US09756450B1

A system for automating setup of a station on one among a plurality of wireless home networks each associated with a distinct subscriber and each including a wireless access point (WAP) node supporting wireless communications with an associated set of station nodes. A station provisioner circuit couples to the WAP nodes to acquire credentials for a new station prior to delivery to an identified one of the subscribers; and to inject the acquired credentials into a corresponding one of the WAP nodes which services the wireless network of the identified one of the subscribers. A secure link management circuit on the corresponding one of the WAP nodes utilizes the acquired credentials from the station provisioner circuit for identification of the new station shipped to the identified subscriber; and for setup of a secure wireless communication link between the new station and the corresponding WAP node which services the subscriber's wireless home network.
US09756446B2

An audio receiver that performs crosstalk cancellation using a speaker array is described. The audio receiver detects the location of a listener in a room and processes a piece of sound program content to be output through the speaker array using one or more beam pattern matrices. The beam pattern matrices are generated according to one or more constraints. The constraints may include increasing a right channel and decreasing a left channel at the right ear of the listener, increasing a left channel and decreasing a right channel at the left ear of the listener, and decreasing sound in all other areas of the room. These constraints cause the audio receiver to beam sound primarily towards the listener and not in other areas of the room such that crosstalk cancellation is achieved with minimal effects due to changes to the frequency response of the room. Other embodiments are also described.
US09756444B2

In some embodiments, a method for rendering an audio program indicative of at least one source, including by panning the source along a trajectory comprising source locations using speakers organized as a mesh whose faces are convex N-gons, where N can vary from face to face, and N is not equal to three for at least one face of the mesh, including steps of: for each source location, determining an intersecting face of the mesh (including the source location's projection on the mesh), thereby determining a subset of the speakers whose positions coincide with the intersecting face's vertices, and determining gains (which may be determined by generalized barycentric coordinates) for speaker feeds for driving each speaker subset to emit sound perceived as emitting from the source location corresponding to the subset. Other aspects include systems configured (e.g., programmed) to perform any embodiment of the method.
US09756435B2

A method to determine if a feature of a hearing assistance device may include transmitting, from a hearing assistance device application to a hearing assistance device, a request to determine if a feature is supported by the hearing assistance device; receiving, from the hearing assistance device, a response message identifying the feature as supported by the hearing assistance device; determining that the feature of the hearing assistance device is supported by the hearing assistance device application; and based on the determination, configuring the hearing assistance device application to control the feature of the hearing assistance device.
US09756432B2

A container for storage of hearing aids. The container has storage tubes, one for each hearing aid of a pair of hearing aids, and a center piece to which the storage tube attach. Attachment of the storage tubes can be by threaded engagement. The container has a desiccant pack for drying the hear aids, an o-ring closure for waterproofness, and a padded inner wall for protection of hearings aids.
US09756428B1

An electro-acoustic transducer includes a base, a plurality of vibration portions and a connection portion. Each of the vibration portion includes a piezoelectric transduction layer and has a first connection end and a second connection end opposite to each other, and the first connection ends are connected to the base. The connection portion is separated from the base and connected to the second connection ends. The piezoelectric transduction layers are adapted to receive electrical signals to deform, such that the vibration portions are driven to vibrate and generate corresponding acoustic waves. The vibration portions are adapted to receive acoustic waves to vibrate, such that the piezoelectric transduction layers are driven to deform and generate corresponding electrical signals.
US09756416B2

Disclosed is a loudspeaker module, which comprises a loudspeaker unit and a peripheral frame comprising an upper housing and a lower housing; a front acoustic cavity and a rear acoustic cavity are respectively defined as a space between the loudspeaker unit and the upper housing, and a space between the loudspeaker unit and the lower housing; a sound hole in communication with the front acoustic cavity is provided on peripheral frame, and an inverted tube is provided in peripheral frame. The loudspeaker module of the present invention is provided with inverted tube in communication with rear acoustic cavity, so that low-frequency acoustic effect of products can be enhanced, and heat dissipation of rear acoustic cavity and balance of atmospheric pressures can be achieved; inverted tube and loudspeaker unit share front acoustic cavity and sound hole, which is beneficial to increasing size of loudspeaker unit and improving acoustic performance of products.
US09756409B2

A loudspeaker cover (1) has a carrier frame (2) and a sound-permeable loudspeaker covering panel (3) attached to the carrier frame (2). A light exit opening (7) is formed between the loudspeaker covering panel (3) and the carrier frame (2). A lighting device (4) having at least one lightguide (40) and at least one lighting unit are arranged so that, during operation, light can be input into the lightguide (40). The lightguide (40) is arranged between the carrier frame (2) and the loudspeaker covering panel (3) and extends in the circumferential direction of the carrier frame (2). As a result, at least a portion of the light exiting a lateral surface of the lightguide (40) can propagate into the surroundings through the light exit opening (7). The carrier frame (2) is connected at least in certain sections in a materially joined fashion to the loudspeaker covering panel (3).
US09756399B2

A remote engagement system for a live event includes at least one output device located at the live event for providing an audio and/or visual output to people at the live event. A controller receives signals transmitted from a plurality of user input devices and in response thereto and in real time or near real time, controls the at least one output device located at the live event to provide an audio and/or visual output to people at the live event.
US09756395B1

Systems and methods are disclosed for restricting access to content elements with content ratings. In one method, the content distributor can receive a request from a device to access a set of content elements. The content distributor can then identify at least a content descriptor and a content rating for each content element within the set of content elements, identify a range within the content ratings, and identify content elements with content ratings that are within the range. The content distributor can transmit at least the content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are within the range to the device for display on the device. This permits a device user to access the content elements by content descriptor. In this method, at least some content descriptors for content elements having content ratings that are outside of the range are not transmitted to the device.
US09756381B2

An apparatus of processing a digital service signals and a method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes a receiving module configured to receive the digital service signals having contents and receive URL information for additional data related to the contents, an extracting module configured to extract logo data for indicating contents provider from each of the video frames of the contents, wherein the logo data is located in a specific area in the each of the video frames, a comparing module configured to compare the extracted logo data with stored logo data to obtain channel information of the contents, an obtaining module configured to obtain the channel information of the contents from metadata related to the logo data and obtain the additional data related to the contents and a generating module configured to generate a request for obtaining the URL information using the obtained channel information, wherein the receiving module receives the URL information using the generated request, wherein the obtaining module obtains the additional data over an IP (Internet Protocol network) according to the URL information.
US09756380B2

A broadcast receiver and a 3D broadcast data processing method are disclosed. The processing method includes receiving a broadcast signal including system information (SI) and video data, parsing SI of a program, and determining whether the program provides a 3D broadcast service on the basis of the SI, extracting, if the program provides a 3D broadcast service, 3D broadcast data corresponding to the 3D broadcast service, and processing the 3D video data according to the SI. The broadcast receiver includes a receiving unit receiving a broadcast signal including SI and video data, an SI processor parsing system information of a program, and determining whether the program provides a 3D broadcast service on the basis of the SI, a demultiplexer extracting, if the program provides a 3D broadcast service, 3D broadcast data corresponding to a 3D broadcast service, and a video processing unit processing 3D video data according to the SI.
US09756366B2

A method of processing broadcast data includes: performing RS encoding and CRC encoding on mobile service data to generate an RS frame belonging to an ensemble including a signaling information table including access information of the mobile service data and identification information for identifying a stream where keys to decrypt the mobile service data are obtained; mapping a portion of data in the RS frame to a group including known data sequences, FIC data, and TPC data, wherein the FIC data includes information for rapid mobile service acquisition, and the TPC data includes FIC version information for indicating an update of the FIC data; and transmitting a broadcast signal including the group. The group further includes data blocks. First, fourth, fifth and sixth known data sequences are inserted into third, fifth, sixth and seventh data blocks, respectively. Second and third known data sequences are inserted into a fourth data block.
US09756360B2

In an example, aspects of this disclosure relate to a method for decoding transform coefficients in a video decoding process that includes decoding a one-dimensional array of transform coefficients, and performing a scan on the one-dimensional array of transform coefficients according to a sub-block scan order and a coefficient scan order to produce a block of transform coefficients, where the sub-block scan order comprises an order in which each sub-block of a plurality of sub-blocks within the block is scanned, and where the coefficient scan order comprises an order in which the transform coefficients corresponding to each sub-block of the plurality of sub-blocks are scanned.
US09756351B2

The disclosure provides a video encoder. The video encoder receives a frame and divides the frame into a plurality of tiles. The video encoder includes a plurality of video processing engines communicatively coupled with each other. Each video processing engine receives a tile of the plurality of tiles. A height of each tile is equal to a height of the frame and each tile comprises a plurality of rows. The plurality of video processing engines includes a first and a second video processing engine. The second video processing engine being initiated after the first video processing engines processes M rows of the plurality of rows of the tile, where M is an integer.
US09756343B2

Systems and methods for ensuring that images are compressed in a format that may be decompressed at a speed that is acceptable to a particular user and/or viewing environment are disclosed herein.
US09756334B2

A digital television system performing modulation/demodulation by VSB (vestigial side band) is provided. The invention includes a VSB transmitter including an additional error correction encoder designed such that a signal mapping of a TCM encoder is considered, a multiplexer (MUX), a TCM encoder operating in correspondence with state transition processes of the additional error correction encoder, and a signal transmission part including an RF converter. The invention further includes a VSB receiver including a signal receiver part receiving a signal transmitted from the transmitter, a TCM decoder, a signal processing part including a derandomizer, and an additional error correction decoder part.
US09756316B2

Multi-view autostereoscopic displays provide an immersive, glasses-free 3D viewing experience, but they preferably use correctly filtered content from multiple viewpoints. The filtered content, however, may not be easily obtained with current stereoscopic production pipelines. The proposed method and system takes a stereoscopic video as an input and converts it to multi-view and filtered video streams that may be used to drive multi-view autostereoscopic displays. The method combines a phase-based video magnification and an interperspective antialiasing into a single filtering process. The whole algorithm is simple and may be efficiently implemented on current GPUs to yield real-time performance. Furthermore, the ability to retarget disparity is naturally supported. The method is robust and works transparent materials, and specularities. The method provides superior results when compared to the state-of-the-art depth-based rendering methods. The method is showcased in the context of a real-time 3D videoconferencing system.
US09756314B2

A three-dimensional image processing apparatus includes: a distance image generating part capable of generating a distance image based on a plurality of images captured in an image capturing part; a pattern generating part for generating a first projection pattern and a second projection pattern whose fringe direction is different from that of the first projection pattern as a plurality of projection patterns obtained by changing a fringe direction of a projection pattern; and an incorrect-height determining part for making comparison in height information of a corresponding portion of an inspection target between a first distance image, generated in the distance image generating part based on a first pattern projected image, and a second distance image, generated based on a second pattern projected image, to determine height information of a portion where a difference not smaller than a predetermined value has occurred as incorrect.
US09756309B2

A broadcast receiver and a 3D video data processing method are disclosed. A three dimensional (3D) video data processing method for use in a broadcast receiver includes receiving a broadcast signal including three dimensional (3D) video data, extracting display condition information of the 3D video data from the broadcast signal, and controlling an output of the 3D video data using the extracted display condition information.
US09756306B2

Artifact reduction method and apparatus, and image processing method and apparatus are provided. The artifact reduction apparatus includes a scaling-down unit, a buffer unit, an artifact detection unit, a scaling-up unit and a filter unit. The scaling-down unit scales down a resolution of a current original image frame to obtain a current low-resolution image frame. The artifact detection unit performs an artifact detection to the current low-resolution image frame to obtain low-resolution weights in accordance with a relation of the current low-resolution image frame and a previous low-resolution image frame provided by the buffer unit. The scaling-up unit scales up a number of the low-resolution weights to obtain a high-resolution weights. By using the high-resolution weights, the filter unit performs an image processing procedure to the current original image frame for reducing artifact of the current original image frame and obtaining an adjusted image frame.
US09756299B2

A handheld digital drawing and projection device is provided. The device includes a screen for receiving a user input. In embodiments, a stylus tethered to the device provides the user input at the screen. The device further includes a determining component for determining an output corresponding to the received user input. A projector for projecting the determined output onto an external projection surface is also included. In some embodiments, the projector further projects a display environment, which includes one or more projected elements.
US09756298B2

A color filter array includes a plurality of tiled minimal repeating units, each minimal repeating unit comprising an M×N set of individual filters. Each minimal repeating unit includes a plurality of imaging filters including individual filters having at least first, second, and third photoresponses, and at least one reference filter having a reference photoresponse, wherein the reference filter is positioned among the imaging filters and wherein the reference photoresponse transmits substantially the same percentage of wavelengths that remain unfiltered by filters of a different photoresponse than the incident wavelength. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US09756296B2

According to one aspect, personalized vehicle ambient lighting on a vehicle is provided. Presence information associated with a user is detected. Image color information is captured from an image is taken by a camera such that the user is within the image. Image color information associated with the user is extracted from the image. Red, green, blue (RGB) color values indicative of a color associated with the user are created. A light emitting diode (LED) activation scheme based on the RGB color values associated with the user is generated. Portions of a plurality of RGB LEDs are activated based on the LED activation scheme.
US09756291B2

Provided is a display room mirror system, including a display module that outputs images captured by a first camera and a second camera, so that the driver can secure his or her field of vision for the side rear as well as the rear of a vehicle using only one room mirror disposed in an inner part of the vehicle without confirming the side mirror, thereby effectively reducing moving lines in the driver's field of vision.
US09756290B2

A system and method for operating the same includes an IP network, a remote facility and a local collection facility in communication with the local collection facility through the IP network. The local collection facility receives local channel signals at a local collection facility and encodes the local channel signals into respective IP signals. The local collection facility includes a router routing the respective IP signals through an IP network to a remote facility.
US09756274B2

The present invention relates generally to video communication systems, and more specifically to a method and device for determining a degree of animation of a graphical overlay for a video stream based on a degree of movement in the video stream.
US09756271B2

A CMOS image sensor, a pixel unit and a control method thereof are provided. The pixel unit includes: a photoelectric conversion unit, an isolation transistor, a storage unit and a reading unit, wherein a first terminal of the isolation transistor is connected to the photoelectric conversion unit, a second terminal of the isolation transistor is connected to the storage unit and the reading unit; and wherein the storage unit comprises a first switch unit, a second switch unit, a first storage capacitor, a second storage capacitor and a reset unit, the first switch unit is adapted for controlling the first storage capacitor to be charged or discharged, the second switch unit is connected to the second storage capacitor and is adapted for controlling the second storage capacitor to be charged or discharged. The pixel unit improves signal-to-noise ratio of image signals generated by the pixel unit.
US09756268B2

An apparatus is described that include a line buffer unit composed of a plurality of a line buffer interface units. Each line buffer interface unit is to handle one or more requests by a respective producer to store a respective line group in a memory and handle one or more requests by a respective consumer to fetch and provide the respective line group from memory. The line buffer unit has programmable storage space whose information establishes line group size so that different line group sizes for different image sizes are storable in memory.
US09756267B2

An image sensor driving apparatus extracts an image signal from an image sensor including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements two-dimensionally arrayed, and includes a conversion unit which converts the image signal into digital data by performing offset correction for the image signal. The apparatus obtains digital data corresponding to a first sampling count by causing the conversion unit to process a reference voltage signal in accordance with a synchronization signal which determines an imaging frame rate, and obtains digital data corresponding to a second sampling count by causing the conversion unit to process a reference voltage signal every time extracting an image signal from a photoelectric conversion element group obtained by dividing a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. The apparatus generates a correction value used for offset correction based on the obtained digital data corresponding to the first and second sampling counts.
US09756263B2

In one embodiment, an infrared (IR) imaging system for determining a concentration of a target species in an object is disclosed. The imaging system can include an optical system including an optical focal plane array (FPA) unit. The optical system can have components defining at least two optical channels thereof, said at least two optical channels being spatially and spectrally different from one another. Each of the at least two optical channels can be positioned to transfer IR radiation incident on the optical system towards the optical FPA. The system can include a processing unit containing a processor that can be configured to acquire multispectral optical data representing said target species from the IR radiation received at the optical FPA. Said optical system and said processing unit can be contained together in a data acquisition and processing module configured to be worn or carried by a person.
US09756261B2

A method of synthesizing images and an electronic device thereof is provided. The method of synthesizing images includes determining an object region for synthesizing a second image in a first image, determining a warping value of the object region, and synthesizing the second image deformed according to the warping value with the object region.
US09756254B2

A mobile terminal, including a camera configured to obtain an image; a display configured to display map information; a movement sensor configured to sense a movement of the mobile terminal; and a controller configured to display a preview image received through operation of the camera to at least part of a region where the map information is displayed, when the movement of the mobile terminal corresponds to a preset type of movement while the map information is displayed, and to display at least one graphic object related to the map information as being overlapped on the preview image, wherein the preview image includes at least one image corresponding to at least one subject, and the at least one graphic object related to the map information is displayed to the at least one image or around the at least one image. When the at least one graphic object related to the map information is selected, the controller is further configured to capture an image corresponding to the selected graphic object, restrict output of the preview image based on selection of the graphic object, and display the captured image to a point on the map information where a subject corresponding to the captured image is positioned. Further, the preset type of movement is a speed change of the mobile terminal.
US09756231B2

A wastewater monitoring system uses a camera in a fixed location in a wastewater pipe that takes a still photograph of a location of interest at defined intervals, such as five minutes. The photographs are retrieved from the camera, and are then analyzed on a computer system that aggregates the still photographs into a video stream, allows a user to define an area of interest on one of the still photographs, then uses suitable algorithms or heuristics to detect changes between the photographs in the video stream. Video clips of interest are then generated using the detected changes, and are identified to a user so the user can review the video clips of interest to determine flows in the wastewater pipe that was monitored.
US09756227B2

The present disclosure relates to a camera system that can be used to capture outdoor images. The camera system is easy to manufactured, operated, and maintained. The camera system includes an internal structure and an external structure. The internal structure includes multiple components such as an image component, a storage component, a communication component, a power supply component, and a processor. The external structure is configured to cover and/or protect the internal structure and the components therein. The external structure can be a housing structure with a front housing and a back housing. The external structure can include multiple patterns positioned thereon so as to form a gripping area that facilitates a user to properly hold the camera system.
US09756226B2

An electronic apparatus includes: a main body including a housing section that houses a battery; a lid attached to the main body to cover the housing section, the lid being adapted to perform state shift between a closed state and an open state; and a locking member attached to the main body, the locking member locking the lid both in the closed state and in the open state.
US09756221B2

A method of defining color separation for printing an image via NPacs, the method comprising: selecting a plurality of NPacs corresponding to a plurality of points within an RGB cube to provide a tessellation in RGB space translated to a valid tessellation in an NPac-related space; and defining color separation from the selected NPacs.
US09756218B2

A user detecting unit detects a mobile identification device in a communicable range of a wireless communication device, and determines a user in association with the detected mobile identification device and determines user authority of the user among general user authority and administrator user authority. The general user authority is prohibited from using a specific function allowed to the administrator user authority. The login processing unit performs a login process based on the detected user authority for the user. If the mobile identification device with the administrator user authority is detected after the login process based on the general user authority and a distance is less than a predetermined value between the detected mobile identification devices with the general user authority and the administrator user authority, then the authority changing unit changes the user authority of the user from the general user authority to the administrator user authority.
US09756217B2

An image processing apparatus is provided to receive from an information processing apparatus, a document scan/transmission job for causing the reading unit to read a document to generate image data and transmit the image data to a specified destination, in a case where the document scan/transmission job is received. The image processing apparatus determines whether authentication information of a user of the information processing apparatus and authentication information of a user of the image processing apparatus match each other, in a case where the authentication information of the user of the information processing apparatus and the authentication information of the user of the image processing apparatus match each other, displays a setting screen for receiving a setting regarding execution of the document scan/transmission job, and executes the document scan/transmission job according to an instruction received through the displayed setting screen.
US09756212B2

A system and method render see-saw scalable gloss effect image patterns on a recording medium by using to two colors to provide one region with a relatively smooth surface, while a second region has a relatively rougher surface. A third region is added composed of a color different than the first two, wherein the third region has a relatively smooth surface where it intersects with the first region and a relatively rougher surface where it intersects with the second region. As the rendered recording medium is tilted at different angles, the image patterns thereon toggle to create a see-saw effect.
US09756210B2

An image reader of the present disclosure includes a contact glass, an automatic document feeder, a first reading module, and a second reading module. The first and second reading modules each acquire black reference data through reading performed by a sensor with a light source turned off, and acquires white reference data through reading performed by the sensor at a position facing a white reference plate with the light source turned on. In a case of performing continuous one-side reading by means of the first reading module, based on a sensor output value of the second reading module in the continuous one-side reading, it is determined whether it is necessary for the first reading module to reacquire the black reference data or the white reference data.
US09756201B2

An information processing system includes a first web server and a second web server that communicate with each other via a browser, wherein the first web server includes a first web page generating unit, and a first communicating unit, the second web server includes a second web page generating unit, and a second communicating unit, the first web server allows the browser to execute a first script, in which state the browser functions as a web page acquiring unit, a first data input/output control unit, and a first server communication control unit, the second web server allows the browser to execute a second script, in which state the browser functions as the second data input/output control unit, and a second server communication control unit, and the first web server and the second web server transmit and receive data to and from the opposite server via the browser.
US09756200B2

An image processing apparatus includes an area extracting unit and a table image detecting unit. The area extracting unit is configured to extract halftone dot areas and character images in an image. The table image detecting unit is configured to detect the extracted halftone dot areas as a table image if (a) the extracted halftone dot areas include no ruled lines, (b) plural halftone dot areas among the extracted halftone dot areas are arrayed in a primary scanning direction and/or a secondary scanning direction, and (c) the arrayed plural halftone dot areas include the character images at at least two positions.
US09756187B2

