characteristics which are favorable for making differential SAW temperature sensors. Families of Y cuts rotated between 0° and 60° degrees in combination with placement of two resonators at specified angles to each other are disclosed. Further, preferred embodiments in which the resonators are placed on opposite sides of a zero TCF line are disclosed, to provide wide temperature differences while efficiently utilizing the available bandwidth. The design permits placement of the resonator at angles smaller than 12.5° and even less than 5° therebetween, most preferably on quartz rotated Y cut between 28.5° and 42.75°.
US09673776B2
A wide band directional coupler comprises a first transmission line, a second transmission line and at least one inductor, wherein the first transmission line and the second transmission line are adjacent each other, and the inductor connects to the second transmission. As a RF signal passes through the first transmission line, the second transmission line will couple with the RF signal in the first transmission line to generate a coupling signal. The inductor is connected to the second transmission line to improve the coupling factor and/or the insertion loss of the wide band directional coupler at high frequency band.
US09673770B2
A multiband dynamics compressor implements a solution for minimizing unwanted changes to the long-term frequency response. The solution essentially proposes undoing the multiband compression in a controlled manner using much slower smoothing times. In this regard, the compensation provided acts more like an equalizer than a compressor. What is applied is a very slowly time-varying, frequency-dependent post-gain (make-up gain) that attempts to restore the smoothed long-term level of each compressor band.
US09673765B2
A signal amplifier includes a band suppression filter configured to suppress a preset band among bands included in an input signal, a first common source-type amplifier connected between a supply terminal of a driving voltage and a ground terminal and configured to amplify a first input signal separated from an output signal of the band suppression filter in a common input node to provide a first amplified signal to a common output node, a second common source-type amplifier configured to amplify a second input signal separated from the output signal of the band suppression filter in the common input node to provide a second amplified signal to the common output node, and an output matcher configured to match levels of impedance between the common output node and an output terminal and to transfer a combined signal to the output terminal.
US09673763B2
The present disclosure is to improve the power added efficiency of a power amplifier at high output power. The power amplifier includes: a first capacitor with a radio frequency signal input to one end thereof; a first transistor whose base is connected to the other end of the first capacitor to amplify the radio frequency signal; a bias circuit for supplying bias to the base of the first transistor; and a second capacitor with one end connected to the base of the first transistor and the other end connected to the emitter of the first transistor.
US09673761B2
In dividing units, signals propagating between input ports- and output ports and between input ports and output ports have phases shifted by 90° from phases of signals propagating between the input ports and the output port and between the input ports and the output ports. Amplifiers output amplified signals that are in phase to the dividing units. A combining and dividing unit outputs a combined signal obtained by combining signals from the output ports of the dividing units to an input port of a combining unit. A combining and dividing unit outputs a combined signal obtained by combining signals from the output ports of the dividing units to an input port of a combining unit.
US09673734B2
An apparatus for delay angle compensation for flying start function in a medium-voltage inverter is disclosed. The apparatus generates generate a phase angle (θ) by converting a three-phase voltage of an inverter output terminal to dq-axis voltages (Vd, Vq), and calculate a compensation phase angle by a predetermined delay time. In addition, the apparatus generates an initial angle for the flying start by aggregating the compensation phase angle with the phase angle (θ). The apparatus may drive a high-voltage motor more stably, because an error between a command voltage phase angle and an actual output voltage phase angle may be reduced, when electric power of the medium voltage inverter is restored after a trip or an instantaneous blackout occurs.
US09673730B2
Provided are a double auxiliary resonant commutated pole three-phase soft-switching inverter circuit and a modulation method. The circuit includes a three-phase main inverter circuit and a three-phase double auxiliary resonant commutator circuit. An A-phase double auxiliary resonant commutator circuit, an A-phase main inverter circuit, a B-phase double auxiliary resonant commutator circuit, a B-phase main inverter circuit, a C-phase double auxiliary resonant commutator circuit and a C-phase main inverter circuit are connected in parallel in sequence and simultaneously connected with a DC power supply in parallel. The present invention can achieve the separation of the resonant current of the double auxiliary resonant commutator circuit from the load current at the moment of current commutation, thereby effectively reducing the current stress of the auxiliary switching tubes and the efficiency can be greatly increased particularly under light load condition.
US09673727B2
A jitter control circuit, which reduces conducted EMI noise by giving jitter (frequency diffusion) to the operating frequency for driving a switching element, determines an operating frequency fc (e.g., 40 kHz) at which reduction effects change from a feedback voltage that represents magnitude of a load. The jitter control circuit causes a, for example, 8-bit counter that generates a modulation frequency to operate with, for example, 8 bits when 40 kHz≦fc and 7 bits when fc<40 kHz. In this way, even when the range of the EMI noise measurement frequency is extended to the lower frequency side, for example, to 25 kHz, the maximum reduction effect is maintained in the entire frequency range. Thus, the maximum EMI noise reduction effect is obtained.
US09673723B2
In a circuit adapted to supply a voltage Vs an electronic device, such as a load or a light source said voltage Vs is led to a circuit (ACG) that is able to derive a voltage VACG from Vs where VACG≠Vs. The circuit consist in a first embodiment of three serial coupled diodes (D1,D2,D3) and two capacitors (C1,C2), and where the capacitor (CI) is coupled in parallel with tow of the diodes (D1,D2) and the capacitor (C2) is coupled in parallel with the diodes (D2,D3). In this way an Asymmetric Current Generator (ACG) is provided, that from a normal periodic source voltage Vs can derive two voltages both of which are suitable for a rechargeable battery or a light source. In this way a cost effective voltage in which the voltage required for the electronic device is beneficial for recharging the battery or strengthen the light for a LED light source leading to save in current cost and a fast recharging of the rechargeable battery and gaining light from the light source. The invention also covers uses of the Asymmetric Current Generator (ACG).
US09673721B2
One or more first switches coupled to one of a primary transformer winding and a secondary transformer winding are controlled based on a first switch control reference clock signal. A reflected voltage across the other of the primary and secondary windings is sensed, and a second switch control reference clock signal is synchronized to the first switch control reference clock signal based on the reflected voltage. One or more second switches coupled to the other of the primary and secondary windings are controlled based on the second switch control reference clock signal. A digital isolator could instead be used to transfer a switch control reference signal across an isolation boundary. Switch control signals for controlling a set of switches on one side of the isolation boundary may be derived from a switch control reference signal that is synchronized with the transferred switch control reference clock signal.
US09673710B2
A DC-DC converter including digital circuitry for determining load current supplied to a load. In some embodiments the digital circuitry determines the load current differently based on whether the DC-DC converter is operating in pulse frequency modulation mode or pulse width modulation mode. In some embodiments the DC-DC converter includes circuitry for determining if a short circuit or over current condition exists.
US09673703B2
A converter arrangement, in particular a switched DC/DC converter arrangement, comprises a control die and a converter die. The control die comprises a control logic for generating a control signal and a control output for controlling the converter die by means of the control signal. The converter die comprises at least one converter that is designed for converting an input signal into an output signal in dependence on the control signal, wherein the control signal can be received at a control input. A single-line interface connects the control output to the control input.
US09673684B2
A stator for a motor or generator including a planar composite structure (PCS) having at least one dielectric layer and a plurality of conductive layers is provided. The stator includes first conductive elements extending radially to a distance r1 from a center of, and disposed angularly on, the PCS. Each first conductive element includes a preferred termination structure to connect with at least one of a plurality of second conductive elements extending radially from a radius r2 from the center of, and disposed angularly on, the PCS.
US09673678B2
An inner rotor motor may include a shaft, a rotor, a stator, an upper bearing, a lower bearing, a motor casing that includes an opening at an upper portion, a casing cover that holds the upper bearing and covers the opening of the motor casing, and a lower damping member. The motor casing may include a cylindrical portion, a bottom wall portion that extends inward from the cylindrical portion, and a lower boss portion that is formed in the shape of a bottomed cylinder protruding downward from a bottom of the bottom wall portion. The lower bearing is disposed inside the lower boss portion, and the lower damping member is disposed outside the lower boss portion ion. The lower boss portion is provided with a lower boss recess, and the lower damping member is provided with a concave or convex rotation prevention portion.
US09673677B2
The present invention provides a mounting arrangement for an electric motor in a drive unit, and a drive unit incorporating such a mounting arrangement. The arrangement includes a motor casing with at least one connecting flange having an opening for receiving a connecting element. The flange is configured for fastening the motor casing to a drive unit housing via the connecting element. At least one alignment member is provided on the flange for engagement with a complementary member on the drive unit housing to align the motor casing with respect to the drive unit. The at least one alignment member is provided on or in a peripheral edge of said connecting flange.
US09673665B2
Techniques are described for accumulating data regarding the charging environment and power delivery efficiency at various regions in the environment under various transmission conditions. In some embodiments, this data may be utilized to generate efficient and sophisticated power transmission schedules; however, this data may also be leveraged for the manipulation of the standing waves within the environment. This allows for two discrete and powerful applications: creation of null zones and conversely the generation of high power regions. These regions may also be referred to as ‘power nulls’ and ‘energy balls’ respectively.
US09673657B2
Various methods, apparatuses and systems are directed to battery-charging applications. As may be consistent with one or more embodiments discussed herein, a charging current for charging a battery is modulated, and the frequency of the modulated charging current is set based upon an impedance of the battery. Temperature of the battery is estimated based upon the impedance exhibited by the battery, while the battery is charged with the modulated charging current. In various implementations, the battery charging rate is controlled based on the estimated temperature.
US09673656B2
Provided is a highly safe battery device in which the accuracy of an overcurrent detection current value and a short-circuit current value is improved and current consumption is reduced. A short-circuit and overcurrent detecting circuit includes: a reference voltage circuit configured to output a reference voltage generated when a constant current flows through an impedance element and a transistor having a resistance value that is changed depending on a voltage of a secondary battery; a first comparator circuit configured to compare a voltage of an overcurrent detecting terminal with the reference voltage; and a second comparator circuit configured to compare a voltage based on the voltage of the overcurrent detecting terminal with the reference voltage.
US09673654B2
A multi-stage quick charging system is proposed. The system uses an intermediate power battery as voltage supporting point so that a converter having a fraction of the output voltage may control the entire power flow towards or from the battery of a vehicle or an electrical power device. The intermediate battery comprises several stages in series, associated with respective small chargers allowing a management of the charge balancing of the stages of the intermediate battery, since the chargers may be controlled in order to separately vary the contribution of each stage.
US09673651B2
In one embodiment, an electronic system comprises one or more power circuits configured to receive a first voltage from an external power source and produce a second voltage to one or more electronic components of the electronic system, and a power management circuit configured to determine one or more output currents of the one or more power circuits, wherein the power management circuit causes the external power source to change the first voltage based on at least one output current of at least one power circuit to reduce power loss of the at least one power circuit.
US09673649B2
A lithium ion battery and a charger thereof are provided. The lithium ion battery comprises a shell (1), a locating seat (2), an end cover (3), a battery cell (4), a positive contact (51), a positive plate (52), a negative plate (53), a positive connecting plate (61) and a negative connecting plate (62). The shell (1) is a one-step-molding cylinder with an upper opening. The positive contact (51) extends out from a contact extending hole (11) of the shell (1). A lower end face of the end cover (3) is tightly pressed on the negative plate (53) and the locating seat (2), where the end cover (3) is detachably connected with the upper opening of the shell (1). A cover edge of the end cover (3) cooperates with an end face of the upper opening of the shell (1). The lithium ion battery is conveniently detachable with the charger thereof.
US09673647B2
A charging apparatus for a mobile device is provided. The apparatus includes a terminal casing and a charging mount. A pattern electrode part has concentric electrode patterns. A first magnet is provided underneath the pattern electrode part, and a second magnet having multiple magnet elements is disposed around the pattern electrode part. The charging mount has a pin terminal part which comes into contact with the pattern electrode part. A third magnet being magnetically coupled with the first magnet is provided underneath the pin terminal part. A fourth magnet being magnetically coupled with the second magnet is provided around the pin terminal part.
US09673646B1
Disclosed are novel copper foils used as components of wireless charging systems. The copper foils can be laminated to produce flexible copper clad laminates, which can then be etched to form printed circuits (coils). The coils can be used as either, or both, of a receiver wireless charging circuit and/or a transmitter wireless charging circuit. Regulation of the chemical and physical properties of the copper foil produces higher efficiencies in the wireless charging system components.
US09673641B2
A voltage detecting device includes a plurality of voltage detecting circuits provided for battery modules of a battery, the battery being formed by connecting, in series with each other, the battery modules each formed by connecting battery cells in series with each other, the plurality of voltage detecting circuits being configured to detect voltage of each of the battery cells; a plurality of voltage detecting lines connecting the battery cells to the voltage detecting circuits; and a control device controlling charge and discharge of the battery cells on a basis of detection information obtained from the voltage detecting circuits, a voltage detecting line having a lowest potential being connected to one of the voltage detecting circuits and a voltage detecting line having a highest potential being connected to the other of the voltage detecting circuits, being adjacent and connected to each other via a first capacitor.
US09673630B2
Different systems to achieve solar power conversion are provided in at least three different general aspects, with circuitry that can be used to harvest maximum power from a solar source or strings of panels for DC or AC use, perhaps for transfer to a power grid three aspects can exist perhaps independently and relate to: 1) electrical power conversion in a multimodal manner, 2) alternating between differing processes such as by an alternative mode photovoltaic power converter functionality control, and 3) systems that can achieve efficiencies in conversion that are extraordinarily high compared to traditional through substantially power isomorphic photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion capability that can achieve 99.2% efficiency or even only wire transmission losses. Switchmode impedance conversion circuits may have pairs of photovoltaic power series switch elements and pairs of photovoltaic power shunt switch elements.
US09673625B2
An uninterruptible power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit converting AC power to generate a DC voltage to be supplied to a loading device. The uninterruptible power supply apparatus further includes a first battery unit connected to the power supply unit to receive a DC current therefrom, and stores first DC power generated from the DC voltage. The first battery unit generates a DC voltage to be supplied to the loading device from the first DC power. The uninterruptible power supply apparatus includes a second battery unit connected in parallel to the power supply unit and stores second DC power, and generates, from the second DC power stored in the second battery unit, a DC voltage to be supplied to the loading device. The uninterruptible power supply apparatus further includes a controller for controlling operation of the power supply unit, the first battery unit and the second battery unit.
US09673621B2
Various systems and methods for managing a plurality of battery modules are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system may include two or more battery modules with each battery module having a state of charge. The system may include at least one battery management system for monitoring the state of charge of each of the battery modules. The system may include a communications network in communication with the at least one battery management system whereby the at least one battery management system provides data regarding the state of charge for each battery module using the communication network.
US09673618B2
According to various embodiments, a solid-state power controller system is provided with channel protection features. The solid-state power controller system is configured to provide the ability to have sharing control over an individual SSPC channel that is operating in parallel with other SSPC channels. This can assist with the operation of secondary protection, protect the channel from exceeding its own trip curve, as well as assisting with thermal balance between the power dissipation of the channels in the group.
US09673612B2
Reverse battery protection circuits for devices powered by batteries coupled in parallel can include both P-channel and N-channel MOSFETs. Each positive battery terminal connector of a battery-powered device can be coupled to a gate of an N-channel MOSFET or to both a gate of an N-channel MOSFET and a gate of a P-channel MOSFET. In some embodiments, each negative battery terminal connector of the device can be connected to a gate of a P-channel MOSFET. In the event of a reverse battery connection, one or more of the protection circuit's P-channel and N-channel MOSFETS can switch to a non-conductive state to isolate the device's load from an incorrectly installed battery and prevent the incorrectly installed battery and/or other parallel-coupled battery from prematurely discharging. Methods of protecting a load from a reverse battery connection are also provided, as are other aspects.
US09673607B2
A protective circuit (10) comprises a terminal (11), a reference potential terminal (12) and a protective structure (13) that is arranged between the terminal (11) and the reference potential terminal (12), and is designed to be conductive in the event of an electrostatic discharge. The protective circuit (10) furthermore comprises a voltage supply circuit (14) that is coupled to a control input (16) of the protective structure (13) with its output side and is designed for delivering, in the event of radiofrequency interference, a control signal (ST) to the control input (16) with such a high voltage value that conduction of the protective structure (13) is prevented.
US09673593B2
A spark plug has a firing pad attached to a center electrode or to a ground electrode. The firing pad is attached via laser welding and has a sparking surface with an overall fused area and an unfused area. In one or more embodiments, the overall fused area is located in part or more inboard of a peripheral edge of the firing pad.
US09673591B2
According to another aspect of the present disclosed technology, a diode laser assembly, includes an optical fiber having a cladding and a large mode area (LMA) core, wherein the LMA core comprises a fiber Bragg grating disposed within the LMA core, a plurality of diode lasers configured to emit light, optics configured to receive the light and to couple the light into the LMA core, and one or more features in the optical fiber to couple higher order modes of the light leaving substantially single mode light to propagate in the LMA core wherein a portion of the single mode light propagating in the LMA core is reflected by the fiber Bragg grating and is coupled back through the optics into the plurality of diode lasers to lock the wavelength of light emitted from each diode laser of the plurality.
US09673589B2
An amplification optical fiber operable to propagate light beams in a plurality of modes in a predetermined wavelength range through a core doped with a rare earth element, wherein Expression (1) is satisfied, where a cutoff wavelength of a propagated highest mode light beam is defined as λmax, under conditions in which the cutoff wavelength of the highest mode light beam is defined as λc, a shortest wavelength of the wavelength range is defined as λmin, and a cutoff wavelength of a second-highest mode light beam to the highest mode light beam is λmin. λc>0.5 λmin+0.5 λmax (1).
US09673571B2
A shield unit includes: a braid having a contact portion arranged in contact with a cylinder of a shield shell; a holder inserted in the cylinder and attached to the cylinder in contact with the contact portion, the holder attached to the cylinder electrically connecting the shield shell to the braid; and a rotation unit provided between the cylinder and the holder, the rotation unit being configured to make the holder rotate in a circumferential direction of the cylinder and make the cylinder and the contact portion slide relatively to each other until completion of attaching the holder to the cylinder.
US09673567B1
The disclosed apparatus may include a lock that has a locking mechanism that secures an electronic module to a telecommunication system. The lock may also have an ejection handle coupled to the locking mechanism such that application of physical force to the ejection handle ejects the electronic module from the telecommunication system by undoing the locking mechanism. The disclosed apparatus may also include a cross-bar coupled to the lock and movable in conjunction with the ejection handle. The cross-bar may facilitate access to a row of power connectors arranged along a surface of the electronic module when the ejection handle is positioned in a first position. Additionally or alternatively, the cross-bar may block access to the row of power connectors arranged along the surface of the electronic module when the ejection handle is positioned in a second position. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
US09673566B2
An electronic device including a first body, a first connecting assembly, a second body, and a second connecting assembly is provided. The first body has a recess, and the first connecting assembly is disposed at the first body and hidden in the recess. The second connecting assembly is disposed on the second body in protruding manner. The second connecting assembly is fit to be assembled in the recess and electrically connected to the first connecting assembly, such that the first and the second bodies are detachably assembled to each other.
US09673565B1
A utility strap with embedded serial bus wires is provided. The utility strap is comprised of a flexible elongated strap member with each of the first and second ends having at least one of a ring, hook-and-loop fastening system, button hole, loop, grommet, and a carabiner. Serial bus wires are incorporated within said strap along a significant portion of the length of the strap, said wires forming a serial bus cable with exposed serial bus connectors for providing an electrical connection between two computer devices, peripherals, or other similar electronic devices.
US09673562B2
The invention concerns a plug connector for a high current device, intended to be placed in particular in the engine compartment of a motor vehicle. A device such as a printed circuit board housed in the plug connector is connected to a cable via at least one rigid conductive metal bar (bus bar). A ring is interposed between the rigid conductive metal bar and a terminal electrically connected to the cable. A bolt holds the terminal, the ring and the bus bar clamped together. To ensure the seal of the plug connector at the bolt, a first ring seal is placed between the ring and an unthreaded zone of the shank of the bolt, and a second seal is placed between the ring and the plug connector.
US09673551B2
An electrical connector has an insulative body and multiple terminals. The insulative body has multiple mounting holes and multiple guiding channels. The terminals are mounted respectively in the mounting holes and each terminal has an electrical contacting portion mounted slidably in one of the guiding channels. The guiding channels guide and ensure a corresponding electrical contacting portion to move linearly without being inadvertently jammed or irrecoverably deformed. Therefore, the life-span of the electrical connector is increased.
US09673548B2
A contact connection structure includes a first terminal including a first contact portion including an indent and a second terminal including a second contact portion including a contact face that makes contact with the indent. The indent includes a first arc face having the first curvature center extending on a first line, the contact face includes a second arc face having a curvature different from the curvature of the first arc face, the second curvature center of the second arc face extending on a second line perpendicular to the first line. The first arc face and the second arc face make contact with each other by an elliptic region. The direction of one of the first line and the second line is the direction of the long axis of the elliptic region, and the direction of the other line is a direction of the short axis of the elliptic region.
US09673545B2
A printed wiring board (1) includes: a base substrate (3); a plurality of pads (15a, 17a) for electrical connection that are disposed at one surface side of the base substrate (3) and at a connection end portion (13) to be connected with another electronic component (50); wirings (9, 11) that are connected with the pads (15a, 17a); and engageable parts (28, 29) that are formed at side edge parts of the connection end portion (13) and are to be engaged with engagement parts (58) of the other electronic component (50) in the direction of disconnection. The flexible printed wiring board (1) further includes reinforcement layers (31, 32) that are disposed at the other surface side of the base substrate (3) and at a frontward side with respect to the engageable parts (28, 29) when viewed in the direction of connection with the other electronic component, and that are formed separately from the wirings (9, 11).
US09673535B2
An antenna reflector compatible with applications at high frequencies between 12 and 75 GHz and suitable for a paraboloidal or ellipsoidal geostationary space environment comprising a reflective face to focus electromagnetic radiation, comprises a superposition of at least one layer comprising a fiber composite material, the at least one layer of fiber composite material comprising angular sectors arranged around a center, each defined by a first central angle and oriented in a radial direction the median of the central angle, each of the angular sectors comprising the fiber composite material comprising first and second fibers oriented different first and second respective directions, the first direction forming a second angle with the radial direction of the angular sector. The angular sectors comprise three concentric areas: a central area, a peripheral area and an intermediate area situated between the central area and the peripheral area, the intermediate area forming a rim.
US09673532B2
The present invention relates to an antenna, which includes a feeding part and a radiating part. By using the feeding part and the radiating part that are perpendicular to each other and use dielectric substrates, not only a volume of a normal radiation antenna is reduced, but also a substrate integrated waveguide directly radiates energy outwards, thereby improving operating bandwidth of the antenna.
US09673531B2
An antenna is disclosed. The antenna includes a coupling portion, a ground connection portion corresponding to the coupling portion, and a radiation body. The a radiation body further includes a first antenna portion extending from a first end of the coupling portion in a direction, a second antenna portion extending from the first end in a direction opposite to that of the first antenna portion, and a third antenna portion extending from an end of the ground connection portion in a direction surrounding the first antenna portion, wherein two gaps are provided for separating the third antenna portion from the first antenna portion and the second antenna portion respectively.
US09673528B2
A reconfigurable antenna comprises two or more mutually coupled radiating elements and two or more impedance-matching circuits configured for independent tuning of the frequency band of each radiating element. In addition, each radiating element is arranged for selective operation in each of the following states: a driven state, a floating state and a ground state.
US09673523B2
A method for mitigating interference using a phased array receiving antenna is provided. The method includes perturbing a first communications beam and a second communications beam received at the phased array receiving antenna to generate a first composite beam and a second composite beam, cross-correlating the first composite beam and the second composite beam, receiving communications data using the first composite beam and the second composite beam, and determining a direction of a received interference signal based on the cross-correlation of the first composite beam and the second composite beam.
US09673522B2
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for a reconfigurable faceted reflector for producing a plurality of antenna patterns. The reconfigurable reflector includes a backing structure, a plurality of adjusting mechanisms mounted to the backing structure, and a plurality of reflector facets. Each of the plurality of reflector facets is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms for adjusting the position of the reflector facet with which it is coupled. The reflector facets are arranged to produce a first antenna pattern of the plurality of antenna patterns. By adjusting the plurality of adjusting mechanisms, the position of each of the reflector facets coupled to the respective one of the plurality of adjusting mechanisms is adjusted so that the reflector facets are arranged to produce a second antenna pattern of the plurality of antenna patterns.
US09673521B2
A display arrangement comprises a display, a conductive shield arranged at the display, a ferrite layer and a conducting line of an antenna. The ferrite layer is arranged between the conducting line and the conductive shield.
US09673516B2
The present invention provides, in alternative embodiments, high temperature transponders that can withstand high temperature shocks and can maintain their physical and electrical characteristics following high temperature exposure, and methods of making said transponders.
US09673509B2
Provided are an antenna module for a portable terminal and a portable terminal including the same, wherein a slot is formed on a base sheet on which an NFC antenna and a wireless charging antenna are stacked, thereby minimizing a height difference between the NFC antenna and the wireless charging antenna. The provided antenna module for a portable terminal enables the NFC antenna and the wireless charging antenna to be stacked on an upper side of the base sheet having the slot, wherein opposite ends of the wireless charging antenna pass under a lower end of the NFC antenna while passing through the slot of the base sheet, and are connected to a power supply terminal of a portable terminal.
US09673481B2
In one embodiment, a thin film solid state lithium ion secondary battery is able to be charged and discharged in the air and manufactured stably at a favorable yield. The thin film solid state lithium ion secondary battery has an electric insulating substrate formed from an organic resin, an inorganic insulating film provided on the substrate face, a cathode-side current collector film, a cathode active material film, a solid electrolyte film, an anode potential formation layer, and an anode-side current collector film. The cathode-side current collector film and/or the anode-side current collector film is formed on the inorganic insulating film face. The anode potential formation layer is a layer formed from the same material as that of the cathode active material film or a material different from that of the cathode active material film and is a layer provided for forming anode potential at the time of discharge.
US09673479B2
An energy storage module having a plurality of stacked flat cells. The energy storage module has an interconnection formed in such a way that the energy storage module can be connected mechanically, electrically and/or for exchanging coolant with at least one other energy storage module of the same kind.
US09673478B2
A method for producing a multi-layer bipolar coated cell according to one embodiment includes applying a first active cathode material above a substrate to form a first cathode; applying a first solid-phase ionically-conductive electrolyte material above the first cathode to form a first electrode separation layer; applying a first active anode material above the first electrode separation layer to form a first anode; applying an electrically conductive barrier layer above the first anode; applying a second active cathode material above the anode material to form a second cathode; applying a second solid-phase ionically-conductive electrolyte material above the second cathode to form a second electrode separation layer; applying a second active anode material above the second electrode separation layer to form a second anode; and applying a metal material above the second anode to form a metal coating section. In another embodiment, the anode is formed prior to the cathode. Cells are also disclosed.
US09673466B2
A fuel cell module includes a first area where an exhaust gas combustor and a start-up combustor are provided, a second area where a reformer and a heat exchanger are provided, and a third area where an evaporator is provided. A stress relaxing portion for relaxing heat stress is provided at least along a border between the first area and the second area, along a border between the second area and the third area, or along an outermost portion of the third area.
US09673460B2
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell having a housing that encases the fuel cell, a supply line for a fuel cell fuel, and an exhaust gas line for fuel-cell exhaust gas. In this arrangement the supply line extends in the exhaust gas line, and the exhaust gas line encases the supply line while forming a space. Any leakage in the supply line thus results in the fuel being flushed out by means of the exhaust gases flowing in the exhaust gas line so that higher system reliability and a reduction in costs can be achieved.
US09673453B2
The method for manufacturing a lithium ion secondary battery includes a binder coating step (18), a mixture supplying step (20), a magnetic field applying step (22), and a convection generating step (24). The binder coating step (18) is a step of coating a slurry-form binder (18a) on a metal foil (12a) (collector). The mixture supplying step (20) is a step of supplying a negative electrode mixture containing graphite so as to be superposed on the slurry-form binder (18a) coated on the metal foil (12a) in the binder coating step (18). The magnetic field applying step (22) is a step of applying a magnetic field having magnetic lines of force pointing in the direction orthogonal to the metal foil (12a), to the negative electrode mixture (20a) coated on the metal foil (12a) in the mixture supplying step (20). Further, the convection generating step (24) is a step of generating convection in the negative electrode mixture (20a) by applying heat to the negative electrode mixture (20a) to which a magnetic field has been applied in the magnetic field applying step (22).
US09673445B2
A battery is provided. The battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material layer provided on a positive electrode current collector; a negative electrode; and a separator at least including a porous film, wherein the porous film has a porosity ε [%] and an air permeability t [sec/100 cc] which satisfy formulae of: t=a×Ln(ε)−4.02a+100 and −1.87×1010×S−4.96≦a≦−40 wherein S is the area density of the positive electrode active material layer [mg/cm2] and Ln is natural logarithm.
US09673442B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly in which an electrode catalyst layer is formed on a surface of an electrolyte membrane. This method includes: a drying of drying a substrate sheet to which a catalyst ink is applied, the catalyst ink containing catalyst support particles on which a catalytic metal is supported, a solvent, and an ionomer; and a heat treatment of performing a heat treatment on the substrate sheet, on which the catalyst ink is dried, after the drying at a heat treatment temperature which is equal to or higher than a glass transition temperature of the ionomer to prepare the electrode catalyst layer. The heat treatment is performed after a concentration of a solvent gas obtained by gasification of the solvent, which remains in a chamber of a heating device for performing the heat treatment, is a predetermined concentration threshold or lower.
US09673441B2
A connection pole for an accumulator, wherein the connection pole includes an inner hollow region configured to receive a pole shaft of the accumulator. The connection pole includes ribs on its inner wall in the inner hollow region, wherein the ribs run in the longitudinal direction of the connection pole and one or more or all of the ribs are integrally formed with the connection pole from the material of the connection pole and protrude from the inner side of the connection pole such that the ribs form a gap between the pole shaft and the inner surface of the connection pole.
US09673435B2
A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery 100 according to the present invention is provided with an electrode assembly 80 having a structure in which a positive electrode 10 and a negative electrode 20 are stacked with a separator 30 interposed therebetween. A porous filler layer 32 is formed between the positive electrode 10 and the separator 30. The filler layer 32 contains a filler made of an inorganic material and contains a binder. The relationship T>D holds where T is the average thickness of the filler layer 32 and D is the average particle diameter of a positive electrode active material 15 present in the positive electrode 10 facing the filler layer 32, and a pressure applied to the electrode assembly 80 in the stacking direction is set to at least 0.1 MPa.
US09673423B2
There is provided a flexible display having a plurality of innovations configured to allow bending of a portion or portions to reduce apparent border size and/or utilize the side surface of an assembled flexible display.
US09673419B2
Provide is a display device that prevents adverse effects on pixel circuits, resulting from a process related to a sealing film, and a manufacturing method of the display device. A display device includes pixel circuits on a substrate and a sealing film having a multilayer structure on the pixel circuits. The sealing film includes a first layer being formed in contact with the pixel circuits and being made of a silicon-containing inorganic material. The first layer is a mixed film containing at least one component changing seamlessly in a stacking direction.
US09673397B2
The invention relates to novel conjugated polymers containing one or more repeating units derived from indacenodibenzothiophene or dithia-dicyclopenta-dibenzothiophene, to methods for their preparation and educts or intermediates used therein, to polymer blends, mixtures and formulations containing them, to the use of the polymers, polymer blends, mixtures and formulations as organic semiconductors in organic electronic (OE) devices, especially in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices, and to OE and OPV devices comprising these polymers, polymer blends, mixtures or formulations.
US09673389B2
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a first interconnect group, a second interconnect group, and a memory cell. In the first interconnect group, first interconnects are stacked. The first interconnect group includes first regions in which the first interconnects are formed along a first direction, and a second region in which first contact plugs are formed on the first interconnects. In the second region, the first interconnect group includes a step portion. Heights of adjacent terraces of the step portion are different from each other by the two or more first interconnects.
US09673382B2
In order to solve the problem of the generation of the interspace between layers, the present invention provides an actuator including: a conductive polymer layer; an ambient temperature molten salt layer; and an opposite electrode layer; wherein the ambient temperature molten salt layer is interposed between the conductive polymer layer and the opposite electrode layer, the ambient temperature molten salt layer includes an adhesive layer in the inside thereof; one surface of the adhesive layer adheres to the conductive polymer layer; and the other surface of the adhesive layer adheres to the opposite electrode layer.
US09673374B2
This invention pertains to piezoelectric actuators made of single crystal active elements which not only exhibit uniform and superior displacement in the axial direction but also of lower cost to produce than full single crystal ring or tube actuators. Said multi-stake actuator is made up of multiple longitudinal (d33) or transverse (d3i or d32) mode piezoelectric single crystal active elements, bonded together by epoxy with the aid of shaped edge- and top and bottom washer-stiffeners which are configured to suit various application needs.
US09673373B2
This present application relates to a system for delivering megasonic energy to a liquid, involving one or more megasonic transducers, each transducer having a single operating frequency within an ultrasound bandwidth and comprising two or more groups of piezoelectric elements arranged in one or more rows, and a megasonic generator means for driving the one or more transducers at frequencies within the bandwidth, the generator means being adapted for changing the voltage applied to each group of piezoelectric elements so as to achieve substantially the same maximum acoustic pressure for each group of piezoelectric elements. The generator means and transducers being constructed and arranged so as to produce ultrasound within the liquid. Such a system may be part of an apparatus for cleaning a surface of an article such as a semiconductor wafer or a medical implant.
US09673372B2
An actuator device and a manufacturing method for the actuator device with which an outer electrode electrically connected to an inner electrode can be reliably formed even when using a film made of an electrostrictive material. An actuator device includes a plurality of stacked electrostrictive films each of which is made of an electrostrictive material and includes inner electrodes formed on one surface or both surfaces of the film. Lead electrodes are formed to be led out respectively from the inner electrodes toward the outside of the electrostrictive film 31. At least one cut portion is formed in each of the lead electrodes, and conductive ink is applied to the cut portion. The conductive ink reaches, from the cut portions, the lead electrodes formed on the electrostrictive film.
US09673369B2
Thermoelectric materials based on tetrahedrite structures for thermoelectric devices and methods for producing thermoelectric materials and devices are disclosed.
US09673360B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a light emitting device that can manufacture the light emitting device at low cost. The manufacturing method of a light emitting device includes: a mounting step of mounting a plurality of light emitting elements at predetermined intervals in one direction on a substrate; a first resin formation step of continuously forming a first resin layer in the one direction to directly cover the light emitting elements mounted; a trench formation step of forming a trench between the light emitting elements in a direction intersecting the one direction; and a second resin charging step of charging a second resin into the trench.
US09673344B2
A photovoltaic module generates electrical power when installed on a roof. The module is constructed as a laminated sandwich having a transparent protective upper layer adhered to a photovoltaic layer. The photovoltaic layer is adhered to the top of a rigid layer, preferably formed from a fiber reinforced plastic. A tapered edge seal is disposed about the peripheral outer edge of the module, so that water and debris easily run off Preferably, the tapered edge seal is disposed adjacent the photovoltaic layer, and above the rigid substrate layer. The tapered edge seal is thinner at the outer peripheral portion thereof than at a portion thereof adjacent the photovoltaic layer. The laminated module preferably has a layer of double stick tape on the bottom to adhere the module to the surface of a roof.
US09673341B2
A method for use in forming a photovoltaic device includes forming a doped semiconductor layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a metal film on the doped semiconductor layer. A patterned etched resist is formed on the metal film and a dielectric layer is formed on the doped semiconductor layer and the etched resist. A laser having a wavelength absorbable by the patterned etch resist is applied through the dielectric layer to the patterned etch resist to remove the patterned etch resist.
US09673334B2
A LTPS TFT and a TFT substrate are disclosed. The LTPS TFT includes: a substrate; a first gate arranged on the substrate; a polysilicon layer arranged on the substrates, and the polysilicon layer covers the first gate, wherein the polysilicon layer comprises a source area, a drain area, and a trench area formed between the source area and the drain area; a second gate arranged on the polysilicon layer; wherein when the LTPS TFT has been driven, the first gate and the second gate are respectively applied with a first voltage and a second voltage, and a polarity of the first voltage is opposite to the polarity of the second voltage. In this way, the feed through voltage may be reduced such that the TFT performance is enhanced.
US09673329B2
A fin MOS transistor is made from an SOI-type structure that includes a semiconductor layer on a silicon oxide layer coating a semiconductor support. A trench formed from the surface of the semiconductor layer delimits at least one fin in the semiconductor layer, that trench extending at least to an upper surface of the semiconductor support. Etched recesses in sides of a portion of the silicon oxide layer located under the fin are filled with a material selectively etchable over silicon oxide.
US09673326B2
A semiconductor device in which sufficient stress can be applied to a channel region due to lattice constant differences.
US09673324B1
The present invention provides a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) device, including a substrate, a gate structure on the substrate and a source/drain region disposed in the substrate at one side of the gate structure and in at least a part of an epitaxial structure, wherein the epitaxial structure includes a first buffer layer, which is an un-doped buffer layer, including a bottom portion disposed on a bottom surface of the epitaxial structure and a sidewall portion disposed on a concave sidewall of the epitaxial structure, an epitaxial layer which is encompassed by the first buffer layer, and a semiconductor layer which is disposed between the first buffer layer and the epitaxial layer. The source/drain region is disposed in the epitaxial structure.
US09673323B2
A device includes a buried well region and a first HVW region of the first conductivity, and an insulation region over the first HVW region. A drain region of the first conductivity type is disposed on a first side of the insulation region and in a top surface region of the first HVW region. A first well region and a second well region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type are on the second side of the insulation region. A second HVW region of the first conductivity type is disposed between the first and the second well regions, wherein the second HVW region is connected to the buried well region. A source region of the first conductivity type is in a top surface region of the second HVW region, wherein the source region, the drain region, and the buried well region form a JFET.
US09673320B2
A transistor cell includes a drift region, a source region, a body region, and a drain region that is laterally spaced apart from the source region. A gate electrode is adjacent the body region. A field electrode is arranged in the drift region. A source electrode is connected to the source region and the body region, and a drain electrode is connected to the drain region. An avalanche bypass structure is coupled between the source electrode and the drain electrode and includes a first semiconductor layer of the first doping type, a second semiconductor layer of the first doping type, and a pn-junction arranged between the first semiconductor layer and the source electrode. The second semiconductor layer has a higher doping concentration than the first semiconductor layer and is arranged between the second semiconductor layer and the drift region. The drain electrode is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer.
US09673318B1
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a base region situated over a drift region, a source trench extending through the base region and into the drift region, the source trench having a shield electrode, a gate trench extending through the base region and into the drift region, the gate trench adjacent the source trench, the gate trench having a gate electrode situated above a buried electrode. The source trench is surrounded by the gate trench. The shield electrode is coupled to a source contact over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a source region over the base region. The gate trench includes gate trench dielectrics lining a bottom and sidewalls of the gate trench. The source trench includes source trench dielectrics lining a bottom and sidewalls of the source trench.
US09673317B2
A semiconductor device includes a vertical MOS transistor with a plurality of parallel RESURF drain trenches separated by a constant spacing in a vertical drain drift region. The vertical MOS transistor has chamfered corners; each chamfered corner extends across at least five of the drain trenches. A RESURF termination trench surrounds the drain trenches, separated from sides and ends of the drain trenches by distances which are functions of the drain trench spacing. At the chamfered corners, the termination trench includes external corners which extend around an end of a drain trench which extends past an adjacent drain trench, and includes internal corners which extend past an end of a drain trench which is recessed from an adjacent drain trench. The termination trench is separated from the drain trenches at the chamfered corners by distances which are also functions of the drain trench spacing.
US09673316B1
A semiconductor device including a VDMOS device formed therein includes a terminal, or contact, to the drain region of the VDMOS device from the frontside of the device. In one or more implementations, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface and a vertical diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor device formed within the semiconductor substrate. The vertical diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor device includes at least one source region formed proximate to the first surface and at least one drain region formed proximate to the second surface. A through-substrate via is formed within the semiconductor substrate, and the through-substrate via electrically connected to the drain region. The through-substrate via provides an electrical interconnection to the drain region from the first surface.
US09673307B1
A lateral bipolar junction transistor (LBJT) device that may include a dielectric stack including a pedestal of a base region passivating dielectric and a nucleation dielectric layer; and a base region composed of a germanium containing material or a type III-V semiconductor material in contact with the pedestal of the base region passivating dielectric. An emitter region and collector region may be present on opposing sides of the base region contacting a sidewall of the pedestal of the base region passivating dielectric and an upper surface of the nucleation dielectric layer.
US09673298B2
A VTMOS transistor in semiconductor material of a first type of conductivity includes a body region of a second type of conductivity and a source region of the first type of conductivity. A gate region extends into the main surface through the body region and is insulated from the semiconductor material. A region of the gate region extends onto the main surface is insulated from the rest of the gate region. An anode region of the first type of conductivity is formed into said insulated region, and a cathode region of the second type of conductivity is formed into said insulated region in contact with the anode region; the anode region and the cathode region define a thermal diode electrically insulated from the chip.
US09673296B2
A semiconductor structure including a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer includes a gate structure, a first trench in the semiconductor wafer adjacent to a first side of the gate structure and a second trench adjacent to a second side of the gate structure, the first and second trenches filled with a doped epitaxial silicon to form a source in the filled first trench and a drain in the filled second trench such that each of the source and drain are recessed and have an inverted facet. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the epitaxial silicon is doped with boron.
US09673293B1
Semiconductor devices with airgap spacers and methods of forming the same include forming a lower spacer that defines a gate region. A sacrificial upper spacer is formed directly above the lower spacer. A gate stack is formed in the gate region. The sacrificial upper spacer is etched away to form an upper spacer opening. An airgap spacer is formed in the upper spacer opening. The airgap spacer includes a dielectric material that encapsulates an internal void.
US09673280B2
A method comprises providing a semiconductor alloy layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate structure on the semiconductor alloy layer, forming source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate structure, removing at least a portion of the semiconductor alloy layer overlying the source and drain regions, and forming a metal silicide region over the source and drain regions.
US09673279B2
A semiconductor device includes an isolation pattern on a substrate, the isolation pattern having a lower insulating pattern on the substrate, and a spacer to cover side surfaces of the lower insulating pattern, a vertical structure through the isolation pattern to contact the substrate, the vertical structure having a first semiconductor layer on the substrate, a lower end of the first semiconductor layer being at a lower level than a lower surface of the isolation pattern, a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a third semiconductor layer on the second semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode crossing the vertical structure and extending over the isolation pattern.
US09673275B2
Isolated complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices for radio-frequency (RF) circuits are disclosed. In some aspects, an RF circuit includes CMOS devices, a silicon substrate having doped regions that define the CMOS devices, and a trench through the silicon substrate. The trench through the silicon substrate forms a continuous channel around the doped regions of one of the CMOS devices to electrically isolate the CMOS device from other CMOS devices embodied on the silicon substrate. By so doing, performance characteristics of the CMOS device, such as linearity and signal isolation, may be improved over those of conventional CMOS devices (e.g., bulk CMOS).
US09673274B2
A NAND memory is provided that includes a memory cell region and a peripheral region. The peripheral region includes a shallow trench isolation trench disposed in a substrate. The shallow trench isolation trench has a first tab extension and a second tab extension. The first tab extension is disposed at a top portion of the shallow trench isolation trench, and extends in a first direction from the shallow trench isolation trench. The second tab extension is disposed at a top portion of the shallow trench isolation trench, and extends in a second direction from the shallow trench isolation trench.
US09673269B2
An integrated capacitor comprises a layer of dielectric material known as functional dielectric material based on crystallized material of perovskite type, between at least one first electrode known as a bottom electrode at the surface of a substrate and at least one second electrode known as a top electrode, said electrodes being electrically insulated by a layer of electrically insulating material in order to allow at least one contact on the top electrode. The electrically insulating material is made of an amorphous dielectric material of perovskite type having a dielectric constant lower than that of the crystallized material of perovskite type. The contact is formed from an etched contacting layer in contact with the electrically insulating dielectric layer level with its surface parallel to the plane of the layers. A process for manufacturing such an integrated capacitor is also provided.
US09673264B2
To provide a display device with low power consumption. The display device includes a plurality of pixels each having a light-emitting element having a structure in which light emitted from a light-emitting layer is resonated between a reflective electrode and a light-transmitting electrode, wherein no color filter layers are provided or color filter layers with high transmittance are provided in pixels for light with relatively short wavelengths (e.g., pixels for blue and/or green), and a color filter layer is selectively provided in pixels for light with a long wavelength (e.g., pixels for red), and thereby maintaining color reproducibility and consuming less power.
US09673258B2
Provided is an organic pixel, which includes a semiconductor substrate including a pixel circuit, an interconnection layer having a first contact and a first electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate, and an organic photo-diode formed on the interconnection layer. For example, the organic photo-diode includes an insulation layer formed on the first electrode, a second electrode and a photo-electric conversion region formed between the first contact, the insulation layer and the second electrode. The photo-electric conversion region includes an electron donating organic material and an electron accepting organic material. The organic photo-diode may further include a second contact electrically connected to the first contact. The horizontal distance between the second contacts and the insulation layer may be less than or equal to a few micrometers, for example, 10 micrometers.
US09673256B2
Memory devices and methods for fabricating memory devices have been disclosed. One such memory device includes a first electrode material formed on a word line material. A selector device material is formed on the first electrode material. A second electrode material is formed on the selector device material. A phase change material is formed on the second electrode material. A third electrode material is formed on the phase change material. An adhesion species is plasma doped into sidewalls of the memory stack and a liner material is formed on the sidewalls of the memory stack. The adhesion species intermixes with an element of the memory stack and the sidewall liner to terminate unsatisfied atomic bonds of the element and the sidewall liner.
US09673254B2
Disclosed is a light emitting device comprising a plurality of light emitting cells, and a bridge electrode electrically connecting two adjacent light emitting cells, and the plurality of light emitting cells comprise a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer and an active layer between the first conductive semiconductor layer and the second conductive semiconductor layer, a first electrode on the first conductive semiconductor layer and a second electrode on the second conductive semiconductor layer, wherein the bridge electrode has a part thicker than the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09673247B2
An image sensor includes a control circuit and pixels. Each pixel includes: a photosensitive area, a substantially rectangular storage area adjacent to the photosensitive area, and a read area. First and second insulated vertical electrodes electrically connected to each other are positioned opposite each other and delimit the storage area. The first electrode extends between the storage area and the photosensitive area. The second electrode includes a bent extension opposite a first end of the first electrode, with the storage area emerging onto the photosensitive area on the side of the first end. The control circuit operates to apply a first voltage to the first and second electrodes to perform a charge transfer, and a second voltage to block said transfer.
US09673244B2
Image sensors comprising an isolation region according to embodiments are disclosed, as well as methods of forming the image sensors with isolation region. An embodiment is a structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a photo element in the semiconductor substrate, and an isolation region in the semiconductor substrate. The isolation region is proximate the photo element and comprises a dielectric material and an epitaxial region. The epitaxial region is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the dielectric material.
US09673242B2
An image sensor includes a color filter configured to pass a specific color of light; a micro lens formed under the color filter and configured with a plurality of layers in which an upper layer has a smaller area than a lower layer; and a photo device formed under the micro lens and configured to receive light passing through the micro lens and convert the received light into an electrical signal.
US09673237B2
A depth pixel of a three-dimensional image sensor includes a first photo gate which is turned on/off in response to a first photo control signal, a first photo detection area configured to generate first charges based on a received light reflected from a subject when the first photo gate is turned on, a first transmission gate which is turned on/off in response to a first transmission control signal, a first floating diffusion area configured to accumulate the first charges generated from the first photo detection area when the first transmission gate is turned on, and a first compensation unit configured to generate second charges which are different from the first charges based on ambient light components included in the received light to supply the second charges to the first floating diffusion area.
US09673235B2
The present technology relates to a solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic device, which can provide a solid-state imaging device having further improved features such as reduced optical color mixing and the like. Also, an electronic device using the solid-state imaging device thereof is provided. According to a solid-state imaging device having a substrate 12 and multiple photoelectric converters 40 that are formed on the substrate 12, an insulating film 21 forms an embedded element separating unit 19. The element separating unit 19 is configured of an insulating film 20 having a fixed charge that is formed so as to coat the inner wall face of a groove portion 30, within the groove portion 30 which is formed in the depth direction from the light input side of the substrate 12.