A mobile telephone device (10) comprises a microphone (20) and one or more spaced audio sensors (12) to sense the position and/or voice characteristics of one or more individual speakers (16). A mute control means (14) employs sound phase, and/or sound time of arrival, and/or sound loudness to create a map of the positions of individual speakers (16). The mute control means (14) identifies individual speaker (16) voice characteristics using one, the other or both of audio signal analysis of the sound of individual speaker's voices; and use of voice CODEC analysis results for each individual speaker. A call may involve no sound muting, may involve sound muting except for one individual speaker (16), or sound muting except for any one of a plurality of accepted individual speakers. A default individual speaker position immediately before and closest the microphone is provided. Positional tolerance for individual speakers of at least 5% to 10% is employed.
US09756184B2

A system and/or a method of distributed maintenance of contact center state including the state of contact center objects which may include directory numbers and agents. Device controllers and call controllers are used to monitor device and call information. Data aggregation nodes are connected to the device controllers and call controllers. The data aggregation nodes share directory number state information and agent state information via a publish-subscribe bus, and aggregate state information to form full state information.
US09756179B1

Systems, devices, and techniques for multiple device and multiple line enabled computing devices and computing appliances are described herein. A device number can be assigned to a computing device and can be unique to the computing device. A plurality of alias numbers can be provided to the computing device and enabled for use by the computing device. Alias numbers can be enabled on multiple computing appliances, such that a user can transfer voice or video calls between devices using the alias numbers. Further, monitoring components in a home environment, for example, can be associated with one or more alias number so that security alerts can be provided to the various computing devices and computing appliances associated with the alias numbers.
US09756176B2

Systems and methods for intelligently routing an incoming telephone call to an internal extension based on the calling history are provided. According to one embodiment, a session log is maintained by a call monitor of a telephone system. The session log contains multiple call session records relating to telephone calls between internal extension numbers and external telephone numbers. An incoming telephone call from a telephone external to the telephone system is received by the call monitor. The session log is searched by the call monitor for a call session record corresponding to the external telephone number. When a result of the searching meets one or more predetermined or configurable conditions, then a switch of the telephone system is caused by the call monitor to route the incoming telephone call to one of the internal extension numbers.
US09756175B2

Methods and systems for providing standardized mobile device distraction prevention and safety protocols are disclosed. In particular, an embodiment of a method for activating a distraction prevention or safety protocol behavior in a mobile device when the mobile device satisfies a specific condition is disclosed. The method includes discovering one or more protocol activators configured to transmit discovery information associated with a specific condition. The method further includes activating distraction prevention safety protocol behavior in the mobile device based at least in part on the discovery information. In an implementation, the specific condition may be a specified environment itself and or include an event when the mobile device enters a specified environment or a specified sequence of numbers is dialed from the mobile device.
US09756170B2

An apparatus comprising a controller, wherein said controller is configured to display a message text, receive an input indicating a keyword; determine an associated operation and to generate a response message according to the associated operation.
US09756164B2

A method for handling an outgoing call connection in a telecommunication device, comprising the steps of: detecting (201) a request for establishing a communication connection to a called party via the communication device (100a); detecting (202) proximity of the communication device to an object; detecting (203) subsequent lack of proximity of the communication device to the object, while awaiting accepting of the communication connection by the called party; detecting (204) establishment of the communication connection; starting (205) a timer; detecting (206) a request for terminating the communication connection; if the timer indicates a time below a predefined threshold (207), inhibiting (208) the request for terminating the communication connection; and indicating (209), by an indicator of the telecommunication device (100a), that the communication connection is established.
US09756161B2

A voice recognition apparatus including: a context model created by modeling recognition target context; and a voice recognizer configured to create a candidate group corresponding to a received voice signal based on an acoustic model and the context model, and to apply a high reliability weight value to a candidate having a length of syllables corresponding to a length of speech.
US09756151B2

Described herein is a method and system for distributing requests and responses across a multi-core system. Each core executes a packet engine that further processes data packets allocated to that core. A flow distributor executing within the multi-core system forwards client requests to a packet engine on a core that is selected based on a value generated when a hash is applied to a tuple comprising a client IP address, a client port, a server IP address and a server port identified in the request. The packet engine maintains the client IP address, selects a first port of the core, and determines whether a hash of a tuple comprising those values identifies the selected core. A modification is then made to the client request so that the client request includes a tuple comprising the client IP address, the server IP address, the first port and the server port.
US09756148B2

The present disclosure discloses a method and a network device for performing DHCP release on behalf of a user in dynamic network environments. Specifically, a network device determines that a client device is no longer using a first Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the client device. In response to the determining that the client device is no longer using the first IP address, the network device then generates a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) release message on behalf of the client device for removing the assignment of the first IP address to the client device. Moreover, the network device transmits the DHCP release message to a DHCP server.
US09756133B2

A device identification server identifies a “household” to which a particular device belongs by associating the device with a LAN MAC address of the router through which the device connects to a wide area network such as the Internet because the LAN MAC address (i) is unique to the router and (ii) is not readily discoverable by interaction with the router through the wide area network, impeding spoofing by malicious entities. The device queries and receives the LAN MAC address of the router through the local area network. The device passes the LAN MAC address of the router along with its digital fingerprint to the device identification server. Devices that report the same LAN MAC address of the router through which they connect to the wide area network are determined to be from the same “household”, i.e., to be managed by one and the same entity.
US09756132B2

A communication system for facilitating control over a function of a vehicle (102) comprises a base station (104) positioned in the vehicle (102) and a mobile communication unit (122). The base station (104) comprises a first transmitter for transmitting a signal to the mobile communication unit (122) and a first receiver for receiving a signal from the mobile communication unit (122). The base station (104) is further configured to cause the mobile communication unit (122) to operate in accordance with a limited-response duty cycle.
US09756127B2

In many low latency media applications it is important to transmit media data packets from a media source to one or more media destinations as promptly as possible, while also ensuring that all media data packets that may be lost due to transmission errors are retransmitted and received correctly at the media destination. This invention described a system to do this with a system and methods for anticipating media data packet loss and making preemptive media data packet retransmission requests by dynamically computing a metric and decision logic for retransmission request that includes a need based factor from the media consuming application.
US09756126B2

Provided is an information processing device including a setting unit configured to set an angle of view and a display direction of image data to be transmitted to a transmission target device within a range of an angle of view and a display direction represented by capability information based on a display state of an image represented by the image data to be transmitted to the transmission target device on a display screen or a state of an application relating to reproduction of the image data and the capability information with regard to the transmission target device representing the angle of view of the image and the display direction of the image, and a communication control unit configured to cause setting information representing a setting relating to the image data to be transmitted including the set angle of view and display direction to be transmitted to the transmission target device.
US09756122B2

In one embodiment, in a hierarchy of nodes, a master node having two or more child nodes obtains from the two or more child nodes two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith, the two or more sets of data samples being representative of traffic processed via two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes, wherein a size of each of the two or more sets of data samples is proportional to an allocation of traffic among the two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes. Each of the two or more sets of data samples is obtained from a different one of the two or more child nodes and represents traffic processed by a corresponding one of the two or more sets of servers. The master node combines the two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith such that a combined set of data is generated. The master node ascertains a numerical value from the combined set of data.
US09756120B2

A computing device includes at least one processor to execute a web browser application and a separate and distinct plug-in deployment application. The web browser application receives user action information indicating user interaction with a web page displayed by the web browser application, determines that a new plug-in is to be installed based on the user action information, and provides the plug-in deployment application with download instructions for downloading the new plug-in. The plug-in deployment application automatically downloads the new plug-in in response to the download instructions without user involvement, and automatically installs the new plug-in on the computing device without user involvement.
US09756119B2

A method includes receiving first data from a first data source that continuously generates a first set of records with first common fields. The first data is filtered by selecting a first sub-set of fields of the first common fields to form first filtered data. Second data is received from a second data source that continuously generates a second set of records with second common fields. The second data is filtered by selecting a second sub-set of fields of the second common fields to form second filtered data, where the first filtered data and the second filtered data are generated simultaneously. Rules are applied to the first filtered data and the second filtered data in real-time to identify selected real-time events. The selected real-time events are reported prior to persistently storing the first filtered data, the second filtered data and the selected real-time events.
US09756116B2

Disclosed are a system, a computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method of data transmission. A communication module interfaces communicatively with vehicles. A file management module selects first data from a data queue. The first data is addressed to a destination location. The file management module transmits the first data to the first vehicle. The file management module receives an acknowledgement message from a second vehicle interfaced with the communication interface module. The acknowledgement message is indicative of the first vehicle providing the first data to a server at the destination location. The file management module deletes the first data from the data queue.
US09756109B2

Embodiments of associating a reference image with a URL/URI assigned or related to digital media content are disclosed and enabling a first user to view the associated content via a web browser and reference image reader software and a second user to modify the associated content via a web browser. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09756108B2

A computer-implemented method for preloading resources of a web page is provided. The method includes receiving a user request to navigate to a web page and issuing a request for a root page corresponding to the requested web page, wherein the root page identifies actual resources requested for loading the requested web page. The method also includes determining, based on a prior history of loading the requested web page, anticipated resources that are likely to be requested when loading the requested web page, and requesting the anticipated resources from a server associated with the anticipated resources at least until a time that the root page corresponding to the requested web page is received to determine the actual resources requested for loading the requested web page. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09756100B2

Systems, devices and methods are provided to support placeshifting of adaptive media streams. A home device acts as an intermediary that passes requests for segments of an adaptive stream from a remote device to a content source. The content source responds with the requested segments, which are forwarded to the remote device. A connection service may be provided to facilitate placeshifting sessions between home and remote devices.
US09756091B1

Implementations relate to providing selectable content items in communications. In some implementations, a method includes determining that a user is or will be participating in a communication using a device, the communication including an exchange of information with one or more other users. The method determines a set of one or more content items to be presented on the device for selection by the user, the content items derived from stored content and being related to activity performed by the user using the device or one or more other devices, and where the activity is external to the communication. The method causes a presentation of the set of content items with the device for selection by the user, and causes at least one content item selected by the user to be sent in the communication to at least one of the other users.
US09756085B2

Various embodiments of the invention provide a Peer-to-Peer (P2P, Internet Protocol (IP) telephone system. The telephone system includes a plurality of terminals coupled together via an IP network. The terminals cooperate with one another to provide telephony features without a dedicated central controller such as a PBX and/or a KSU controller. The terminals further cooperate with one another to maintain system-wide configuration data for the telephone system.
US09756084B2

Disclosed is a communication system for effecting communication events between endpoints connected via a communication network. The communication system comprises a plurality of processing units, each having access to computer storage holding executable code modules for managing a communication event. The code modules are configured to implement a media modality controller configured to manage media modality of an established communication event and a call controller configured to establish the communication event. The communication system further comprises a resource allocator configured to allocate physical resources of the processing units and computer storage to each of the call controller and the media modality controller. A grant of physical resources to the call controller is independent and different from a grant of physical resources to the media modality controller.
US09756079B2

A computer performs dynamic address isolation. The computer comprises an application associated with an application address, a network interface coupled to receive incoming data packets from and transmit outgoing data packets to an external network, a network address translation engine configured to translate between the application address and a public address, and a driver for automatically forwarding the outgoing data packets to the network address translation engine to translate the application address to the public address, and for automatically forwarding the incoming data packets to the network address translation engine to translate the public address to the application address. The computer may communicate with a firewall configured to handle both network-level security and application-level security.
US09756075B1

Provided are methods, devices, and computer-program products for hiding one or more deception mechanisms. In some examples, the one or more deception mechanisms can be hidden from network scans. In other examples, the one or more deception mechanisms can be hidden to convince attackers that there are no deception mechanisms. In some implementations, a device, computer-program product, and method for hiding a deception mechanism is provided. For example, a method can include identifying a deception mechanism executing on a computing device. The deception mechanism can be associated with address information. In some examples, the address information can include an Internet Protocol (IP) address and a Media Access Control (MAC) address. The method can further include determining that the deception mechanism is being projected on a site network. The method can further include determining to hide a deception mechanism and hiding the deception mechanism.
US09756073B2

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for determining whether communications are attempts at phishing. In various implementations, a potentially-deceptive communication may be matched to one or more templates of a plurality of templates. Each template may represent content shared among a cluster of communications sent by a legitimate entity. In various implementations, it may be determined that an address associated with the communication is not affiliated with one or more legitimate entities associated with the one or more matched templates. In various implementations, the communication may be classified as a phishing attempt based on the determining.
US09756063B1

Host name raw data from access logs of computers is grouped into distinct groups. At least one feature, an alphanumeric or alphabetic-only digest, is extracted from each group and its characters are ordered depending upon their frequency of use. Sampling is performed upon host names from a database of known normal host names to generate groups of randomly selected host names. Similar digests are also extracted from these groups. The digest from the raw data is compared to each of the digests from the normal host names using a string matching algorithm to determine a value. If the value is above a threshold then it is likely that the host names from the raw data group are domain-generated. The suspect host names are used to reference the raw data access log in order to determine which user computers have accessed these host names and these user computers are alerted.
US09756058B1

Techniques for analyzing access to a network-based document may be provided. For example, the network-based document may be configured for direct access from client device. Based on an access of a client device to the network-based document, information associated with this access may be recorded. The information may be analyzed to determine whether a condition associated with the direct access may be violated. An issue may be detected with the client device access based on a determination that the condition may be violated.
US09756044B2

The invention relates to communication technology, and in particular, to a method of establishing communication connection between a mobile device and a secure element as well as a mobile device for implementing the method. The method comprises the following steps: when the mobile device detects that there is a secure element which establishes a physical connection with it, the mobile device performs a secure authentication on the secure element; if the secure authentication passes, the mobile device determines whether there is configuration information inside it which is required for establishing the communication connection between the mobile device and the secure element; and if there is the required configuration information inside the mobile device, the mobile device uses the configuration information to establish the communication connection with the secure element; otherwise, the mobile device obtains required configuration information from the secure element to establish the communication connection with the secure element.
US09756042B2

Computer systems and methods are provided for authenticating a user seeking to conduct at least one interaction with a secured capability provided by a computer. The method includes accessing a first identifier corresponding to the secured capability and sending a second identifier to an electronic device being used by the user. The second identifier corresponds to the secured capability. The method further includes receiving a signal from the electronic device being used by the user. The method further includes using a processor to evaluate, based at least on the signal and one or both of the first identifier and the second identifier, whether the user is authorized to conduct the at least one interaction with the secured capability.
US09756041B2

Techniques to facilitate offline access control for an application associated with an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a a user login prompt for the application is displayed on a display system of a computing system, wherein the user login prompt provides an offline access option for a user to request offline access to the application for a period of time. User login credentials are received along with a selection of the offline access option, which are transferred for delivery to an authentication server, wherein the authentication server authorizes the user for the offline access to the application for the period of time based on the user login credentials. An authentication response is received from the authentication server, wherein the authentication response instructs the application to authorize the user to operate the application for the period of time without requiring authorization from the authentication server.
US09756034B2

Implementations of the present disclosure involve a system and/or method for providing account information for a telephone number. All users are authenticated to ensure they may access the account information. Once authenticated, the user provides one or more telephone numbers that they would like to retrieve account information for. The system searches for the telephone number and if found, checks to ensure that the telecommunications provider services the phone number. When the telecommunications provider is the provider for the phone number, the record is retrieved and sent to the user.
US09756031B1

Systems and methods provide a storage media on a portable physical object associated with a set of credentials that enables access to a set of computing resources associated with a set of Web services. In some embodiments, information including a set of credentials is prepackaged onto the storage media of the portable physical object. A pre-activated subscription to the set of Web services in a distributed system is provisioned. Access to the set of Web services is enabled when the portable physical object is coupled with a computing device and the set of credentials is authenticated. In some embodiments, the portable physical object is purchased by a user on a prepaid basis without requiring the user to register an account with the set of Web services, allowing the user to remain anonymous with respect to interaction with the set of Web services.
US09756029B2

For authenticating at least one terminal requesting access to at least one resource, an authentication server performs: obtaining for each terminal at least one piece of authentication information; transmitting to a gateway device at least one checking function, or coefficients thereof. Each piece of authentication information is representative of a value such that, when inputted to respective checking function(s), the checking function(s) return(s) a predefined value. The gateway device performs: receiving from one terminal a request for getting access to the resource(s), said request being received in conjunction with a piece of authentication information; retrieving a checking function applicable to the received request; inputting the piece of authentication information provided by the terminal into the retrieved checking function, for obtaining an authentication result; accepting the request for getting access to the resource(s), when the authentication result equals said predefined value; and rejecting the request otherwise.
US09756010B2

Exemplary systems and methods resolve an IP address conflict in a network system, including network systems in a virtual computing environment. An IP address monitor receives a message from a first device connected to a network or a second device connecting to the network. The message includes an indication of a network address conflict between the first and second devices. The IP address monitor detects the IP address conflict from the message, selects one of the first and second devices to disconnect from the network, and sends a message to disconnect the selected device from the network. A new IP address is received for the selected device, and the IP address monitor sends a message to reconnect the selected device to the network.
US09756003B2

A social network conversation dynamic inclusion threshold is obtained that causes a first subset of social network group members of a social network group to be included in a social network conversation earlier than at least one other social network group member and that further causes the at least one other social network group member to be included in the social network conversation upon satisfaction of the obtained social network conversation dynamic inclusion threshold. In accordance with the obtained social network conversation dynamic inclusion threshold, social network posts of the social network conversation are contemporaneously distributed to the first subset of social network group members and delayed in distribution to the at least one other social network group member. Upon satisfaction of the social network conversation dynamic inclusion threshold, the social network posts of the social network conversation are distributed to the at least one other social network group member.
US09755999B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided that is performed by an electronic device. A display screen provides a first user interface to receive a first user input and to display user inputted content including a first representation of the first user input. An instruction to provide a second user interface is received. The display screen provides the second user interface together with the first user interface in response to the received instruction. A portion of the user inputted content is displayable in the second user interface in an enlarged size. A second user input is received via the second user interface. In response to the second user input, a second representation of the second user input is displayed in the second user interface. The user inputted content displayed in the first user interface is updated by adding the second representation in a displayed size smaller than a size used for displaying the second representation in the second user interface.
US09755983B1

An apparatus and method for providing minipacket flow control. A device includes a traffic manager interface (TMI) circuit that receives a minipacket, communicates the minipacket to a physical layer circuit, and communicates a minipacket flow control signal to a scheduler circuit that controls if another minipacket is to be sent to the TMI circuit. In one example, upon receiving a minipacket the TMI circuit updates a current credit value, compares the current credit value with a credit limit value, and outputs a minipacket flow control signal that is a function of the comparison. In another example, upon receiving a minipacket the TMI circuit updates a current credit value, compares the current credit value with a credit limit value, reads and compares a credit pool value with a credit pool limit value, and outputs a minipacket flow control signal that is a function of both of the comparisons.
US09755971B2

In response to receiving one or more packets from an interface, an anchoring border router classifies the traffic flow and either transmits the packets based upon the routing control table as usual, or determines that the packets of the traffic flow are to be forwarded to a forwarding border router. Upon determining that the packets are to be forwarded, the packets are encapsulated with a routing encapsulation key corresponding to a routing path and are forwarded from the anchoring border router to the forwarding border router via a routing encapsulation tunnel. When a forwarding border router receives the redirected packets over the routing encapsulation tunnel, the forwarding border router removes the routing encapsulation key from the packets of the traffic flow and transmits the packets via a routing path corresponding to the routing encapsulation key.
US09755970B2

A method for processing information is provided. The method includes: a first member in an equipment group learns forwarding information when forwarding traffic, wherein an ESADI instance based on the equipment group is created on each member in the equipment group; when learning new forwarding information, the first member generates an ESADI frame by utilizing the ESADI instance created thereon, wherein the ESADI frame carries the new forwarding information; and the first member transmits the ESADI frame to a TRILL network where it is.
US09755969B2

Mechanisms are provided for tracing a route taken by a packet in a Software Defined Network (SDN). Each switch in the SDN is assigned a first color label, from a set of color labels, such that such that adjacent switches have different color labels. Rules are installed in each switch to forward a received data packet to the SDN controller in response to a second color label of the received data packet not matching the first color label assigned to the switch. A second color label, from the set of color labels, is assigned to a trace data packet. A route of the trace data packet is traced through the SDN based on the second color label and application of the one or more rules to the trace data packet at each of the switches in the SDN as the trace data packet is received by each of the switches in the SDN.
US09755966B2

In association with a virtual area, a first network connection is established with a first network node present in the virtual area and a second network connection is established with a second network node present in the virtual area. Based on stream routing instructions, a stream router is created between the first network node and the second network node. The stream router includes a directed graph of processing elements operable to receive network data, process the received network data, and output the processed network data. On the first network connection, an input data stream derived from output data generated by the first network node is received in association with the virtual area. The input data stream is processed through the stream router to produce an output data stream. On the second network connection, the output data stream is sent to the second network node.
US09755948B1

A flow of packets is communicated through a data center including an electrical switch, an optical switch, and multiple racks each including multiple network devices. The optical switch can be controlled to receive packet traffic from a network device via a first optical link and to output that packet traffic to another network device via a second optical link. One network device includes a neural network that analyzes received packets of the flow. The optical switch is controlled to switch based on a result of the analysis performed. In one instance, the optical switch is controlled such that immediately prior to the switching no packet traffic passes from the first optical link and through the optical switch and to the second optical link but such that after the switching packet traffic does pass from the first optical link and through the optical switch and to the second optical link.
US09755946B2

A device receives, from a customer device, a request for a diversity determination associated with a first route provided in a first provider network and a second route provided in a second provider network. The request includes a first identifier associated with the first route and a second identifier associated with the second route. The device forwards the first identifier to a first provider device, and receives, based on the first identifier, first geospatial information associated with the first route. The device forwards the second identifier to a second provider device associated, and receives, based on the second identifier, second geospatial information associated with the second route. The device determines whether the first and second routes are diverse based on the first geospatial information and the second geospatial information, and provides, to the customer device, diversity information regarding whether the first and second routes are diverse.
US09755943B2

In an example embodiment, there is described herein a location based detection technique that determines whether multiple requests from different addresses, such as a Layer 2 MAC (Media Access Control) address and/or layer 3 IP (Internet Protocol) address are being sent form a single device. In particular embodiments, if the device sends more than a predefined threshold number of requests, those requests can be ignored and/or denied.
US09755932B1