US09673234B2
A semiconductor device provided with a plurality of kinds of transistors with different device structures suitable for functions of circuits is provided. The semiconductor device includes first to third transistors with different device structures over one substrate. A semiconductor layer of the first transistor is an oxide semiconductor film with a stacked-layer structure, and a semiconductor layer of each of the second and third transistors is an oxide semiconductor film with a single-layer structure. Each of the first and second transistors includes a back gate electrode connected to its gate electrode.
US09673232B2
An oxide semiconductor film and an oxide conductive film are stacked to form a semiconductor layer. The oxide conductive film is made of a material by which the oxide conductive film is etched at a higher speed than the oxide semiconductor film for example with a PAN chemical containing phosphoric acid, nitric acid, and acetic acid. A source electrode and a drain electrode are electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film through the oxide conductive film at least at an end portion of the source electrode and an end portion of the drain electrode facing each other. A channel region made of the oxide semiconductor film is formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The oxide semiconductor film has a substantially tapered shape in cross section at an end face thereof.
US09673217B1
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a stacked body, a semiconductor body, and a stacked film. The stacked body includes a plurality of tungsten layers and a plurality of alloy layers of tungsten and molybdenum. At least portions of the tungsten layers are stacked with an air gap interposed. The alloy layers are provided on surfaces of the tungsten layers opposing the air gap. The semiconductor body extends in a stacking direction through the stacked body. The stacked film is provided between the semiconductor body and the tungsten layers. The stacked film includes a charge storage portion.
US09673213B1
A method of manufacturing a structure includes forming an in-process alternating stack including insulating layers and spacer material layers over a substrate, forming two sets of stepped surfaces by dividing the in-process alternating stack into a first alternating stack and a second alternating stack, the first alternating stack having first stepped surfaces and the second alternating stack having second stepped surfaces, forming at least one memory stack structure through the first alternating stack, each of the at least one memory stack structure including charge storage regions, a tunneling dielectric, and a semiconductor channel, replacing portions of the insulating layers in the first alternating stack with electrically conductive layers while leaving intact portions of the insulating layers in the second alternating stack, and forming a contact via structure through the second alternating stack to contact a peripheral semiconductor device under the second stack.
US09673204B2
A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a first isolation structure partially embedded in the substrate. The first isolation structure has a first upper surface with a first recess. The semiconductor device structure further includes a second isolation structure partially embedded in the substrate. In addition, the semiconductor device structure includes a first gate over the substrate and between the first isolation structure and the second isolation structure. The first gate extends onto the first upper surface to cover the first recess. The semiconductor device structure includes a second gate over the first gate.
US09673197B2
A method includes forming a plurality of fins on a substrate, a gate is formed over a first portion of the plurality of fins with a second portion of the plurality of fins remaining exposed. Spacers are formed on opposite sidewalls of the second portion of the plurality of fins. The second portion of the plurality fins is removed to form a trench between the spacers. An epitaxial layer is formed in the trench. The spacers on opposite sides of the epitaxial layer constrain lateral growth of the epitaxial layer.
US09673193B2
A manufacturing method for reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor, the manufacturing method is characterized by the use of polysilicon for filling in grooves on the back of a reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor. The parameters of reverse conducting diodes on the back of the reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor can be controlled simply by controlling the doping concentration of the polysilicon accurately, indicating relatively low requirements for process control. The reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor manufacturing method is relatively low in requirements for process control and relatively small in manufacturing difficulty.
US09673184B2
A package includes a first package component having a top surface, a second package component bonded to the top surface of the first package component, and a plurality of electrical connectors at the top surface of the first package component. A molding material is over the first package component and molding the second package component therein. The molding material includes a first portion overlapping the second package component, wherein the first portion includes a first top surface, and a second portion encircling the first portion and molding bottom portions of the plurality of electrical connectors therein. The second portion has a second top surface lower than the first top surface.
US09673180B2
An array substrate of organic light-emitting diodes and a method for fabricating the same are provided to narrow an edge frame of product device of organic light-emitting diodes, to shorten the package process time, and to improve the substrate utilization and the production efficiency. The array substrate of organic light-emitting diodes includes a plurality of display panels disposed in an array of rows and columns, wherein at least two adjacent display panels are connected through a frame adhesive, and there is no cutting headroom between at least one side of the at least two adjacent display panels.
US09673173B1
An integrated circuit package with embedded passive structures may include first and second integrated circuit dies that are surrounded by capacitor structures. A molding compound is deposited to encapsulate the integrated circuit dies and the capacitor structures. The molding compound is then attached to a redistribution wafer, in which the integrated circuit dies and the capacitor structures are electrically connected to metal routing layers of the redistribution wafer. A conductive layer is subsequently formed over the first integrated circuit die in the molding compound. The conductive layer is made up of additional metal routing layers and inductor structures. The integrated circuit package may further include a group of conductive vias that is formed in the molding compound. Each conductive via has a first end contacting the metal routing layers of the distribution wafer, and a second end contacting the conductive layer.
US09673172B2
Integrated electronic device including an interposer structure and a method for fabricating the same
An integrated circuit device and a method of fabricating the same are presented. The integrated circuit device (1) includes two or more active components (30a, 30b), possibly fabricated by different semiconductor technologies, and an interposer structure (10) adapted for carrying the two or more active components such that at least one of the active components is carried on a top surface of the interposer structure. The integrated circuit device also includes at least one metal cap (40), furnished on the top surface of the interposer structure and encapsulating at least one of the active components. Some variants of the integrated circuit device of the invention are suited for operation under extreme conditions.
US09673171B1
An integrated circuit packaging system and method of manufacture thereof includes: providing a semiconductor die having semiconductor die contacts; depositing an insulation layer on the semiconductor die including the semiconductor die contacts exposed; applying a conductive layer on the semiconductor die contacts and the insulation layer; and coupling system interconnects to the conductive layer for electrically connecting the semiconductor die to the system interconnects.
US09673170B2
Methods for connecting chips to a chip carrier are disclosed. In some embodiments the method for connecting a plurality of chips to a chip carrier includes placing first chips on a transfer carrier, placing second chips on the transfer carrier, placing the transfer carrier with the first and second chips on the chip carrier and forming connections between the first chips and the chip carrier and the second chips and the chip carrier.
US09673169B2
A wafer seal ring may be formed on a wafer having a pattern structure with a pattern density. The wafer seal ring pattern structure may include a plurality of lines having a width and a spacing that may be approximately equal to a width and a spacing of die bond rings on the wafer. The wafer having the wafer seal ring formed thereon may be bonded to a wafer that may not have a wafer seal ring. A pair of wafers may be formed with respective wafer seal rings formed in a corresponding manner. The pair of wafers may be bonded together with the wafer seal rings aligned and bonded together to form a seal ring structure between the bonded wafers.
US09673168B2
Even in case of conductive particles being clamped between stepped sections of substrate electrodes and electrode terminals, conductive particles sandwiched between each main surface of the substrate electrodes and electrode terminals are sufficiently compressed, ensuring electrical conduction. An electronic component is connected to a circuit substrate via an anisotropic conductive adhesive agent, on respective edge-side areas of substrate electrodes of the circuit substrate and electrode terminals of the electronic component, stepped sections are formed and abutted, conductive particles are sandwiched between each main surface and stepped sections of the substrate electrodes and electrode terminals; the conductive particles and stepped sections satisfy formula, a+b+c≦0.8 D (1), wherein a is height of the stepped section of the electrode terminals, b is height of the stepped section of the substrate electrodes, c is gap distance between each stepped sections and D is diameter of conductive particles.
US09673165B2
A component mounting apparatus includes a tape attaching unit, a component mounting unit and a component compression unit provided in this order. A time measuring unit measures time having passed after completion of predetermined work performed on all the substrates transferred to the tape attaching unit, the component mounting unit, and the component compression unit, respectively. When preparation for transferring the substrates to the tape attaching unit is not completed within a predetermined time after the start of measurement performed by the time measuring unit, the respective substrates, which wait in the tape attaching unit, the component mounting unit, and the component compression unit, are forcibly transferred to the downstream sides and predetermined work is performed on the respective substrates that are forcibly transferred to the component mounting unit and the component compression unit.
US09673161B2
The embodiments described provide elongated bonded structures near edges of packaged structures free of solder wetting on sides of copper posts substantially facing the center of the packaged structures. Solder wetting occurs on other sides of copper posts of these bonded structures. The elongated bonded structures are arranged in different arrangements and reduce the chance of shorting between neighboring bonded structures. In addition, the elongated bonded structures improve the reliability performance.
US09673159B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate, a pad formed on the semiconductor substrate, a rewiring that is electrically connected to the pad and led to a region outside the pad, a resin layer formed on the rewiring, and an external terminal electrically connected to the rewiring via the resin layer, and the resin layer is formed so as to enter the inside of a slit formed in a region along the periphery of the external terminal in the rewiring.
US09673158B2
A device includes a substrate, a metal pad over the substrate, and a passivation layer having a portion over the metal pad. A post-passivation interconnect (PPI) is electrically coupled to the metal pad, wherein the PPI includes a portion over the metal pad and the passivation layer. A polymer layer is over the PPI. A solder ball is over the PPI. A compound includes a portion adjoining the solder ball and the polymer layer, wherein the compound includes flux and a polymer.
US09673156B2
A package structure includes a first insulation layer, at least one first electronic component, and a first re-distribution layer. The first electronic component is embedded within the first insulation layer, and the first electronic component includes plural first conducting terminals disposed on a bottom surface of the first electronic component. At least part of the bottom surface of the first electronic component is exposed from a bottom surface of the first insulation layer. The first re-distribution layer is formed on the bottom surface of the first insulation layer and contacted with the corresponding first conducting terminals.
US09673152B2
A high-frequency package comprises a ground lead occupying a side of the high-frequency package; and a signal lead comprising at least a protrusion protruding from a central portion of the signal lead; wherein the ground lead and the signal lead perform as a transmission line, and the at least a protrusion forms capacitance of the transmission line.
US09673148B2
An electronic system without using solder balls between electrical components, and without using interposer between chips and package substrate, without using a discrete system board for the chip package to mount. A chip is wrapped by molding material, a first redistribution circuitry is built on a bottom side of the molding material; a second redistribution circuitry is built on a bottom side of the first redistribution circuitry. A third redistribution circuitry is built on a bottom side of the second redistribution circuitry. Plated metal vias are configured between each two of the electrical components.
US09673142B2
A semiconductor device with enhanced reliability. The semiconductor device has a wiring substrate which includes a first terminal electrically connected with a power supply potential supply section of a semiconductor chip, a first wiring coupling the power supply potential supply section with the first terminal, a second terminal electrically connected with a reference potential supply section of the semiconductor chip, and a second wiring coupling the reference potential supply section with the second terminal. The first terminal and second terminal are arranged closer to the periphery of the wiring substrate than the semiconductor chip. The second wiring is extended along the first wiring.
US09673120B2
An epoxy resin composition for encapsulating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor package, the composition including an epoxy resin; a polyorganosiloxane resin represented by Formula 3, below; a curing agent; a curing accelerator; and an inorganic filler:
US09673115B2
The present disclosure provides a test structure which includes an SOI substrate having an active semiconductor layer, a buried insulating material layer, and a base substrate, wherein the active semiconductor layer is formed on the buried insulating material layer, which, in turn, is formed on the base substrate. The test structure further includes a contact which is formed on the active semiconductor layer and electrically coupled to the active semiconductor layer. Herein, the contact has a tip portion extending through the active semiconductor layer into the buried insulating material layer.
US09673111B2
Methods for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask defect mitigation by using multi-patterning lithography techniques. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit including identifying a position of a defect in a first EUV photolithographic mask, the photolithographic mask including a desired pattern and transferring the desired pattern to a photoresist material disposed on a semiconductor substrate. Transferring the desired pattern further transfers an error pattern feature to the photoresist material as a result of the defect in the first EUV photolithographic mask. The method further includes, using a second photolithographic mask, transferring a trim pattern to the photoresist material, wherein the trim pattern removes the error pattern feature from the photoresist material.
US09673109B2
In one implementation, a semiconductor package includes a control conductive carrier having a die side and an opposite input/output (I/O) side connecting the semiconductor package to a mounting surface. The semiconductor package also includes a control FET of a power converter switching stage having a control drain attached to the die side of the control conductive carrier. The control conductive carrier is configured to sink heat produced by the control FET into the mounting surface. The semiconductor package includes a sync conductive carrier having another die side and another opposite I/O side connecting the semiconductor package to the mounting surface, and a sync FET of the power converter switching stage having a sync source attached to the die side of the sync conductive carrier.
US09673107B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first active region defined by a recess contained in a device isolation film of a semiconductor substrate belonging to a first region and a second region, in a peripheral region including the first region, the second region, and a third region; a second active region defined by the device isolation film contained in the semiconductor substrate of the third region; a buried metal layer buried in the recess; a first conductive layer formed over the semiconductor substrate of the first region; and a second conductive layer formed over the semiconductor substrate of the second region, wherein the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate of the third region. A three-dimensional dual gate is formed in a peripheral region, such that performance or throughput of transistors is maximized even in the peripheral region.
US09673092B2
A film forming apparatus includes a reactor chamber, a first electrode provided in the reactor chamber and receiving electrical power, a second electrode provided in the reactor chamber and facing the first electrode, a gas supply inlet for supplying material gas to a space between the first and second electrodes, and a gas exhaust outlet for discharging the material gas. Insulating material is not exposed to a flow path for the material gas in the reactor chamber.
US09673085B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an SOI wafer including a step of forming an insulator film on an entire surface of a bond wafer before bonding, bringing a bonded wafer before delaminating the bond wafer at an ion implanted layer into contact with a liquid that enables dissolving the insulator film while protecting the insulator film on a back surface on the opposite side of a bonding surface of the bond wafer, or exposing the bonded wafer to a gas that enables dissolving the insulator film, and thus etching the insulator film placed between the bond wafer and a base wafer from an outer peripheral end of the bonded wafer toward a center of the bonded wafer.
US09673081B2
Disclosed are a structure for improving electrical signal isolation in a semiconductor substrate and an associated method for the structure's fabrication. The structure includes a deep trench having sidewalls disposed in the semiconductor substrate. An isolation region may be formed along at least an upper portion of the sidewalls of the deep trench, and a metallic filler may be disposed in the deep trench. The isolation region may include a PN junction formed by one or more of ion implantation and annealing, deposition of highly doped polysilicon and out diffusion, and gas phase doping and annealing. In the alternative, the isolation region may be a dielectric isolation region formed by one or more of uniform dielectric deposition, partial dieletric deposition, and dielectric deposition by ionic reaction.
US09673078B2
A cooling processing apparatus includes: a processing vessel; an electrostatic chuck installed in the processing vessel, the electrostatic chuck having a mounting surface on which an object to be processed is mounted; a cooling mechanism configured to cool the electrostatic chuck; and a lamp heating device configured to remove moisture attached to the mounting surface. Further, a method for operating the cooling processing apparatus includes: decompressing the space in the processing vessel by using the exhaust device; removing the moisture attached to the mounting surface of the electrostatic chuck by using the lamp heating device; and cooling the electrostatic chuck by using the cooling mechanism after the removal of the moisture performed by the lamp heating device is terminated.
US09673073B2
Provided is a semiconductor device that suppresses the occurrence of defects due to photocorrosion. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming an insulating layer with a concave portion over a substrate; forming a conductive film over the insulating film and the inside of the concave portion; polishing and removing the conductive film positioned over the insulating layer; and cleaning the insulating layer in a light-shielded state. Between the step of polishing and the step of cleaning, or after the step of cleaning, the substrate SUB is moved by detecting the presence or absence of the substrate SUB in the light-shielded state using an infrared sensor.
US09673071B2
A buffer station for thermal control of semiconductor substrates in a semiconductor substrate processing system is configured to interface with first and second vacuum transfer modules of the system so as to allow substrates to be transferred therebetween. The buffer station comprises a first vacuum transfer module interface configured to allow substrates to be transferred between the first vacuum transfer module and the buffer station, and a second transfer module interface configured to allow substrates to be transferred between the second vacuum transfer module and the buffer station. At least one buffer chamber between the first and second vacuum transfer module interfaces includes a lower pedestal configured to receive a substrate on a support surface thereof. One or more semiconductor substrate storage shelves are above the lower pedestal. Each shelf is configured to receive a substrate from the first or second vacuum transfer module and store the respective substrate thereon.
US09673070B2
A groove machining head has a dust collecting hood 40 having a suction port in the vicinity where tools 32 protrude from a bottom plate 33 of the groove machining head. When performing groove machining on a substrate W using the groove machining head 30, a blower 35 sucks air inside the dust collecting hood 40 through ducts 34. Doing so can suck dust produced by the groove machining through the suction port of the dust collecting hood 40 before attachment of the dust on the substrate W.
US09673069B2
A plasma-assisted etch process for the manufacture of semiconductor or MEMS devices employs an RF source to generate a plasma that is terminated through an electrode. The termination is designed as a “short” at the frequency of the RF source to minimize voltage fluctuations on the electrode due to the RF source energy. The electrode voltage potential can then be accurately controlled with a bias source, resulting in improved control of etch depth of a semiconductor substrate disposed on the electrode.
US09673061B2
A method for thermal process in packaging assembly of semiconductor is disclosed. The high-pressure overheated vapor is injected into the process chamber. The overheated vapor becomes saturated vapor in atmosphere (1 ATM) immediately and generates condensed liquid film onto all the surface of semiconductor work and also the chamber walls as condensation phenomenon occurs. The process temperature of vapor condensation is very close to and never exceeds the boiling point of perfluorinated compounds (PFC). Therefore, the latent heat of the saturated vapor is transferred to semiconductor work through the surface of liquid film evenly and uniformly.
US09673057B2
A method for forming a stair-step structure in a substrate within a plasma processing chamber is provided. An organic mask is formed over the substrate. The organic mask is trimmed with a vertical to lateral ratio of less than 0.8, wherein the trimming simultaneously forms a deposition over the organic mask. The substrate is etched. The steps of trimming the organic mask and etching the substrate are cyclically repeated a plurality of times.
US09673056B2
A patterned photoresist having an overlay tolerance of (x+y)/2 is formed over preselected hard mask portions or semiconductor fin portions, wherein x is a width of a semiconductor fin and y is a distance between a neighboring pair of semiconductor fins. Hard mask portions or semiconductor fin portions not protected by the patterned photoresist are then removed by an isotropic etching process. The patterned photoresist is removed. In some embodiments, the remaining hard mask portions are employed as fin forming etch masks.
US09673055B2
A method of single-fin removal for quadruple density fins. A first double density pattern of first sidewall spacers is produced on a semiconductor substrate from first mandrels formed by a first mask using a minimum pitch. A second double density pattern of second sidewall spacers is produced on a layer disposed above the first double density pattern from second mandrels formed by a second mask with a the minimum pitch that is shifted relative to the first mask. A single sidewall spacer is removed from either the first or second double density pattern of first and second sidewall spacers. Sidewall image transfer processes allow the formation of quadruple density fins from which but a single fin is removed.
US09673054B2
An array of gated devices includes a plurality of gated devices arranged in rows and columns and individually including an elevationally inner region, a mid region elevationally outward of the inner region, and an elevationally outer region elevationally outward of the mid region. A plurality of access lines are individually laterally proximate the mid regions along individual of the rows. A plurality of data/sense lines are individually elevationally outward of the access lines and electrically coupled to the outer regions along individual of the columns. A plurality of metal lines individually extends along and between immediately adjacent of the rows elevationally inward of the access lines. The individual metal lines are directly against and electrically coupled to sidewalls of the inner regions of each of immediately adjacent of the rows. The metal lines are electrically isolated from the data/sense lines. Other arrays of gated devices and methods of forming arrays of gated devices are disclosed.
US09673051B1
An integrated circuit comprises a plurality of strips of material over a substrate, the plurality of strips including strips S(i), each strip S(i) for i going from 3 to n having a first segment and a second segment separated by a gap from the first segment. The integrated circuit comprises a plurality of landing areas, the plurality of landing areas including landing areas A(i), each landing area A(i) for i going from 3 to n−2 connecting a first segment of strip S(i) in the plurality of strips with a second segment of strip S(i+2) in the plurality of strips, and disposed within the gap between the first and second segments in strip S(i+1). The strips S(i) have a first pitch in a direction orthogonal to the strips, and the landing areas A(i) have a second pitch twice the first pitch in the direction orthogonal to the strips of material.
US09673048B2
A method of producing a thin film transistor includes: forming a gate electrode; forming a gate insulating film that contacts the gate electrode; forming, by a liquid phase method, an oxide semiconductor layer arranged facing the gate electrode with the gate insulating film provided therebetween, the oxide semiconductor layer including a first region and a second region, the first region being represented by In(a)Ga(b)Zn(c)O(d), the second region being represented by In(e)Ga(f)Zn(g)O(h), and the second region being located farther from the gate electrode than the first region; and forming a source electrode and a drain electrode that are arranged apart from each other and are capable of being conductively connected through the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09673039B2
Provided is a semiconductor device that includes a semiconductor substrate and a 10 to 40 Å thick high-k dielectric layer that contains one or both of hafnium dioxide (HfO2) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). The high-k dielectric layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate, and it contains at least some tetragonal phase HfO2 and/or tetragonal phase ZrO2. Also provided are methods for making the semiconductor device, and electronic devices that employ the semiconductor device.
US09673037B2
An apparatus for freeze drying a substrate is provided. A chamber for receiving a substrate is provided. An electrostatic chuck (ESC) for supporting and electrostatically clamping the substrate is within the chamber. A temperature controller controls the temperature of the electrostatic chuck. A condenser is connected to the chamber. A vacuum pump is in fluid connection with the chamber.
US09673036B2
An open electrostatic trap mass spectrometer is disclosed for operation with wide and diverging ion packets. Signal on detector is composed of signals corresponding to multiplicity of ion cycles, called multiplets. Using reproducible distribution of relative intensity within multiplets, the signal can be unscrambled for relatively sparse spectra, such as spectra past fragmentation cell of tandem mass spectrometer, past ion mobility and differential ion mobility separators. Various embodiments are provided for particular pulsed ion sources and pulsed converters such as orthogonal accelerators, ion guides, and ion traps. The method and apparatus enhance the duty cycle of pulsed converters, improve space charge tolerance of the open trap analyzer and extends the dynamic range of time-of-flight detectors.
US09673025B2
A ceramic layer is attached to a top surface of a base plate using a bond layer. The ceramic layer has a top surface configured to support a substrate. At least one clamp electrode is positioned within an upper region of the ceramic layer. A primary radiofrequency (RF) power delivery electrode is positioned within the ceramic layer at a location vertically below the at least one clamp electrode such that a region of the ceramic layer between the primary RF power delivery electrode and the at least one clamp electrode is substantially free of other electrically conductive material. A plurality of RF power delivery connection modules is distributed in a substantially uniform manner about a perimeter of the ceramic layer. Each of the RF power delivery connection modules is configured to form an electrical connection from the base plate to the primary RF power delivery electrode at its respective location.
US09673021B2
An object of the invention is to provide a positioning apparatus and a positioning control device that may perform precise positioning by suppressing relative displacement of a movable point and positioning target objects. In a positioning apparatus including a movable stage, a stage position detector that detects a position of the movable stage, a control device that performs positioning of the movable stage, a positioning target object for positioning of the movable stage, and at least one or more sensors in a structure of the positioning target object or the movable stage, the control device includes an amount of relative displacement estimation unit that estimates an amount of relative displacement of the movable stage and the positioning target object using information of the sensor and information of the stage position detector, and a unit that controls the position of the stage using information calculated by the amount of relative displacement estimation unit.
US09673006B2
A gas exhaust diffuser for a circuit breaker, comprising a first casing extending longitudinally along a principal axis with an open end to allow gas to enter and a closed end, and a second casing coaxial to the first casing, extending along the principal axis, with at least one outlet to allow gas to escape, the closed end of the first casing being arranged in the second casing and the first casing having at least two radial openings near its closed end to provide a fluid communication between the first and second casing. A plurality of incurved elements are positioned radially in the second casing at the at least one radial opening to create a rotation of an entering exhaust flow in a plan perpendicular to the principal axis, thereby generating a substantially helicoidally-shaped exhaust flow path in the second casing.
US09673000B2
A multifunction key includes a key member, a conductive member, and a circuit baseboard. A portion of the key member extends out from a shell of an electronic device; the conductive member is fixed on a bottom of the key member. The conductive member includes a first protrusion member and a second protrusion member. One surface of the circuit baseboard includes a conductive layer and a resistance layer respectively contacting the first and the second protrusion member. Another surface of the circuit baseboard includes a first and second conductive terminal respectively connected to the conductive layer and the resistance layer. The conductive layer, resistance layer, first and second conductive terminal, conductive member, and an internal circuit of the electronic device form a circuit loop. When the key member moves, a resistance value of the resistance layer within in the circuit loop is changed and produces a corresponding key command.
US09672999B1
The invention discloses a mechanical keyboard button structure including a base plate, a circuit board, a mechanical switch and a keycap, wherein the base plate, the circuit board, the mechanical switch and the keycap are connected in order from bottom to top; the mechanism switch is used for guiding the keycap to move up and down and converting a pressure of the keycap into a switch signal to transmit to the circuit board to communicate a circuit; the mechanical switch includes a supporting plate and a switch spindle arranged on the supporting plate and further includes a pair of scissors, the upper portion of the pair of scissors is fixed with the bottom surface of the keycap, while the lower portion is fixed with the supporting plate, and the switch spindle passes through the pair of scissors and supports against the bottom surface of the keycap. According to the invention, the mechanical axle structure is combined with the scissor structure, so that the button is supported more stably, the service life is long, and the corner has both better hand feeling and function; second, the structure can be used for the keyboard with a shorter stroke, so that the keyboard is thinner and lighter and is more widely applied in the market; at last the whole circuit does not need to be replaced when the trigger circuit below a single key is damaged, and the single button can be repaired and replaced.
US09672997B2
A method for control device adjustment comprising applying a preload simultaneously to a plurality of shafts of a control device so as to take up initial assembly play, wherein the control device comprises an upper actuating element that is movable relative to a lower supporting mounting, a lower supporting mounting, a switch that is actuated by the upper actuating element, and an articulated structure that is interposed vertically between the upper actuating element and the lower mounting to keep the upper actuating element parallel to a horizontal plane during its vertical downward movement relative to a frame, and the at least one shaft. The method also comprises providing an adjustment stop fixed relative to the lower mounting and forming a stop surface that interacts with a facing portion of the shaft.
US09672991B2
The present invention relates to a method of preparing purified carbon nanotubes (CNTs) comprising mixing starting CNTs with an organic solvent in the presence of sonication; substantially removing the organic solvent to obtain a CNT composition; and heating the CNT composition at 200° C. or higher to obtain the purified carbon nanotubes. The present invention further relates to the purified CNTs and cohesive CNT assemblies prepared from the method described herein, and articles (e.g. capacitor, energy storage device or capacitive deionization device) comprising the purified CNTs.
US09672987B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor and a board having the same are provided. The multilayer ceramic capacitor includes external electrodes disposed on both end surfaces of a ceramic body and a mounting surface to be spaced apart from each other in a width direction, respectively, first internal electrodes connected to the left and right external electrodes, second internal electrodes having lead-out portions to be connected to the external electrodes disposed on the mounting surface. The ceramic body includes a first region positioned in a center portion thereof in the width direction and second regions positioned in both side portions in the width direction, with the first region therebetween, the plurality of first internal electrodes are disposed in the first region, and the first and second internal electrodes are alternately disposed in the second regions.
US09672986B2
A device is presented for decoupling voltage transients occurring on a voltage signal generated by a voltage regulator. The device may decouple the voltage transients from circuits coupled to the voltage regulator. The device may include two capacitors that may be contained in a single package. The two capacitors may be coupled to the voltage signal from the voltage regulator such that one capacitor is also coupled to a ground reference and the other capacitor is also coupled to a supply voltage. The capacitors may be constructed in a multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) process. The materials that form the MLCC may be arranged such that the MLCC package does not change shape or vibrate in response to voltage level fluctuations on the voltage signal.
US09672974B2
A magnetic component includes a first winding and a second winding which is insulated from the first winding and magnetically couples with the first winding. The first winding forms a first coil unit by being wound. The second winding forms a second coil unit by being wound about the same axis as the first winding. The second winding forming the second coil unit is disposed in areas X and Z. The magnetic component has the first coil unit and the second coil unit at positions that satisfy Equations 1 and 3.
US09672968B2
A rupture resistant system, including a tank configured to increase an inner volume of the tank under increased pressure conditions, wherein the tank includes a component situated within the inner volume of the tank and susceptible to increasing pressure within the tank when under an electrical fault condition, a sidewall extending about the inner volume of the tank, and wherein the sidewall includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, a bottom wall coupled to the sidewall, and a tank cover coupled to the sidewall opposite the bottom wall, wherein the tank cover includes a first plate coupled to a second plate, wherein the second plate extends from the first plate, and the first plate extends over the sidewall and the second plate overlaps and couples to the exterior surface of the sidewall with a first joint.
US09672967B1
A work station in a manufacturing facility includes a cart having four wheels that moves on a floor in the manufacturing facility to deliver parts to the work station. A magnetic locking system for locking the cart at the work station includes a base attached to the floor at the work station, the base having a vertical wall, an electromagnet extending outward perpendicularly from the vertical wall, a damper having a cylinder extending outward perpendicularly from the vertical wall and a piston movable within the cylinder along a horizontal axis through the cylinder and perpendicular to the vertical wall for slowing the cart as the cart approaches the electromagnet, and a limit switch for detecting the cart being adjacent to the vertical wall.
US09672963B2
A ceramic electronic component includes a rectangular or substantially rectangular parallelepiped shaped laminate in which a ceramic layer and an internal electrode are alternately laminated and an external electrode provided on a portion of a surface of the laminate and electrically connected to the internal electrode. The external electrode includes an inner external electrode covering a portion of the surface of the laminate and including a mixture of a resin component and a metal component and an outer external electrode covering the inner external electrode and including a metal component. The inner external electrode includes, as a metal component, a first metal component of which a portion forms an alloy with the internal electrode so as to connect the internal electrode and the inner external electrode to each other, and a second metal component higher in melting point than the first metal component, of which a portion forms an alloy with the first metal component so as to connect the inner external electrode and the outer external electrode to each other. A concentration of a metal in a surface layer of the inner external electrode is not lower than about 17%.
US09672962B2
A bushing of an electrical conductor through a wall which separates two regions from one another, wherein the conductor extends through a passage in the wall, at a distance from said wall, characterized in that a sleeve, which is electrically insulated from the passage and is hermetically sealed, preferably extends approximately coaxially through the passage, and in that the electrical conductor extends through the sleeve and is incorporated in the sleeve in a hermetically sealed, preferably integral, manner.
US09672942B2
A method of decoding data of a non-volatile memory device is provided. The method includes a first decoding operation of reading first hard decision data from the non-volatile memory device using a first hard decision read level and performing decoding using the first hard decision data; a second decoding operation of reading first soft decision data from the non-volatile memory device when the decoding fails in the first decoding operation, and performing decoding using the first soft decision; and a third decoding operation of changing from the first hard decision read level to a second hard decision read level when the decoding fails in the second decoding operation, reading second hard decision data using the second hard decision read level, and performing decoding either using the second hard decision data or using both the second hard decision data and the first soft decision data.
US09672940B1
In response to a request to read data, the non-volatile memory system identifies the physical block that is storing the requested data. Read parameters associated with the physical block are also identified. The read parameters include bit error rate information. The memory system chooses whether to use a read process with a faster sense time or a read process with a slower sense time based on the bit error rate information and temperature data. The requested data is read from the identified physical block using the chosen read process configured by at least a subset of the read parameters.
US09672928B2
A method, executed by a memory controller, for estimating read levels of a nonvolatile memory includes reading voltages stored by memory cells of a page space within the nonvolatile memory to which pilot signals of a predetermined symbol are programmed. The number of memory cells are identified whose voltages, read from the page space, are less-than/greater-than a read-voltage applied in reading the voltages stored by the memory cells. A voltage to be applied for reading data stored in the page space is estimated based upon the identified number of memory cells.
US09672927B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device of an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with peripheral circuits, a memory cell array, upper bit lines, and first and second connecting parts. The memory cell array is disposed above the peripheral circuit, and includes at least first and second regions. The upper bit lines extend in a first direction and are above the memory cell array. The first and second connecting parts are respectively provided with contact plugs, and one of these connecting parts is formed between first and second regions. The upper bit lines includes a first group of upper bit lines which are connected to the peripheral circuits via the first connecting part, and a second group of upper bit lines which are connected to the peripheral circuits via the second connecting part.
US09672922B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device having an improved layout structure to achieve low power consumption, high speed and miniaturization is provided. A flash memory of the present invention includes a memory array formed with NAND type strings. The memory array includes a plurality of global blocks, one global block includes a plurality of blocks, and one block includes a plurality of NAND type strings. A plurality of local bit lines are shared by each of the plurality of blocks in one global block, a plurality of global bit lines are shared by the plurality of global blocks, and a connecting element selectively connecting one global bit line to n local bit lines is included. When a read-out operation and program operation are executed, one global bit line is shared by n local bit lines.
US09672917B1
Systems and methods for implementing and using stacked vertical memory array architectures. A first NAND string may be formed or arranged above a second NAND string. The first NAND string may include a first drain-side select gate connected to a first set of memory cell transistors connected to a first source-side select gate. The second NAND string may include a second drain-side select gate connected to a second set of memory cell transistors connected to a second source-side select gate. The first NAND string and the second NAND string may comprise portions of the same or different memory array architectures (e.g., the first NAND string may be part of a memory array that uses U-shaped NAND strings and the second NAND string may be part of a memory array that uses single vertical NAND strings).
US09672913B1
There are provided a semiconductor memory device and an operating method thereof. The method of operating a semiconductor memory device may include receiving an erase and write (E/W) cycle mode select command and an operation command. The method may include selecting one E/W cycle mode information among a plurality of E/W cycle mode information stored according to the E/W cycle mode select command and storing the selected one E/W cycle mode information. The method may include performing a general operation of a memory cell array according to the one E/W cycle mode information stored and the operation command.
US09672910B2
A memory system for storing data in a plurality N of memory chips. The memory system includes a number K of sets of memory chips, wherein each set of the K sets includes a number M of the memory chips, with N=K·M; and one signal processing unit having a number L of signal processing engines for signal processing data of the N memory chips and having a data link interface for interfacing each of the K sets.
US09672904B1
A 6T bitcell for single port SRAM that performs single ended read and single ended write is described. The presently described bitcell gives huge advantage in terms of area, dynamic power, leakage power and performance over the prior art in the industry. The bitcell and architecture does not have either a write bitline pair or a read bitline for each bitcell. It has only one read bitline per mux.
US09672903B2
A static random access memory (SRAM) device is provided in accordance with some embodiments. The SRAM device comprises a plurality of two-port SRAM arrays, which comprise a plurality of two-port SRAM cells. Each two-port SRAM cell comprises a write port portion, a read port portion, a first plurality of metal lines located in a first metal layer, a second plurality of metal lines located in a second metal layer, a third plurality of metal lines located in a third metal layer a plurality of edge cells, a plurality of well strap cells, and a plurality of jumper structures. Each jumper structure comprises first, second, and third metal landing pads located in the second metal layer and electrically connecting metal lines of the first and third metal layers.
US09672901B2
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes at least one logic circuit supplied by a first supply voltage and at least one memory circuit coupled to the logic circuit and supplied by a second supply voltage. The memory circuit is configured to be read and written responsive to the logic circuit even if the first supply voltage is less than the second supply voltage during use. In another embodiment, a method includes a logic circuit reading a memory cell, the logic circuit supplied by a first supply voltage; and the memory cell responding to the read using signals that are referenced to the first supply voltage, wherein the memory cell is supplied with a second supply voltage that is greater than the first supply voltage during use.
US09672897B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a memory array, a ring oscillator and a speed determination circuit. The memory array is defined by a plurality of memory cells that are based on a memory cell design. The ring oscillator has a plurality of inversion stages formed of a plurality of modified memory cells based on the memory cell design. The speed determination circuit is configured to determine a speed of the ring oscillator.
US09672894B2
A method of controlling a refresh operation for a memory device is disclosed. The method includes storing a first row address corresponding to a first row of a memory cell array, storing one or more second row addresses corresponding to one or more second rows of the memory cell array, the one or more second row addresses corresponding to the first row address, sequentially generating row addresses as a refresh row address during a first refresh interval, for each generated row address, when a generated row address identical to one of the one or more second row addresses is detected, stopping the generation of row addresses and sequentially outputting the one second row address and the first row address as the refresh row address, restarting the generation of the row addresses as the refresh row address after outputting the one second row address and the first row address.
US09672889B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory bank including a plurality of word lines, and a refresh operation control unit suitable for performing a first refresh operation for a first adjacent word line group of a target word line of the plurality of word lines, and performing a second refresh operation for a second adjacent word line group of the target word line after the first refresh operation, in response to a smart refresh command.
US09672887B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory includes a first memory cell stably storing data after a first time from an end of a write operation, a buffer latching the data in the write operation, and a control circuit controlling a first read operation when the first read operation is executed right after the write operation for the first memory cell is executed, where the first read operation is an operation for the first memory cell, and the first read operation is an operation reading the data from the buffer without accessing the first memory cell.
US09672885B2
Systems, circuits and methods for controlling word line (WL) power levels at a WL of a Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (MRAM). The disclosed power control scheme uses existing read/write commands and an existing power generation module associated with the MRAM to supply and control WL power levels, thereby eliminating the cost and increased die-size of schemes that control WL power through relatively large and expensive power control switches and control circuitry on the MRAM macro.
US09672884B1
A semiconductor device includes a division period signal generation circuit and a clock sampling circuit. The division period signal generation circuit generates a division period signal which is enabled in synchronization with a write period that is set according to a write command and latency information. The clock sampling circuit samples an internal strobe signal to output a sampling clock signal in response to the division period signal and the internal strobe signal during a sampling period. The sampling period is set to be longer than the write period.
US09672883B1
A semiconductor circuit may include a control circuit configured to generate a second start signal and a plurality of serialization control signals by synchronizing a first start signal with first and second clock signals.
US09672881B2
A memory device includes a variable strobe interface configured to select one of a data queue strobe signal or a system clock signal to signal initiation of data receipt at the memory device.
US09672868B2
Systems and methods for nonlinear media playback using a linear media player are described. In one implementation, a video tree representing a branching video presentation is provided, and a dynamic playlist is provided to a linear video player. A controller component interacts with the linear video player through a standard interface of the linear video player. During playback of a video content segment in the dynamic playlist by the linear video player, an indication of a user interaction with the playing video content segment is received by the controller component and from the linear video player via the standard interface, and the dynamic playlist is modified based on video content segments in a branch of the video tree. In another implementation, an uncompressed media file is selected and combined with a preceding and/or following media file. The combined files are compressed and a portion of the compressed file corresponding to the original media file is extracted.
US09672860B2
According to an embodiment, a recording/reproducing apparatus includes a diffraction grating and a light-receiving element. The diffraction grating divides return light from the guide layer in accordance with areas. The areas include a first area and a second area that does not overlap the first area. The light-receiving element includes (i) a first detecting cell group which receives a zero-order beam to which astigmatism is imparted, (ii) a second detecting cell group which receives at least one of a positive and negative first-order beam, which passes the first area and made astigmatic, and (iii) a third detecting cell group which receives at least one of a positive and negative first-order beam, which passes the second area and made astigmatic.
US09672835B2
Low bit rate audio coding such as BWE algorithm often encounters conflict goal of achieving high time resolution and high frequency resolution at the same time. In order to achieve best possible quality, input signal can be first classified into fast signal and slow signal. This invention focuses on classifying signal into fast signal and slow signal, based on at least one of the following parameters or a combination of the following parameters: spectral sharpness, temporal sharpness, pitch correlation (pitch gain), and/or spectral envelope variation. This classification information can help to choose different BWE algorithms, different coding algorithms, and different post-processing algorithms respectively for fast signal and slow signal.
US09672833B2
Provided are methods and systems for concealing missing segments and/or discontinuities in an audio signal, thereby restoring the continuity of the signal. The methods and systems are designed for and targeted at audio signals, are based on interpolation and extrapolation operations for sinusoids, and do not rely on the assumption that the sinusoids are harmonic. The methods and systems are improvements over existing audio concealment approaches in that, among other advantages, the methods and systems facilitate asynchronous interpolation, use an interpolation procedure that corresponds to time-domain waveform interpolation if the signal is harmonic, and have a peak selection procedure that is effective for audio signals.
US09672823B2
Methods, systems and cloud processing are provided for coordinating and processing user input provided to vehicles during use. One example is for processing voice inputs at a vehicle to identify a mood of a user and then modifying or customizing the vehicle response based on the detected mood, physical characteristic and/or physiological characteristic of the user. One example includes a vehicle having an on-board computer for processing voice input. The vehicle having a microphone interfaced with the on-board computer and memory for storing a sample of audio data received from the microphone. The audio data is a voice input directed to the vehicle. A processor of the on-board computer is configured to process the sample of audio data to identify markers in frequency and/or magnitude. The markers are used to define an audio signature for the voice input, and the audio signature is used to identify a voice profile. The voice profile is used to identify a vehicle response for the voice input, and the voice profile is associated with tone of voice used in the voice input. The vehicle response acts to direct a vehicle system function to take an action based on the voice input and the vehicle response is adjusted based on the tone of voice. The tones of voice are associated to inferred moods of the user which include one or more of a normal mood, a frustrated mood, an agitated mood, an upset mood, a hurried mood, an urgency mood, a rushed mood, a stressed mood, a calm mood, a passive mood, a sleepy mood, a happy mood, or an excited mood, or combinations of two or more thereof. The action to be taken is based on the voice input and is one of a command to input a setting of the vehicle, a command requesting information, a request to access data, a request to communicate, or a combination thereof.
US09672819B2
A method of building a database for a linguistic recognition device is provided The method includes storing common linguistic model data configured to infer a word or a sentence from a character acquired by recognizing a language input by a user in a storage section of a linguistic recognition device, collecting recognition-related information related to the user after storing the common linguistic data, and analyzing the collected recognition-related information to be stored as individual linguistic model data.
US09672814B2
Software that trains an artificial neural network for generating vector representations for natural language text, by performing the following steps: (i) receiving, by one or more processors, a set of natural language text; (ii) generating, by one or more processors, a set of first metadata for the set of natural language text, where the first metadata is generated using supervised learning method(s); (iii) generating, by one or more processors, a set of second metadata for the set of natural language text, where the second metadata is generated using unsupervised learning method(s); and (iv) training, by one or more processors, an artificial neural network adapted to generate vector representations for natural language text, where the training is based, at least in part, on the received natural language text, the generated set of first metadata, and the generated set of second metadata.
US09672812B1
A speech-based audio device may be configured to detect a user-uttered trigger expression and to respond by interpreting subsequent words or phrases as commands. In order to distinguish between utterance of the trigger expression by the user and generation of the trigger expression by the device itself, output signals used as speaker inputs are analyzed to detect whether the trigger expression has been generated by the speaker. If a detected trigger expression has been generated by the speaker, it is disqualified. Disqualified trigger expressions are not acted upon the by the audio device.
US09672808B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus including an effect control unit configured to control an echo effect that is to be added to an output, a sound output control unit configured to control a sound output according to occurrence of an event in a virtual space, and a haptic output control unit configured to control a haptic output to which the echo effect controlled by the effect control unit is added according to the occurrence of the event.
US09672802B2
An electronic drum having a shell, a drum head mounted to the shell, and at least one distance detector arranged below the drum head and configured to detect and quantify a change in distance between the distance detector and the drum head.
US09672791B2
In one aspect, a device includes a processor, at least one lens accessible to the processor, and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to receive synchronization information from another device, and based on the synchronization information, actuate the at least one lens to permit visible light to pass therethrough at times at which first frames of first content are presented and not at times that second frames different from the first frames for second content different from the first content are presented.
US09672789B2
A color conversion device includes color conversion sections, an obtaining section and a reconversion section. The color conversion sections perform color conversion in parallel to convert colors of pixels contained in image data of a predetermined number of rows. The predetermined number is two or more. For the color conversion, at least one color conversion section uses certain color conversion information, and the other color conversion section uses other color conversion information having an information amount less than that of the certain color conversion information. The obtaining section obtains attribute information indicating an attribute of each of the pixels. When the attribute information is predetermined attribute information, the reconversion section converts a pixel color-converted with the other color conversion information using a pixel color-converted with the certain color conversion information in a predetermined pixel area contained in the image data.
US09672786B2
A method of driving a display panel includes: selectively providing a resistance using resistor parts in response to address signals, where the resistor parts have resistances, respectively; and outputting common voltages to the display panel based on the selectively provided resistance.
US09672773B2
A method for adjusting a gamma voltage of an OLED display device, including; acquiring a test picture pre-stored in the OLED display device, and extracting a first piece of data information on the test picture; comparing the first piece of data information with a pre-stored second piece of data information on the test picture before the OLED display device is aged, analyzing a comparison result, and obtaining the aging coefficient of the OLED display device; acquiring a set of gamma voltage values corresponding to the aging coefficient, outputting the set of gamma voltage values to a gamma integrated circuit of the OLED display device, and completing the adjustment of the gamma voltage.
US09672766B2
A bistable electro-optic display having a plurality of pixels each of which is capable of displaying at least three optical states, including two extreme optical states, is driven by the method comprising a first drive scheme capable of effecting transitions between all of the gray levels which can be displayed by the pixels; and a second drive scheme which contains only transitions ending at one of the extreme optical states of the pixels.
US09672765B2
Devices and methods for reducing or eliminating sub-pixel layout artifacts on an electronic display are provided. One such device may include an electronic display to display image data, a processor to generate the image data, and sub-pixel layout compensation circuitry that modifies the image data to reduce or eliminate a sub-pixel layout artifact of the electronic display by modifying pixels of the image data on a sub-pixel-by-sub-pixel basis. The sub-pixel layout compensation circuitry may adjust a sub-pixel of a first color in a first pixel based at least in part on a first gradient between the sub-pixel of the first color of the first pixel and a sub-pixel of the first color of a second pixel.
US09672760B1
A user-specific, electroencephalogram data-based secure encryption generator maps artificial neural network neuron elements to electroencephalogram data signals generated from scanning neural activity of a user while the user executes a mental activity. Weighting factors are trained to transform the electroencephalogram data signals into a first set of weighted signals that are different from weighted signals generated from scanning neural activity of the user while the user executes another, different activity, and from weighted signals generated from scanning neural activity of another user while executing a similar mental activity. The trained weighting factors are associated with the first set of electroencephalogram data signals and the current mental activity. Thus, a reproducible electroencephalogram encryption key is defined that is unique to the user as a function of one or both of the trained weighting factors and the first weighted set of electroencephalogram data signals.
US09672747B2
A common operating environment (COE) display system for vehicle operations, such as for air transport provides coordination of logistics information with dispatch or a controller. An operational plan, such as a flight plan or other operational plan describing vehicle deployment is stored, and a map visualization system displays a map region. An in-vehicle display depicts the operational plan, providing displays of current and projected operational conditions of the vehicle within different time phases of the operational plan. Transfer of updates of the operational plan is performed without replacing substantial portions of the stored data for the operational plan, allowing synchronization of the operational plan with a remotely located facility. The system permits a controller or dispatcher to screen share the in-vehicle display based on information previously stored, as updated by the updates, and permits review of the modified operational plan.
US09672746B2
Current TAWS systems generally do not provide alerts based on structures or wire obstacles. Such structures and wire obstacles include transmission and electrical wires, and power lines, bridges, and buildings. The current system allows just such alerting. Such alerts are particularly useful for helicopter aircraft, which commonly fly at heights where such structures and obstacles are present near the normal flying altitude of the aircraft. Certain implementations of the system and method include a method of creating an obstacle for use in a terrain awareness warning system, including: receiving data about a first terminus of an obstacle; receiving data about a second terminus of the obstacle; constructing a virtual volume about the first and second termini and a volume therebetween; and storing the virtual volume, whereby a database may be constructed of virtual volumes for use in addition to terrain information to provide alerting on obstacles for an aircraft.
US09672744B2
Systems and methods provide for tracking objects around a vehicle, analyzing the potential threat of the tracked objects, and implementing a threat response based on the analysis in order to keep occupants of the vehicle safe. Embodiments include a boundary detection system comprising a memory configured to store threat identification information, and a sensor unit configured to sense the object outside the vehicle and obtain sensor information based on the sensed object. The boundary detection system further includes a processor in communication with the memory and sensor unit, the controller configured to receive the sensor information, and control a threat response based on the sensor information and the threat identification information.