An output circuit, included in a device, may determine counter information associated with a packet provided via an output queue managed by the output circuit. The output circuit may determine that a latency event, associated with the output queue, has occurred. The output circuit may provide the counter information and time of day information associated with the counter information. The output circuit may provide a latency event notification associated with the output queue. An input circuit, included in the device, may receive the latency event notification associated with the output queue. The input circuit may determine performance information associated with an input queue. The input queue may correspond to the output queue and may be managed by the input circuit. The input circuit may provide the performance information associated with the input queue and time of day information associated with the performance information.
US09755914B2

A content delivery framework (CDF) includes a plurality of devices, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services comprise one or more CD service networks, and each particular CD service network has a dynamic network topology.
US09755909B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, a device, and a system for controlling a network path, where the method includes: the first control device generates path information for a first AP according to network topology information, and generates first forwarding information for the first AP according to acquired forwarding resource information of the first AP and the path information, and sends the first forwarding information to the first AP; the first control device determines that a second AP which is not managed by the first control device is included in the path information, sends the path information to a second control device for managing the second AP, so that the second control device generates second forwarding information for the second AP according to the path information and the acquired forwarding resource information of the second AP, and sends the second forwarding information to the second AP.
US09755908B2

A home network topology identification method, wherein the home network (10; 11) has a plurality of network devices (27, 28, 29) with a residential gateway (23) among them, the method comprises the following steps: (1a) obtain at least one home network parameter from at least one of the network devices (27, 28, 29); (1b) obtain a network channel gain function (CGF) of the home network (10; 11) from one of the network devices (27, 28, 29); (1c) transform the channel gain function (CGF) into the time domain to obtain an equivalent estimated channel delay spread function (CDS); (1d) obtain an estimated blind network topology from the estimated channel delay spread function (CDS) and a propagation speed of the network; and (1e) correlate the estimated blind network topology with the at least one home network parameter to obtain at least one structural network topology parameter; and a management center device (25) that is remote from a home network (10; 11) having a plurality of network devices (27, 28, 29) with a residential gateway (23) among them, wherein the management center device (25) is provided to carry out steps (1a) to (1e) of the method.
US09755906B2

A method for automated topology discovery and management of meter nodes in a power grid is described. In the discovery mode any of the meter nodes is able to act as a proxy for a data concentrator to sort out the topology, and to determine the best path for communicating between a concentrator and each of the meter nodes.
US09755902B2

A server includes a first module that receives information from a plurality of systems. Each system of the plurality of systems includes functional units that are dynamically configurable during operation of the system. The information from each system of the plurality of systems includes performance data collected while executing a program when the functional units are configured according to a configuration setting respective to the system. The server also includes a second module that analyzes the received information to select a best-performing configuration setting of the configuration settings received from the plurality of systems. The server also includes a third module that provides a new configuration setting to the plurality of systems. The new configuration setting is a modification of the best-performing configuration. The server iterates on receiving the information from the plurality of systems, analyzing the received information and providing the new configuration setting to the plurality of systems.
US09755900B2

Approaches are described for managing configuration information updates, or other information in a data center, shared resource environment, or other such electronic environment. A management component is provided that can manage distribution of configuration information, operating system (OS) images, authentication data, or other such information for host machines, servers, or other such devices in a network environment. The management component can further perform a number of actions when deploying configuration information updates, such as performing one or more checks to verify the health of a target switch, deactivating the target switch, shifting traffic to and from the target switch, updating a current configuration of the target switch, verifying the target switch's health after the configuration changes, bringing the target switch back in service, among others.
US09755883B1

Systems and methods described herein provide a method for detecting beamformed detecting beam-formed orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) packets. The method includes receiving, at a receiver, a data signal including a data packet, and selecting a set of frequency domain tones associated with the data signal for channel estimation. The method further includes calculating a plurality of differential parameters between adjacent frequency domain tones from the set of frequency domain tones. The method further includes identifying a jump when a first differential parameter from the plurality of differential parameters exceeds a jump threshold. The method further includes obtaining an accumulative count of jumps for the set of frequency domain tones, and identifying the data packet is beamformed when the accumulative count exceeds a jump limit.
US09755880B2

Systems and methods relating to detecting one or more characteristics (e.g., a carrier type or a carrier mode) of a carrier signal transmitted by a radio access node of a cellular communications network are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of operation of a wireless device includes receiving a carrier signal transmitted by a radio access node and detecting, in the carrier signal, a first physical signal that primarily supports synchronization and cell identification and a second physical signal that supports a functionality other than synchronization and cell identification. A time-domain spacing between the first and second physical signals is a function of a characteristic of the carrier signal. The method further includes determining a characteristic of the carrier signal based on a time-domain spacing between the first and second physical signals detected in the carrier signal.
US09755873B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals comprises an encoder for encoding service data, a mapper for mapping the encoded service data into a plurality of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) symbols to build at least one signal frame, a frequency interleaver for frequency interleaving data in the at least one signal frame by using a different interleaving-seed which is used for every OFDM symbol pair comprised of two sequential OFDM symbols, a modulator for modulating the frequency interleaved data by an OFDM scheme and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data, wherein the different interleaving-seed is generated based on a cyclic shifting value and wherein an interleaving seed is variable based on an FFT size of the modulating.
US09755870B1

The present invention is directed to communication systems. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a technique and system thereof for performing eye modulation. Eye modulation is performed at the transmission side of a PAM communication system to compensate for distortion and non-linearity and generate an output waveform. Spacing among eye levels is adjusted by performing symmetric modulation using α parameter and asymmetric modulation using β parameter. A correction module measures the output waveform and sends feedback signals to a control module to adjust the α parameter and the β parameter. There are other embodiments as well.
US09755868B2

A telecommunications system is provided that can re-sample a digitized signal at a resample rate that is based on one or more factors to better utilize bandwidth. The factors can include the bandwidth of the signal that the digitized signal represents, the amount of bandwidth owned or used by the carrier, the full bandwidth of the designated RF band, the bandwidth of the serial link, the frame length of the serial link, the segmentation of the frames on the serial link, and the capability of the equipment at the receiving end of a serial link. The re-sampled signal can be transmitted to another unit that is remote to the unit transmitting the signal. The other unit can include a re-sampling device that restores the re-sampled signal to a digital signal that can be converted to an analog signal for wireless transmission.
US09755864B1

An apparatus for performing fractionally spaced adaptive equalization with non-integer sub-symbol sampling has an adaptive equalizer that receives a continuous stream of input data having a non-integer, fractional delay between consecutive samples at a non-integer, sub-symbol rate and outputs a stream of equalized data based on tap weights of taps of the adaptive equalizer that are spaced at an interval corresponding to the non-integer, sub-symbol rate. The tap weights are updated independently of the fractional delay between consecutive samples of the input data using an error signal. An equalizer output alignment component downstream of the adaptive equalizer aligns the stream of equalized data with a corresponding transmitted symbol.
US09755860B2

A method of performing uplink channel estimation and a base station using the same are provided. The method is applicable to serve at least two UE equipments (UEs) in a communication system. The at least two UEs are located in at least two beam sectors respectively. The base station comprises a plurality of antennas. The method includes: determining whether multipath of the at least two UEs passing through a same beam sector; assigning a first and a second training sequence for a first UE and a second UE of the at least two UEs respectively; receiving a reference signal, wherein the reference signal is transmitted by the first UE and the second UE according to the first and the second training sequence; and performing channel estimation for the first UE and the second UE according to the reference signal, the first and the second training sequence.
US09755857B2

An avionics switched full-duplex Ethernet communication Arinc 664p7 network (100) includes at least two independent elementary networks (N1, N2). Each elementary network includes one or more end systems (ESI) suitable to act as source end systems for data frames transmitted over the network, and one or more end systems (ES4) suitable to act as destination end systems for such data frames. Each elementary network further includes a switching function block (SW1, SW2) connected between the source (ESI) and destination (ES4) end systems. The Ethernet network is has one of the source (ESI), destination (ES4) end systems and the switching function block (SW1, SW2) includes timers (204) suitable to generate a common piece of timing information to be sent to the other devices of the elementary network in-order to enable the transmission of the data frames over the elementary network by one of the source end systems (ESI).
US09755850B2

Methods, devices, and systems are provided to determine traffic conditions along a traffic path and dynamically present one or more entities with at least one alternate route. The alternate route is determined based on a number of entities along the traffic path and available routing points adjacent to the traffic conditions. The alternate route may be configured to optimize traffic for an entire traffic system rather than only optimizing traffic for receivers of the alternate routes. Data relating to the alternate routes presented to the entities can be tracked. This data may be used to evaluate an effectiveness of the routing decisions made. Effectiveness can be measured in cost and time saved or spent. Information, such as the data, determinations of the data, and/or even effectiveness of alternate routes, can be distributed to one or more parties. Distribution of the information may be associated with a tiered cost structure.
US09755842B2

Methods and apparatuses to manage service user discovery and service launch object placement on a device. A method comprising: obtaining information to assist in identifying a portion of a user interface of a wireless device, the wireless device communicatively coupled to a network system over a wireless access network; determining a differentiating attribute of the identified portion of the user interface; obtaining one or more service launch objects for placement in the identified portion of the user interface; and sending configuration information to the wireless device over the wireless access network to assist the wireless device in placing the one or more service launch objects in the identified portion of the user interface.
US09755840B2

A method for a re-issuance of an attribute-based credential of an issuer of the attribute-based credential for a user may be provided. The user is holding backup values derived from a first credential previously obtained from the issuer, wherein the first credential is built using at least a first value of at least one authentication pair. The method comprises receiving by the issuer from the user a set of values derived from the backup values comprising a second value of the at least one authentication pair, validating by the issuer that the second value is a valid authentication answer with respect to the first value and whether the set of values was derived from a valid first credential, and providing by the issuer a second credential to the user based on the first set of values.
US09755831B2

One feature pertains to a method for extracting a secret key during a secure boot flow of an integrated circuit. Specifically, the secure boot flow includes powering ON a first volatile memory circuit to generate a plurality of initial logical state values, deriving secret data based on the plurality of initial logical state values, storing the secret data in a secure volatile memory circuit that is secured by a secure execution environment (SEE), clearing the plurality of initial logical state values in the first volatile memory circuit, executing a cryptographic algorithm at the SEE to extract a secret key based on the secret data, and storing the secret key in the secure volatile memory circuit. The secure boot flow controls access to the first volatile memory circuit to secure the secret data and the plurality of initial logical state values from the insecure applications.
US09755830B2

Generating a seed and/or a key from live biometric indicia, such that all the information necessary for generating the seed and/or the key is not stored, is provided. A method comprises receiving and enrolling a biometric template from a user; assigning an optimization value to the enrolled biometric template; encrypting an item of test data using the optimization value, such that the optimization value is an encryption seed; storing the encrypted item of test data on the storage medium; destroying the encryption seed after encrypting the item of test data; receiving a live biometric template; comparing the templates and determining an interval based on a probability that the templates are specific to the same user; iteratively testing values within the interval to identify the value in the interval for decrypting the encrypted item of test data; and generating the key using the seed.
US09755822B2

A method and system for a countermeasure to power analysis attacks, where an impedance element is coupled to a power source providing power to a cryptographic module causing a measurable power supply noise, a timing sequence is generated, and the impedance element is decoupled from the power source based on the timing sequence to cause the measurable power supply noise to vary according to the timing sequence.
US09755815B2

A system and method for establishing windows that govern the exchange of acknowledgements in a full-duplex communication. The window is established for two nodes which transmit asymmetric frame sizes in full-duplex mode. The window is related to the size of the asymmetric frames. Frames are exchanged in full-duplex between the two nodes, and the window size is defined as enabling the nodes to send data until the number of unacknowledged frames at the nodes is less than or equal to the window size, at which point acknowledgments are exchanged simultaneously. In sending the acknowledgment, both nodes can send acknowledgments simultaneously in full-duplex in the same frequency bin.
US09755814B2

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for determining a Transport Block Size (TBS) in a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for determining a TBS table in association with 256 QAM. Particularly, a method for a base station to transmit data includes receiving Channel State Information (CSI) from a User Equipment, determining a Transport Block Size (TBS) value based on a TBS table including indices corresponding to the 256QAM modulation scheme and the number of allocable Physical Resource Block (PRB) pairs, and transmitting data using the TBS value.
US09755812B2

In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and apparatus to perform operations including receiving information including indications of frequency and time of resource usages for a cell of a neighboring cell, wherein the frequency and time resource usages for the cell of the neighboring cell are for a predetermined amount of next frequency and time resource usages scheduled; and processing the received frequency and time resource usages to create a mapping of frequency and time pair usage specific to the neighboring cell.
US09755804B2

There are provided a method of user equipment monitoring control information and user equipment using the method. The method includes receiving information about a first reference position for a first Enhanced-Physical Control Format Indication Channel (E-PCFICH) from a Base Station (BS); detecting the first E-PCFICH in a resource indicated by the information about the first reference position; obtaining information about a reference position for a second E-PCFICH based on the information about the first reference position, wherein each of the first E-PCFICH and the second E-PCFICH is a control channel including information about the size of the frequency domain for an Enhanced-Physical Downlink Control Channel (E-PDCCH) for demodulating the control information by using a UE-specific Reference Signal (URS); and detecting the second E-PCFICH based on the obtained information about the reference position for the second E-PCFICH.
US09755798B2

Methods of operating a base station in a radio access network (RAN) may be provided. In particular, a message may be communicated (e.g., transmitted or received) between the base station and another node of the radio access network, and the message may include a Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) hypothesis field, a benefit metric field, and a cell identification field. Communicating may include transmitting the message to the other node of the radio access network, or communicating may include receiving the message from the other node of the radio access network.
US09755797B2

A method of accurate 3D positioning with reduced cost is proposed. A user equipment (UE) receives a plurality of positioning reference signals (PRSs) from a plurality of base stations. The plurality of base stations includes a serving base station and two neighboring base stations. The UE estimates a plurality of line-of-sight (LOS) paths and corresponding indexes of the PRSs for time of arrival (TOA) and time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements. The UE then estimates an elevation angle of the UE based on the estimated LOS paths of the PRS from the serving base station. Finally, the system (either UE or network, depending on where the coordinates are) can calculate the UE position based on the TDOA measurements and the elevation angle.
US09755788B2

Certain data packets for transmission between a first device and a second device may have an importance that changes depending on different circumstances. After the data packet is initially communicated from the first device to the second device, if an acknowledgement is not received at the first device, the first device may retransmit the data packet. If no acknowledgement is received after a certain period of time, communication of the data packet may be considered to have a lower importance, and so additional retransmissions bay be delayed until a retransmission trigger is identified. Examples of such a trigger may be powering on of an antenna for a second different data packet transmission, or identification that a subsequent data packet was successfully received by the second device.
US09755780B2

The present invention relates to a method of determining a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) feedback in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system, including an MCS FeedBack (MFB) responder receiving a first frame, including a request message requesting to send the MFB, from an MFB requester and the MFB responder sending the MFB, including a recommended MCS value, to the MFB requester. The recommended MCS value is derived with reference to at least one of unsolicit type information indicative of a type of the MFB, transmit type information indicative of a transmission type of data, coding type information indicative of a coding scheme applied to the data, a group ID indicative of a group of target stations (STAs) to which the data will be transmitted, and MFB bandwidth information indicative of a bandwidth of a channel.
US09755775B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a base station, a network system, and a communication method. The base station includes: a control module, configured to connect to a control module of at least one other base station by using a first logical interface, and perform control plane interaction during inter-base station coordination; and a data processing module, connected to the control module, and configured to connect to a data processing module of the at least one other base station by using a second logical interface, and perform user plane interaction during the inter-base station coordination. The base station in this embodiment of the present invention is provided with the first logical interface and the second logical interface to respectively implement the control plane interaction and the user plane interaction between base stations, so that the inter-base station coordination can be implemented.
US09755764B2

In some implementations, a process for communicating data over audio is performed. In one aspect, one or more ordered sequences of audio attribute values that are selected based on a musical relationship between the audio attribute values and associated with data values may be played by a first device and received by a second device. This technique may allow for sound-based communications to take place between devices that listeners may find pleasant.
US09755763B2

Modulated optical signals are received in a coherent optical receiver employing both post digital filter and inter-symbol-interference (ISI) equalizer such as a maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) or Bahl-Cocke-Jelinek-Raviv (BCJR) algorithms. Some disclosed techniques are directed to adaptively adjusting the impulse response in time domain (or equivalently the frequency response in frequency domain) of the post digital filter and the corresponding structure of ISI equalizer in different spectrum-narrowing operation scenarios.
US09755762B2

An optical signal recognition method comprises: initializing a recognition apparatus; acquiring optical source voltage values in an acquisition channel to obtain a group of optical source voltage values; comparing the group of optical source voltage values with a comparison threshold, and converting the group of optical source voltage values into optical data; when the optical data is different from optical data obtained in a previous conversion, continuing to acquire optical source voltage values in the acquisition channel, converting a group of optical source voltage values into optical data, and sequentially storing the optical data in a conversion array; when a preset quantity of optical data in the conversion array is different, deleting optical data stored earliest in the conversion array, continuing to acquire optical data and sequentially storing the optical data in the conversion array; and when all optical data in the conversion array is the same, setting frame data as optical data in the conversion array, and returning the frame data. In the present invention, a synchronization signal is canceled, thereby improving the transmission quality and the transmission speed.
US09755758B2

According to an example, an optical transmission device may include a spatial light modulator having a plurality of cells, in which different wavelengths of a light beam are to impinge upon different groups of pixels along a dispersion direction. The device may also include a driver mechanism to modulate, at a first frequency, a first group of the plurality of cells upon which light having a first wavelength impinges to impress a first frequency fluctuation onto a property of an output light including the first wavelength and to modulate, at a second frequency, a second group of the plurality of cells upon which light having a second wavelength impinges to impress a second frequency fluctuation onto a property of an output light including the second wavelength, in which the second frequency modulation differs from the first frequency modulation.
US09755753B2

According to the present invention, a monolithically integrated laser 102, also referred to herein as a U-laser 102, or integrated dual optical emission laser 102, having a first optical emission 104 and a second optical emission 106 where both the first and second optical emissions 104, 106 of the monolithically integrated laser 102 are in optical communication with a modulator 108 or other device is provided. The integrated dual emission laser 102 can be formed with a light bending portion 134 in variety of configurations including a waveguide in the form of a U-shape, or total internal reflection (TIR) mirrors, curved waveguides, and free-space etched gap mirrors. The integrated dual optical emission laser 102 can also have two laser gain sections 130, 148, one on each arm of the laser 102 to control gain.
US09755751B2

An optical transceiver of a flexible modulation format. The optical transceiver may include an optical transmitter to convert an electrical signal to an optical signal and transmit the optical signal, an optical receiver to receive and convert the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a controller to set modulation formats of the optical transmitter and the optical receivers according to modulation format information.
US09755749B2

Disclosed are an ONU, a communication system and a communication method for an ONU. The ONU provided in the present disclosure includes a processing module and at least two user interface modules. At least two ONU sub-modules are disposed in the processing module. The disposed ONU sub-modules are corresponding to the user interface modules in a one-to-one manner. Each ONU sub-module processes the user side data from a corresponding user interface module.
US09755729B2

A device configure to wirelessly transmitting optical signals via a satellite communication link includes a first sending arrangement and a first receiving arrangement. The first sending arrangement is configured to transmit optical signals via a first transmission path and a second transmission path to the first receiving arrangement. The first transmission path has a first transmission channel and the second transmission path has a second transmission channel. In addition, the first transmission channel is physically separated from the second transmission channel, while the second transmission channel is a low-rate transmission channel for transmitting amplitude-modulated optical signals.
US09755725B2

Provided is a relay device including a receiving unit for receiving information from a plurality of wireless communication devices, a storage unit for accumulating the information received from the plurality of wireless communication devices by the receiving unit, an information processing unit for aggregating the information accumulated in the storage unit, and a transmitting unit for transmitting the information aggregated by the information processing unit to a base station.
US09755711B2

A subset of mobile device candidates in a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) channel of network devices is selected for having a feedback priority among a set of mobile device candidates. The selection is based on a set of queue state information of a plurality of mobile device queues for transmitter and receiver devices of the MIMO channel in a multi-user MIMO network. A portion of the subset of mobile device candidates can be selected by a scheduling component of the system. Communications on the MIMO channels can be scheduled to the portion of the subset of mobile device candidates based on the feedback comprising channel state information and on the queue state information of the plurality of mobile device queues.
US09755706B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for joint support of coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations and carrier aggregation (CA). One method generally includes receiving signaling indicating a configuration, from a set of possible configurations, that defines how the UE is to communicate with one or more base stations (BSs) using coordinated multipoint (CoMP) operations on one or more component carriers (CCs) and communicating in accordance with the configuration.
US09755704B2

A system of wearable or personal area devices includes a first earpiece and a second ear piece each of the first ear piece and the second ear piece comprising an ear piece housing, an induction circuit disposed within the ear piece housing for short range communications, and a radio transceiver disposed within the ear piece housing for radio communications. The induction circuit of the first ear piece and the induction circuit of the second ear piece are adapted for communication there between using high bandwidth audio.
US09755703B2

A data decoding system can comprise a client computer including an imaging device and one or more servers executing at least one decoding process. The client computer can be configured to acquire an image of decodable indicia and to process the acquired image by: (i) identifying one or more areas of interest within the image; (ii) cropping the image based on the identified areas of interest; (iii) clipping one or more images from the image based on the identified areas of interest; (iv) increasing or reducing a pixel resolution of at least part of the image; (v) converting the image to a grayscale image or to a monochrome image; and/or (vi) compressing the image using a compression algorithm. The decoding process can be configured, responsive to receiving a decoding request comprising the processed image, to decode the decodable indicia and to transmit the decoding operation result to the client computer.
US09755693B2