US09672740B2
A method and system that provides detouring services to passengers and transportation operators. Transportation operators send data indicating prior uses of the operator to the passengers' mobile device and the system on the mobile device compiles the data to form travel patterns of the passenger. The travel patterns are assigned a probability indicating the frequency the travel pattern is used by the passenger. When a disruption of a service of an operator occurs, a detouring service provides detour suggestions to the passengers and travel demand changes to the operators. In another approach, an in-station display displays suggested detour routes based on the top destinations of stranded passengers and the passenger's mobile phones are not used to display or perform detouring.
US09672738B1
Systems and methods are provided for designing a preferred route for a vehicle. The route designing system receives a request from the vehicle for a preferred route from a first geographical point to a second geographical point. The route designing system analyzes the request and obtains driving scores associated with drivers of other vehicles. The route designing unit may identify a set of preferred and non-preferred vehicles based on the driving scores. The route designing system then determines a preferred route based, at least in part, on the driving scores associated with drivers of the other vehicles. The preferred route is designed to minimize the likelihood of proximity to non-preferred vehicles and maximize the likelihood of proximity to preferred vehicles.
US09672737B2
In the example embodiments as described herein there is at least a method and apparatus to perform operations including monitoring probe data of car and truck traffic on at least one road segment including more than one lane; based on the monitoring, determining that an occurrence of a traffic jam ahead of the car and truck traffic on the at least one road segment is probable or occurring; and in response to the determining, selectively notifying at least one of a car and truck of the traffic of required or prohibited changes to at least one of their position and speed on the at least one road segment to prevent an occurrence of a traffic jam on the at least one road segment.
US09672733B2
There is provided a method for heavy vehicle traffic flow optimization. The method includes determining location information and destination information of qualifying heavy vehicles. The method further includes modifying one or more traffic signal sequences to optimize a traffic flow of the qualifying heavy vehicles responsive to the location information and the destination information. Each of the qualifying heavy vehicles has a respective associated weight greater than a predetermined weight threshold.
US09672725B2
A proximity-based reminder system includes one or more proximity detectors for determining whether a distance between two or more paired electronic devices satisfies various criteria. Data transmissions across a wide area network (WAN) are used to determine whether a distance between paired devices satisfies a first proximity condition. Transmissions across a local area network (LAN) are used to determine whether the distance between the paired devices satisfies a second proximity condition. When the first and second proximity conditions are satisfied, the proximity-based reminder system issues a reminder alert notification to one or more of the paired devices.
US09672723B2
A walk-up security system (20) for a motorized cycle (25) is disclosed herein. The system (20) preferably comprises a motorized cycle (25) comprising a relay (26) and a 3-axis gyrometer (27), and a keyfob (30) paired with the relay (26) of the motorized cycle (25). The keyfob (30) comprises an accelerometer (31). The relay (26) is connected to a interrupting type wire (28) of the motorized cycle (25). Starting of the motorized cycle (25) is disabled when the keyfob (30) is a predetermined distance from the relay (26).
US09672718B2
A nestable anti-ligative bed linen device and system comprising individual bed linen units wherein a plurality of such units may nest therein and be securely positioned in place on a mattress. Said individual bed linen unit of this system comprising a blanket attached to a cover sheet at a point of union at their common ends. Said union positioned towards the edge of said common ends to allow space for nesting. Said union positioned underneath a mattress by a given distance to allow multiple bed linen units to securely position on a mattress in nested form. The anti-ligative features include a union positioned at a location on said bed linen unit to prevent a lanyard from being formed. Other anti-ligative features include quilted thick tear resistant material and a built in pillow. Additional safety mechanisms are included such as a motion sensor and alarm.
US09672685B2
A casino wagering game machine includes an electronic display device, electronic input device(s), and controller(s). The controller(s) detect, via at least one of the electronic input device(s), a physical item associated with a monetary value that establishes a credit balance. The controller(s) initiate the casino wagering game responsive to an input indicative of a wager covered by the credit balance and randomly select two or more adjacent reels of a plurality of reels to include one or more sets of adjacent identical symbols. The controller(s) spin and stop the reels with the adjacent identical symbols in each set represented as a single meta-symbol while the reels are spinning, award an award based on any winning outcomes displayed on the stopped reels, adding the award to the credit balance, and receive, via at least one of the electronic input device(s), a cashout input that initiates a payment from the credit balance.
US09672684B2
A gaming machine of the present invention stores a bet area on which a bet is placed and a game value placed as the bet in each gaming terminal, rotates and stops the wheel to determine a resulting symbol from the plurality of symbols, awards a payout based on the resulting symbol and the odds set for the bet area on which the bet is placed in the gaming terminal, and then adjusts the payout rate by changing the odds set for the bet areas in the gaming terminals.
US09672683B2
A drive control system has: a plurality of drive control devices; and an upper-level control device to which each of the drive control devices is connected in parallel with each other via a common signal line. The upper-level control device transmits a common information acquirement request signal to each of the drive control devices. Upon receiving the information acquirement request signal, each of the drive control devices determines transmission start timing for a response signal based on transmission sequence information indicating its transmission sequence and a length of the response signal such that the response signal does not temporally overlap with a response signal being transmitted from another drive control device to the upper-level control device. Each of the drive control devices transmits the response signal to the upper-level control device via the signal line at its transmission starting timing.
US09672679B2
A device for detecting a thickness of a sheet medium is provided, the device is used to improve the sensitivity of the entire sheet medium thickness detection device while eliminating the zero voltage impact by disposing, before an A/D converter, an appropriately amplified subtraction amplification unit used for eliminating the zero voltage impact of thickness voltage. The sheet medium thickness detection device includes a thickness sensor, a position voltage conversion unit, an A/D converter and a control processor which are sequentially connected, and further includes a medium position detection unit, a timer unit, a D/A converter and a subtraction amplification unit. The medium position detecting unit is connected to the control processor and is used to detect whether a detected medium passes through, and the timer unit is connected to the control processor.
US09672668B2
An electronic system is configured to receive input content (e.g., audio content, video content and/or other content) from a user and convert the input content to input signals (e.g., audio signals, video signals, etc.) that are stored in an electronic storage medium, where the input signals correspond with specific code signals. The recorded input signals are output based upon specific code signals input to the electronic device. For example, the electronic system can include an electronic device and at least one accessory associated with the electronic device, where the accessory includes an accessory code that is readable by a code reader of the electronic device.
US09672662B2
The invention relates to a method for creating a surgical resection plan for treating a pathological deformity of a bone.
US09672652B2
The invention is related to a method for processing a computer-animated scene, the computer-animated scene being represented with at least an animation graph, at least an animation graph comprising a plurality of nodes connected by paths, the paths being representative of dependencies between the nodes, at least an event being associated with each node, a first information representative of the type of each event being associated with each node. As to optimize the parallelization of the nodes, the method comprises a step of classifying the nodes in at least a first batch and at least a second batch according to the first information associated with each node, at least a first batch comprising nodes to be evaluated in parallel and at least a second batch comprising nodes to be evaluated sequentially.
US09672645B2
A graph display system that represents graph nodes as grid cells in a two-dimensional grid. Graph edges are represented by placing the edge's nodes in adjacent grid cells, thus eliminating the entanglement of edges that are typically drawn as lines between scattered nodes. Relatedness of two nodes sharing an edge is indicated by the edge's weight. The display system prioritizes placement of higher weight edges such that more related information is grouped together in nearby grid cells. Any graph with n nodes and e edges can be displayed and browsed.
US09672644B1
A method for generating a visualization for tracking an environmental contaminant includes automatically generating a contaminant visualization map for a particular contaminant. The contaminant visualization map includes a plurality of markers each corresponding to a location associated with a medical case associated with exposure to the particular contaminant, and one or more markers each corresponding to a location of an identified contamination source for the particular contaminant. The method further includes receiving an indication to zoom out the contaminant visualization map, generating one or more heat maps corresponding to the medical cases associated with exposure to the particular contaminant, and updating the contaminant visualization map to be zoomed out, not display the plurality of markers each corresponding to a location associated with a medical case, and display the generated one or more heat maps.
US09672637B2
This instrument for the vehicle includes: a display unit; a light source; and a control unit, wherein in response to an input of an dramatized-display instruction signal, the control unit causes an dramatized display that is different from the predetermined display to be displayed in the first display region, causes the second display region to turn dark, and causes the light source to be lit with a predetermined brightness when the configured brightness is greater than the predetermined brightness.
US09672632B2
A device, system, and method performs a camera driven background subtraction. The method being performed at an electronic device includes receiving information corresponding to an image-capturing device that is capturing an image. The method includes automatically selecting one of a plurality of image analysis mechanisms based upon the information. The method includes receiving the captured image captured by the image-capturing device. The method includes performing an image analysis using the selected image analysis mechanism on the captured image to determine a foreground and a background in the captured image.
US09672628B2
An area partitioning method for partitioning an image into a foreground and a background includes a foreground designation step of causing a user to designate a part of pixels in an area that should be the foreground in the image as a foreground designating pixel, an estimation step of estimating a foreground color distribution and a background color distribution based on a color of the foreground designating pixel designated by the user, and an area partition step of partitioning the image into a foreground area and a background area with the estimated foreground color distribution and the estimated background color distribution as a condition. The estimation step includes dividing the color distribution of the image into a plurality of clusters, and selecting at least one cluster having a large relationship with the foreground designating pixel designated by the user in the plurality of clusters as the foreground color distribution.
US09672623B2
A digital image is captured. The captured digital image includes a calibration pattern. The calibration pattern includes displayed information about the calibration pattern. The displayed information is read to obtain calibration information about the captured digital image. A new image is generated. The calibration information is stored with the new image.
US09672622B2
A system can include a model to represent a volumetric deformation of a brain corresponding to brain tissue that has been displaced by at least one of disease, surgery or anatomical changes. A fusion engine can perform a coarse and/or fine fusion to align a first image of the brain with respect to a second image of the brain after a region of the brain has been displaced and to employ the deformation model to adjust one or more points on a displacement vector extending through a displaced region of the brain to compensate for spatial deformations that occur between the first and second image of the brain.
US09672621B2
Methods and systems are described for hair transplantation and other surgical procedures on a body surface. Specifically, methods and systems for computer-implemented and/or robotic hair transplantation and other surgical procedures, using time constrained image processing techniques are described. In various examples, multiple images of a body surface may be divided into overlapping sub regions for comparison. In various other cases, a percentage of an image of a body surface to be processed may be adjusted based on a time constraint. In some implementations, the output of one of these methods may be used as input for the other method.
US09672620B2
A method of processing images captured using a capsule camera is disclosed. According to one embodiment, two images designated as a reference image and a float image are received, where the float image corresponds to a captured capsule image and the reference image corresponds to a previously composite image or another captured capsule image prior to the float image. Automatic segmentation is applied to the float image and the reference image to detect any non-GI (non-gastrointestinal) region. The non-GI regions are excluded in match measure between the reference image and a deformed float image during the registration process. The two images are stitched together by rendering the two images at the common coordinate. In another embodiment, large area of non-GI regions are removed directly from the input image, and remaining portions are stitched together to form a new image without performing image registration.
US09672616B2
Methods and apparatus for obtaining probability density functions representing expected distributions of values of a parameter associated with an imaging modality are disclosed. The probability density functions are derived using data obtained from reference tissue volumes using the same imaging modality and at least one other type of imaging modality. The probability density functions are used to analyze data obtained from a volume of tissue of a patient in order to classify the tissue according to tissue type. Methods and apparatus are also disclosed in which deviations from a mean of an arctangent of ratios of first and second metabolite intensities in voxels are used to identify tissue types.
US09672615B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing the quality of medical images of at least a portion of a patient's anatomy, using a computer system. One method includes receiving one or more images of at least a portion of the patient's anatomy; determining, using a processor of the computer system, one or more image properties of the received images; performing, using a processor of the computer system, anatomic localization or modeling of at least a portion of the patient's anatomy based on the received images; obtaining an identification of one or more image characteristics associated with an anatomic feature of the patient's anatomy based on the anatomic localization or modeling; and calculating, using a processor of the computer system, an image quality score based on the one or more image properties and the one or more image characteristics.
US09672613B2
A method and a system for monitoring a bolus value are disclosed. The method includes contrast-agent-assisted test recording of a time series of test images of a region under examination, wherein one bolus value is determined in each of the respective test images, together with the change in the bolus values between at least two test images. The method includes regulating the time interval between the recordings of individual test images as a function of the change in the bolus values, thereby enabling the temporal resolution for determining the bolus value to be selected in such a way that it corresponds to the change in the bolus values. In this way the temporal resolution in the monitoring of bolus values is improved with a view to avoiding both too high and too low a recording rate for the test images.
US09672611B2
A pattern analysis method of a semiconductor device includes extracting a contour image of material layer patterns formed on a wafer, calculating an individual density value (DV) representing an area difference between the contour image and a target layout image, scoring the material layer patterns on the wafer using the individual DV, identifying a failure pattern among the scored material layer patterns, calculating coordinates of the identified failure pattern and displaying the coordinates on a critical dimension-scanning electron microscopy (CD-SEM) image, inputting a reference DV in the computer and automatically sorting the material layer patterns into material layer patterns having a hotspot and material layer patterns not having a hotspot, and reviewing the sorted material layer patterns having the hotspot.
US09672601B2
Systems, methods and computer-accessible mediums for modifying an image(s) can be provided. For example, first image information for the image(s) can be received. Second image information can be generated by separating the first image information into at least two overlapping images. The image(s) can be modified using a prediction procedure based on the second image information.
US09672600B2
A method for clavicle suppression in a chest x-ray image. The method identifies the lung fields in the x-ray image and detects at least one portion of a clavicle ridge that lies outside the lung fields. Edges of a clavicle on each side of the detected clavicle ridge are detected, edge detection extended for the clavicle edges into the lung fields, and the clavicle defined within the x-ray image according to the edge detection. The clavicle is suppressed within the x-ray image to generate a clavicle-suppressed x-ray image and the clavicle-suppressed x-ray image is displayed, stored, or transmitted.
US09672594B2
A camera system for producing super resolution images is disclosed. The camera system may include a target scene, a first detector configured to capture a first image of the target scene, and a second detector configured to capture a second image of the target scene. The first detector may include a first pitch, and the second detector may include a second pitch different from the first pitch.
US09672592B2
A tiling-display system includes an image source device, a splitter unit, a plurality of control units, and a plurality of display devices. The splitter unit receives a source image from the image source device and outputs a plurality of replication images. Each of the source image and the replication images has a first image size. The control units receive the replication images and generate sub-images according to groups of setting parameters. Each of the groups of setting parameter includes a scale, a shift and a rotation angle. The shifts of the group of the setting parameters are different from each other, and each of the plurality of sub-images has a second image size and the corresponding rotation angle. The display devices receive and display the sub-images from the control units. The display devices are arranged according to the rotation angle and display a tiled image.
US09672591B2
Techniques are described for displaying projects of images as “collages”. Collages differ from conventional thumbnail displays of projects in that collages display an entire project as if the project were a single image. Consequently, collages better convey the characteristics of projects as a whole, while de-emphasizing the distinctiveness of individual images within the projects. When displayed as collages, side-by-side comparisons may be readily performed between projects as a whole. For example, a single display may include collages for multiple projects, thereby allowing viewers to quickly tell how the projects differ in a variety of ways, including but not limited to size of shoot or density of shoot, dominant color, mood, time of day, bracketed shots or bursts, location and subject matter. The content of the collage for a project is based on the individual images that belong to the project. However, details of the individual images on which the project image is based may not be readily discernible from the collage. In addition, not all individual images that belong to a project may be used in a collage. Techniques for selecting which individual images of a project to include in the project are also described.
US09672588B1
A computing device can present a map of a geographic region. The computing device can determine that a user operating the computing device has performed a particular action. The particular action can be, for example, a particular gesture. The computing device can determine that a distance between the user's face and the display screen of the computing device is within a threshold distance. If the user's face is within a threshold distance of the display screen, the map can be displayed in a dynamic view mode. While in the dynamic view mode, the map for the geographic region includes at least one additional map label for a feature that is located in the geographic region and navigation of the rendered map is disabled.
US09672572B2
Techniques of implementing providing real-time availability of omni-channel sales data are disclosed. In some example embodiments, purchase information comprising information of purchases made by a consumer via a plurality of retail channels is received by a back-end system. The purchase information can be stored on the back-end system. A request to access the stored purchase information can be received from the consumer on a computing device. The request can comprise an identification of a virtual host and an identification of a service to invoke on the back-end system to retrieve the purchase information stored on the back-end system. An identification of an internal host can be determined based on the identification of the virtual host. The identification of the internal host can identify the back-end system. The purchase information can be retrieved from the back-end system using the identification of the internal host and the identification of the service.
US09672567B2
Rooms, structures, vehicles, and other objects can be accurately diagrammed, often without performing a physical on-site inspection. Photographs of a room, structure, vehicle, or other object are uploaded to a computer having a processor. A base calibration measure is determined for a room, structure, vehicle, object, or component thereof, depicted in the photographs using at least one known dimension for items observable in the photographs. The base calibration measure is then used to determine dimensions of other areas, items, or objects depicted in such photographs, and to create at least one scale diagram of the subject matter of the photographs. Damages areas of the structure/vehicle/object can be assessed from the scale diagram. The scale diagram can then be used to calculate appropriate insurance payment amounts for damage claims.
US09672565B2
Methods and systems for processing financial market data using a reconfigurable logic device are disclosed. Various operations such as volume weighted average price (VWAP) operations can be performed on the financial market data using firmware logic deployed on the reconfigurable logic device to accelerate the speed of processing.
US09672562B1
An apparatus for computing a bid price for a plurality of items includes an input portion, a processing portion, and an output portion. The input portion is adapted to electronically receive a bid for an online auction listing for a plurality of items, the bid including a limit price and an initial bid price for each of the plurality of items, and a total bid price for an entirety of the plurality of items. The processing portion is adapted to electronically compute a bid price for each of the plurality of items, such that a sum of the computed bid prices for the plurality of items is substantially equal to the total bid price. The output portion is adapted to electronically transmit the computed bid prices for the plurality of items to an online auction portion, the online auction portion accepting the bid in accordance with the computed bid prices.
US09672551B2
Systems and methods for managing shared collections are described. For example, a machine receives a textual description of an entry requested to be created within a collection at a network-based system. The textual description is submitted by a user of the network-based system and received from a client device of the user by a server system within the network-based system. The entry, when created, corresponds to an item listed by the network-based system. The machine generates a structured description of the entry based on the textual description of the entry requested to be created. The structured description of the entry includes a name-value pair derived from the textual description submitted by the user. The machine determines that the entry is absent from the network-based system, and creates the entry within the collection by storing the structured description of the entry in a database of the network-based system.
US09672550B2
Methods and systems can be provided for providing items manufactured on demand to users. A user request for an item can be received. The item can have 3D manufacturing instructions associated therewith. A delivery method for the item can be determined. A manufacturing apparatus can be selected to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Instructions can be sent to the manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Delivery instructions can be provided for delivering the item according to the delivery method.
US09672546B2
The present invention relates to collecting and dissemination of exact and instantaneous commodity pricing information of any market from remote locations with the help of individuals present in the market by utilizing localization application loaded in their mobile phones or base station. The current prices undertaken by individuals in the market is updated in a centralized commodity database which can be queried from any remote location using mobile phone or remote computer over internet. The presence of the information provider is determined by approximating contours of the target premises which minimizes the memory required to store information in the mobile phone. In an alternative embodiment, the instantaneous price information is obtained by connecting electronic transaction payment system with the central commodity database.
US09672545B2
In one embodiment, a system for license management includes logic adapted for arranging entitlement slots under a plurality of licenses, each entitlement slot being configured for affording entitlement to use of an instance of a software application during a particular time frame, logic adapted for determining a license use signature from recorded license attribution information, logic adapted for receiving a notification of an instance not attributed to a license, and logic adapted for attributing the non-attributed instance to one of the plurality of licenses as a function of the license use signature, wherein each license has an entitlement value defining a maximum number of entitlement slots that may be attributed to that license during the time frame and any given instance of the software application may consume any number of the entitlement slots including zero entitlement slots.
US09672539B2
An advertisement generation apparatus includes a generating unit that generates a page to be displayed on a terminal device that displays an advertisement on a screen. The page includes a content page and an advertising page that are superimposed one on top of the other, where the content page includes an advertising space such that the advertising space is to be scrolled on the screen according to operation, and the advertising page is greater in size than the advertising space. The page is configured to display the content page, and a part of the advertising page located within the advertising space.
US09672537B1
A dynamic content controller is configured for communication with one or more data sources. The dynamic content controller comprises an analytics engine and a personalization engine coupled to the analytics engine. The analytics engine is configured to analyze cultural data collected from the one or more data sources during a current content browsing session. The personalization engine is configured to adapt content to be presented based at least in part on the analysis of the cultural data. The adaptation of the content to be presented is performed during the current content browsing session.
US09672527B2
A method of managing bearer signalling for one or more user equipment (UE) coupled to eNodeB via at least one relay node, includes generating and sending MME Association Consolidation (MAC) request message by eNodeB to plurality of disparate mobility management entities managing plurality of UE coupled to said relay node based on receiving bearer resource request of UE coupled to said relay node. The method further includes receiving MAC response by eNodeB from plurality of disparate mobility management entities managing plurality of UE and forwarding to MME of said relay node, received MAC response by eNodeB. The method further includes provisioning by MME of said relay node bearer request of UE, based on received MAC response, and provisioning consequential bearer setup request of said relay node wherein, provisioning includes creating, updating, modifying and deleting bearers of UE and RN.
US09672523B2
Operation identification is obtained from a captured barcode. An authentication criterion is determined whether is satisfied. If the authentication criterion is met, the operation identification and stored account information is sent to server for authenticating based on the account information. The authentication criterion includes whether a similarity degree between an image characteristic of a first surrounding image of a barcode and an image characteristic of a second surrounding image of the barcode is larger than or equal to a present threshold. The second surrounding image is an authenticated surrounding image of the barcode such as a surrounding image when the barcode is generated. The present techniques ensure that a successful authentication is possibly returned only when the first surrounding image is in consistent with the second image. It is difficult for the barcode placed on a fake webpage or sent through group sending by a hacker to pass authentication.
US09672522B2
The present invention generates and places a Quick Response (QR) matrix barcode on a Certificate of Analysis (COA) and/or label placed on a gas cylinder at a vendor's facility. The gas cylinder is then delivered to a customer. The customer can download onto his/her mobile device an Application from the vendor, by way of a communications network. Using the Application, the QR code can be scanned, decoded, and viewed by the customer. The customer can also download the decoded information into a database, or upload the same information to a third party's database. The information remains accurate, starting at the vendor's facility, arriving at the customer's facility and, finally, reaching the third party's facility. The information is securely transferred, without any possibility of making a mistake in the information transfer.
US09672520B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide a computer-implemented method and system for the assignment of roadside assistance service providers such as tow trucks to distressed vehicles/drivers requiring roadside assistance. The methods and systems may include a roadside assistance service provider system with a collection module, an assignment module, and a feedback module. The collection module collects roadside assistance service provider information and historical statistics from real-world information and stores the information in a database that may then be analyzed using particular rules and formulas. The assignment module assigns particular roadside assistance service providers to particular distressed vehicles/drivers based on one or more characteristics. The feedback module may provide near real-time cues to the tow truck driver's mobile device, such as alerting when the amount of time spent on a task exceeds a predefined threshold, flagging high priority tasks/assignments, providing a step-by-step checklist for the repair.
US09672512B1
A method of billing a payment transaction to a mobile communication service account. The method comprises receiving a request for mobile communication service provider billing approval from a payment processor, wherein the request comprises one of a phone number associated with a mobile communication service account or an equipment identification of a mobile communication device associated with the mobile communication service account, wherein the request comprises a processor routing number, wherein the processor routing number is consistent in format with one of a block of credit card numbers maintained by a mobile communication service provider, and wherein the processor routing number is used by different mobile communication devices associated with different mobile communication service accounts to complete payments. The method further comprises identifying the service account based on one of the phone number or the equipment identification of the mobile communication device, and charging to the mobile communication service account.
US09672504B2
A consumer at a POS is able to obtain instant credit from a third party payment provider by providing identification information, such as from a driver's license, through a sales associate at the POS and by providing directly the last four digits of the consumer's social security number (SSN). When the consumer wants to make subsequent purchases through the payment provider, the sales associate need only enter the consumer's last name, zip code, and date of birth for the payment provider to locate and retrieve the consumer's account. The consumer may then enter the last four digits of the consumer's social security number, such as into a PIN pad at the POS, and have the information processed by the payment provider.