Remote Controlled (RC) air based communication systems and methods for aircraft such as airplanes, helicopters, Unmanned Vehicles (UV), balloons and other objects in air based devices. Air based communication devices receive modulated signals from GPS satellites, or other satellites or from land based or in or on water or air based transmitters and demodulate and process these signals into location finding information. A photo camera or video camera generated signal is processed with location finding information and the camera generated signal with the location finding information is processed in an OFDM processor or in a spread spectrum processor. The spread spectrum processor provides cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature phase processed signals. The OFDM processed and the cross-correlated processed signals are modulated and transmitted. A received RC signal and/or a motion detector is used for control of operation of air based devices. Infrared transmitters, smoke and heat/sensor devices are implemented in the airborne devices. The airborne device, in a repeater mode receives and demodulate a first OFDM modulated signal into an OFDM baseband signal. The OFDM baseband signal is subsequently modulated into a second OFDM signal and is transmitted from the airborne device. The communications and control of air based devices is in land based cellular systems (e.g. WCDMA, CDMA, GSM, 3G, 4G and 5G), wireless mobile internet networks, Bluetooth and satellite systems.
US09755686B2

A method for preparing an alloy encapsulation mobile phone protective case is provided, which includes steps of: selecting an alloy material as an edging material; CNC machining; making a surface treatment; drying; spraying and molding for shaping. The alloy encapsulated mobile phone protective case is formed after shaping the alloy outer frame and the soft rubber inner molding layer, which not only simplifies the assembly, but also strengthens the strength and hardness of the structure, thus effectively avoiding the splitting phenomenon caused by strong impact. Due to the combination of the alloy material with the soft rubber inner molding layer, the protective case has a certain flexibility, abrasion resistance, high strength and high formability. The rigidity of the protective case is in a range from 50° to 90°and has strong resilient force and curvature, which not only can effectively protect the mobile phone, but also has long service life.
US09755685B2

There is provided a protective device (100) comprising a mobile phone protective portion (110) adapted for receiving at least a portion of a mobile phone device therein in use and an accessory protective portion (105) adapted for receiving at least a portion of an accessory item therein in use.
US09755680B2

Circuits for field-programmable receiver front ends are provided. These front ends can include a field programmable common source low noise transconductance amplifier (LNTA), a field programmable common gate LNTA, first and second four-phase I/Q mixers, first, second, third, and fourth transimpedance amplifiers, an I-path complex combiner, and a Q-path complex combiner. Transconductance cells in each of the field programmable common source LNTA and field programmable common gate LNTA can be programmed to operate in one of a class-AB mode, a class-C mode, and an OFF mode.
US09755675B2

A distortion compensation device coupled to an amplifier configured to amplify power of a transmission signal, the distortion compensation device including a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to obtain the transmission signal sampled with a first sampling rate, obtain the transmission signal sampled with a second sampling rate, the second sampling rate being higher than the first sampling rate, extract an odd-order harmonic from the transmission signal sampled with the second sampling rate, correct a phase and an amplitude of the odd-order harmonic, add the corrected odd-order harmonic to the transmission signal with a first sampling rate, and output, toward the amplifier, the transmission signal to which the corrected odd-order harmonic is added.
US09755673B2

The present invention addresses apparatuses, methods and computer program product for providing improved distance to fault measurement for voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) on antenna line in networks. An embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of transmitting a signal to a line to be tested, capturing a forward signal of the signal, capturing a reverse signal of the signal, separating the reflection of the signal in time domain via cross correlation of the forward signal and the reverse signal, and detecting a distance to fault in the line by searching and processing maximum peak position of the captured and separated signals.
US09755672B2

Described embodiments provide an integrated power supply and modulator system. The system includes a magnetic regulation stage, a switched-capacitor voltage balancer stage, and at least one output switching stage. The switched-capacitor voltage balancer stage is coupled to an output of the magnetic regulation stage, and maintains a substantially ratiometric set of voltages with respect to a reference potential. The magnetic regulation stage includes an inductor and at least two switches to selectively couple the inductor to two or more of (a) an input of the magnetic regulation stage, (b) a first voltage node of the switched-capacitor voltage balancer stage, and (c) a second voltage node of the switched-capacitor voltage balancer stage. The output switching stage selectively couples at least two voltages from the switched-capacitor voltage balancer stage to an output of the system in response to control signals. The system may include startup circuitry, feedback/feedforward circuitry, and control circuitry.
US09755663B1

A parallel-serial conversion circuit including a data transmission unit to output first data and second data of a prescribed pattern in accordance with a second clock obtained by dividing a first clock, a first flip flop to receive the first data so as to output the first data in accordance with the first clock, a second flip flop to receive the second data so as to output the second data in accordance with the first clock, a selector to select one of the first data and the second data so as to output the selected data in accordance with the first clock, and an adjustment unit to compare the second data to be received by the second flip flop and the first data output from the first flip flop so as to adjust, based on a comparison result, a timing for the first flip flop to receive the first data.
US09755644B2

An interface circuit includes at least one semiconductor logic gate and a latch circuit. The semiconductor logic gate configured to receive an input signal having a signal level changeable and outputs a logic gate signal which has a signal level becoming a low level when a signal level of the input signal is not less than a logic threshold value, alternatively has a signal level becoming a high level when a signal level of the input signal is less than the logic threshold value. The latch circuit fetches the logic gate signal as a first latch signal, while fetching a signal which is converted from the input signal and has a signal level varying between a second voltage and the ground potential, alternatively, the input signal as a second latch signal, to output the first interface output signal and the second interface output signal.
US09755630B2

Various solid-state circuit breakers and related circuits are presented herein. These include, among other things, a common node bidirectional solid-state circuit breaker (BDSSCB) having diodes connected between terminals of its switches, a shunt voltage actuated driver (SVAD) circuit for use with a BDSSCB, a SVAD circuit for use with a unidirectional solid-state circuit breaker (UDSSCB), a bipolar current actuated driver (BCAD) for use with a BDSSCB, and a multi-directional solid-state circuit breaker (MDSSCB).
US09755623B2

A multi-bit flip-flop has first and second one-bit flip-flops. The multi-bit flip-flop employs inter-cell clock switch (CSW) sharing in which the first and second one-bit flip-flops share at least one clock switch. The multi-bit flip-flop may also employ intra-cell CSW sharing in which at least one of the first and second one-bit flip-flops shares at least one clock switch. The inter-cell CSW sharing enables implementation of multi-bit flip-flops with fewer clock switches and possibly fewer data devices, while reducing power consumption, including state retention power gating power reduction.
US09755614B2

A tunable filter is a ladder circuit tunable filter including serial arm resonators and a parallel arm resonator. The serial arm resonators and the parallel arm resonator include elastic wave resonators. Variable capacitors are connected in series to the serial arm resonators, a variable capacitor is connected in parallel to the parallel arm resonator, and first inductors are connected in series to the serial arm resonators. When an impedance at a resonant frequency of the serial arm resonators is Zrs and an impedance at a resonant frequency of the parallel arm resonator is Zrp, a ratio Zrs/Zrp is not greater than 1.
US09755605B1

This disclosure generally pertains to volume control of audio output by a device. A piecewise curve may be used to implement volume control using two or more curves segments. The piecewise curve may be implemented by a signal converter. The curve segments may be selected to provide volume control that provides incremental changes in amplification at mid-level to high level volumes, while providing anticipated amplification at lower volumes which satisfy users' expectations. In some instances, different piecewise curves may be selected for different types of audio so that these different types of audio are provided to users at an expected volume and/or in a meaningful way. When multiple audio outputs occur at a same time, the piecewise curves associated with some of the audio outputs may be dynamically adjusted or updated based on the presence of the other ones of the multiple audio outputs and/or ambient noise.
US09755597B2

An instrumentation amplifier includes first and second resistors for gain setting. The operational amplifiers within the instrumentation amplifier include selectively enabled current drive sources coupled to the amplifier output. The first and second resistors have variable resistances. A control circuit is configured to select the variable resistances of the first and second resistors to implement a fixed gain for the instrumentation amplifier and further selectively enable the current drive sources. The control circuit receives an indication of a downstream programmable gain (for example, from a downstream programmable gain amplifier). The variable resistances of the first and second resistors are selected to be scaled inversely with respect to the downstream programmable gain and the current drive sources are enabled proportionately with respect to the downstream programmable gain.
US09755577B2

A power amplifier circuit includes an amplifier MOSFET and a predistorter MOSFET. The predistorter MOSFET source and drain are connected together, and the predistorter MOSFET is connected between the gate of the amplifier MOSFET and a second bias voltage signal. This biasing of the predistorter MOSFET causes it to provide a nonlinear capacitance at the gate of the amplifier MOSFET. The combined non-linear capacitances of the amplifier MOSFET and predistorter MOSFET provide predistortion that promotes cancellation of the distortion or nonlinearity contributed by the amplifier MOSFET alone.
US09755575B1

An oscillator circuit having a programmable output frequency may include a first delay section having a negative gain and a variable delay that is set by a control signal provided to the first delay section. A second delay section having a negative gain and a fixed delay may be connected in series with the first delay section. The oscillator circuit may include an output comprising the output of the second delay section having a frequency that is dependent on the delay of the first delay section and the delay of second delay section.
US09755574B2

Various aspects of an injection-locked oscillator and method for controlling jitter and/or phase noise are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, an injection-locked oscillator includes one or more circuits that are configured to receive a pair of complementary phase output signals from one or more gain stages of the injection-locked oscillator. The one or more circuits may be configured to receive one or more switching signals. The received pair of complementary phase output signals are shorted by use of the one or more received switching signals. The shorting reduces the phase difference between an input signal and an output signal of the injection-locked oscillator.
US09755558B2

Systems and methods for controlling the operating speed and the torque of an electric motor using an operational model are described. An operational model for the electric motor, including a plot of engine performance parameters, is used for reference, and a most efficient output path, which may pass through an optimal operation region in the operational model, is selected. The most efficient output path may be determined, for example, according to locations of a current output state and a to-be-reached target state in the operational model, enabling the operating state of the motor to reach the target state from the current operating state. By selecting a more efficient output path, the operating efficiency of the motor may be optimized, the life of a battery improved and/or the operating mileage of the vehicle may be increased, without significantly reducing the driving experience.
US09755555B2

A drive circuit for an electric motor connected in series with an AC power source between a first node and a second node. The drive circuit includes a controllable bidirectional AC switch, an AC-DC conversion circuit connected in parallel with the controllable bidirectional AC switch between the first node and the second node, a position sensor configured to detect a position of a rotor of the motor, and a switch control circuit configured to control the controllable bidirectional AC switch to be conductive or non-conductive in a predetermined way, based on the position of the rotor and a polarity of the AC power source.
US09755551B2

A power conversion device includes: a plurality of 3-level converters (31 to 35) that are multiple-connected in series to an AC power supply; and a control device (10) controlling operations of the plurality of 3-level converters (31 to 35). The control device (10) includes: a calculation unit calculating an output voltage command for the plurality of 3-level converters (31 to 35); a carrier signal generation unit generating a carrier signal; a correction unit correcting a phase of the carrier signal based on a potential variation on a DC neutral point bus (7); and a pulse width modulation control. unit delaying the phase by a prescribed amount based on the carrier signal having the phase corrected by the correction unit as a reference phase, to generate a plurality of carrier signals, and comparing the output voltage command with each of the plurality of carrier signals to generate a control command for each of the plurality of 3-level converters (31 to 35).
US09755538B2

A power converter includes an output converter having a 3-phase or higher output, an inductor coupled to the output converter and a switch device coupled to the inductor. The switch device charges the inductor via a DC input during a first stage of a switching cycle of the switch device. The output converter discharges the inductor to a load coupled to the 3-phase or higher output during a second stage of the switching cycle. The output converter includes a phase leg for each phase of the 3-phase or higher output, each phase leg having a first thyristor device connected in series with a second thyristor device. Each phase of the 3-phase or higher output originates between the first thyristor device and the second thyristor device of the corresponding phase leg.
US09755531B2

A printed circuit board of a power supply has a multi-tap voltage attenuator mounted thereon that may provide a selectable plurality of attenuated voltages based on a received voltage. A power supply may include two or more of the same printed circuit boards to attenuate different input and output power supply voltages to one or more desired lower voltages. The attenuated voltages may be input to, e.g., a controller of the power supply to monitor and, when necessary, adjust one or more parameters of the output power supply voltage. The selectable plurality of attenuated voltages allows substantially identical printed circuit boards to be used in the same and/or different power supplies for attenuating different voltages. Methods of assembling power supplies are also provided, as are other aspects.
US09755528B2

A power conversion apparatus for converting AC power supplied from an AC power source to DC power includes an AC-DC conversion circuit connected with the AC power source at an input end thereof for converting the AC power to DC power, a DC-DC conversion circuit connected with an output end of the AC-DC conversion circuit at an input end thereof for converting DC voltage level of the DC power generated by the AC-DC conversion circuit, a smoothing capacitor parallel connected to the output end of the AC-DC conversion circuit and the input end of the DC-DC conversion circuit, a DC link voltage detector for detecting a voltage of the smoothing capacitor as a DC link voltage, and a control unit for controlling operation of the DC-DC conversion circuit. The control unit suppresses an output power of the DC-DC conversion circuit, if the DC link voltage is smaller than a predetermined value.
US09755522B2

A method for controlling a multiphase resonant DC/DC converter comprising a plurality of identical elementary resonant DC/DC converters connected in parallel. The method comprises the steps of measuring each of the supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn) of the elementary converters for balancing the supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn) and controlling switching frequencies (F1, F2, . . . Fn) of the elementary converters according to the supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn), so as to carry out the balancing. The supply currents (IR1, IR2, . . . IRn) are measured in the elementary DC/DC converters in order to balance these same currents.
US09755513B2

The disclosure relates to a DC/DC converter including at least one clocked switching member and at least one inductor which is arranged between an input connection and an output connection of the DC/DC converter and is for intermediate storage of energy transferred by the DC/DC converter, wherein the inductor has a core with permanent magnetization. The DC/DC converter is configured for bidirectional operation, wherein, in a first energy transfer direction, the at least one switching member is switched in a first operating mode and, in a second energy transfer direction which is opposite to the first, the at least one switching member is switched in a second operating mode which deviates from the first. The disclosure also relates to an operating method for a DC/DC converter.
US09755511B2

The present invention discloses a current regulator circuit capable of reducing current ripple and a method of reducing current ripple. A power supply circuit generates a load current which originally has a current ripple. The load current is supplied to a load circuit. The current regulator circuit includes a regulator switch coupled to the load circuit, a current sense circuit for sensing the load current, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the regulator switch to regulate a peak of a current sense signal minus an average of the current sense signal to a non-negative first predetermined value, or regulate the peak minus a valley of the current sense signal to a non-negative second predetermined value.
US09755507B2

A reference voltage generator has a bandgap reference circuit and a negative voltage generator. The bandgap reference circuit generates a reference voltage according to at least one base-emitter voltage of at least one bipolar junction transistor. The negative voltage generator generates a negative voltage, wherein at least one base terminal of the at least one bipolar junction transistor is arranged to receive a base voltage derived from the negative voltage.
US09755501B2

An overvoltage snubber circuit configured to receive an alternating current (AC) overvoltage includes a first rectifier configured to convert the AC overvoltage to a direct current (DC) overvoltage, a chopper circuit electrically connected to the first rectifier and configured to break up the DC overvoltage and to output a variable DC voltage, and a resistor electrically connected to the chopper circuit and configured to dissipate energy of the variable DC voltage.
US09755498B2

A boost circuit includes multiple switching circuits connected in parallel. Each switching circuit includes first through third transistors and a resistor. The first transistor, the resistor, and the second transistor are serially connected between first and second nodes. The third transistor is connected between the source of the first transistor and the second node. A conductance Gm (S) of the second transistor and a resistance r (Ω) of the resistor are respectively configured to be within ranges of 1≦Gm≦1000 and 7×Gm−1.6≦r≦170×Gm−1. Since the first transistor having a high breakdown voltage is turned on by turning on the second transistor, variations in turn-on time of the boost circuit are reduced.
US09755494B1

An improved hybrid magnetic engine/generator apparatus and method includes a shaft. A pair of oppositely positioned ferrous metal arms is connected to the shaft where the ferrous metal arms include a first end and a second end. Wire is wrapped in non-overlapping fashion around the ferrous metal arms and the wire includes a positive power connection and a negative power connection. A power source is connected with positive power connection and the negative power connection. A stacking magnet is located at the second end of the ferrous metal arms and an opposing magnet is located opposite from and in proximity to the first end of both of the oppositely positioned ferrous metal arms. A device for selectively connecting with the power source is provided such that the wire is intermittently charged such that polarity at the first end of the ferrous metal arms is intermittently changed.
US09755491B2

An actuator includes a fixed section that includes a spindle and a coil fixed to the spindle, a first movable section that includes a first magnet magnetized in an inside-outside direction and disposed to cover the outer peripheral surface of one end in an axial direction of the fixed section, that is mounted on the spindle in an elastically-maintained state, and that is movable in the axial direction, and a second movable section that includes a second magnet magnetized in the inside-outside direction and disposed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the other end in the axial direction of the fixed section, that is mounted on the spindle in an elastically-maintained state, and that is movable in the axial direction. When current flows in the coil, the first movable section and the second movable section move in the opposite directions.
US09755489B2

A rotor core is manufactured by forming thin plate-like core pieces including holes, forming a lamination body including insertion holes by laminating the core pieces, and inserting and embedding a permanent magnet in each of the insertion holes of the lamination body. The holes of each core piece include one or more first holes, in each of which a position determining portion for determining the position of the permanent magnet is formed, and one or more second holes, in which a position determining portion is not formed. Each insertion hole of the lamination body is formed by overlapping first holes of some of the core pieces and second holes of the remaining core pieces.
US09755487B2

An apparatus terminates and winds coils of a core of a dynamo electric machine. The coils are formed from at least an electric wire and the core has a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a wire dispenser which translates and rotates with respect to a core to wind the coils. At least a stretch of wire extends from the coil; and the stretch of wire includes a portion for a termination connection to a termination structure of the core, such as a tang terminal. The core has a groove at an end to receive at least a wire in the path of the wire to terminate the coils. The apparatus comprises a wire deflector positioned adjacent the end of the core, where the groove is located, in order to intercept and align the wire with the groove. The apparatus avoids waste cut wire.
US09755484B2

A liquid cooled generator is provided having a rotor having a central core and a main stator winding wrapped around the central core. A first laminate at a first end of the central core is provided having a first orifice defining a first diameter and a second laminate at a second end of the central core is provided having a second orifice defining a second diameter that is the same as the first diameter. A flow line passes through the central core and is configured to extend from the first laminate to the second laminate, the flow line defining a third diameter that is larger than the first and second diameters. The first and second diameters are configured such that air flow is permitted to pass through the first and second laminates and to restrict the flow of a liquid through the first and second laminates.
US09755482B2

In one aspect, a stator for use in a liquid cooled electric machine having a rotor is provided. The stator includes a stator body having a radially outer periphery and a radially inner periphery, and at least one first coolant passage extending radially through the stator body from the outer periphery to the inner periphery. The at least one first coolant passage facilitates providing a coolant to an air gap defined between the stator body and the rotor.
US09755479B2

A motor may include a rotating body having: a shaft pin; a rotator having a hollow hole through which the shaft pin may pass; a magnet coupled to an inner surface of the rotator; and a fan having a fan housing coupled to an outer surface of the rotator, a hollow hole formed in a center portion of the fan housing, and radial wings. The motor may also include a stator having: a stator core having a hollow hole formed in the center through which the shaft pin may pass, at least one metal core formed to rotate the rotating body with the magnet, and at least one boss protruding downward at a lower end; and a base bracket having a hollow hole through which the shaft pin may pass, at least protrusion on an outer side coupled to the at least one boss.
US09755474B2

An electrical device comprising a housing having cooling fins located in a central portion along an exterior surface of the housing and a laminated magnetic stack disposed within the housing and interfacing with an interior surface of the housing at the central portion. The cooling fins are configured alternatively higher and smaller on an inlet manifold and in opposition on an outlet manifold.
US09755469B2

Segment coils arranged as aligned in slot portions of an annular core each include a straight portion and a pair of coil end portions, and have a tip end of the coil end portion of the pair of coil end portions as a tip end portion for joint including a joint surface for joint to another segment coil. The tip end portion for joint has the joint surface in parallel to a radial direction of the annular core when viewed in an axial direction of the annular core.
US09755465B2

The present disclosure relates to rotating electric machines which may be used for industrial applications, to a method for manufacturing a rotor of a synchronous reluctance motor, a rotor of a synchronous reluctance motor, and a synchronous reluctance motor. A rotor of a synchronous reluctance motor according to the present disclosure has a cylindrical rotor body part casted from a superparamagnetic material, and ferromagnetic flux guides arranged inside the casted cylindrical rotor body part. The flux guides are arranged to go through from one side of the outer circumference of the cylindrical rotor part to the other side of the outer circumference of the cylindrical rotor part in the direction of the direct axis of the synchronous reluctance motor.
US09755460B2

A mobile terminal device performs short range communication with an R/W device and receives power from a power transmission device. The mobile terminal device includes a coil antenna, an RFID IC circuit that performs short range communication with the outside via the coil antenna, a charging circuit that receives power received by the coil antenna which is capacitively coupled with a passive electrode and switches that switch to a short range communication state in which short range communication is performed via the coil antenna or a power reception state in which power is received via the coil antenna. Accordingly, a power reception device, a power transmission device and a wireless power transmission system are provided with which wireless power transmission can be realized without obstructing size reduction by giving a single member two functions.
US09755458B2

A set of generators are connected in parallel using a generator bus. At least one of the generators is associated with a controller. The controller detects an overload condition on the generator bus caused by a load and disconnects an initial generator from the generator bus in response to the overload condition. The initial generator continues to run during the overload condition after disconnecting from the generator bus but alternator excitation may be removed from the initial generator. The controller initiates starting one or more additional generator without alternator excitation. The controller also initiates connecting the initial generator and the one or more additional generators to the generator bus connected to the load. Alternator excitation is applied to the initial generator and the one or more additional generator so that adequate power may be applied to the load.
US09755451B2

The disclosure relates to a device for balancing the battery cells of a battery including a plurality of pairs of battery cells. Each pair of battery cells is connected to a charge balancing unit which is configured to balance the cell voltages of the battery cells of the pair of battery cells with respect to each other. The device further includes a measuring device which is configured to output a current that is proportional to a minimal cell pair voltage to a plurality of resistors that are connected in series. Comparators are also provided, each of which is connected to a pole of a first battery cell of an assigned pair of battery cells and to a respective resistor on an input side and to a control electrode of a respective discharging unit on an output side.
US09755445B2

A method and apparatus for removing the sulfation from the plates of the battery and driving the sulfate crystals back into the electrolyte solution without overheating the battery is presented. The present invention includes a rotary magnetic hub and coil assembly to produces a unique output not found in other charging systems on the market. The battery desulfation method and apparatus of the present invention is self-adjusting to the battery, regardless of voltage and works by removing the sulfate crystals from the plates of lead acid batteries. As a result, the normal life of the average battery may be greatly extended. Heavily sulfated batteries may be brought back to working condition. When used for short durations for healthy batteries, the present invention keeps the sulfate crystals off the plates and in solution to extend the working life of the battery.
US09755444B2

A protective case can house a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can have a switch (e.g., for switching an operational mode of the portable electronic device). The protective case can have a switch cover that engages the switch of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the protective case. The switch cover can be moved between positions corresponding to positions of the switch of the portable electronic device. As the switch cover is moved, the switch cover correspondingly moves the switch.
US09755441B2

Improved handling of battery recognition tasks in an electronic device such as a cell phone, smart phone, computer system, recording device or others is facilitated. Recognition of a battery so as to enable exchange of power between the device and the battery is determined by a match between one of a plurality of number strings stored in the device and the decrypted response to an encrypted challenge derived from the one of stored number string.
US09755434B2

Disclosed are systems, devices, apparatus, circuits, methods, and other implementations, including a system that includes one or more power switching devices that receive power delivered by a power unit, and a high-speed charge control circuit electrically coupled to the one or more power switching devices. The high-speed charge control circuit includes an optocoupler coupled to the power unit and further coupled to a first switching device of the high-speed charge control circuit, the first switching device actuated based on output of the optocoupler to establish an electrical path to discharge at least a portion of electrical charge present at least on the one or more power switching devices when power delivery from the power unit is stopped.
US09755421B2

A control circuit applied to a power converter includes a multi-functional pin, a zero-crossing signal generator, and an over-voltage detector. The multi-functional pin is used for receiving an auxiliary current generated by an auxiliary winding of the power converter, and an input current. The zero-crossing signal generator is used for generating a zero-crossing signal according to the auxiliary current. The over-voltage detector is used for generating an over-voltage signal according to the auxiliary current. The control circuit generates a switch control signal to the power switch according to the zero-crossing signal, or generates an over-voltage protection signal to the power switch according to the over-voltage signal.
US09755418B2

A device and method for fuse protection of a line includes at least two sensors for sensing a corresponding electric variable in a first location and a second location along a conductor line, and for outputting a corresponding first value and second value of the electric variable at the first and second locations, respectively. An evaluation unit evaluates the generated first and second values in order to generate an evaluation result. The evaluation unit controls, based on the evaluation result, an isolating element to cause the isolating element to interrupt a current flow in the conductor line.
US09755412B2

A grommet for mounting a cable within a cable gland includes: an annular body having first and second opposed ends along a longitudinal axis; and a flange extending radially outwardly from the first end of the body. The second end is tapered to encourage insertion into an open end of a cable gland. The flange and body are formed as a monolithic component includes an elastomeric material.
US09755404B2

A spark plug includes an insulator made of an alumina sintered body containing Al2O3 as a principal component and additional components including; an Si component, a Ba component, an Mg component, a Ca component, an Sr component, and a rare earth element component. When the additional components are expressed as oxides including RSiO2, RBaO, RMgO, RCaO, RSrO, and RRE2O3, contents (mass %) of the sub-component satisfy expressions (1) to (6) as follows: (1) 1.0≦RSiO2≦5.0; (2) 0.5≦RBaO≦5.0; (3) 0≦RMgO≦0.18; (4) 0≦RMgO/RBaO≦0.36; (5) 0.3≦(RMgO+RCaO+RSrO)≦1.8; and (6) 0≦RRE2O3≦0.1.
US09755403B2

Methods are provided for modifying the emission wavelength of a semiconductor quantum well laser diode, e.g. by blue shifting the emission wavelength. The methods can be applied to a variety of semiconductor quantum well laser diodes, e.g. group III-V semiconductor quantum wells. The group III-V semiconductor can include AlSb, AlAs, Aln, AlP, BN, GaSb, GaAs, GaN, GaP, InSb, InAs, InN, and InP, and group III-V ternary semiconductors alloys such as AlxGai.xAs. The methods can results in a blue shifting of about 20 meV to 350 meV, which can be used for example to make group III-V semiconductor quantum well laser diodes with an emission that is orange or yellow. Methods of making semiconductor quantum well laser diodes and semiconductor quantum well laser diodes made therefrom are also provided.
US09755391B2

Embodiments reduce crosstalk between electrical interconnects by offsetting pairs of electrical interconnects in an electrical system to produce a staggered interconnect pattern for which magnetic flux through a loop formed by a victim interconnect pair is effectively canceled. Magnetic field vectors generated by an aggressor pair of interconnects can pass through a loop-bounded surface defined by a victim pair of interconnects in the system. In the staggered interconnect pattern, the victim interconnect pair is offset with respect to the aggressor interconnect pair so that the field vectors passing through the victim pair's loop-bounded surface in one direction are substantially balanced by the field vectors passing through the victim pair's loop-bounded surface in the opposite direction, thereby minimizing the effect of the aggressor pair's magnetic field on the victim pair. Since crosstalk is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux, reducing the magnetic flux can reduce the crosstalk.
US09755386B2

The invention relates to a device 1 for contacting electrical conductors and/or electrical plug connectors, said device comprising at least one front housing part 2 and a rear housing part 3, wherein the front housing part 2 and the rear housing part 3 are formed as one unit, wherein at least one first electrical contact connection is provided in the front housing part via contacting points 7, and at least one additional electrical contact connection is provided in the rear housing part 3 via contacting points 9, wherein a step 6 is formed between the front housing part 2 and the rear housing part 3 on one side of the device 1, and wherein contacting points 8 are provided in the region of the step 6 for the purposes of electrical contacting. The invention also relates to a lamp or an electrical device having a device of this type.
US09755380B2

A receptacle includes an insulating housing including a base and a mating tongue, upper contacts and lower contacts, a metallic shell and a shielding plate. The contacts include plate contacting sections exposed upon the mating tongue. The shielding plate is disposed in the mating tongue and the base and isolated from the upper and lower contacts. The metallic shell is retained on the base and surrounding the mating tongue to define a mating port which is inserted with a plug connector in either of two insertion orientations. The front sides of the shielding plate is exposed to the front side of the mating tongue and the lateral sides of the shielding plates is exposed to the corresponding lateral sides of the mating tongue for protection under an improper angular mating of the plug connector.
US09755364B2

An electrical connector for facilitating disconnection from an electrical device by an operator includes an electrical cord and an electrical plug device attached to an end of the electrical cord and having a planar surface. The electrical plug device includes an electrical connector perpendicular to the planar surface of the electrical plug device and a disengagement member. The electrical cord is electrically connected to the electrical connector through the electrical plug device.
US09755354B1

A cord management device securable to objects lacking a cord management system. An embodiment includes a flexible substratum on which two outwardly facing hooks are secured in a longitudinally spaced manner. An embodiment further includes a receptacle adapted to receiving and temporarily house the prongs on an electrical cord. The flexible substratum preferably includes an adhesive, magnet or fastener to temporarily or permanently secure the device to objects. The device is thereby attachable to an object to aid in the securement of an electrical cord.
US09755353B2

A waterproof and interference proof receptacle connector has an upper insulative housing, a lower insulative housing, a first terminal set, a second terminal set, a shell, a watertight casing and an interference proof rear guard. The first and second terminal sets are mounted respectively on the upper and lower insulative housings. The shell is mounted on the upper and lower insulative housings. The watertight casing is mounted around the shell. The interference proof guard is mounted on the watertight casing. The watertight casing provides a waterproof function to allow the waterproof and interference proof receptacle connector to operate in humid or underwater environment.
US09755347B2

Connection box assembly is provided for connecting evacuation slide actuation cable of evacuation slide actuation system to evacuation slide inflation system. Connection box assembly comprises connection box, connection box lid coupled thereto, electrical connector blocker coupled to connection box lid, and connection box slider disposed within connection box. Connection box lid is configured to slide between an open and closed position. Electrical connector blocker is configured to prevent electrical connection to electrical connector coupled to evacuation slide inflation system when connection box lid is in open position and to permit electrical connection to electrical connector when connection box lid is in closed position. Connection box slider is positioned to receive first cable end of evacuation slide actuation cable when connection box lid is in open position. Connection box lid in closed position closes connection box retaining and sealing connection box slider and first cable end inside connection box assembly.
US09755346B1

Provided is a plug having a first plug piece and a second plug piece. The plug pieces are designed to enter in contact with each other, a male end of plug piece being accommodated in a first female end of plug piece. When the first plug piece is in contact with the second plug piece, electric contact elements accommodated in the plug pieces are in contact with each other. An insert accommodated in the female end of the first plug piece prevents inadvertent contacts by foreign bodies in the female end.
US09755342B2

In a cable connecting a plurality of printed-circuit boards, terminals of connectors to which conductors disposed adjacent to conductors that supply power are connected are connected to ground via respective capacitors.
US09755341B2

A flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) connector includes a housing having a first mating interface configured for mating with a first FPCB and a second mating interface configured for mating with a second FPCB. A plurality of jumper conductors are held by the housing. The jumper conductors have first mating ends at the first mating interface being configured for mating with the first FPCB and the jumper conductors having second mating ends at the second mating interface being configured for mating with the second FPCB. The first mating interface is configured to be mated to the first FPCB at any location along a length of the first FPCB including locations remote from an end of the first FPCB.
US09755339B2

A connecting structure includes a flat circuit body, a slider that is attached to a vicinity of a distal end portion of the flat circuit body, and a connector which includes a slider containing portion and a terminal arrangement portion. When the slider is connected to the slider containing portion, conductors of the flat circuit body are electrically connected to the connection terminals of the terminal arrangement portion. The slider has a narrow width end portion whose width at the distal end is smaller than width of the flat circuit body so that side edges of the distal end of the flat circuit body are projected from the narrow width end portion. The slider containing portion has a positioning face which contacts with one of the side edges of the distal end of the flat circuit body.
US09755337B2

Board-to-board connectors that may provide durable and reliable connections, may save board space, and may be easy to manufacture. One example may provide board-to-board connectors that provide durable connections by providing a seal between board-to-board plugs and receptacles. The seal may be an O-ring, gasket, or other seal. The seal may protect contacts on the board-to-board connectors from exposure to fluids, such as water or other corrosive fluids. This seal may provide a level of redundancy with one or more seals protecting a device from external fluids, such as a seal at or in the device enclosure.
US09755333B2

A high power RF connector receptacle having a solderable pin, an outer connector receptacle shell and a high breakdown voltage dielectric such as Silicon Carbide. The connector receptacle can be completed as a stepped process where the Silicon Carbide substrate can be mounted to the package, the pin can be dropped into place and soldered, and then the outer shell can be soldered onto the SiC substrate. Alternatively, the SiC, pin and outer shell can be assembled as a subassembly and then soldered to the package. The combination of SiC and solder gives a hermetic seal to the package. In addition, the SiC has an extraordinarily high dielectric breakdown voltage for high power connections.
US09755319B2

There is provided an antenna including an antenna element that has a prescribed length and detects a line of electric force, a transmission line that transmits an electrical signal, and a radio wave absorbing and attenuating part that has characteristics to absorb and attenuate a radio wave of a frequency band received by the antenna element and is arranged at least between the antenna element and the transmission line.
US09755316B2

An electromagnetic wave diffraction device for fixing onto an outer wall face comprising a plurality of electrically conductive resonant elements having an L-shaped profile fixed parallel on the outer face. Each element comprises a first and second wall secured at right angles to one another along a common edge. The first wall is fixed at a right angle to the outer face by a fixing edge parallel to the common edge. The second wall has a free edge parallel to the common edge. The free edges of all elements are parallel and arranged on the same side relative to the common edge of the corresponding element. A weather protection arrangement for reinforcing the protection of a capacitive area generated in a space between the outer face and the second wall, in the form of a water impermeable dielectric material panel, is fixed to the outer face and covers the elements.
US09755313B2

Provided are chip antennas for near field communication and methods of manufacturing the chip antennas. A chip antenna for near field communication includes a substrate; a first antenna element on the substrate; and a second antenna element on the first antenna element. The substrate, the first antenna element, and the second antenna element are included in a single chip. The first and second antenna elements are formed outside the chip. The substrate is a lower layer including a plurality of devices. The first antenna element is a metal structure having a fish bone shape. The second antenna element is a dipole antenna.
US09755312B2

The present application discloses antenna device including first and second antenna elements which communicate radio waves; housing which stores processor for processing signals in response to the radio waves; first and second element covers for storing first and second antenna elements, respectively. First element cover includes first rotary cylinder, which is held by housing and rotatable around first rotational axis, and first protruding cylinder, which protrudes from first rotary cylinder, first rotary cylinder protruding from housing along first rotational axis. Second element cover includes second rotary cylinder, which is held by housing and rotatable around second rotational axis, and second protruding cylinder, which protrudes from second rotary cylinder, second rotary cylinder protruding from housing along second rotational axis. First included angle between first and second protruding cylinders storing first and second antenna elements is changed by rotation of at least one of first and second rotary cylinders.
US09755311B2

For use in a wireless network, an apparatus for use in a wireless network includes an antenna having (i) a first patch element with two opposite corners truncated and (ii) a first microstrip line connected to a first side of the first patch element and configured to feed the first patch element. The first microstrip line forms an angle of substantially 45° with the first side of the first patch element. The antenna could also include (i) a second patch element with two opposite corners truncated and (ii) a second microstrip line connected to a side of the second patch element. The second microstrip line could form an angle of substantially 45° with the side of the second patch element. The patch elements could be series-coupled and form an antenna array. One patch element could represent a host patch element, and another patch element could represent a parasitic patch element.
US09755308B2

An antenna structure includes a feeding portion, a first grounding portion, a second grounding portion, a first loop antenna and a second loop antenna. The feeding portion has a first side and a second side parallel to the first side. The first grounding portion is positioned adjacent and apart from the first side of the feeding portion. The second grounding portion is positioned adjacent and apart from the second side of the grounding portion. The first loop antenna is defined to accept a second loop antenna therein, and is electronically coupled to the first and second grounding portions. The second loop antenna is positioned inside and apart from the first loop antenna, and further electronically coupled to the feeding portion.
US09755307B2

An antenna structure includes a feeding portion, a first grounding portion, a second grounding portion, a first radiating portion, a second radiating portion, a third radiating portion, and a fourth radiating portion. The feeding portion is configured to feed current signals. The first and second grounding portions are positioned at two opposite sides of the feeding portion respectively. The first, second and third radiating portions cooperatively form a first current path to excite a low-frequency resonate mode and a first high-frequency resonate mode; the first radiating portion resonates with the first grounding portion to excite a second high-frequency resonate mode; the second, third and fourth radiating portion cooperatively form a second current path to excite a third high-frequency resonate mode.
US09755306B1

An antenna cell for a wide-scan low-profile phased array system includes an antenna layer including one or more stacked conductive radiators configured to receive electromagnetic waves. The antenna cell also includes a feed layer that includes multiple rectangular slots and one or more feed structures. Each rectangular slot may excite an orthogonal polarization. The feed structures are positioned perpendicular to one another, and each of the feed structures includes a feed fork that includes a set of open-circuit stubs and is configured to tune antenna performance.
US09755299B2

A window assembly for a vehicle has a transparent layer including a metal compound such that the transparent layer as is electrically conductive. The transparent layer defines an area covering the window assembly. An outer region which is electrically non-conductive surrounds the area. The window assembly includes an antenna element including wire or transparent coating disposed within and surrounded by the outer region without extending into the transparent layer. The antenna element is electrically disconnected from the transparent layer such that the antenna element operates independent of the transparent layer. A feeding element is coupled to the antenna element for energizing the antenna element. The feeding element is electrically disconnected from the transparent layer such that the feeding element energizes the antenna element independent of the transparent layer.
US09755296B2

Two shot knuckles include a first shot component and a second shot component. Both shot components are composed of different dielectric materials, where the first shot is composed of a relatively high strength structural material and the second is composed of a cosmetic material. The first shot component can physically couple two conductive sections together by interfacing with a coupling structure of that section. The first shot component includes second shot retaining regions and a cosmetic region. The second shot component occupies the cosmetic region and anchors itself to the first shot component using the second shot retaining regions. The second shot may be the only part of the two-shot knuckle visible to a user of an electronic device and can exhibit any desired color.
US09755292B2

The invention is a compact three-port signal combiner suitable for use in a base station having two different wireless systems. The combiner is designed as a four-port network, but one of the ports is terminated with a predetermined load, thus leaving three ports for connection to user equipment. A first port (A) receives from an antenna a first input signal comprising first and second receive bands and transmits to the antenna a first output signal comprising a transmit band. A second port (R), connected to the first wireless system, outputs to the first wireless system a second output signal comprising the first and second receive bands. A third port (T\R) outputs, to the second wireless system, a third output signal comprising the first and second receive bands and receives from the second wireless system a second input signal that is to be transmitted from the first port.
US09755289B2

Right angle transition to circuit. A system includes a conductive plate, coaxial transmission line, a circuit, parallel to the conductive plate, and a right angle transition from the coaxial transmission line to the circuit. The transmission line includes a center pin protruding through a hole in the plate, an outer conductor formed by a conductive surface of the hole, and air dielectric between. The circuit includes a top conducting layer (TCL), ground plane with cutout, and an insulating substrate between the TCL and ground plane that abuts the pin. The transition includes the pin, a conductive element connecting the center pin to the TCL, the outer conductor, the air dielectric, the abutment of the substrate against the pin, and the cutout. The abutment and cutout minimize manufacturing variations regarding distance between the pin and the ground plane. The transition tunes out inductance introduced by bonding the pin to the TCL.
US09755280B2

A control device of a secondary battery uses, as material of a positive electrode, positive electrode active material that shows a difference of an open circuit voltage curve between charging and discharging. A storing unit stores, as discharge open circuit voltage information, a relationship between an SOC in a discharge process and an open circuit voltage for each changeover SOC that is an SOC when changing a state of the secondary battery from the charge to the discharge. An SOC calculating unit calculates the SOC of the secondary battery in the discharge process on the basis of a changeover SOC when actually performing the change from the charge to the discharge and the discharge open circuit voltage information stored in the storing unit. It is therefore possible to properly detect the SOC during the discharge.
US09755276B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid electrolyte for a fluoride ion battery with improved fluoride ion stability. By providing a liquid electrolyte for a fluoride ion battery comprising a fluoride salt and a diol compound in which one or two ether bonds are disposed between two OH groups, the present invention achieves the aforementioned object.
US09755267B2

The present disclosure provides a cable-type secondary battery, comprising: an inner electrode; a separation layer surrounding the outer surface of the inner electrode to prevent a short circuit between electrodes; and a sheet-form outer electrode spirally wound to surround the separation layer or the inner electrode.
US09755265B2

The present invention relates to an anode for a secondary battery, comprising at least two anode wires which are parallel to each other and spirally twisted, each of the anode wires having an anode active material layer coated on the surface of a wire-type current collector; and a secondary battery comprising the anode. The anode of the present invention has an increased surface area to react with Li ions during a charging and discharging process, thereby improving the rate characteristics of a battery, and also release stress or pressure applied in the battery, e.g., the volume expansion of active material layers to prevent the deformation of the battery and ensure the stability thereof, thereby improving the life characteristic of the battery.
US09755259B2

There is provided a power generation body used for a fuel cell. The power generation body comprising a membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly comprising an electrolyte membrane, a first catalyst layer placed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, a second catalyst layer placed on the other surface of the electrolyte membrane, a first gas diffusion layer placed outside of the first catalyst layer and a second gas diffusion layer placed outside of the second catalyst layer; a frame placed around a circumference of the membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly; and an adhesive provided to bond the membrane electrode and gas diffusion layer assembly to the frame. The first gas diffusion layer is formed to have an identical size with that of the electrolyte membrane, and the second gas diffusion layer is formed smaller than the electrolyte membrane. The frame has a stepped portion corresponding to a stepped shape formed by the electrolyte membrane and the second gas diffusion layer. The stepped portion has a bonded surface, which includes a surface opposed to the first gas diffusion layer and a surface opposed to either the electrolyte membrane or the second catalyst layer. The bonded surface has higher hydrophilicity than an unbonded surface, which is not bonded to another member, among surfaces of the frame.
US09755254B2

An automated method or procedure for detecting a permeability state of a membrane of a fuel cell stack is provided. The procedure is sensitive enough to detect a defective membrane, and is accurate enough to enable correct maintenance of the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell stack is formed of a stack of electrochemical cells each having an anode and a cathode sandwiching a polymeric ion-exchange membrane therebetween. The fuel cell stack includes a fuel gas supply system on the anode side of the electrochemical cells, and includes an oxidant gas supply system on the cathode side of the electrochemical cells.
US09755252B2

A fuel cell includes: a membrane electrode assembly; a gas flow path member that has a first side that is arranged on a surface of the membrane electrode assembly; a pair of separators that are arranged sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly and the gas flow path member, and each have a separating portion and a plurality of holes separated by the separating portion, the holes being provided in each of opposite sides of the separator and being lined up in a predetermined direction along the sides; and a sealing plate that is arranged on an end portion of the first side adjacent to the holes, and is welded to the gas flow path member at a predetermined welding position, the predetermined welding position being provided in a region that includes a position on a straight line that passes through the separating portion and is perpendicular to the sides.
US09755239B2

Disclosed is a positive electrode composition for a lithium secondary battery and a secondary lithium battery using the same. The positive electrode composition for a lithium secondary battery includes a positive active material, a binder, and a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1. The above Chemical Formula 1 is the same as defined in the detailed description.
US09755238B2

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present invention includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution. The negative electrode includes a coating derived from lithium bis(oxalate)borate. The coating derived from lithium bis(oxalate)borate includes a coating containing boron element and a coating containing oxalate ion. A ratio of the boron element contained in the coating derived from lithium bis(oxalate)borate to the oxalate ion is equal to or more than 5. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery capable of reliably obtaining the effect due to the formation of a coating.
US09755236B2