US09672497B1
Methods and systems for using natural language processing and machine-learning algorithms to process vehicle-service data to generate metadata regarding the vehicle-service data are described herein. A processor can discover vehicle-service data that can be clustered together based on the vehicle-service data having common characteristics. The clustered vehicle-service data can be classified (e.g., categorized) into any one of a plurality of categories. One of the categories can be for clustered vehicle-service data that is tip-worthy (e.g., determined to include data worthy of generating vehicle-service content (e.g., a repair hint). Another category can track instances of vehicle-service data that are considered to be common to an instance of vehicle-service data classified into the tip-worthy category. The vehicle-service data can be collected from repair orders from a plurality of repair shops. The vehicle-service content generated by the systems can be provided to those or other repair shops.
US09672490B2
A procurement system may include a first interface configured to receive a query from a user, a command module configured to parameterize the query, an intelligent search and match engine configured to compare the parameterized query with stored queries in a historical knowledge base and, in the event the parameterized query does not match a stored query within the historical knowledge base, search for a match in a plurality of knowledge models, and a response solution engine configured to receive a system response ID from the intelligent search and match engine, the response solution engine being configured to initiate a system action by interacting with sub-system and related databases to generate a system response.
US09672472B2
An example system and method for managing behavior change applications for mobile users is disclosed. In an embodiment of the system and method, data on a plurality of users in a behavioral change program is received from a plurality of devices operating in a communications network. The data is used to determine plurality of user segments. Each user of the plurality of users is classified into a one of the plurality of user segments. Then a plurality of behavioral models is determined, where each of the plurality of behavioral models comprises a statistical model of relations between behaviors of users within a corresponding one of the plurality of user segments. An intervention model is then determined for a user, where the intervention model is based on a behavior model of the user segment to which the user belongs. Interventions are then sent to a device of the user according to the intervention model.
US09672466B2
A four-valued logic system for genomic sequencing and macromolecular analysis using a semantic network having object nodes and relationships between the object nodes. The object nodes are each represented by two vectors with true, false, defined, or undefined values in corresponding bits in the two vectors. Conditionals or quantifying variables are tested during successive recursive steps in a predicate calculus using the four-valued logic system.
US09672463B2
An apparatus configured to count people in a target area includes a wireless transceiver and a controller. The wireless transceiver is configured to radiate an impulse electromagnetic wave to the target area and receive a reflection signal from the target area, and the controller is configured to obtain a signal strength of the reflection signal over a reception time period during which the reflection signal is received and count people according to the signal strength, considering that the signal strength is weakened in proportion to the reception time period.
US09672462B2
A counting system includes a counting apparatus, which includes a plurality of multi-sensor detectors configured to detect physical contact data and vertical range data corresponding to one or more steps across the multi-sensor detectors, and first circuitry configured to determine physical contact vectors and coordinate data from the physical contact data and the vertical range data. The counting system also includes at least one server including second circuitry configured to receive the physical contact vectors and the coordinate data from the counting apparatus, determine footprint patterns and body patterns based on the physical contact vectors and the coordinate data, and estimate a number of beings passing over the counting apparatus based on the footprint patterns and the body patterns.
US09672456B2
An image processing device that changes the output format of the generated printout can dynamically change the output format of the printout using print data from an existing system. An image processing device that executes a process to change the output format of a printout has an output format selector that selects a template determining the format of the printout based on information contained in the print data for the printout, and a print data generator that changes the print data according to the selected template.
US09672446B1
An object detection system for an autonomous vehicle processes sensor data, including one or more images, obtained for a road segment on which the autonomous vehicle is being driven. The object detection system compares the images to three-dimensional (3D) environment data for the road segment to determine pixels in the images that correspond to objects not previously identified in the 3D environment data. The object detection system then analyzes the pixels to classify the objects not previously identified in the 3D environment data.
US09672444B2
A method and apparatus related to forming prosthetic dental items or tooth restorations. A defective tooth, prosthetic dental item, or a dentition is scanned. A first electronic data set from a three-dimensional scan of a defective tooth, defective prosthetic dental item, or the dentition is generated, and one or more correspondence points or structure in the first electronic data set are assigned to one or more corresponding points or structures in a second electronic data set. The second electronic data set represents a tooth model. To generate a patient specific tooth model, the tooth model is adjusted such that a function which describes one or more distances between the one or more correspondence points or structures in the first electronic data set and the one or more corresponding points or structures in the second electronic data set is minimized.
US09672442B2
A method for detecting differences between two digital images includes the steps of: transforming the images by resizing the images in order to get identical image sizes, by aligning pixels of the images and by normalizing colors of the images; determining plural binary masks from the pixels of the transformed images, each binary mask being composed of one element per couple of pixels of the transformed images having same coordinates; determining plural energy functions, each energy function being the sum of a first term representative of transformed images and of one binary mask and of a second term which is only dependent on said one binary mask; minimizing the energy function over other plural energy functions; and selecting the binary mask corresponding to the minimized energy function.
US09672440B2
A damage recognition assist system of a vehicle, the system includes at least one vehicle camera adapted to provide a stream of camera frames including camera images of the vehicle's surrounding and of areas or parts of the vehicle's chassis; a monitoring unit adapted to detect an imminent interaction of the vehicle with an external object and to identify areas or parts of the vehicle's chassis possibly affected by the detected interaction; a comparison unit adapted to compare recent camera images of the possibly affected areas or parts of the vehicle's chassis with previous camera images of the same areas included in reference camera frames to determine the state and level of damage of the vehicle's chassis due to the detected interaction.
US09672436B1
Searching for items, such as apparel items, can be performed using a set of category-specific outlines or contours from which a user can select. The outlines enable a user to quickly specify a relevant category, and provide guidance as to how to orient the camera in order to enable an item to be identified in an image without the need for an expensive object identification and segmentation process. The outline can specify a “swatch” region, indicating where the user should position a view of a pattern, texture, or color of the item in which the user is interested. The category selection and swatch region data can be used to determine matching items. If the user wants a different set of search results, the user can select a different outline, causing a new query to be executed with updated category information and swatch data to obtain new search results.
US09672433B2
Arrangements relate to providing multi-directional assistance while maneuvering a vehicle. The vehicle can have an exterior with a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The vehicle can include a side camera provided on one of the first lateral side or the second lateral side. The side camera can be movable between a plurality of facing positions. It can be determined whether a current facing position of the side camera matches a current vehicle movement direction. If it is determined that the current facing position of the side camera does not match the current vehicle movement direction, the facing position of the side camera can be automatically adjusted so that the facing position of the side camera matches the current vehicle movement direction.
US09672427B2
The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for categorizing motion events. In one aspect, a method includes: (1) obtaining a plurality of video frames, the plurality of video frames corresponding to a scene and a motion event candidate; (2) identifying one or more visual characteristics of the scene; (3) obtaining one or more background factors for the scene; (4) utilizing the obtained background factors to identify one or more motion entities; (5) for each identified motion entity: (a) classifying the motion entity by performing object recognition; and (b) obtaining one or more representative motion vectors based on a motion track of the motion entity; and (6) assigning a motion event category to the motion event candidate based on the identified visual characteristics, the obtained background factors, the classified motion entities, and the obtained representative motion vectors.
US09672424B2
Utilities (e.g., systems, methods, etc.) for automatically generating high resolution population density estimation data sets through manipulation of low resolution population density estimation data sets with high resolution overhead imagery data (e.g., such as overhead imagery data acquired by satellites, aircrafts, etc. of celestial bodies). Stated differently, the present utilities make use of high resolution overhead imagery data to determine how to distribute the population density of a large, low resolution cell (e.g., 1000m) among a plurality of smaller, high resolution cells (e.g., 100m) within the larger cell.
US09672414B2
An image processing application performs improved face exposure correction on an input image. The image processing application receives an input image having a face and ascertains a median luminance associated with a face region corresponding to the face. The image processing application determines whether the median luminance is less than a threshold luminance. If the median luminance is less than the threshold luminance, the application computes weights based on a spatial distance parameter and a similarity parameter associated with the median chrominance of the face region. The image processing application then computes a corrected luminance using the weights and applies the corrected luminance to the input image. The image processing application can also perform improved face color correction by utilizing stylization-induced shifts in skin tone color to control how aggressively stylization is applied to an image.
US09672410B2
Architecture that enables the identification of entities such as people and content in live broadcasts (e.g., streaming content (e.g., video) of live events) and non-live presentations (e.g., movies), in realtime, using recognition processes. This can be accomplished by extracting live data related to a live event. With respect to people entities, filtering can be performed to identify the named (people) entities from the extracted live data, and trending topics discovered as relate to the named entities, as associated with the live event. Multiple images of the named entities that capture the named entities under different conditions are captured for the named entities. The images are then processed to extract and learn facial features (train one or more models), and facial recognition is then performed on faces in the video using the trained model(s).
US09672409B2
A computer-implemented method of performing fingerprint based authentication from matching local features represented by binary features which can be matched in an efficient implementation in one or both of software and hardware by computing Hamming distances between the binary features. A local feature in a verification image is said to be matching with a local feature in an enrolment image if the Hamming distance between the binary features falls below a pre-determined threshold. The computer-implemented method retains information about the similarity of local features in the two images and utilities it in an efficient way with the objective of improving fingerprint recognition rates and enabling finger liveness detection. In an aspect a normalized feature similarity distribution is generated as part of the representation in recognition and liveness detection.
US09672407B2
The invention relates to a fingerprint sensing device comprising: a sensing chip comprising an array of sensing elements being configured to be connected to readout circuitry for detecting a capacitive coupling between each of the sensing elements and a finger placed on a sensing surface of the sensing device. A surface of the sensing elements define a sensing plane. The sensing device further comprises a plurality of interposer structures arranged on the sensing chip extending above sensing plane, wherein the plurality of interposer structures have the same height above the sensing plane. A protective plate is attached to the sensing chip by means of an adhesive, and the protective plate rests on the interposer structures such that a distance between the protective plate and the sensing plane is defined by the height of the interposer structures.
US09672405B2
An electronic device and fingerprint recognition method are provided. The electronic device includes a housing, a lens protection cover, a processing unit, an image capturing unit, a light-source sensor and a visible light source module. The lens protection cover is installed on the housing. The light-source sensor is configured to detect external light which comes into the electronic device through the lens protection cover. The processing unit determines whether the detected external light is less than a threshold. The visible light source module is configured to generate visible light. When the detected external light is less than the threshold, the processing unit activates the visible light source module to generate the visible light, and activates the image capturing unit to capture a fingerprint image of a user's finger which is put on the lens protection cover for fingerprint recognition.
US09672403B2
The present invention generally relates to a method for authenticating a candidate fingerprint using a fingerprint authentication system, and specifically to the possibility of using personalized fingerprint sensor setting for a fingerprint sensor comprised with the fingerprint authentication system. The invention also relates to a corresponding electronic device and to a computer program product. Advantages with the invention include a minimized processing time for acquiring a good quality fingerprint image, thus increasing user convenience.The invention also relates to a corresponding fingerprint sensing system and to a computer program product.
US09672402B2
A fingerprint identification apparatus includes a fingerprint identification module and a signal transmitting module electrically connected to the fingerprint identification module. The signal transmitting module includes a loading substrate and a first sensing layer with a plurality of first sensing units. The first sensing units are located on the loading substrate in a matrix. Each corner of the first sensing units is a substantially arc shaped.
US09672395B2
An RFID reader control system and method is provided. A protocol for controlling an RFID reader and an RFID reader control unit of a mobile phone is defined. Messages, information, commands, responses, and notification are constructed and transmitted between the RFID reader and the RFID reader control unit.
US09672387B2
Operating a display of a user equipment. The present invention relates to a method for operating a display (2) of a user equipment (1). The display (2) is configured to display an object (50). A permission is assigned to the object (50), which defines an allowance for a person (11-13) to view the object (50). According to the method, a gaze position (63) of a person (12) looking at the display (2) is determined, which defines a position on the display (2) at which the person (12) is looking. A distance between the gaze position (63) and a position of the object (50) is determined and furthermore, it is determined, if the person (12) is allowed to view the object based on the permission assigned to the object (50). If the person (12) is not allowed to view the object (50), the object (50) is concealed depending on the determined distance between the gaze position (63) and the position of the object (50).
US09672382B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing access of user information by third party applications are provided herein. A method includes compiling a set of user instructions for providing access of user resources to one or more third party applications, wherein the set of user instructions specifies a context in which each of multiple items of the user resources at one or more application programming interface providers can be accessed by the third party applications; mapping a request from one of the third party applications for access to one or more items of the user resources to the application programming interface providers, which correspond to one or more entities maintaining the user resources; and granting access to the one or more items of the user resources to said one third party application through the application programming interface providers based on the set of user instructions.
US09672374B2
A request is received from a security tool, the request relating to an event involving data records in a storage device. An application programming interface (API) is used to interface with secure storage functionality of the storage device, the secure storage functionality enabling a set of secure storage operations. A security operation is caused to be performed at the storage device involving the data records based at least in part on the request. In one aspect, the set of secure storage operations can include a direct read operation, a direct write operation, a copy-on-write operation, and a save-attempted-write operation.
US09672367B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for inputting data. The present invention relates to the communications field and aims to improve security of input information. The method includes: acquiring, by a virtual machine manager, input data; performing, by the virtual machine manager, encryption processing on the input data according to an encryption rule of a security connection to obtain encrypted data; and sending, by the virtual machine manager, the encrypted data to the server. The present invention is applicable to a data input scenario.
US09672364B2
The privacy of linear queries on histograms is protected. A database containing private data is queried. Base decomposition is performed to recursively compute an orthonormal basis for the database space. Using correlated (or Gaussian) noise and/or least squares estimation, an answer having differential privacy is generated and provided in response to the query. In some implementations, the differential privacy is ε-differential privacy (pure differential privacy) or is (ε,δ)-differential privacy (i.e., approximate differential privacy). In some implementations, the data in the database may be dense. Such implementations may use correlated noise without using least squares estimation. In other implementations, the data in the database may be sparse. Such implementations may use least squares estimation with or without using correlated noise.
US09672352B2
Embodiments relate to an isolated program execution environment. An aspect includes receiving, by the isolated program execution environment on a computer comprising a processor and a memory, a request to run a program. Another aspect includes wrapping program code corresponding to the program as a function. Another aspect includes cloning a real global object of the isolated program execution environment to create a fake global object. Another aspect includes passing the fake global object to the function. Another aspect includes executing the function, such that the function executes the program.
US09672350B2
Embodiments include systems and methods for authorizing software code to be executed or access capabilities in secure operating environments. Profiles may be issued by trusted entities to extend trust to other entities to allow those other entities to provide or control execution of applications in a secure operating environment such as on particular computing devices. The profiles allow entities to add software code to the device without reauthorizing each distribution by a trusted authority such as testing, quality assurance, or to limited groups of devices controlled or authorized by the other entities.
US09672346B2
A communication device configured to form a cluster with one or more other communication devices in its vicinity, monitor the presence, in the cluster, of those other communication devices and provide information about the presence, in the cluster, of the other communication devices to another device.
US09672345B2
Method and devices for making access decisions in a secure access network are provided. The access decisions are made by a portable credential using data and algorithms stored on the credential. Since access decisions are made by the portable credential non-networked hosts or local hosts can be employed that do not necessarily need to be connected to a central access controller or database thereby reducing the cost of building and maintaining the secure access network.
US09672342B2
A system, device, and method for binding metadata, such as information derived from the output of a biometric sensor, to hardware intrinsic properties by obtaining authentication-related metadata and combining it with information pertaining to a root of trust, such as a physical unclonable function. The metadata may be derived from a sensor such as a biometric sensor, the root of trust may be a physical unclonable function, the combination of the metadata and root of trust information may employ a hash function, and output from such a hash process may be used as an input to the root of trust. The combined information can be used in interactive or non-interactive authentication.
US09672335B2
A method of user logon to a computing device or computer system that, distinct from requiring entry of a set of known logon credentials such as a username and password, introduces an additional thought-directed user interface whereby the user must respond to one or more prompts that measure the user's cognitive function at the time of logon or during an active logon session. The user's responses to these prompts are evaluated for several purposes, including determining whether the user demonstrates the required level of cognitive function to gain access to the computer system or continue an active logon session. The user's responses and associated data may also be stored and retrieved at a later time for various purposes, including determining whether and to what extent the user's level of cognitive function is improving, diminishing, or remaining static over time.
US09672334B1
Various embodiments include a resource control system. The resource control system can receive consumption demand requests to access one or more electronic resources. The resource control system can assign license entitlements, each with varying quantity, to consumption demand requests to enable access to the electronic resources. An ambiguity resolution engine can make license entitlement assignments to consumption demand requests when a set of license entitlements can cover a target electronic resource specified by the consumption demand requests. The ambiguity resolution engine can rank license entitlements based on ratios of their resource costs and the consumption demand requests based on their electronic resource usage efficiency. The ambiguity resolution engine can assign the license entitlements by comparing the rankings of the license entitlements and the rankings of the consumption demand requests.
US09672332B2
An approach is provided for preventing unauthorized use of media items. One or more features associated with a user are identified in one or more media items. It is determined whether the identified features are registered with a privacy service. One or more privacy rules are applied on the media items based on the determination.
US09672331B2
The present application provides systems and methods for analyzing animal feeds and for adjusting animal feeds to improve the digestibility of animal feed components. Digestibility of animal feed can be determined by performing in vitro digestion of the feed and analyzing concentrations of residual components in the digested feed by NIR spectroscopy. Animal feed compositions can be adjusted to improve digestibility of components in the feed. The systems and methods of the present application can be used to determine the effect of an additive on the digestibility of feed.
US09672318B2
In one embodiment, a circuit analysis method includes obtaining a netlist of a circuit, generating a reduced model from the netlist, using the reduced model to synthesize a positive netlist having no controlled current or voltage sources, unstamping the synthesized positive netlist, and simulating the circuit using the unstamped synthesized positive netlist.
US09672312B2
A method includes receiving a layout of an integrated circuit that includes a plurality of layers, one of the layers is selected and one or more tile number values are provided. A die area of the integrated circuit is partitioned into a plurality of tiles on the basis of the tile number values. It is determined, on the basis of the layout, if a portion of the selected one of the layers in the tile has an available space for inclusion of a test cell or a dummy cell, and a label indicative of a result is assigned to the tile. It is determined, on the basis of the labels assigned, if one or more space availability criteria are fulfilled and, if fulfilled, the labels are used for placing at least one of one or more test cells and one or more dummy cells in the layout.
US09672309B2
A method for generating a layout pattern includes following steps. A basic layout pattern including a plurality of first stripe patterns in a first cluster region is provided. Each first stripe pattern extends in a first direction, and the first stripe patterns have equal pitches in a second direction. A plurality of anchor bar patterns are generated. Each anchor bar pattern extends in the first direction, and the anchor bar patterns have equal pitches in the second direction. Edges of at least one of the anchor bar patterns in the second direction are aligned with edges of two adjacent first stripe patterns respectively. At least one of the anchor bar patterns overlaps a first space between two adjacent first stripe patterns. At least one first mandrel pattern is generated at the first space overlapped by the anchor bar pattern, and the first mandrel pattern is outputted to a photomask.
US09672306B2
Embodiments herein describe performing an engineering change order (ECO) after a physical design team has begun (or finished) a physical design (PD) netlist. However, the ECO may describe changes or additions to the logic and/or nets using component names found in a design netlist that is different than the PD netlist. Embodiments herein rely on generating an equivalents nets file that the maps the components in the design netlist to the components in the PD netlist. When performing an ECO, the PD team can use this file to map the components in the ECO (which are based on the design netlist) to all the equivalent components in the PD netlist. The PD team then selects one of the equivalent components to alter as indicated in the ECO.
US09672302B2
Determining a shape of a medical device to be implanted into a subject produces an image including a defective portion and a non-defective portion of a surface of a tissue of interest included in the subject. The tissue of interest is segmented within the image. A template, representing a normative shape of an external anatomical surface of the tissue of interest, is superimposed to span the defective portion. An external shape of an implant, is determined as a function of respective shapes of the defective portion as seen in the template, for repairing the defective portion.
US09672298B2
Techniques for executing versioned memory access instructions. In one embodiment, a processor is configured to execute versioned store instructions of a first thread within a first mode of operation. In this embodiment, in the first mode of operation, the processor is configured to retire a versioned store instruction only after a version comparison has been performed for the versioned store instruction. In this embodiment the processor is configured to suppress retirement of instructions in the first thread that are younger than an oldest versioned store instruction until the oldest versioned store instruction has retired. In some embodiments, the processor is configured to execute versioned store instructions of a given thread within a second mode of operation, in which the processor is configured to retire outstanding versioned store instructions before a version comparison has been performed.
US09672295B2
A CDN accelerator computer system (32) is described that can allow a website to be provided in a content delivery network (CDN). The CDN accelerator (32) is configured to receive a request for web content from a user (20). Processors in the CDN accelerator can then retrieve HTML source code from an origin server (34) and modify the source code by changing the addresses of static content items to refer to addresses in a CDN. The CDN accelerator (32) can then send the modified HTML source code to the user (20), and the user's browser can acquire the static content items from the CDN.
US09672285B2
Aspects of the disclosure provide a system and method for prerendering of search result pages. A search engine may process search queries received from a client. The search engine may determine one or more search results in response to the search query. One or more of the search results may be associated with prerender instructions, such that when the search results are received by the client, the client prerenders the search results associated with the prerender instructions. Prerender instructions may be associated with the search results in various manners, including ranking the search results based on relevance, or ranking the search results based on the likelihood of selection. Metrics and analytical data may be collected from the client to improve the search result prerendering process.
US09672279B1
An apparatus comprises a processing platform configured to implement a cluster labeling system for documents comprising unstructured text data. The cluster labeling system comprises a clustering module and a visualization module. The clustering module implements a topic model generator and is configured to assign each of the documents to one or more of a plurality of clusters based at least in part on one or more topics identified from the unstructured text data using at least one topic model provided by the topic model generator. The visualization module comprises multiple view generators configured to generate respective distinct visualizations of a selected one of the clusters. The multiple view generators include at least a bigram view generator configured to provide a visualization of a plurality of term pairs from the selected cluster, and a summarization view generator configured to provide a visualization of representative term sequences from the selected cluster.
US09672278B2
A processor receives a string of binary data that represents an initial phrase that includes multiple words and is associated with a specific category. The processor removes one or more letters from an end of a word in the initial phrase to form an initial truncated version of the phrase. The processor runs a TF-IDF algorithm on the initial truncated version of the phrase, and lemmatizes subsequent truncated versions of the initial phrase by recursively removing remaining letters from the end of the word. The processor runs the TF-IDF algorithm on subsequent truncated versions of the initial truncated version of the initial phrase until a highest TF-IDF value is identified. The processor defines a breadth of a lemma for a lexeme based on the specific category of the phrase, and assigns the specific truncated version having the highest TF-IDF value to the specific category.
US09672273B2
In an approach for creating a machine-to-machine device model based on ontological relationship, one or more computer processors determine a plurality of characteristics of one or more machine-to-machine devices within a machine-to-machine communication environment. The one or more computer processors determine one or more ontological relationships between the one or more machine-to-machine devices and the plurality of characteristics of the one or more machine-to-machine devices. The one or more computer processors create a semantic device model, based, at least in part, on the one or more ontological relationships between the one or more machine-to-machine devices and the plurality of characteristics of the one or more machine-to-machine devices.
US09672272B2
An apparatus, computer-readable medium, and computer-implemented method for efficiently performing operations on distinct data values, including receiving a query directed to a column of data, the query defining one or more group sets for grouping the data retrieved in response to the query, and for each of the one or more group sets, generating one or more entity map vectors, the length of each entity map vector being equal to the number of unique data values in a domain which corresponds to the column of data, the position of each bit in the entity map vector corresponding to the lexical position of a corresponding unique data value in a lexically ordered list of the unique data values, and the value of each bit in the entity map vector indicating the presence or absence of the corresponding unique data value in the group set.
US09672266B2
Methods of conducting database transactions. One such method comprises receiving data to be written to a database; identifying a set of shard replicas corresponding to the database to which the data is to be written; transmitting, to each of the replicas in the set, a request to write the data thereto; receiving votes back from the replicas in the set, each vote representing whether the respective replica commits to a writing of the data thereto; determining whether to commit to the writing of the data to the database according to whether a majority of the replicas of every shard having replicas in the set has transmitted a vote committing to the writing of the data thereto; and transmitting an outcome of the determining to each of the replicas in the set.