A dendrite penetration-resistant layer for a rechargeable alkali metal battery, comprising multiple graphene sheets or platelets or exfoliated graphite flakes that are chemically bonded by a lithium- or sodium-containing species to form an integral layer that prevents dendrite penetration through the integral layer, wherein the lithium-containing species is selected from Li2CO3, Li2O, Li2C2O4, LiOH, LiX, ROCO2Li, HCOLi, ROLi, (ROCO2Li)2, (CH2OCO2Li)2, Li2S, LixSOy, Na2CO3, Na2O, Na2C2O4, NaOH, NaX, ROCO2Na, HCONa, RONa, (ROCO2Na)2, (CH2OCO2Na)2, Na2S, NaxSOy, or a combination thereof, wherein X=F, Cl, I, or Br, R=a hydrocarbon group, x=0-1, y=1-4. Also provided is a process for producing a dendrite penetration-resistant layer based on the principle of electrochemical decomposition of an electrolyte in the presence of multiple graphene sheets.
US09755229B2

Novel intermetallic materials are provided that are composed of tin and one or more additional metal(s) having a formula M(1-x)-Sn5, where −0.1≦x≦0.5, with 0.01≦x≦0.4 being more preferred and the second metallic element (M) is selected from iron (Fe), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and a combination of two or more of those metals. Due to low concentration of the second metallic element, the intermetallic compound affords an enhanced capacity applicable for electrochemical cells and may serve as an intermediate phase between Sn and MSn2. A method of synthesizing these intermetallic materials is also disclosed.
US09755205B2

According to one embodiment, a nonwoven fiber mat includes between 10% and 50% by weight of a plurality of first glass fibers having an average diameter of less than 5 μm and between 50% and 90% by weight of a plurality of second glass fibers having an average diameter of greater than 6 μm. The nonwoven fiber mat also includes an acid resistant binder that binds the first and second glass fibers together. The nonwoven fiber mat has an average pore size of between 1 and 100 μm and exhibits an air permeability of below 100 cubic feet per minute per square foot (cfm/ft2) as measured by the Frazier test at 125 Pa according to ASTM Standard Method D737.
US09755198B2

A battery cell assembly is provided. The battery cell assembly includes a first frame assembly having a first substantially rectangular ring-shaped frame and a first coupling member. The first coupling member of the first frame assembly has a first tongue portion with first and second resilient arm members. The battery cell assembly further includes a second frame assembly having a second substantially rectangular ring-shaped frame and a first coupling member. The first coupling member of the second frame assembly has a female member with a first aperture such that the first and second resilient arm members extend through the first aperture and engage an engagement surface defined by the female member of the first coupling member of the second frame assembly.
US09755183B2

Disclosed is an organic light emitting display device that includes a foreign matter compensation layer on an inorganic layer. A passivation layer and a second inorganic layer are in direct contact with each other at the edge of the substrate. Accordingly, the number of interfaces between the inorganic layers is decreased. Thus, even if the organic light emitting display device is bent, a moisture permeation path, which may be unexpectedly formed, can be minimized.
US09755174B2

A light-emitting element with high emission efficiency which includes a plurality of light-emitting layers and exhibits multi-color light emission is provided. The light-emitting element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an EL layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The EL layer includes a first injection layer, a first light-emitting layer, and a second light-emitting layer in a first region, and a second injection layer, the first light-emitting layer, and the second light-emitting layer in a second region. The first light-emitting layer includes a first light-emitting material and a first host material, and the second light-emitting layer includes a second light-emitting material and a second host material. A color of light emitted from the first region is different from that of light emitted from the second region.
US09755172B2

A device including an emissive material comprising quantum dots is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a first electrode and a second electrode, a layer comprising quantum dots disposed between the first electrode and the second electrodes, and a first interfacial layer disposed at the interface between a surface of the layer comprising quantum dots and a first layer in the device. In certain embodiments, a second interfacial layer is optionally further disposed on the surface of the layer comprising quantum dots opposite to the first interfacial layer. In certain embodiments, a device comprises a light-emitting device. Other light emitting devices and methods are disclosed.
US09755159B2

A novel compound based on aza- and diazodibenzofurans; aza- and diaza dibenzothiophenes, such as benzothieno- and benzofuropyrimidines as well as benzothieno- and benzofuropyrazines useful for electron-transporting host material in green, red, yellow, and white phosphorescent emitting devices is disclosed.
US09755155B2

A compound containing a squaric acid or a croconic acid group as an anchoring group. The compound containing a squaric acid or a croconic acid group has formula 1: where n is 1 or 2, and D is selected from an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, heteroalkyl, heteroaryl or heteroaralkyl substituent, and each substituent is substituted or unsubstituted.
US09755147B2

An ink for forming a functional layer, which is used when any thin film layer among functional layers consisting of a plurality of thin film layers is formed, includes a functional layer forming material and a solvent for dissolving the functional layer forming material, and in which the number of particles of 0.5 μm or more is 7 or less in 10 ml of the ink for forming a functional layer.
US09755143B2

A switching device includes a first dielectric material formed overlying a substrate. A bottom wiring material and a switching material are sequentially formed overlying the first dielectric material. The bottom wiring material and the switching material are patterned and etched to form a first structure having a top surface region and a side region. The first structure includes a bottom wiring structure and a switching element having the top surface region including an exposed region. A second dielectric material is formed overlying the first structure. A first opening region is formed in a portion of the second dielectric layer to expose a portion of the top surface region. A dielectric side wall structure is formed overlying a side region of the first opening region. A top wiring material including a conductive material is formed overlying the top surface region to be directly contact with the switching element.
US09755141B2

A method for fabricating magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) devices on a tight pitch is provided. The method generally includes etching a pattern of columns into a hardmask layer disposed on a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) disposed on a substrate having electrically conductive contacts, the MTJ comprising a tunnel barrier layer between first and second ferromagnetic layers, the pattern of columns aligned to the electrically conductive contacts; etching the first ferromagnetic layer to expose the tunnel barrier layer and to form columns comprising the hardmask layer and the first ferromagnetic layer; forming a passivation layer on the exposed tunnel barrier layer and on top side surfaces of the columns; and etching the passivation layer on the exposed tunnel barrier layer, the exposed tunnel barrier layer, and the second ferromagnetic layer to form columns comprising the hardmask layer, the first ferromagnetic layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the second ferromagnetic layer.
US09755133B1

A tunable quantum qubit circuit comprising: a plurality of interconnected Josephson tunneling junctions sculpted in-situ on-chip, wherein each Josephson tunneling junction comprises a pair of high temperature superconductors separated by an active region having a controlled charge density; a capacitive-coupled control gate operatively coupled to the Josephson tunneling junctions and configured to simultaneously modulate energy levels of the Josephson tunneling junctions; and independent control gates operatively coupled to the Josephson tunneling junctions, wherein the independent control gates are reconfigurable on-the-fly by an operator.
US09755119B2

A method of manufacturing a light emitting device includes preparing wafer with a plurality of light emitting elements arrayed on a growth substrate, on a first side of a semiconductor stacked layer body, forming a resin layer which includes metal wires respectively connected to a p-side electrode and an n-side electrode, forming a groove by removing at least portion of the resin layer from an upper surface side in a boundary region between the light emitting elements and exposing end surfaces of metal wires which are internal conductive members on an inner side surface defining a groove, forming electrodes for external connection respectively connecting to exposed end surfaces of metal wires, and singulating the wafer into a plurality of singulated light emitting elements.
US09755118B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting device that can implement a natural, vivid, highly visible and comfortable appearance of colors and appearance of objects as if the objects are seen outdoors, and to provide a light-emitting device that can change the appearance of colors of the illuminated objects so as to satisfy the requirements for various illuminations, and a method for designing thereof. Another object of the present invention is to improve the appearance of colors of a light-emitting device which currently exists or is in use, and which includes a semiconductor light-emitting device of which appearance of colors is not very good. Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a method for driving the light-emitting device, an illumination method by the device, and a method for manufacturing the light-emitting device.These objects are achieved by the light-emitting device that incorporates light-emitting elements and satisfies predetermined requirements, in which φSSL (λ) emitted from the light-emitting device satisfies a predetermined condition.
US09755112B2

An LED die includes a base, and an N-typed semiconductor layer, an active layer and a P-typed semiconductor layer formed on the base that order. The LED die also includes an N-electrode and a P-electrode. The N-electrode is arranged on the N-typed semiconductor layer and electrically connected therewith. The P-electrode is arranged on the P-typed semiconductor layer and electrically connected therewith. The LED die further includes a barrier layer arranged between the P-typed semiconductor layer and the P-electrode. The barrier layer includes at least two materials of Cr, Ni and Ti. The at least two materials of Cr, Ni and Ti are stacked together to form the barrier layer.
US09755106B2

Disclosed is a light emitting diode (LED) having improved light extraction efficiency. The LED includes a light emitting structure positioned on a substrate and having a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer. A first electrode pad is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer. A second electrode pad is positioned on the substrate. An insulating reflective layer covers a portion of the light emitting structure, and is positioned under the second electrode pad, so that the second electrode pad is spaced apart from the light emitting structure. At least one upper extension is connected to the second electrode pad to be electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. Further, a pattern of light extraction elements is positioned on the second semiconductor layer.
US09755098B2

An embodiment relates to a group II-VI semiconductor wafer of a radiation detector, and an embodiment relates to a method for producing same. An embodiment of the present invention provides a group II-VI semiconductor of a radiation detector enabling reduction or restriction of the edge effect (or the end surface effect) and a method for producing same. An embodiment of the present invention provides a radiation detector obtained by half-cutting or full-cutting a group II-VI semiconductor wafer having a zinc blende structure in which the wafer has a {001} plane main surface, and cut planes according to the half-cutting or full-cutting have an angle θ (≠0°) relative to the slip direction of the wafer.
US09755097B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor photoreceiving device includes a substrate, a first structural layer provided on the substrate, in which light enters from the substrate side and in which a refractive index changes periodically, a semiconductor layer provided on the first structural layer and including an optical absorption layer, a reflective layer provided on the semiconductor layer, and a pair of electrodes configured to apply voltage to the optical absorption layer.
US09755091B2

A dual-band infrared detector is provided. The dual-band infrared detector includes a first absorption layer sensitive to radiation in only a short wavelength infrared spectral band, a plurality of barrier layers coupled to the first absorption layer, and a second absorption layer coupled to the plurality of barrier layers opposite the first absorption layer. The second absorption layer is sensitive to radiation in only a medium wavelength infrared spectral band, and the first and second absorption layers are formed from materials having a lattice parameter mismatch less than a predetermined threshold.
US09755089B2

A solar cell is discussed. The solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter region of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, which is positioned at a front surface of the semiconductor substrate, a front passivation part positioned on a front surface of the emitter region, a front electrode part which passes through the front passivation part and is electrically connected to the emitter region, a back passivation part positioned on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a back electrode part which passes through the back passivation part and is electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate. The front passivation part and the back passivation part each include a silicon oxide layer. One of the front passivation part and the back passivation part includes an aluminum oxide layer.
US09755085B2

A semiconductor device includes memory blocks each configured to comprise a pair of channels, each channel including a pipe channel formed in a pipe gate of the memory block and a drain-side channel and a source-side channel coupled to the pipe channel; first slits placed between the memory blocks adjacent to other memory blocks; and a second slit placed between the source-side channel and the drain-side channel of each pair of channels.
US09755084B2

A semiconductor device having a novel structure is provided in which a transistor including an oxide semiconductor and a transistor including a semiconductor material which is not an oxide semiconductor are stacked. Further, a semiconductor device in which a semiconductor element and a capacitor are formed efficiently is provided. In a semiconductor device, a first semiconductor element layer including a transistor formed using a semiconductor material which is not an oxide semiconductor, such as silicon, and a second semiconductor element layer including a transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor are stacked. A capacitor is formed using a wiring layer, or a conductive film or an insulating film which is in the same layer as a conductive film or an insulating film of the second semiconductor element layer.
US09755079B2

Semiconductor devices are provided including a first active fin extending in a first direction and a second active fin spaced apart from the first active fin in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second active fin extending in the first direction, the second active fin having a longer side shorter than a length of a longer side of the first active fin. A first dummy gate extends in the second direction overlapping a first end of each of the first and second active fins. A first metal gate extends in the second direction intersecting the first active fin and overlapping a second end of the second active fin. A first insulating gate extends in the second direction intersecting the first active fin. The first insulating gate extends into the first active fin.
US09755073B1

A method of forming a vertical fin field effect transistor (vertical finFET) with a strained channel, including forming one or more vertical fins on a substrate, forming a sacrificial stressor layer adjacent to the one or more vertical fins, wherein the sacrificial stressor layer imparts a strain in the adjacent vertical fins, forming a fin trench through one or more vertical fins and the sacrificial stressor layer to form a plurality of fin segments and a plurality of sacrificial stressor layer blocks, forming an anchor wall adjacent to and in contact with one or more fin segment endwalls, and removing at least one of the plurality of the sacrificial stressor layer blocks, wherein the anchor wall maintains the strain of the adjacent fin segments after removal of the sacrificial stressor layer blocks adjacent to the fin segment with the adjacent anchor wall.
US09755070B2

A semiconductor packaging structure includes a chip, a first pin, a second pin, and a third pin. The chip includes a first surface, a second surface, a first power switch, and a second switch, and both the first power switch and the second switch include a first terminal and a second terminal. The second surface of the chip is opposite to the first surface of the chip. The first pin does not contact to the second pin. The first terminal of the first power switch of the chip is coupled to the first pin, and the second terminal of the first power switch of the chip is coupled to the third pin. The first terminal of the second power switch of the chip is coupled to the third pin, and the second terminal of the second power switch of the chip is coupled to the second pin.
US09755068B2

In embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a high resistivity substrate, a transistor disposed on the high resistivity substrate, and a deep trench device isolation region disposed in the high resistivity substrate to surround the transistor. Particularly, the high resistivity substrate has a first conductive type, and a deep well region having a second conductive type is disposed in the high resistivity substrate. Further, a first well region having the first conductive type is disposed on the deep well region, and the transistor is disposed on the first well region.
US09755067B2

A semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a P type well region and an N type well region formed in a substrate, a gate insulating layer having a non-uniform thickness and formed on the P type well region and the N type well region, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating layer, a P type well pick-up region formed in the P type well region, and a field relief oxide layer formed in the N type well region between the gate electrode and the drain region.
US09755066B2

In one implementation, a reduced gate charge field-effect transistor (FET) includes a drift region situated over a drain, a body situated over the drift region, and source diffusions formed in the body. The source diffusions are adjacent a gate trench extending through the body into the drift region and having a dielectric liner and a gate electrode situated therein. The dielectric liner includes an upper segment and a lower segment, the upper segment extending to at least a depth of the source diffusions and being significantly thicker than the lower segment.
US09755062B2

III-N transistors with recessed gates. An epitaxial stack includes a doped III-N source/drain layer and a III-N etch stop layer disposed between a the source/drain layer and a III-N channel layer. An etch process, e.g., utilizing photochemical oxidation, selectively etches the source/drain layer over the etch stop layer. A gate electrode is disposed over the etch stop layer to form a recessed-gate III-N HEMT. At least a portion of the etch stop layer may be oxidized with a gate electrode over the oxidized etch stop layer for a recessed gate III-N MOS-HEMT including a III-N oxide. A high-k dielectric may be formed over the oxidized etch stop layer with a gate electrode over the high-k dielectric to form a recessed gate III-N MOS-HEMT having a composite gate dielectric stack.
US09755056B2

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes following steps. Firstly, a substrate having a transistor is provided, where the transistor includes a source/drain region. A dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, and a contact plug is formed in the dielectric layer to electrically connect the source/drain region. Next, a mask layer is formed on the dielectric layer, where the mask layer includes a first layer and a second layer stacked thereon. After this a slot-cut pattern is formed on the second layer of the mask layer, and a contact slot pattern is formed on the first layer of the mask layer. Finally, the second layer is removed and a contact opening is formed by using the contact slot pattern on the first layer.
US09755047B2

A semiconductor process is described. A silicon-phosphorus (SiP) epitaxial layer is formed serving as a source/drain (S/D) region. A crystalline metal silicide layer is formed directly on the SiP epitaxial layer and thus prevents oxidation of the SiP epitaxial layer. A contact plug is formed over the crystalline metal silicide layer.
US09755038B2

Techniques for reducing the specific contact resistance of metal-semiconductor (group IV) junctions by interposing a monolayer of group V or group III atoms at the interface between the metal and the semiconductor, or interposing a bi-layer made of one monolayer of each, or interposing multiple such bi-layers. The resulting low specific resistance metal-group IV semiconductor junctions find application as a low resistance electrode in semiconductor devices including electronic devices (e.g., transistors, diodes, etc.) and optoelectronic devices (e.g., lasers, solar cells, photodetectors, etc.) and/or as a metal source and/or drain region (or a portion thereof) in a field effect transistor (FET). The monolayers of group III and group V atoms are predominantly ordered layers of atoms formed on the surface of the group IV semiconductor and chemically bonded to the surface atoms of the group IV semiconductor.
US09755033B2

According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a vertical structure is provided. The method includes the following operations: providing a substrate; providing the vertical structure having a source, a channel, and a drain over the substrate; shrinking the source and the channel by oxidation; forming a metal layer over the drain of the vertical structure; and annealing the metal layer to form a silicide over the drain of the vertical structure.
US09755027B2

Provided is an electronic device. The electronic device includes a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer sequentially stacked on a substrate and a source electrode, a gate electrode, and a drain electrode arranged on the second semiconductor layer. The electronic device further includes a field plate which is electrically connected to the source electrode and extends towards the drain electrode, wherein the field plate becomes farther away from the substrate as the field plate becomes closer to the drain electrode.
US09755021B2

An integrated circuit is disclosed that includes a single channel device having a first portion of a single shared heterostructure overlying a substrate structure in a single channel device area, and a gate contact that is in contact with the first portion of the single shared heterostructure. The integrated circuit also includes a multichannel device comprising a second portion of the single shared heterostructure overlying the substrate structure in a multichannel device area, a barrier layer overlying the second portion of the single shared heterorstructure, and a superlattice structure overlying the barrier layer, the superlattice structure comprising a plurality of heterostructures. An isolation region in the single shared heterostructure electrical isolates the single channel device from the multichannel device.
US09755020B2

A semiconductor device includes a first n− type layer and a second n− type layer that are sequentially disposed on a first surface of an n+ type silicon carbide substrate; a first trench and a second trench that are disposed at the second n− type layer and are spaced apart from each other; a p type region surrounding a lateral surface and a lower surface of the first trench; an n+ type region disposed on the p type region and the second n− type layer; a gate insulating layer disposed in the second trench; a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer; an oxide layer disposed on the gate electrode; a source electrode disposed on the oxide layer and the n+ type region disposed in the first trench; and a drain electrode disposed at a second surface of the n+ type silicon carbide substrate.
US09755004B2

A full-color AM OLED includes a transparent substrate, a color filter positioned on an upper surface of the substrate, and a metal oxide thin film transistor backpanel positioned in overlying relationship on the color filter and defining an array of pixels. An array of OLEDs is formed on the backpanel and positioned to emit light downwardly through the backpanel, the color filter, and the substrate in a full-color display. Light emitted by each OLED includes a first emission band with wavelengths extending across the range of two of the primary colors and a second emission band with wavelengths extending across the range of the remaining primary color. The color filter includes for each pixel, two zones separating the first emission band into two separate primary colors and a third zone passing the second emission band.
US09754994B2

An image sensor includes a substrate having adjacent pixel regions and respective photodiode regions therein, and a pixel separation portion including a trench extending into the substrate between the adjacent pixel regions. The trench includes a conductive common bias line therein and an insulating device isolation layer between the common bias line and surfaces of the trench. A conductive interconnection is coupled to the common bias line and is configured to provide a negative voltage thereto. Related fabrication methods are also discussed.
US09754980B2

An imaging device with excellent imaging performance is provided. An imaging device that easily performs imaging under a low illuminance condition is provided. A low power consumption imaging device is provided. An imaging device with small variations in characteristics between its pixels is provided. A highly integrated imaging device is provided. A photoelectric conversion element includes a first electrode, and a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer is provided between the first electrode and the third layer. The second layer is provided between the first layer and the third layer. The first layer contains selenium. The second layer contains a metal oxide. The third layer contains a metal oxide and also contains at least one of a rare gas atom, phosphorus, and boron. The selenium may be crystalline selenium. The second layer may be a layer of an In—Ga—Zn oxide including c-axis-aligned crystals.
US09754971B2

A semiconductor device includes a dual-gate transistor including an oxide semiconductor film between a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode, a gate insulating film between the oxide semiconductor film and the second gate electrode, and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The semiconductor device further includes an insulating film over the gate insulating film, and a conductive film over the insulating film and connected to one of the pair of electrodes. The insulating film includes an opening in at least a region overlapping with the oxide semiconductor film in which the second gate electrode is provided in contact with the gate insulating film. The second gate electrode is formed using the same material as the conductive film connected to the one of the pair of electrodes.
US09754955B2

An integrated circuit (IC) using high-κ metal gate (HKMG) technology with an embedded metal-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (MONOS) memory cell is provided. A logic device is arranged on a semiconductor substrate and comprises a logic gate. A memory cell is arranged on the semiconductor substrate and comprises a control transistor and a select transistor laterally adjacent to one another. The control and select transistors respectively comprise a control gate and a select gate, and the control transistor further comprises a charge trapping layer underlying the control gate. The logic gate and one or both of the control and select gates are metal and arranged within respective high κ dielectric layers. A high-κ-last method for manufacturing the IC is also provided.
US09754946B1

A method of forming an elevationally extending conductor laterally between a pair of conductive lines comprises forming a pair of conductive lines spaced from one another in at least one vertical cross-section. Conductor material is formed to elevationally extend laterally between and cross elevationally over the pair of conductive lines in the at least one vertical cross-section. Sacrificial material is laterally between the elevationally extending conductor material and each of the conductive lines of the pair in the at least one vertical cross-section. The sacrificial material is removed from between the elevationally extending conductor material and each of the conductive lines of the pair while the conductor material is crossing elevationally over the pair of conductive lines to form a void space laterally between the elevationally extending conductor material and each of the conductive lines of the pair in the at least one vertical cross-section.
US09754945B2

A non-volatile memory device with a programmable leakage can be formed employing a trench capacitor. After formation of a deep trench, a metal-insulator-metal stack is formed on surfaces of the deep trench employing a dielectric material that develops leakage path filaments upon application of a programming bias voltage. A set of programming transistors and a leakage readout device can be formed to program, and to read, the state of the leakage level. The non-volatile memory device can be formed concurrently with formation of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device by forming a plurality of deep trenches, depositing a stack of an outer metal layer and a node dielectric layer, patterning the node dielectric layer to provide a first node dielectric for each non-volatile memory device that is thinner than a second node dielectric for each DRAM device, and forming an inner metal layer.
US09754943B1

A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device includes a substrate, plural word lines and plural bit lines. The word lines are disposed in the substrate along a first trench extending along a first direction. Each of the word lines includes a multi-composition barrier layer, wherein the multi-composition barrier layer includes TiSixNy with x and y being greater than 0 and the multi-composition barrier layer is silicon-rich at a bottom portion thereof and is nitrogen-rich at a top portion thereof. The bit lines are disposed over the word lines and extended along a second direction across the first direction.
US09754939B2

Integrated circuits including multiple gate devices with dual threshold voltages and methods for fabricating such integrated circuits are provided. An exemplary method for fabricating an integrated device includes providing a semiconductor fin structure overlying a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor fin structure has a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, and an upper surface. The method includes forming a first gate along the first sidewall of the semiconductor fin structure with a first threshold voltage. Further, the method includes forming a second gate along the second sidewall of the semiconductor fin structure with a second threshold voltage different from the first threshold voltage.
US09754937B1

A hybrid transistor circuit is disclosed for use in III-Nitride (III-N) semiconductor devices, comprising a Silicon (Si)-based Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET), a Group III-Nitride (III-N)-based Field-Effect Transistor (FET), and a driver unit. A source terminal of the III-N-based FET is connected to a drain terminal of the Si-based MOSFET. The driver unit has at least one input terminal, and two output terminals connected to the gate terminals of the transistors respectively. The hybrid transistor circuit is turned on through the driver unit by switching on the Silicon-based MOSFET first before switching on the III-N-based FET, and is turned off through the driver unit by switching off the III-N-based FET before switching off the Silicon-based MOSFET. Also disclosed are integrated circuit packages and semiconductor structures for forming such hybrid transistor circuits. The resulting hybrid circuit provides power-efficient and robust use of III-Nitride semiconductor devices.
US09754928B2

Various package structures and methods of forming package structures are described. According an embodiment, a structure includes a first package and a package component attached to the first package by external connectors. The first package comprises a device attached to a first pad and a second pad. The device is a surface mount device (SMD), an integrated passive device (IPD), or a combination thereof. The device is attached to the first pad and the second pad through a dielectric layer. A spacer material is disposed laterally between the first pad and the second pad and is disposed between the device and the dielectric layer. An encapsulant surrounds the device and the spacer material.
US09754920B2

The reliability of a semiconductor device is improved. A semiconductor device in accordance with one embodiment has a plurality of stacked semiconductor chips. Further, a plurality of inter-chip connection members (conductive members) arranged between the semiconductor chips, and establishing an electrical connection between the semiconductor chips include a first inter-chip connection member (conductive member) for passing therethrough a current with a first frequency, and a plurality of second inter-chip connection members (conductive members) for passing therethrough a signal current with a second frequency higher than the first frequency. Further, in the second inter-chip connection members, at least some of the second inter-chip connection members arranged adjacent to each other are in contact with each other, and are separated from the first inter-chip connection member.
US09754915B2

In wire bonding in assembling of a semiconductor device, an Al wire is coupled to a lead section by a wedge which is a bonding tool, thereafter, the wedge is withdrawn from the top of the lead section and a cutter is lowered and the Al wire is cut off in this state. Lowering of the cutter is stopped at a point in time that a stopper which is lowered simultaneously with lowering of the cutter has truck against the lead section and cutting of the Al wire is terminated by stopping of lowering of the cutter.
US09754908B2

A method includes forming a passivation layer over a metal pad, wherein the metal pad is further overlying a semiconductor substrate of a wafer. A Post-Passivation Interconnect (PPI) is formed to electrically couple to the metal pad, wherein a portion of the PPI is overlying the passivation layer. A metal bump is formed over and electrically coupled to the PPI. The method further includes applying a molding compound over the metal bump and the PPI, applying a release film over the molding compound, pressing the release film against the molding compound, and curing the molding compound when the release film is pressed against the molding compound. The release film is then removed from the molding compound. The wafer is sawed into dies using a blade, with the blade cutting through the molding compound.
US09754906B2

The present disclosure relates to a package substrate. The package substrate includes a patterned conductive layer and conductive pillars. Each of the conductive pillars includes a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion contacts the patterned conductive layer at one end of the first portion, and the second portion is adjacent to another end of the first portion. A thickness of the first portion is greater than a thickness of the second portion. Side surfaces of the first portion are substantially coplanar to side surfaces of the second portion.
US09754905B1

Embodiments are directed to a method of forming a semiconductor chip package and resulting structures having an annular PSPI region formed under a BLM pad. An annular region is formed under a barrier layer metallurgy (BLM) pad. The annular region includes a photosensitive polyimide (PSPI). A conductive pedestal is formed on a surface of the BLM pad and a solder bump is formed on a surface of the conductive pedestal. The annular PSPI region reduces wafer warpage and ULK peeling stress.
US09754904B2

An electronic apparatus includes: a first substrate; an electrode over the first substrate; a first conductor having a porous structure above the first substrate, the first conductor covering an upper surface and a side surface of the electrode; and an insulator above the first substrate, the insulator covering an upper surface and a side surface of the first conductor, wherein the insulator has an opening that exposes the first conductor.
US09754903B2

A semiconductor structure includes a dielectric layer, a silicidable metal layer and an undoped filler material layer are used to create an anti-efuse device. The anti-efuse device may be situated in a dielectric layer of an interconnect structure for a semiconductor device or may be planar. Where part of an interconnect structure, the anti-efuse device may be realized by causing a current to flow therethrough while applying local heating. Where planar, the filler material may be situated between extensions of metal pads and metal atoms caused to move from the extensions to the filler material layer using a current flow and local heating.
US09754878B2

A plurality of regular wires are formed within a given chip level, each having a linear-shape with a length extending in a first direction and a width extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of regular wires are positioned according to a fixed pitch such that a distance as measured in the second direction between lengthwise centerlines of any two regular wires is an integer multiple of the fixed pitch. At least one irregular wire is formed within the given chip level and within a region bounded by the plurality of regular wires. Each irregular wire has a linear-shape with a length extending in the first direction and a width extending in the second direction. A distance as measured in the second direction between lengthwise centerlines of any irregular wire and any regular wire is not equal to an integer multiple of the fixed pitch.
US09754874B2

An inductive capacitive structure including a first substrate, a first conductive line over the first substrate, a first shielding layer over the first substrate and a second substrate over the first substrate.
US09754864B1

A semiconductor power device is disclosed. The semiconductor power device comprises a lead frame unit, two or more pluralities of single in-line leads, two or more semiconductor chip stacks, and a molding encapsulation. Each semiconductor chip stack includes a high-side semiconductor chip, a low-side semiconductor chip and a clip connecting a top surface of the high-side semiconductor chip to a bottom surface of the low-side semiconductor chip. This invention further discloses a method for fabricating semiconductor power devices. The method comprises the steps of providing a lead frame strip having a plurality of lead frame units; providing two or more pluralities of single in-line leads; attaching two or more high-side semiconductor chips to each lead frame unit; connecting each of the two or more high-side semiconductor chips to a respective lead by a respective clip of two or more first clips; attaching a respective low-side semiconductor chip of the two or more low-side semiconductor chips to each clip of the two or more first clips; molding an encapsulation; and singulating the lead frame strip and the encapsulation to form the semiconductor power devices.
US09754853B2

An electronic device includes a support board having a mounting face and an integrated circuit chip mounted on the mounting face. An encapsulation block embeds the integrated circuit chip, the encapsulation block extending above the integrated circuit chip and around the integrated circuit chip on the mounting face of the support board. The encapsulation block includes a front face with a hole passing through the encapsulation block to uncovering at least part of an electrical contact. A layer made of an electrically conducting material fills the hole to make electrical connection to the electrical contact and further extends over the front face of the encapsulation block.
US09754847B2

A package component includes a stack-probe unit, which includes a first-type connector, and a second-type connector connected to the first-type connector. The first-type connector and the second-type connector are exposed through a surface of the package component.
US09754846B2

In fabrication of an integrated circuit having a layer with a plurality of conductive interconnects, a layer of a substrate is polished to provide the layer of the integrated circuit. The layer of the substrate includes conductive lines to provide the conductive interconnects. The layer of the substrate includes a closed conductive loop formed of a conductive material in a trench. A depth of the conductive material in the trench is monitored using an inductive monitoring system and a signal is generated. Monitoring includes generating a magnetic field that intermittently passes through the closed conductive loop. A sequence of values over time is extracted from the signal, the sequence of values representing the depth of the conductive material over time.
US09754845B2

A method includes performing a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) on an article, providing a polishing fluid capable of transferring charges to the article, and detecting a current generated in response to the charges transferred to the article. An apparatus that is capable of performing the method and a system that includes the apparatus are also disclosed.
US09754837B1

Various embodiments include methods and integrated circuit structures. In some cases, a method of forming an integrated circuit structure can include: forming a mask over an oxide layer and an underlying set of fin structures, the set of fin structures including a plurality of fins each having a substrate base and a silicide layer over the substrate base; implanting the oxide layer through an opening in the mask; removing the mask; polishing the oxide layer overlying the set of fin structures after removing the mask to expose the set of fin structures; and forming a nitride layer over the set of fin structures.
US09754827B1

A semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor structure, a dielectric layer, a metal-semiconductor compound film and a cover layer. The semiconductor structure has an upper surface and a lateral surface. The dielectric layer encloses the lateral surface of the semiconductor structure and exposes the upper surface of the semiconductor structure. The metal-semiconductor compound film is on the semiconductor structure, wherein the dielectric layer exposes a portion of a surface of the metal-semiconductor compound film. The cover layer encloses the portion of the surface of the metal-semiconductor compound film exposed by the dielectric layer, and exposes the dielectric layer.
US09754825B2

Semiconductor devices having interconnects incorporating negative expansion (NTE) materials are disclosed herein. In one embodiment a semiconductor device includes a substrate having an opening that extends at least partially through the substrate. A conductive material having a positive coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) partially fills the opening. A negative thermal expansion (NTE) having a negative CTE also partially fills the opening. In one embodiment, the conductive material includes copper and the NTE material includes zirconium tungstate.
US09754824B2

Aspects of the methods and apparatus described herein relate to deposition of tungsten nucleation layers and other tungsten-containing films. Various embodiments of the methods involve exposing a substrate to alternating pulses of a tungsten precursor and a reducing agent at low chamber pressure to thereby deposit a tungsten-containing layer on the surface of the substrate. According to various embodiments, chamber pressure may be maintained at or below 10 Torr. In some embodiments, chamber pressure may be maintained at or below 7 Torr, or even lower, such as at or below 5 Torr. The methods may be implemented with a fluorine-containing tungsten precursor, but result in very low or undetectable amounts of fluorine in the deposited layer.
US09754823B2

A method of selectively locating a barrier layer on a substrate includes forming a barrier layer on a surface of the substrate. The barrier layer comprises of a metal element and a non-metal element. The barrier layer may also be formed from a metal element and non-metal element. The method further includes forming an electrically conductive film layer on the barrier layer, and forming a metallic portion in the electrically conductive film layer. The method further includes selectively ablating portions of the barrier layer from the dielectric layer to selectively locate place the barrier layer on the substrate.
US09754822B1

A device, structure, and method are provided whereby an insert layer is utilized to provide additional support for surrounding dielectric layers. The insert layer may be applied between two dielectric layers. Once formed, trenches and vias are formed within the composite layers, and the insert layer will help to provide support that will limit or eliminate undesired bending or other structural motions that could hamper subsequent process steps, such as filling the trenches and vias with conductive material.
US09754814B2

Disclosed is a structure for improved electrical signal isolation in a semiconductor substrate between integrated passive devices (IPDs) and an associated method for the structure's fabrication. The structure includes an amorphized region in the semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer formed over the amorphized region, and IPDs formed over the dielectric layer. The amorphized region is not recrystallized and may be formed by utilizing an inert implant that does not charge-dope the amorphized region, while forming a plurality of charge carrier traps at an interface between the amorphized region and the dielectric layer to prevent a parasitic conduction layer from forming at the interface. The inert implant may include one of Argon, Xenon and Germanium. In many implementations, the structure does not include an active device.
US09754811B2

[Problem] To provide a dicing sheet that is with a protective film formation layer, can easily produce a semiconductor chip having a protective film having high uniformity and superior printing precision, is such that the peeling of the protective film and the dicing sheet can be easily performed, and has superior affixing ability of chips during dicing. [Solution] The dicing sheet with a protective film formation layer is characterized by a protective film formation layer being peelably provided on the adhesive layer of an adhesive sheet resulting from the adhesive layer, which contains an adhesive component and a free epoxy group-containing compound, being laminated onto a substrate film.
US09754809B2

A tri-modal carrier provides a structural platform to temporarily bond a semiconductive wafer and can be used to transport the semiconductive wafer or be used to perform manufacturing processes on the semiconductive wafer. The tri-modal carrier includes a doped semiconductive substrate, a plurality of electrostatic field generating (EFG) circuits, and a capacitance charging interface. A positive pole and a negative pole from each EFG circuit are embedded into the doped semiconductive substrate. An exposed portion of the doped semiconductive substrate is located between the positive pole and the negative pole, which is used as a biased pole for each EFG circuit. The combination of these poles for each EFG circuit is used to generate a non-uniform electrostatic field for bonding the semiconductive wafer. The tri-modal carrier also uses flat surface properties and the removal of trapped gas particles to strengthen the bond between the tri-modal carrier and the semiconductive wafer.
US09754802B2

The invention generally relates to methods of thermal doping by vacancy formation in nanocrystals, devices and uses thereof.
US09754800B2

A method of etching patterned heterogeneous silicon-containing structures is described and includes a remote plasma etch with inverted selectivity compared to existing remote plasma etches. The methods may be used to conformally trim polysilicon while removing little or no silicon oxide. More generally, silicon-containing films containing less oxygen are removed more rapidly than silicon-containing films which contain more oxygen. Other exemplary applications include trimming silicon carbon nitride films while essentially retaining silicon oxycarbide. Applications such as these are enabled by the methods presented herein and enable new process flows. These process flows are expected to become desirable for a variety of finer linewidth structures. Methods contained herein may also be used to etch silicon-containing films faster than nitrogen-and-silicon containing films having a greater concentration of nitrogen.
US09754798B1

A method for uniform fin reveal depth for semiconductor devices includes dry etching a dielectric material to reveal semiconductor fins by a quasi-atomic layer etching (quasi-ALE) process to achieve depth uniformity across different fin pitches. A lateral bias induced by the quasi-ALE process is compensated for by isotropically etching the dielectric material.
US09754792B1

One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming an original fin-formation etch mask comprised of a plurality of original line-type features and removing at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of original line-type features so as to thereby define a modified fin-formation etch mask comprising the remaining portions of the plurality of original line-type features. The method also includes forming a conformal layer of material on the remaining portions of the plurality of original line-type features of the modified fin-formation etch mask and performing at least one etching process to remove at least portions of the conformal layer of material and to define a plurality of fin-formation trenches so as to thereby initially define a plurality of fins in the substrate.
US09754782B2

Group III nitride substrate having a first side of nonpolar or semipolar plane and a second side has more than one stripe of metal buried, wherein the stripes are perpendicular to group III nitride's c-axis. More than 90% of stacking faults exist over metal stripes. Second side may expose a nonpolar or semipolar plane. Also disclosed is a group III nitride substrate having a first side of nonpolar or semipolar plane and a second side with exposed nonpolar or semipolar plane. The substrate contains bundles of stacking faults with spacing larger than 1 mm. The invention also provides methods of fabricating the group III nitride substrates above.
US09754770B2

To diagnose plasma in a plasma space, a plurality of floating probes are installed at a plurality of points, respectively, in a plasma space. An electron density ratio at each of the points is calculated by measuring a first probe current of each of the floating probes, the probe current including a DC component. A point ion density and a point electron temperature at each of the points are calculated by measuring a second probe current of each of the floating probes before the electron density ratio is calculated, the second probe current excluding the DC component.
US09754757B2

A housing, a substrate accommodated in the housing, a needle electrode for generating ions through discharging, which is held by the substrate such that a tip end portion protrudes outside the housing, an insulating sealing portion insulating and sealing the substrate in the housing, and an electrode protection portion for protecting the needle electrode outside the housing are included. The housing is provided with an opening portion through which a side of the tip end portion of the needle electrode is inserted and which is sealed with the insulating sealing portion. The electrode protection portion has a first protection portion and a second protection portion which are provided to protrude from the housing relative to the tip end portion of the needle electrode and opposed to each other at a distance from each other on opposing sides of the needle electrode.
US09754743B1

Actuation apparatus for use with magnetically-triggered proximity switches are described herein. An example apparatus includes an actuator shaft having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment intersecting the second segment. The first segment defines a first end of the actuator shaft, and the second segment defines a second end of the actuator shaft opposite the first end. The second segment further defines a slot. The apparatus further includes a detector magnet assembly coupled to the first segment of the actuator shaft adjacent the first end. The apparatus further includes a switch arm coupled to the second segment of the actuator shaft. The switch arm includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a portion located between the first and second ends of the switch arm. The portion of the switch arm is positioned in the slot of the actuator shaft.
US09754742B2

A gas circuit breaker includes a driving side electrode having a driving side main contact and a driving side arc contact, and a driven side electrode having a driven side main contact and a driven side arc contact in a sealed tank. The driving side electrode is connected to an operation device. The driven side electrode is coupled to a bidirectional driving mechanism unit. A sliding guide, on which the driven side main contact slides, is provided on an inner periphery side of the driven side main contact. The driven side main contact is energized by a coil spring in a direction of the sliding guide and has two contact surfaces. Only during normal conduction, one of the contact surfaces contacts a projected portion of the sliding guide and the other of the contact surfaces contacts the driving side main contact.
US09754741B2

An assembled structure includes a metal plate having a first main surface and a second main surface, and having a through hole, as well as a resin member assembled with the metal plate and disposed on the second main surface side so as to have a portion fitted within the through hole. Assuming that an opening when the through hole is viewed in a plan view has a first width at a point along the opening and a second width measured in parallel to the first width at a point shifted toward the outer side of the opening, a combination of the first width and the second width can be determined such that the second width is larger than the first width.
US09754740B2

Disclosed is a switching control circuit for performing an ON-OFF control of a switching element. The switching control circuit includes a first external terminal; a second external terminal; a passive element connected between the first external terminal and the second external terminal; and a function setting circuit, which performs a function setting based on a constant of the passive element. An electric potential at the first external terminal and an electric potential at the second external terminal are controlled.
US09754733B2

A method for using plasma to activate biochar is disclosed where reactive gas(es) are excited by external power; biochar set on a sample holder is electrically biased or set at a floating potential so that charged particles of a certain type are attracted to the biochar, leading to intensive chemical reactions.
US09754729B2

The instant disclosure relates to a solid electrolytic capacitor with improved metallic anode and a method for manufacturing the same. The solid electrolytic capacitor includes a substrate layer, a conductive polymer layer and an electrode layer. The substrate layer has a cathode portion and an anode portion having a smaller thickness than the cathode portion. The conductive polymer layer is formed to cover the cathode portion of the substrate layer. The electrode layer is formed to cover the conductive polymer layer. Therefore, the instant solid electrolytic capacitor can be applied to a packing process, and welding success yield rate can be improved.
US09754727B2

An energy charge storage device, particularly from the group consisting of super capacitor, a hybrid electrochemical capacitor, a metal hydride battery and a fuel cell, comprising a first and second electrode and an electrolyte wherein the electrolyte comprises a printable polyelectrolyte e.g. polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSH). The present invention also refers to methods of obtaining such energy storage device.
US09754726B2

To provide a nonaqueous electrolytic capacitor element, which contains: a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material capable of intercalating or deintercalating anions; a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material; and a nonaqueous electrolyte, which contains a nonaqueous solvent, an electrolyte salt containing a halogen atom, and a compound having a site capable of bonding to an anion containing a halogen atom.
US09754715B2

A magnetic assembly includes a magnetic core and at least one foil winding assembly. The magnetic core includes plural magnetic legs. At least one magnetic path is defined by the plural magnetic legs collaboratively. Moreover, at least one low-permeability structure is formed in at least one specified magnetic leg of the plural magnetic legs. The at least one foil winding assembly is wound around the specified magnetic leg. Consequently, plural winding parts in a multi-layered arrangement are sequentially stacked on the specified magnetic leg. A direction of a conductor thickness of each winding part is perpendicular to a direction of a magnetic flux through the specified magnetic leg. The plural winding parts are gradually close to the low-permeability structure along an arranging direction, and the conductor thicknesses of at least two of the plural winding parts are gradually decreased along the arranging direction.
US09754713B2

A choke includes a single-piece core made of a same material, the single-piece core having a first board, a second board, and a pillar located between the first and second boards, a winding space located among the first board, the second board and the pillar, wherein the pillar has a non-circular and non-rectangular cross section having a first axis and a second axis substantially perpendicularly intersecting with each other at a center of the cross section of the pillar, and wherein a circumference of the cross section of the pillar includes two arc edges, four first substantially straight edges substantially parallel to the first axis, and two second substantially straight edges substantially parallel to the second axis, each of the first substantially straight edges being a joint of and in direct contact with one of the arc edges and one of the second substantially straight edges.
US09754712B2