US09672265B2
Described herein is a computer implemented method for simplifying a hierarchical edit script comprising nodes describing operations which can be applied to dataset A to generate dataset B. The method comprises identifying nodes in the hierarchical edit script that can potentially be simplified and forming one or more node groups, each node group comprising one or more sibling nodes from the hierarchical edit script that are of a same node type and that can potentially be simplified. For each node group the method further comprises identifying a node group type based on a type the node or nodes in the node group, based on the node group type, processing the node group to generate a single node, the single node capturing the operations described by the node or nodes in the node group, and replacing the node group in the hierarchical edit script with the single node.
US09672256B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for creating data views. Embodiments of the invention allow automatic creation of data views/projections on top of data sources. A view can be created on one data source (by looking at one or multiple data elements within the data source) or by looking at multiple data sources (of the same or different data types) and combining elements into a view. Data sources can be any kind of data source, including but not limited to: databases, files, and Web services. Views can be picked from a set of predefined views, picked from views of another tenant (either statically or using fuzzy logic), selected based on data element classifications and/or data element relationship classifications, selected based on data usage (e.g., by looking at logs), etc.
US09672253B1
Methods and apparatus for ranking one or more documents that are responsive to a search query. A document that is responsive to the search query may be ranked based on a data measure of the document that is indicative of an amount of data usage required to load the document. In some implementations, the data measure of the document may be a measured value based on actual data usage during retrieval of the document. In some implementations, the ranking of two or more documents may be based on comparison of the data measures of the two or more documents.
US09672251B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for extracting facts from a collection of documents. One of the methods includes obtaining a plurality of seed facts; generating a plurality of patterns from the seed facts, wherein each of the plurality of patterns is a dependency pattern generated from a dependency parse; applying the patterns to documents in a collection of documents to extract a plurality of candidate additional facts from the collection of documents; and selecting one or more additional facts from the plurality of candidate additional facts.
US09672232B1
Methods and systems are provided for selectively storing event data. In one described method, an event associated with an article is captured. The captured event can comprise event data. The method further comprises evaluating the event for satisfaction of a criterion. If the event satisfies the criterion, it is indexed.
US09672228B2
Methods are provided for creating a complex user interface using a generic computer readable database software application to manage only a specific data subset domain of the database in accordance with a work package. The method comprises creating metadata defining a data subset domain, the metadata including a task specification, a report specification and a view specification and defining attribute metadata, entity metadata and relationship metadata for the data subset domain. The method also comprises data package specification for the data subset domain, specifying a data package hierarchy within the data subset domain, specifying user groups for the data subset domain, specifying view specifications for the user groups. Further the view specification is associated with the task specification and the report specification after which the generic software application is released to a user.
US09672221B2
A method for synchronizing files is provided. Current metadata including a filename and a hash identifier for each file of the synchronized folder is created. The current metadata is compared to previous metadata. Based on the comparison, a first file and a first folder added to the synchronized folder and a second file and a second folder deleted from the synchronized folder are identified. The hash identifiers of the first and second files are compared. If the hash identifiers match, the filenames of the first and second files are compared. If the filenames do not match, the first file is identified as a renamed file. Metadata is sent to a synchronized device with information related to the first folder sent before information related to the first file, which is sent before information related to the second folder.
US09672217B2
A system and method for generating a concept database based on at least two multimedia data elements (MMDEs). The method includes: generating at least two items from a received MMDE of the at least two MMDEs; determining the items that are of interest for signature generation; generating at least one signature responsive to at least one item of interest of the received MMDE; clustering at least two signatures received from the signature generator responsive of the plurality of MMDEs; reducing the number of signatures in each cluster to a create a signature reduced cluster (SRC) of the cluster; associating metadata with the SRC to a concept structure including at least two SRCs and their associated metadata; and generating at least one index for mapping the received MMDE to at least one concept structure, wherein the concept database includes concept structures and the generated indices for the at least two MMDEs.
US09672216B2
A method including maintaining a library having a plurality of storage tablets, each storage tablet storing a plurality of hash-to-storage mappings, each mapping a hash value to a storage location at which a block of data is stored, the block of data translating to the hash value pursuant to a hashing algorithm. The method also including upon receipt and/or determination of a new hash for incoming data pursuant to the hashing algorithm: a) querying a tablet cache for a hash-to-storage mapping having the new hash, the tablet cache comprising a subset of storage tablets copied from the library; and/or b) querying a secondary index for a hash-to-storage tablet mapping having the new hash, the secondary index including a plurality of filters, each filter mapping each of a plurality of key hashes to a storage tablet of the library storing that particular key hash in a hash-to-storage mapping.
US09672206B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus system and method for creating a customizable and application-specific semantic similarity utility that uses a single similarity measuring algorithm with data from broad-coverage structured lexical knowledge bases (dictionaries and thesauri) and corpora (document collections). More specifically the invention includes the use of data from custom or application-specific structured lexical knowledge bases and corpora and semantic mappings from variant expressions to their canonical forms. The invention uses a combination of technologies to simplify the development of a generic semantic similarity utility; and minimize the effort and complexity of customizing the generic utility for a domain- or topic-dependent application. The invention makes customization modular and data-driven, allowing developers to create implementations at varying degrees of customization (e.g., generic, domain-level, company-level, application-level) and also as changes occur over time (e.g., when product and service mixes change).
US09672204B2
An automatic paraphrase acquisition technique is provided. A common theme of the various embodiments described herein resides in careful design of simple tasks that can elicit the necessary information for the automated process. These tasks are performed quickly and inexpensively. By gathering the results produced, paraphrases can be generated automatically using the method and/or system.
US09672203B1
Techniques for determining a maturity level of a text string may be provided. For example, the text string may be associated with an electronic book or story, script or closed captioning of a movie or television show, or other text associated with media. The system may analyze the text string to identify actions in the text (e.g., concepts of death, degree of violence, etc.), story complexity (e.g., number of characters, linear/non-linear story flow, etc.), vocabulary (e.g., unique words, complexity of terms, etc.), and other metrics to determine the objective maturity level associated with the text string. The maturity level and/or references to electronic books associated with the particular maturity level may be provided to users and/or used in additional processing and analysis.
US09672199B2
Disclosed are an electronic device and an electronic device control method that can use address information on the basis of an inputted string. The disclosed electronic device is provided with: a memory (44) that stores an address book that has names and address information; input keys (14) for inputting strings; a display unit (21) that displays both an input string inputted via the input keys (14) and a conversion candidate string which is a conversion candidate for the input string; a search execution unit (46) that searches the address book on the basis of an input string inputted via the input keys (14); and a control unit (45) that has the display unit (21) display, as a conversion candidate string, a name or address information that corresponds to the input string and was searched for by the search execution unit (46).
US09672197B2
Embodiments of the invention provide for universal rebranding of a Web site. A method for Web site universal rebranding includes loading source code for a source Web site and source code for a target Web site. The method also includes parsing the source code to identify for each of the source Web site and the target Web site a style sheet framework, one or more icons representative of branded logos, and a color and font scheme. Thereafter, design ontologies for both the source and also the target Web site are generated based upon the respectively identified style sheet frameworks, icons, logos and color and font schemes. Finally, the ontologies can be compared to identify common design elements and the style sheet framework of the target Web site can be modified to incorporate design values for the common design elements drawn from the style sheet of the source Web site.
US09672189B2
The present invention discloses methods for effective network-security inspection in virtualized environments, the methods including the steps of: providing a data packet, embodied in machine-readable signals, being sent from a sending virtual machine to a receiving virtual machine via a virtual switch; intercepting the data packet by a sending security agent associated with the sending virtual machine; injecting the data packet into an inspecting security agent associated with a security virtual machine via a direct transmission channel which bypasses the virtual switch; forwarding the data packet to the security virtual machine by employing a packet-forwarding mechanism; determining, by the security virtual machine, whether the data packet is allowed for transmission; upon determining the data packet is allowed, injecting the data packet back into the sending security agent via the direct transmission channel; and forwarding the data packet to the receiving virtual machine via the virtual switch.
US09672165B1
A method of storing data in a storage system is provided. The method includes writing data, from a virtual machine in a compute node, to a primary storage coupled to the virtual machine and sending a first copy of the data from the compute node to a data node. The method includes writing the first copy of the data from the compute node to an intermediate storage coupled as direct attached storage to the data node, and writing a second copy of data from the intermediate storage to a secondary storage, wherein at least one method operation is performed by a processor. A storage system is also provided.
US09672158B2
Main memory is managed by receiving a command from an application to read data associated with a virtual address that is mapped to the main memory. A memory controller determines that the virtual address is mapped to one of the symmetric memory components of the main memory, and accesses memory use characteristics indicating how the data associated with the virtual address has been accessed, The memory controller determines that the data associated with the virtual address has access characteristics suited to an asymmetric memory component of the main memory and loads the data associated with the virtual address to the asymmetric memory component of the main memory. After the loading and using the memory management unit, a command is received from the application to read the data associated with the virtual address, and the data associated with the virtual address is retrieved from the asymmetric memory component.
US09672146B2
A method is used in retrieving data from data storage systems. A nonvolatile memory module connected to a data storage system is detected. The data storage system uses information stored in the nonvolatile memory module to initiate an action. Based on the information, the action is performed. The action includes retrieving data from the data storage system to the nonvolatile memory module.
US09672144B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for allocating additional requested storage space for a data set in a first managed space in a second managed space. A request for additional storage space is received for a requested data set stored in a first managed space in the storage. A revised amount of storage space for the requested data set comprises at least an amount of space currently allocated to the requested data set in the first managed space and the requested additional storage space. If the revised amount of storage space exceeds a value, then allocation is made of the revised amount of storage space in allocated storage space in a second managed space of the storage. The data set is stored in the allocated storage space in the second managed space.
US09672142B2
A fulfillment test of a computing system having components is performed within a build-to-order test phase. Responsive to the fulfillment test failing, the component that most contributed to the fulfillment test failing is replaced, regardless of whether the given component was determined to be suspect or marginally defective pursuant to a fabrication test previously performed within a build-to-plan test phase. Any other component of that contributed to the fulfillment test failing and that was determined to be suspect or marginally defective pursuant to the fabrication test previously performed within the build-to-plan test phase is also replaced.
US09672139B2
Systems and methods for debugging in a production environment are disclosed. An example method includes first receiving, by a processor, a user request from a development environment to execute a debugging program in a production environment, wherein the production environment is inaccessible by the development environment. The method then approves, by the processor, the execution of the debugging program in the production environment by seeking approval from at least one member from the production environment and the development environment. The method then in response to the approving, transmitting, by the processor, a communication to the production environment to cause the debugging program to be executed in the production environment.
US09672135B2
A debugger executes on a computer system to receive a first debugging command from a client, where the first debugging command sets a first instruction in the reactive application to suspend execution of the reactive application, and where during execution of the reactive application the first instruction is triggered which suspends execution of the reactive application. Responsive to the execution of the reactive application being suspended, a system clock of the reactive application is replaced with a substitute clock and the substitute clock is paused. The debugger then receives a second debugging command, where the second debugging command triggers a second instruction in the reactive application to continue execution of the reactive application. Responsive to the execution of the reactive application being continued, clocking of the substitute clock is continued.
US09672134B2
A controller process loads a module based on a user-generated script into itself. The controller process also generates a shared memory mapping using offset pointers as opposed to absolute pointers. The controller process loads the module and the shared memory mapping into target processes indicated by the user-generated script in order to probe the target processes.
US09672132B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for measuring performance of a multi-thread processor. The method and apparatus determine loading of a multi-thread processor through execution of an idle task in individual threads of the multi-thread processor during predetermined time periods. The idle task is configured to loop and run when no other task is running on the threads. Loop executions of the idle task on each thread are counted over each of the predetermined time periods. From these counts, loading of each of the threads of the multi-thread processor may then be determined. The loading may be used to develop a processor profile that may then be displayed in real-time.
US09672129B2
A testing tray includes a receiving member and a connector. The receiving includes a tray and a latching member. The tray includes a bottom wall, a peripheral sidewall protruded from the bottom wall, a resisting member and a guide groove. The resisting member includes a resisting portion and two elastic portions coupling the resisting portion with the peripheral sidewall. The tray includes at least one latching portion protruded from the peripheral sidewall. The latching member includes a sliding portion slidably mounted on the bottom wall to cover the guide groove and an elastic member located between the sliding portion and the bottom wall. The connector includes a fixed member detachably mounted on the at least one latching portion and a conducting member detachably mounted on the fixed member. The conducting member is capable of coupling the electronic device with a testing device.
US09672123B2
Techniques are disclosed for deploying services in a server cluster environment. Certain techniques are disclosed for deploying services to a cluster based on a replication policy that includes a plurality of configurable parameters. In some embodiments, the configurable parameters (also referred to herein as replication factors) can define a number of nodes to which a service is to be deployed, a number of nodes to which a service is to be prepared, and/or a number of nodes to which a service is replicated. Based on the configurable parameters, the replication policy enables users and/or cluster providers to guarantee different levels of performance and/or reliability.
US09672118B2
A collision is avoided between a new Flashcopy backup and an existing Flashcopy target volume containing an older Flashcopy backup being ingested during one of a mount operation, a restore operation, and a clone operation by dynamically allocating a new Flashcopy target volume for the new Flashcopy backup.
US09672108B2
A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to perform various operations including to receive, via the interface, content retrieval messages for a data object. Then, based on the content retrieval messages for the data object and respectively for each associated data segment, the processing module determines respective groups of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs, retrieves the respective groups of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs from storage units (SUs) within the DSN, and provides the respective groups of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs respectively to recipient device(s).
US09672105B2
A method of operating a data storage device includes generating at least one pseudo noise (PN) sequence using logical information and physical information for the data storage device. The method also includes converting first data into second data using the at least one PN sequence. The logical information may be a logical address for the data storage device, and the physical information may be a physical address for the data storage device.
US09672098B2
Aspects include receiving, at an operating system (OS) executing on a server, a notification that an error was detected during execution of a synchronous I/O operation issued by the OS to a persistent storage control unit (SCU). The notification is received from firmware executing on the server and it includes a command response block that includes error condition information about the error. The method can also include selecting, by the OS, a recovery operation for the synchronous I/O operation. The selecting is based on the error condition information about the error in the command response block. The selected recovery option is performed by the OS.
US09672089B2
A system and method for calculating a bit error rate for a mask is described. For each time during the time duration of the mask, the minimum and maximum voltages of the mask at that time are determined. The maximum bit error rate can be calculated for each time by integrating between those voltages. The maximum bit error rate for all times during the time duration of the mask can be selected as the maximum bit error rate for the mask.
US09672075B2
The present invention discloses a method for implementing hot migration of a virtual machine. In this method, a source virtual machine migration management apparatus on a source physical machine determines non-temporary data memory pages of a virtual machine on the source physical machine, copies the non-temporary data memory pages from the source physical machine to a target physical machine, cyclically copies dirty pages, which are generated in the process of copying the non-temporary data memory pages, from the source physical machine to the target physical machine until a ratio of a quantity of dirty pages which are not yet copied to a quantity of the non-temporary data memory pages is less than a preset value; and performs migration of the virtual machine when the ratio is less than the preset value.
US09672066B2
Systems and methods are described for distributing a 3-dimensional model of a target space, including, but not limited to: determining a position of an object within a target space; encoding the position of the object as RGB values associated with at least one pixel of a base frame; and transmitting the base frame to a user device for decoding the position of the object.
US09672063B2
A method of rasterizing a document using a plurality of threads interprets objects of the document by performing interpreting tasks associated with the objects. Objects associated with different pages are interpreted in parallel. A plurality of rasterizing tasks associated with the performed interpreting tasks are established, each performed interpreting task establishing a plurality of rasterizing tasks. The method estimates an amount of parallelisable work available to be performed using the plurality of threads. The amount of parallelisable work is estimated using the established rasterizing tasks and an expected number of interpreting tasks to be performed. The method selects, based on the estimated amount of parallelisable work, one of (i) an interpreting task to interpret objects of the document, and (ii) a rasterizing task from the established plurality of rasterizing tasks, and then executes the selected task using at least one thread to rasterize the document.
US09672052B1
Among other disclosed subject matter, a system includes a secure execution domain configured to execute trusted processes. The system also includes a hardware virtualization component in the secure execution domain and configured to implement a virtual machine. The virtual machine is a hardware virtualization of a data processing apparatus and includes a shared virtual memory device and a guest software application coupled to the shared virtual memory device. The system also includes a trusted process in the secure execution domain, separate from the virtual machine and coupled to the shared virtual memory device. The trusted process is configured to communicate with the guest software application through the shared virtual memory device. Communication with the guest software application includes secure communication.
US09672048B2
An electronic device and method for operating system waking up thereof are provided. The electronic device includes a processing unit, a timer coupled to the processing unit and a basic input/output system unit (BIOS) coupled to the processing unit. When an operating system operated by the processing unit is in a sleep state and the processing unit receives a wake-up signal, the processing unit executes a wake-up procedure through the BIOS to switch the operating system from the sleep state to a work state, and also controls the timer to start a timing procedure. When the processing unit determines that a timing value of the timing procedure exceeds a threshold and the operating system fails to switch from the sleep state to the work state, the processing unit executes a reset procedure through the BIOS.
US09672047B1
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are disclosed that allow for accessing a bootable partition on a serial peripheral interface device. The device may store a file system image containing an operating system kernel, boot loaders, and other utilities. A firmware stored on the device may include drivers, protocols, and utilities used to make the file system image accessible to high-level firmware protocols operating within a computing system. The file system image may be recognized as a bootable partition and the computing system may be booted from the partition.
US09672041B2
A method for compressing instruction is provided, which includes the following steps. Analyze a program code to be executed by a processor to find one or more instruction groups in the program code according to a preset condition. Each of the instruction groups includes one or more instructions in sequential order. Sort the one or more instruction groups according to a cost function of each of the one or more instruction groups. Put the first X of the sorted one or more instruction groups into an instruction table. X is a value determined according to the cost function. Replace each of the one or more instruction groups in the program code that are put into the instruction table with a corresponding execution-on-instruction-table (EIT) instruction. The EIT instruction has a parameter referring to the corresponding instruction group in the instruction table.
US09672035B2
A data processing apparatus and method are provided for processing execution threads, where each execution thread specifies at least one instruction. The data processing apparatus has a vector processing unit providing a plurality M of lanes of parallel processing, within each lane the vector processing unit being configured to perform a processing operation on a data element input to that lane for each of one or more input operands. A vector instruction is received that is specified by a group of the execution threads, that vector instruction identifying an associated processing operation and also providing an indication of the data elements of each input operand that are to be subjected to that associated processing operation. Vector merge circuitry then determines, based on that information, a required number of lanes of parallel processing for performing the associated processing operation. If it is determined that the required number of lanes is less than or equal to half the available number of lanes within the vector processing unit, then the vector merge circuitry allocates a plurality of the execution threads of the group to the vector processing unit such that each execution thread in that plurality is allocated different lanes amongst the available lanes of parallel processing. As a result, the vector processing unit then performs the associated processing operation in parallel for each of the plurality of execution threads, significantly increasing performance.
US09672030B2
A computer-implemented method includes identifying a primary symbol table associated with a primary source code file and identifying a secondary symbol table associated with a secondary source code file. The computer-implemented further includes receiving a source code association indication. The source code association indication includes at least one association relationship between the primary source code file and the secondary source code file. The computer-implemented further includes creating a comprehensive symbol table. The comprehensive symbol table comprises contents of the primary symbol table and contents of the secondary symbol table. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.
US09672028B1
Systems, apparatuses and methodologies are provided to facilitate firmware update to devices amongst a fleet of managed devices, including scheduling tasks for performing such firmware update to specified devices.
US09672025B2
A vehicle may receive an encrypted software update responsive to an update request to an update server; identify a key offset into a long key stored to the vehicle according to a timestamp of the update request; and decrypt the encrypted software update according to the long key indexed to the key offset. An update server may receive, from a vehicle, an update request including a timestamp and a vehicle identifier; retrieve a long key according to the vehicle identifier; identify a key offset into the long key according to a timestamp of the update request; and encrypt a software update into an encrypted software update to send to the vehicle according to the long key indexed to the key offset.
US09672001B1
An insect decoder and communicator, comprising a user input interface, a microcontroller, a power source, a non-user input, an output interface, and a communication interface to communicate with external devices, where the user input interface, microcontroller, power source, non-user input, output interface, and communication interface are electronically connected, a preset pattern of insect communication from an external device loaded into the microcontroller through the communication interface and stored into memory, and the non-user input connected to the microcontroller and causing the microcontroller to modify the frequency of the preset patterns of insect communication produced by the output interface to accurately emulate patterns of insect communications affected by ambient temperature.
US09671987B2
A printing processor receives print job instructions to combine variable printing information and fixed data to build a print job to be printed using a printing engine. The variable printing information is unrasterized-type data. The printing processor evaluates the print job instructions to determine whether the configuration of the variable printing information is compatible with configurations of different fixed data forms (the fixed data forms are rasterized-type data). The graphic user interface displays menu selections of only the fixed data forms determined to be compatible with the configuration of the variable printing information.
US09671980B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a display device that displays an operation screen with respect to a user; an input device that receives an input operation from the user; a storage device; a work amount log table management circuit that specifies, for each job, an operation type and required time of each of a series of user operations made before executing the job, and stores the operation type and the required time in the storage device as a work amount log; and a work amount calculation circuit that reads out the work amount log from the storage device, specifies, based on the operation type in the work amount log, operations that can be substituted by a workflow that uses an operation aid function registered in the storage device out of the series of user operations, and proposes the substitution of the specified operations by the workflow to the user.
US09671979B2
In an approach for writing data on a tape using a file system, a processor receives a first write request of a first file. A processor obtains data of the first file. A processor writes the data of the first file on a tape. A processor receives a second write request of a second file prior to completion of writing the data of the first file on the tape. A processor adds information about the second file to a first list, wherein the first list includes files waiting to write. Subsequent to writing the data of the first file on the tape, a processor obtains data of the second file based on the first list. A processor writes the data of the second file after the first file on the tape.
US09671974B2
A storage system according to the present invention includes: a block detecting means for checking whether respective block data obtained by division are already stored in a storage device; and a data writing means for storing the respective block data obtained by division with duplicated storage eliminated into the storage device. The block detecting means detects a share rate representing a rate of a shared portion between a plurality of consecutive block data configuring a predetermined range in write target data among the block data obtained by division and a plurality of block data in a predetermined range already stored consecutively in the storage device. The data writing means, depending on the detected share rate, newly stores the block data obtained by division, into the storage device.
US09671970B2
The present disclosure relates to sharing a context on a coherent hardware accelerator among multiple processes. According to one embodiment, in response to a first process requesting to create a shared memory space, a system creates a shared hardware context on the coherent hardware accelerator and binds the first process and the shared memory space to the hardware context. In response to the first process spawning one or more second processes, the system binds the one or more second processes to the shared memory space and the hardware context. Subsequently, the system performs one or more operations initiated by the first process or one of the one or more second processes on the coherent hardware accelerator according to the bound hardware context.
US09671961B2
Memory controller, storage apparatus, information processing system, and control method for the same
There is provided a memory controller that includes an address conversion information buffer that stores address conversion information about a correlation between logical and physical addresses, the physical address including a memory area number, an address conversion section that converts the logical address into the physical address in accordance with the address conversion information, the logical address being in a command issued by a host computer, an allocation information storage section that stores allocation information indicating a correlation between an access size and the memory area number, a memory identification section that outputs the memory area number in accordance with the allocation information, the memory area number corresponding to the access size in the command, and a control section that performs, when the memory area number in the physical address is different from the one identified by the memory identification section, data writing to the identified memory area.
US09671958B2
A method of and system for managing a data set stored on units of storage space in a storage facility is disclosed. The method and system may include identifying prospect extents of the data set. The prospect extents may include a first prospect extent stored on a first unit of storage space and a second prospect extent stored on a second unit of storage space. The method and system may include congregating the first prospect extent and the second prospect extent on a destination unit of storage space in the storage facility.
US09671954B1
The disclosure herein provides for use of tactile feedback devices that may be removably coupled to a touchscreen interface. Aspects of the disclosure provide for the configuration of a virtual control of a device display according to characteristics of a tactile feedback device. The tactile feedback device provides a user with haptic feedback that increases the accuracy of input to the virtual control of the device display while decreasing the visual attention used to provide the input. Aspects allow for input to the virtual control adjacent to the tactile feedback device or via the tactile feedback device.
US09671947B2
The invention relates to a method for editing a media record in a terminal device of a cellular network, which editing means removing at least one portion of the original contents of the media record. The state of the editing is shown on the display of the terminal device with a pointer arrangement according to the invention. The invention also relates to a cellular network terminal device in which the method is utilized. In the terminal device the media record editing is controlled with a program application according to the invention.
US09671945B2
Certain aspects direct to a computing device for launching a virtual machine at a hypervisor. In certain embodiments, the computing device is a thin client or a zero client, which stores a user interface (UI), a first virtual desktop client (VDC) and a communication module. The UI receives input from a user of the computing device, and initializes the first VDC locally. The first VDC communicates with a first virtual machine (VM) hosted by a hypervisor of a remote computer system, receives desktop video display signals from the first VM, and sends signals associated with input from a user to the VM hosted by the hypervisor. The communication module constructs a first web-services message in accordance with a first web services protocol, and sends the first web-services message to the hypervisor, wherein the first web-services message instructs the hypervisor to perform a hypervisor management function.
US09671943B2
A computer-implemented method for touch input via a multi-touch surface includes displaying an input widget via the multi-touch surface, wherein the input widget includes at least one control field and at least one element bar. A finger contact is detected along the multi-touch surface and substantially within the control field or the element bar. In response to detecting the finger contact, the contents of the element bar are adjusted.
US09671930B2
An information display device is provided. The information display device includes a controller for being able to execute a plurality of applications, a user interface for allowing a user to instruct the controller, and a display unit for simultaneously displaying an application selection menu item for allowing the user to select one of the applications and a common menu item that is used in common between different applications, and an information image created by execution of the selected application. The display unit is configured to display the information image, the application selection menu item, and the common menu item at substantially the same positions on a display screen of the display unit, regardless of which application is selected.
US09671928B2
Devices and systems are provided for controlling electronic devices using a mobile remote control device. A mobile remote control device provides an interface to control a plurality of electronic devices. The mobile device has a unique identifier, and the electronic device transmits a presentation of a remote control to the mobile device. A user of the mobile device controls the electronic device by operating the “virtual” remote control displayed on the mobile device. The user may further define his or her custom remote control. The user may define batches of commands, or “macros” that transmit a specific series of commands to one or more electronic devices. Proximity and motion of a mobile device may be used as an input, such that the electronic devices are programmed to react in specific ways depending upon the position and movement of the user of the mobile device.
US09671927B2
System and method involving user interfaces and remote control devices. More specifically, these user interfaces may be particularly useful for providing an intuitive and user friendly interaction between a user and a device or application using a display, e.g., at a “10 foot” interaction level. The user interfaces may be specifically designed for interaction using a simple remote control device having a limited number of inputs. For example, the simple remote control may include directional inputs (e.g., up, down, left, right), a confirmation input (e.g., ok), and possibly a mute input. The user interface may be customized based on current user activity or other contexts (e.g., based on current or previous states), the user logging in (e.g., using a communication device), etc. Additionally, the user interface may allow the user to adjust cameras whose video are not currently displayed, rejoin previously left videoconferences, and/or any of a variety of desirable actions.
US09671925B2
An object of the present invention is to display measurement result with maintaining good visibility for a peripheral part of measurement area. The image display device of the present invention comprises a cursor processing part that performs control for generating an area cursor 81 that indicates a measurement area on a medical image, an identification label 83 including identification information for specifically identifying the area cursor 81, and a result label 82 including the identification information and a measurement result, and displaying them on a screen, and an operation part that receives an operation of setting the area cursor and moving the result label. When the area cursor 81 is set, the result label 82 is attached to the area cursor 81, and they are displayed. Then, an operation for moving the result label 82 is performed, the result label 82 is separated from the area cursor 81, and made movable, an identification label 83 is attached to the area cursor 81 instead of the result label 82, and they are displayed.
US09671914B2
A display device includes a substrate and a touch electrode layer disposed on the substrate. The touch electrode layer includes a touch electrode having a mesh pattern. The density of the mesh pattern in a central portion of the touch electrode is different from the density of the mesh pattern at an outer portion of the touch.
US09671910B2
An electronic device may include a first controller associated with some channels of a digitizer having channels configured to receive a signal from a stylus, and with each channel having a direction. A second controller may be associated with channels of the digitizer not associated with the first controller. The first controller may scan for the signal at each channel associated with the first controller, and based on acquisition of the signal at a given channel associated with the first controller, calculate a property of the signal. The first controller may send the calculated property and the direction of the given channel to the second controller. The first controller and the second controller may scan for the signal at each channel having the direction of the given channel, at acquisition intervals based upon the calculated property.
US09671908B2
The present subject matter relates to a touch panel, a driving method thereof, and a display device, for multi-touch function of an in cell capacitive touch panel in a twisted nematic mode. The touch panel includes an array substrate and a color filter substrate arranged oppositely, and a liquid crystal layer formed therebetween. The array substrate includes gate lines, data lines and pixel units each formed by adjacent gate lines and adjacent data lines arranged crosswise. Each pixel unit includes a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode, and the color filter substrate includes common electrodes. The pixel electrodes load data signals through the data lines in a display period, and load driving signals through the data lines in a touch-control period. The common electrodes load common electrode signals through common electrode lines in the display period, and output sensing signals through the common electrode lines in the touch-control period.
US09671901B2
A first electrode pattern 25a and a second electrode pattern 25b, each composed of an opaque conductive fine line and a blank part 17 partitioned by the conductive fine line, have line segments 16a of the conductive fine lines 16, that face each other across a substrate 12, and the conductive fine line 16 in one of the first electrode pattern 25a and the second electrode pattern 25b is formed narrower in line width than that in the other of the first electrode pattern 25a and the second electrode pattern 25b only at the facing line segment 16a, thereby designed to have a non-uniform width.
US09671892B2
An input apparatus, a display apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The input apparatus includes a communication transceiver which is configured to communicate with the display apparatus; a touch sensor which is configured to receive a touch input; and a controller which is configured to divide an input area of the touch sensor into a plurality of areas, and in response to the touch sensor receiving a touch input that ends in at least one setting area of the plurality of areas, sense a change in one of coordinate values X and Y with respect to the received touch input, and control the communication transceiver to transmit a command to the display apparatus corresponding to the sensed change.
US09671890B2
A process for enabling objects displayed on a multi-input display device to be grouped together is disclosed that includes defining a target element that enables objects displayed on a multi-input display device to be grouped together through interaction with the target element. Operations are invoked that establish a relationship between a particular displayed object and a position on the target element and that causes transformations applied to the target element also to be applied to the particular displayed object while maintaining the relationship between the particular displayed object and the position on the target element.
US09671884B2
An apparatus and a method for operating a multimedia apparatus and performing wireless charging of a portable apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes: a communicator configured to perform a communication with a multimedia apparatus; a touch pad configured to generate an input signal according to an input generated from an external source; and a controller configured to verify an input position generated in the touch pad so that a point is displayed on a position of the multimedia apparatus that is identical to the position where the input is generated, and provide the verified input position to the multimedia apparatus.
US09671882B2
Provided is a multi-touch screen device that may calculate x and y orthogonal coordinates of a touch area even if a receiving/transmitting element is arranged on only one of the x-axis and the y-axis. The receiving/transmitting element is not arranged on both the x-axis and the y-axis so that an infrared ray scans a touch area in a matrix configuration, but an infrared receiving/transmitting element is arranged on only one of the x-axis and y-axis so that one receiving module sequentially scans the touch area using a right-angle scan measurement signal and an oblique-angle scan measurement signal. The multi-touch screen device may decrease the number of receiving/transmitting elements for use and solve a ghost image problem that occurs in a multi-touch operation that uses infrared rays.
US09671875B2
There is provided an information processing device including a movement information acquisition part acquiring information which is based on movement of an operation device, and a control information generation part generating, based on the information, control information for changing a display status continuously in a non-linear manner according to the movement.
US09671863B2
Computationally implemented methods and systems include detecting one or more user reactions of a user in response to a display to the user of an augmented view of an actual scene from a real environment, the augmented view that was displayed including one or more augmentations, and correlating the detected one or more user reactions with at least one or more aspects associated with the one or more augmentations that were included in the augmented view that was presented. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
US09671857B2
Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting an input parameter to a power domain in a portable computing device are disclosed. The power domain includes two or more processing resources that share a power source. Dynamic use of the two or more processing resources creates an opportunity to adjust the input parameter when a status change associated with a processing resource in the power domain occurs. A controller in the power domain includes logic that responds to a status indicator associated with a respective processing resource in the power domain by generating a control signal that directs a device to adjust one or both of input voltage and clock frequency.
US09671856B2
A pipeline-based processor and method. The method includes partitioning a particular pipeline into one or more base pipeline stages and a plurality of enhanced pipeline stages, each enhanced pipeline stage configured to be either a shutdown enhanced pipeline stage or an activated enhanced pipeline stage. Each enhanced pipeline stage has an enhanced stage priority level. The method also includes configuring each enhanced pipeline stage to be activated or shut down based at least on the enhanced stage priority level. The method additionally includes partitioning a particular pipeline stage into at least one base module and a plurality of enhanced modules, each enhanced pipeline stage configured to be either a shutdown enhanced pipeline stage or an activated enhanced pipeline stage. Each enhanced module has a particular priority level. The method further includes configuring each enhanced module to be activated or shut down based at least on the particular priority level.
US09671853B2
In an embodiment, a processor includes at least one core and energy performance gain (EPG) logic to determine an EPG frequency based on a first value of an EPG. The EPG is based upon energy consumed by the processor and upon performance of the processor. The processor also includes a clock generator to generate a frequency of operation of the at least one core based on the EPG frequency. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09671851B2
Systems and methods for prediction of activity session for mobile network use optimization and user experience enhancement are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system for enhancing user experience with a mobile application on a mobile device including, using user activity characteristics at a mobile device and server activity characteristics of a host server to anticipate a future activity session at the mobile device and transferring impending content from the host server the mobile device to pre-cache content on the mobile device to support predicted data activity for the future activity session that has been predicted.
US09671850B2
Technologies are generally described to provide a leakage current variability based power management of a processor. According to some examples, instruction counters and aggregated power consumption of the processor may be used to process power measurements of the processor into linear equations. The linear equations may be processed to produce a set of leakage values for the processor. In an example scenario, computation data from a power controller and processor instruction counters (PICs) of a core of the processor may be used to determine the leakage current variability of the core. A table of linear combination samples may be generated from the computation data. A micro-architectural leakage map of the core may be generated from the linear combination samples within the table.
US09671848B2
A redundant power supply circuit includes a port detection circuit, a fixed state detection circuit, a voltage conversion circuit, and a control circuit. The port detection circuit detects and outputs a plurality of ready signals according to a plurality of power signals of a number of POE ports. The fixed state detection circuit outputs first control signals according to a predetermined voltage signal of a network device. The control circuit generates and sends enable signals to the voltage conversion circuit according to the first control signals and the plurality of ready signals. The voltage conversion circuit converts the plurality of power signals into driving voltage signals according to the enable signals. A POE system and method are also provided.
US09671847B2
In a semiconductor device for power management and a semiconductor system including the same, the semiconductor device includes an open loop source generator configured to generate an open loop source, an interface configured to output a dynamic voltage source (DVS) code based on the open loop source, a monitoring unit configured to receive a power supply voltage generated based on the DVS code as a feedback and generate a monitoring signal, and a phase difference measurement unit configured to compare the open loop source with the monitoring signal and set a hold time corresponding to an arithmetic period in a closed loop.
US09671840B2
In a method for designating cooling fan control management in a computing system, a processor causes one or more cooling fans to be managed by a first process, wherein the first process utilizes a first set of temperature sensors of a plurality of temperature sensors. A processor receives temperature data from a first set of temperature sensors. A processor determines a second process to manage the one or more cooling fans, based on the received temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors, wherein the second process utilizes a second set of temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors.
US09671838B2
An IHS chassis defines an IHS housing that houses a plurality of IHS components. The IHS chassis includes an outer surface located opposite the IHS chassis from the IHS housing. A first layer of the IHS chassis provides the outer surface of the IHS chassis. The first layer includes a first layer oxidized surface located opposite the first layer from the outer surface of the chassis base. A second layer of the chassis base is located immediately adjacent the IHS housing. The second layer includes a carbide-based composite material that provides a thermal conductivity of less than 1 watt per meter-kelvin in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the outer surface of the IHS chassis, while providing a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/mK in directions that are generally parallel to the outer surface of the IHS chassis.
US09671837B2
A method, apparatus, and system in which an air dam is incorporated into an air ventilation stream of a datacenter to control the temperature of an interior space of the datacenter. The datacenter may include a raised floor in which the ventilation stream is injected through perforations within the raised floor. An air dam may be positioned at an entry region of the under floor plenum to obstruct the flow of air from a supply air plenum. The air dam is used to create a positive pressure across the raised floor at a substantially constant pressure distribution.
US09671836B2
A memory system includes c-shell units, PCBs, and a controller logic. The c-shell units are positioned side-by-side adjacent each other. Each c-shell unit has at least two sled-less memory bays and the sled-less memory bays are positioned vertically relative to each other. Each of the sled-less memory bays receives a memory device. A PCB is vertically mounted to a corresponding c-shell unit. The control logic controls access to and from the memory devices so that it manages storing data to the memory devices and retrieving data from the memory devices. Each PCB comprises traces to route signals between the control logic and the memory devices.
US09671830B2
An electronic device including a main body and a stand module is provided. The stand module includes a supporting component and a sliding component. The supporting component is pivoted to the main body. The sliding component is slidably disposed to the main body and has an end. The sliding component is adapted to slide to a first position such that the end protrudes out of the main body. The end is adapted to receive an external force to move inside the main body, such that the sliding component slides to a second position and drives the supporting component to expand from the main body.
US09671826B2
The disclosure relates to systems and methods of transferring/storing digital content, and/or providing haptic feedback via wearable devices directly or indirectly responsive to an event such as a communication, an event occurring in an electronic environment and/or physical environment, the transfer of digital content, and/or other events. Wearable devices may be worn at various locations on a body of the user. Each location may be associated with a wearable device. Different haptic feedback may be provided at different locations based on the event such that the events may be distinguished or otherwise identified based on the location at which haptic feedback is provided. The locations may be stored in a configuration of wearable devices that act as a mapping of the wearable devices. The locations and/or haptic feedback itself may be varied based on the context and/or properties such as size of digital content or status of the transfer.
US09671823B2
A housing includes an upper cover and a lower cover coupled to the upper cover. The upper cover includes a first glass shell with U-shaped cross section, and a first plastic frame attached to the first glass shell. The first glass shell includes a display portion, and a decorative coating layer defined on a surface of the first glass shell toward the first plastic frame. The decorative coating layer surrounds the display portion and extends from the display portion to edge of the first glass shell. The present disclosure also provides an electronic device using the housing.
US09671821B2
A synchronization apparatus between an AVN system and a digital clock of a vehicle may include: a clock driving unit configured to transmit a clock information signal; a microcomputer configured to analyze the clock information signal when the clock information signal is received from the clock driving unit, update clock information according to the analysis result, and transmit the updated clock information to an external clock module; and the external clock module configured to display the clock information transmitted from the microcomputer.
US09671819B2
A digital filter with a pipeline structure includes processing structures timed by respective clock signals. Each processing structure in turn is formed by a number of processing modules for processing input samples. A phase generator aligns the processing modules with the input samples so that each input sample is processed by a respective one of the processing modules. An up-sampling buffer and a down-sampling buffer are used when the processing structures operate at different clock frequencies (thus implementing different clock domains) so as to convert signal samples between the clock domains for processing in the processing structures.
US09671818B2
According to one embodiment, a memory controller sends a periodic control signal from a first terminal on a non-volatile memory side to the non-volatile memory, and the control signal includes a data strobe signal, a write enable signal, and a read enable signal.
US09671813B2
A trigger switch has a case member, a cover member, and an operation member configured to be used to carry out an operation. The case member and the cover member are combined with each other to form a waterproof case. When the operation member is operated, the operation member is displaced inward of the waterproof case. An internal pressure of the waterproof case changes in accordance with displacement of the operation member. The case member has a case base that is made from an inelastic body. The case base does not deform in accordance with a change in internal pressure of the waterproof case. The case base has at least one hole part. The case member has at least one deformation section that seals the at least one hole part. The deformation section is made from an elastic body.
US09671804B2
The present document relates to multi-stage amplifiers, such as linear regulators (e.g. low-dropout regulators). A method and a circuit for reducing leakage current of such multi-stage amplifiers is presented. A voltage regulator is described. The voltage regulator comprises a pass device configured to provide a load current at a regulated output voltage to an output node of the voltage regulator. A source of the pass device is coupled to a first potential of the voltage regulator. Furthermore, the voltage regulator comprises drive circuitry configured to control the pass device via a gate of the pass device, based on a reference voltage and based on a feedback voltage derived from the output voltage. In addition, the voltage regulator comprises leakage reduction circuitry configured to pull-up the gate of the pass device using a second potential; wherein the second potential is higher than the first potential.
US09671797B2
Provided herein is a system and method for tuning the operation of a turbine and optimizing the mechanical life of a heat recovery steam generator. Provided therewith is a turbine controller, sensor means for sensing operational parameters, control means for adjusting operational control elements. The controller is adapted to tune the operation of the gas turbine in accordance preprogrammed steps in response to operational priorities selected by a user. The operational priorities preferably comprise optimal heat recovery steam generator life.
US09671793B2
A multi-phase flow meter includes a flow conduit leading from an inlet to an outlet and including a variable inlet restriction, a variable outlet restriction, a pressure sensor and a volumetric flow meter, located between the variable inlet restriction and the variable outlet restriction. The flow meter further includes a controller adapted to receive data from the pressure sensor and the volumetric flow meter, and to adjust the variable inlet restriction and the variable outlet restriction in accordance with at least one program. The program causes the controller to adjust one of the variable inlet restriction and the variable outlet restriction.
US09671788B2
In one embodiment of a method for reducing vertical position errors of an aircraft, the displacement of the aircraft from a commanded vertical path may be determined. A determination may be made as to whether a magnitude of a vertical path error meets criteria. No more steps of the method may be followed if the vertical path error does not meet the criteria, while the vertical path error may be converted into a delta lift command if the vertical path error meets the criteria. The delta lift command may be limited. The delta lift command may be converted into lateral surface position commands for control surfaces. The lateral surface position commands may be communicated to lateral control surface actuators to move the control surfaces according to the lateral surface position commands.
US09671786B2
A method is provided for the automatic generation of a robotic devices, where the method comprises the steps of receiving user input to determine a task specification for one or more tasks for the robotic device, determining a task list comprising one or more tasks based on the provided task specification, determining based on the task list provided, one or more mechanical components, one or more processing components, and logic components required to execute one or more tasks; and generating the logic components required to execute one or more tasks, and embedding the logic components onto a recordable medium associated with the robotic device.
US09671782B2
There is provided an autonomous driving device that improves the convenience for a driver in the switching between autonomous driving and manual driving. When the driver discovers an obstacle which cannot be detected by an autonomous driving device, and performs a driving operation which causes a manual driving switching threshold value to be exceeded for an operation time less than or equal to an operation threshold value so as to avoid the obstacle, a control unit of the autonomous driving device switches autonomous driving to manual driving, and then the control unit switches manual driving to autonomous driving even if the driver does not perform an autonomous driving switching operation. For this reason, it is possible to improve the convenience for the driver in the switching between autonomous driving and manual driving.
US09671777B1
A disclosed system includes a physically plausible virtual runtime environment to simulate a real-life environment for the simulated robot and a test planning and testing component operable to receive task data based used to create a plurality of plausible tests for at least one robot control program. The plurality of plausible tests is designed to execute at least one task associated with the task data. The test planning and testing component is further operable to define test parameters for each of the plurality of plausible tests. The system further includes a robot controller operable to execute the plurality of plausible tests substantially simultaneously on the simulated robot, analyze results of the execution to select an optimized robot control program from the at least one robot control program, and based on the analysis, selectively optimize the test associated with the optimized robot control program.
US09671769B2
An ECU monitoring system includes: an ECU that includes an input interface unit, a computer unit, and an output interface unit; a storage unit that stores a normal input signal and a normal output signal; a comparing unit that calculates a compared difference by comparing the current input signal with a previous input signal stored in the storage unit, and outputs an alarming signal showing the current input signal is abnormal, when the compared difference is out of a predetermined range; and a circulator that receives the output signal, provides the output signal when the output signal is a normal output signal, and provides a normal output signal to the output interface unit, instead of the output signal outputted from the computer in response to the abnormal input signal, when receiving the alarming signal from the comparing unit.
US09671751B2
An image forming apparatus cartridge includes a casing, a developer roller having an axis L1, and coupling member having an axis L2. The coupling member includes (i) a first end portion operatively connected with the developer roller, (ii) a second end portion having an outermost surface, (iii) an axle portion connecting the first end portion and the second end portion to each other, and (iv) at least one projection extending from the second end portion. For at least part of the outermost surface of the second end portion, a maximum distance from the axis L2 to the outermost surface along a line perpendicular to the axis L2 increases as the distance along the axis L2 from the axle portion increases.
US09671739B2
A sheet-conveying device has a guide member that constitutes a sheet-conveying route, a plurality of rollers and a control portion that performs a sheet-position correction operation. The plurality of rollers is provided at plural portions of the guide member. Each roller projects from the guide member, contacts a sheet and rotates together with the conveyance of the sheet. The control portion searches the roller(s) 6 arranged at positions that may contact the end surface of the sheet along the width direction thereof in the register fluctuation operation to produce positional information of the roller(s) to be escaped. The control portion escapes the roller(s) specified by the positional information of the roller(s) to be escaped before a register fluctuation operation starts.
US09671730B2
According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes determination means for determining the size of a medium, heating means for including plural heat-generating members which are two-dimensionally arranged such that the heat-generating members are lined up along two parallel lines or more which are vertical to a transport direction of the medium and divided at locations on the parallel lines, and are disposed so as to come into contact with an inner side of the rotating body, and a switching unit which switches individual conduction, and heats the medium, pressing means for forming a nip by performing pressing and contact at a position of the plural heat-generating members, and heating control means for selecting a group of the heat-generating members which are lined up in the two-dimensional arrangement, conducting the selected group of the heat-generating members, and controlling the heating means.
US09671724B2
In a constitution of primary-transfer-high-voltage-less in which a power source dedicated to primary-transfer, in the case where voltage applications for determining primary-transfer and secondary-transfer voltages are carried out concurrently, there is a possibility of improper primary-transfer. The possibility is decreased by controlling a power source so that a voltage drop of a Zener diode maintains a Zener breakdown voltage.
US09671721B1
A toner cartridge includes a shell, a sleeve and a knocking block. The shell has an internal space, an opening communicating with the internal space and exterior of the shell, and an imaginary axis. The shell is rotatable about the imaginary axis. The sleeve is disposed at an outside of the shell and includes an internal path extended along an imaginary line not parallel to the imaginary axis, and two stopping portions located at two ends of the internal path. The knocking block is accommodated in the internal path, and movable along the internal path to knock the stopping portion when the shell rotates, so as to vibrate the shell, so that the carbon powder sticking on the inner wall of the toner cartridge can be shaken off and then discharged by the toner cartridge. Therefore, the remnant carbon powder in the toner cartridge is effectively decreased.
US09671710B2
The present disclosure relates to a chemically prepared toner composition including a toner particle having a core including a first polymer binder, an styrene acrylic encapsulated crystalline polyester latex, a pigment, a wax, and a shell formed around the core including a second polymer binder and method to make the same. The disclosed method of preparing the toner results in a change in the distribution of the components of the toner particle wherein the lower molecular weight resins, the pigment, and the wax are located away from the surface of the toner particle.
US09671706B2
An electrophotographic photoconductor including a support, an undercoat layer overlying the support, and a photosensitive layer overlying the undercoat layer is provided. The undercoat layer includes zinc oxide particles and a binder resin. The undercoat layer has a voltage (V)-current (I) characteristics such that, when S1 is a value obtained by integrating current (I [A]) in terms of voltage (V [V]) from 0 to a distribution voltage VUL [V] distributed to the undercoat layer, and S2 is a value obtained by integrating a line connecting two points at a voltage (V [V]) of 0 and the distribution voltage VUL [V] in terms of voltage (V [V]) from 0 to the distribution voltage VUL [V], S1 is within a range of from 1.0×10−4 to 1.0×10−2 and a ratio (S1/S2) of S1 to S2 is 0.50 or less.