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for a magnetic component. In accordance with an embodiment, a magnetic component comprises a base substrate defining a winding cup having a shape of a closed groove surrounding a hub. The winding cup defines a core space operable to receive a core therein. A first conductive pattern is disposed on at least a portion of the base substrate including the winding cup. A second substrate defines a second conductive pattern. The second substrate is coupled to the first base surface with the first conductive pattern in operable alignment with the second conductive pattern. The first and second conductive patterns are coupled in electrical communication so as to define one or more winding-type electric circuits surrounding the core space so as to induce a magnetic flux within the core space when the one or more electric circuits are energized by a voltage source.
US09754707B2

A surge protection device having a housing, two connections for connection to a current path to be protected, and at least a first discharge conductor in the housing. In a normal state of the device, the first connection is electrically conductively connected to the first connection region of the discharge conductor, and the second connection is connected to the second connection region by at least one component. A metal safety element, which has two contact regions and a connecting region which connects the contact regions to one another, is arranged within the housing. The first contact region is electrically conductively connected to the second connection region and the second contact region is electrically conductively connected to the component in the normal state. The connecting region is a fuse by which brief pulse currents can be transmitted by the connecting region, whereas mains-frequency short-circuit currents overload the connecting region destroying it.
US09754704B2

A method of making a thin-film multi-layer micro-wire structure includes providing a substrate and a layer on the substrate with one or more micro-channels having a width less than or equal to 20 microns. A conductive material including silver nano-particles and having a percent ratio of silver that is greater than or equal to 40% by weight is located in the micro-channels and cured to form an electrically conductive micro-wire. The electrically conductive micro-wire has a width less than or equal to 20 microns and a depth less than or equal to 20 microns. Each micro-wire is electrolessly plated to form a plated layer located at least partially within each micro-channel between the micro-wire and the layer surface in electrical contact with the micro-wire. The plated layer has a thickness less than a thickness of the micro-wire so that the micro-wire and plated layer form the thin-film multi-layer micro-wire.
US09754702B2

Disclosed are an electrode structure and a method for producing an electrode. The method includes disposing first and second wires on a substrate, and bonding the first and second wires to each other. The electrode structure includes a substrate, a first wire disposed on the substrate, and a second wire disposed on the substrate. The first wire crosses the second wire, and the first and second wires are bonded to each other.
US09754693B2

Treatment of a radioactive waste stream is provided by adding sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and/or potassium hydroxide (KOH) together with a rapidly dissolving form of silica, e.g., fumed silica or fly ash. Alternatively, the fumed silica can be first dissolved in a NaOH/KOH solution, which is then combined with the waste solution. Adding a binder that can be a mixture of metakaolin (Al2O3.2SiO2), ground blast furnace slag, fly ash, or other additives. Adding an “enhancer” that can be composed of a group of additives that are used to further enhance the immobilization of heavy metals and key radionuclides such as 99Tc and 129I. An additional step can involve simple mixing of the binder with the activator and enhancer, which can occur in the final waste form container, or in a mixing vessel prior to pumping into the final waste form container, depending on the particular application.
US09754680B2

An electrical fuse (eFuse) array includes eFuse cells arranged in multiple rows and columns. Each eFuse cell has an eFuse, a first diode, and a second diode coupled to an internal node, each eFuse cell further having first, second, and third terminals coupled, respectively, to the first diode, the second diode, and the eFuse. The eFuse array further includes a shared NMOSFET for each of the multiple rows, with a drain coupled to the third terminal of each of the plurality of eFuse cells in that row and a gate coupled to a word line. Each column includes a write bit line coupled to the second terminal of each of the eFuse cells in that column, and a read bit line coupled to the first terminal of the eFuse cell.
US09754677B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a read and write circuit temporarily storing program data to be programmed into the memory cell array during a program operation, and reading data stored in the memory cell array and temporarily storing read data during a read operation, and a control logic detecting an error in the program operation by comparing the program data with the read data.
US09754666B2

An apparatus includes a first resistive storage element and a second resistive storage element. The first and second resistive storage elements are coupled to column lines to of a crosspoint array to form a memory cell; and a ratio of resistances of the first and second resistive storage elements indicates a stored value for the memory cell.
US09754656B2

In some embodiments, disclosed herein are approaches for facilitating voltage controlled slaved (or replica) clock circuits such as voltage controlled delay lines (VCDLs) off of a master clock generator. In such systems, one or more control (or bias) voltages are generated to control a master clock generator such as a master DLL. One or more “slave” circuits may be controlled off of the master's control voltage so that their clocks replicate desired traits of the master clock.
US09754655B2

In an embodiment, a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) system configures an inactive portion of a DRAM die to operate in accordance with a self-refresh mode that is characterized by refreshes of the DRAM die being controlled by a local DRAM die controller integrated into the DRAM die. The DRAM system also configures an active portion of the DRAM die to operate in accordance with a controller-managed refresh mode while the inactive portion of the DRAM die operates in the self-refresh mode, the controller-managed refresh mode characterized by refreshes of the DRAM die being controlled by a controller that is external to the DRAM die.
US09754653B2

Method for writing and reading a plurality of data bits to a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference magnetic layer having a reference magnetization, a tunnel barrier layer, and a SAF storage magnetic layer including a first and second storage magnetization being coupled antiparallel through a storage coupling layer and freely orientable at a high temperature threshold. The method includes: heating the magnetic tunnel junction to the high temperature threshold; and applying a write magnetic field to orient the first and second storage magnetization; wherein the high temperature threshold includes one of a first or third high temperature threshold such as to orient the first storage magnetization respectively antiparallel or parallel to the second storage magnetization; or a second high temperature threshold such as to orient the first storage magnetization with an angle below 180° with respect to the second storage magnetization.
US09754644B2

An extensible configurable FPGA storage structure and an FPGA device, where the FPGA storage structure includes: a plurality of local storage units, a controller and two clock buffers, where the two clock buffers are separately used for providing different clock signals for two clock input ports of the controller; the controller is used for receiving a write address signal input externally, and driven by the clock signals, generating a plurality of enable signals and write address decoding signals to be output to the plurality of local storage units; and each of the local storage units includes a local memory and a multiplexer used for providing input data for the local memory; and, based on a configuration mode of each local storage unit, generates output data in the corresponding configuration mode according to the enable signals, input write address decoding signals or read address signals, and the input data.
US09754640B1

A sensing circuit for a non-volatile memory device is provided. The sensing circuit includes a bias generating circuit and a first sense amplifier. The bias generating circuit includes a driving circuit biased by a reference current and an operational amplifier. The operation amplifier receives a reference voltage at a non-inverting input terminal, and generates an output voltage at an inverting input terminal via a negative feedback path including the driving circuit. The first sense amplifier includes a first replica circuit and a first current sensing circuit. The first replica circuit replicates the output voltage to a first bit line coupled to a first memory cell. The first current sensing circuit senses a first current difference between a scaled version of the reference current and a first cell current of the first memory cell to determine a first memory state of the first memory cell.
US09754636B2

One or more values associated with a first configuration setting for a first circuit may be stored in a first set of one or more registers when an operation of the first circuit is based at least in part on one or more values associated with a second configuration setting stored in a second set of one or more registers. In response to receiving an indication of a change in an operating frequency or voltage of the first circuit, the one or more values stored in the second set of one or more registers may be changed by loading the one or more values associated with the first configuration setting stored in the first set of one or more registers into the second set of one or more registers in a parallel fashion.
US09754634B2

A method of manufacture of the memory management system includes: fabricating a dual in-line memory module carrier; mounting a volatile memory device on the dual in-line memory module carrier; mounting a non-volatile memory on the dual in-line memory module carrier on a side opposite the volatile memory device; mounting an uninterruptible power supply on the dual in-line memory module carrier for maintaining a memory module power when a system power input decays; and mounting a controller logic integrated circuit on the dual in-line memory module carrier coupled to the volatile memory device, the non-volatile memory, and the uninterruptible power supply for copying data content of the volatile memory device to the non-volatile memory when the uninterruptible power supply detects the decay of the system power input to a first cross-over level.
US09754626B1

The disclosure includes embodiments for generating a synched video. A method includes determining a duration and a number of discrete frames of an original video. The method includes determining a type of replacement video that includes a live source or a recorded source. The method includes tracking a location of an original head in the original video to determine positioning data for the original head in each of the discrete frames. The method includes synching the replacement video to the original video based on a position, a size and a rotation between the original head in the original video and a replacement head in the replacement video, wherein the synching generates a synched video which synchs the replacement head to the original head based on the position, the size and the rotation.
US09754624B2

A computer-implemented method for creation of a video project includes uploading a starting video to a data storage of a media management server, the starting video having a plurality of starting frames each having a distinct starting video time stamp, generating a first user interface to a media display of a first client computing device, presenting the starting video through the first user interface, modifying the starting video in response to user input through the first user interface to produce an updated video having a plurality of updated frames each having a distinct updated video time stamp, associating one or more comments to the updated and starting frames, and presenting the one or more comments along with the starting video and the updated video through the first user interface as a topical, chronological thread in accordance with the chronologic indicators.
US09754623B2

A system and method for interactive printed media are disclosed in which a mobile or wearable computing device has an application that captures an image of a piece of printed media and associates a link to the piece of printed media using a backend component to make the piece of printed media interactive. The system and method may be used to generate a piece of printed media that is interactive that may be sent to third parties or to make an existing piece of printed media interactive.
US09754614B1

A plasmon generator includes: a first portion formed of a first metal material and including a front end face configured to generate near-field light; a second portion formed of a second metal material and located at a distance from the front end face; and a heat sink layer formed of a third metal material, located at a distance from the front end face and interposed between the first portion and the second portion. The second metal material is lower in Vickers hardness and higher in thermal conductivity than the first metal material. The third metal material has a thermal conductivity higher than that of each of the first and second metal materials, and has a Vickers hardness lower than that of the first metal material and higher than that of the second metal material.
US09754613B2

A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet.
US09754607B2

An acoustic-scene interpretation apparatus can have a transducer configured to convert an acoustic signal to a corresponding electrical signal. A feature extractor can receive a sequence of frames representing the electrical signal and extract a plurality of acoustic features corresponding to each frame. An acoustic-scene classifier can be configured to determine a most-likely acoustic state for each frame in the sequence of frames in correspondence with the respective plurality of acoustic features corresponding to the frame and a selected probability distribution of duration of an acoustic state for each of one or more classes of acoustic scenes. Each respective probability distribution of duration can correspond to a selected class of acoustic scenes. The correspondence between acoustic state and probability distribution of duration can be learned from training data corresponding to each of a plurality of classes of acoustic scenes. Related methods also are disclosed.
US09754601B2

A very coarse quantization exceeding the measure determined by the masking threshold without or only very little quality losses is enabled by quantizing not immediately the prefiltered signal, but a prediction error obtained by forward-adaptive prediction of the prefiltered signal. Due to the forward adaptivity, the quantizing error has no negative effect on the prediction on the decoder side.
US09754599B2

The present technology relates to an encoder and an encoding method, a decoder and a decoding method, and a program by which encoding efficiency is able to be improved by constraining an appearance probability of a predetermined quantization value of an encoding target to 0 when encoding with a combination of Huffman encoding and multidimensional encoding is performed.
US09754577B2

The invention relates to an acoustic device capable of producing active noise reduction, which may be positioned on the head of a user, comprising at least one microphone capable of sensing a sound signal representative of ambient noise, including at least one active noise reduction acoustic module comprising an osteophonic transducer, capable of being positioned on a side flank of the head of the user and of transmitting a vibratory signal transformed by bone conduction into an acoustic signal which may be perceived by the user, connected to said microphone, while said at least one acoustic module includes an electronic circuit capable of generating a vibratory signal giving the possibility of attenuating perception of said ambient noise by the user.
US09754575B2

An area-sound reproduction system includes a speaker array in which a plurality of speakers are linearly arranged side by side, a sound collector that collects an environment sound in an environment where the area-sound reproduction system is installed, and a processor that adjusts reproduced sounds that the plurality of speakers are caused to output, based on a control line, and causes the area-sound reproduction system to output the reproduced sounds, the control line being set at a position substantially in parallel with the speaker array and apart from the speaker array by a predetermined distance, and including a reproduction line in which sound waves emitted from the speaker array constructively interfere with each other and a non-reproduction line in which the sound waves destructively interfere with each other, in which the processor measures a noise level from the collected environment sound, and adjusts the reproduced sounds, at each frequency, such that a sound pressure of the reproduced sound reaching the reproduction line on the control line exceeds the noise level, and a sound pressure of the reproduced sound reaching the non-reproduction line on the control line does not exceed the noise level.
US09754570B2

A music composition, editing, and playback system and method provides a user interface design based on geometric interpretation of music theory replacing traditional modern music notation with geometric shapes including chords represented by polygons that are colored with colors or hues.
US09754566B2

An apparatus for connecting drum pedals for a musical drum set is provided. The apparatus may include an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the outer rod having a polygon-shaped channel extending therethrough, the distal end of the outer tube being coupled with a first drum pedal; an inner rod having a polygonal cross-section, a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the inner rod being slidably received through the polygon-shaped channel at the proximal end of the outer tube, the distal end of the inner rod being coupled with a first drum beater; and a quick-release mechanism coupled to the proximal end of the outer tube configured to releasably engage the outer tube with the inner rod.
US09754565B2

A saxophone neck system uses interchangeable component parts to modify and optimize sound and resistance. The saxophone neck system may allow a saxophone player the ability to change components to achieve variations in sound and to use the components with various manufacturers' instruments and mouthpieces. With the use of various internal shapes and dimensions placed in a specific combination, the player can create a desired sound. Additionally, the saxophone neck system may eliminate neck cork compression discrepancies from different manufacturers by offering different diameters of the body of the initiator portion of the saxophone neck system to fit any saxophone mouthpiece.
US09754564B2

An improved stringed instrument pick having a two-piece configuration including a holding device having a finger hole associated therewith and a pick member selectively engageable with the holding device, the pick member having a first playing surface and a second playing surface joined together at a joinder edge so as to form a V-shaped configuration. The first and second playing surfaces include first and second prong members respectively for engaging corresponding slots associated with the holding device. The pick member is selectively engageable with the holding device such that a user can use a differently angled or sized pick member with the same holding device depending upon the particular stringed instrument being played and/or to achieve a particular style or sound. As such, the present pick provides multiple playing surfaces which can be utilized in a wide variety of different ways to play a particular stringed instrument.
US09754561B2

One embodiment of the present invention includes a memory management unit (MMU) that is configured to manage sparse mappings. The MMU processes requests to translate virtual addresses to physical addresses based on page table entries (PTEs) that indicate a sparse status. If the MMU determines that the PTE does not include a mapping from a virtual address to a physical address, then the MMU responds to the request based on the sparse status. If the sparse status is active, then the MMU determines the physical address based on whether the type of the request is a write operation and, subsequently, generates an acknowledgement of the request. By contrast, if the sparse status is not active, then the MMU generates a page fault. Advantageously, the disclosed embodiments enable the computer system to manage sparse mappings without incurring the performance degradation associated with both page faults and conventional software-based sparse mapping management.
US09754560B2

The instant application discloses receiving a command via a processor to initiate a window creation operation on a client computing device, retrieving at least one image tile pre-allocated in a memory of the client computing device, performing a draw operation that places at least one image overplayed onto the at least one image tile and displaying the image overplayed onto the at least one image tile on a display of the client computing device.
US09754551B2

A display panel and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The display panel includes a shift register with a plurality of stages configured to shift and to output a scan pulse for a plurality of scan lines. Each stage includes a pull-up transistor and a pull-down transistor coupled in series and defining an output node therebetween, a driver with a first node coupled to a gate electrode of the pull-up transistor and a second node coupled to a gate electrode of the pull-down transistor; and a node controller coupled to the first node, the second node, and the output node. In each stage, the node controller is configured to selectively apply a reference voltage at the first node and the second node in response to a control signal.
US09754550B1

One or more resistors or resistances are integrated in a 7-bit DVR or PVCOM integrated circuit. A 7-bit DVR or PVCOM integrated circuit includes a 7-bit DAC. The integrated resistors or resistances (R1, R2, or RSET, or any combination) reduces the number of external components, reduces the number of pins, and increases the accuracy of the DVR or PVCOM circuit. The least significant bit (LSB) of the DAC depends only on ratios of internal resistors, which can be made very accurate and independent of temperature.
US09754546B2

A display panel driving apparatus includes a load controlling circuit, a data driver and a gate driver. The load controlling circuit is connected to a control line transferring a recovery timing control signal for controlling recovery of a clock signal from a display signal including image data and the clock signal, and is configured to control a load of the control line according to a glitch level of the recovery timing control signal. The data driver is configured to receive the display signal, receive the recovery timing control signal through a connection to the control line, recover the clock signal from the display signal according to the recovery timing control signal, and output a data signal based on the image data to a data line of a display panel.
US09754533B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an organic light-emitting diode emitting visible light, a driving thin film transistor driving the organic light-emitting diode, and a compensation thin film transistor. The compensation thin film transistor includes a compensation gate electrode, a compensation semiconductor layer, a compensation source electrode, and a compensation drain electrode. The compensation gate electrode includes a first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode electrically connected to the first gate electrode. The compensation drain electrode is electrically connected to the driving gate electrode of the driving thin film transistor. The compensation semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor region overlapping the first gate electrode and a second semiconductor region overlapping the second gate electrode and disposed further from the compensation drain electrode than the first semiconductor region, and an area of the first semiconductor region is less than that of the second semiconductor region.
US09754530B2

A display device includes a display panel, a power supply, and a driving circuit. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels. The power supply is configured to supply a first power voltage and a second power voltage to the display panel. The driving circuit is configured to determine, based on a viewing angle information signal, whether to operate the display device in a general mode or a low power mode. If the display device is operated in the low power mode, the driving circuit is further configured to deactivate the power supply, and supply a first subsidiary power voltage and a second subsidiary power voltage to the display panel.
US09754525B2

A display panel and a driving method thereof and a display device are disclosed, and the display panel includes two sets of pixel driving circuits; and, for every two adjacent pixel columns for each primary color, an operating voltage line for one pixel column is connected to a first set of pixel driving circuits via a connection point located at a side of a pixel array where the pixels in the first row of a pixel array are located, and an operating voltage line for the other pixel column which is connected to the second set of pixel driving circuits via a connection point located at a side of the pixel array where the pixels in the last row of the pixel array are located. The display panel can ensure the uniformity of the display luminance of the whole display panel.
US09754522B2

A display device includes a curvature-variable display panel including a plurality of pixels; a controller configured to correct and output an image signal supplied from the outside according to a radius of curvature of the display panel; a data driver configured to supply a data signal corresponding to the corrected image signal to a data line connected to the pixel; and a scan driver configured to supply a scan signal synchronized with the data signal to a scan line connected to the pixel. The controller may include a curvature detector configured to detect the radius of curvature of the display panel and a lookup table generator configured to generate a correction lookup table according to the radius of curvature of the display panel.
US09754519B2

A street sign assembly is fabricated from a composite material having at least one panel for displaying indicia such as street names. Electrical conductors are embedded into the panel to permit attachment and electrical coupling of an integrated power supply module, lights and other electrical devices thereto. The integrated power supply module includes a solar panel and battery in a single weatherproof enclosure that is attachable to the panel. The battery is recharged by the solar panel and power is provided from the module through electrical leads that contact the embedded electrical conductors in the panel.
US09754518B2

Display module mounting apparatus and methods provide mounting features enabling ease of installation and service. The apparatus may have one or more releasable frame couplers and pivoting releasable frame couplers coupled to a display module having a display plane defined in relation to a substrate. One or more adjustable linkages may adjustably define a standoff distance between the display plane and a support frame to which the module may be mounted by the mounting apparatus. Concave and convex adjustments to the display plane may be made. Operation of pivoting action to tilt the display plane enables installation, removal, and serviceability of large displays constructed with a tiled plurality of display modules.
US09754514B2

An adjustable friction joint assembly for a crash test dummy includes a first joint member for connection to a first member of the crash test dummy and a second joint member for connection to a second member of the crash test dummy. The adjustable friction joint assembly also includes a shaft operatively connected to the first joint member and the second joint member to allow rotation therebetween. The adjustable friction joint assembly further includes an adjustable friction assembly operatively connected to the shaft and operatively cooperating with the first joint member and the second joint member to adjust a friction tightness of the joint assembly.
US09754509B2

A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder's progress and to provide training.
US09754508B2

The invention provides a computerized method and system for processing a food recipe. After a user utilizes an electronic device to indicate a recipe of interest, the invention identifies ingredients in the recipe, and provides a user with displayable information related to the ingredients. One or more functions are provided for a user to select from: altering the number of food servings for the recipe; toggling between metric and US measurements listed in the recipe; receiving a displayed dietary label for the food produced by said recipe.
US09754500B2

One or more embodiments of techniques or systems for curriculum assessment are provided herein. One or more assessments can be generated. For example, an assessment can be generated based on one or more forms. In this way, assessments can be created in a structured manner and distributed accordingly. One or more of the assessments may be administered. After one or more students or test takers take the assessments, one or more of the assessments can be analyzed or aggregated. Analysis can include statistical analysis related to one or more similar, related, or associated assessments. In this manner, curriculum assessment can be provided, thereby enhancing teaching efficiency and productivity, etc.
US09754498B2

A system for navigating an aircraft includes a first aircraft with a first communication unit and a second aircraft with a second communication unit. The first aircraft is adapted for determining coordinates of a position of a waypoint. The first communication unit is adapted to transmit the coordinates of the position of the waypoint to the second communication unit. The second aircraft is adapted to navigate to the position of the waypoint. Several waypoints can be provided in this manner such that a flight trajectory is established along which the second aircraft may follow the first aircraft. In addition, the second aircraft may be adapted to follow the first aircraft based on a received identification signal. In certain embodiments, the system can be used such that the second aircraft can follow the first aircraft in case of a failure of systems of the second aircraft.
US09754497B1

A method for providing air traffic controlled flight of a large number of commercial drones each carrying one or more packages in to and out of an air traffic controlled space around an airport. The method includes providing an outbound corridor from a carrier facility through and out of the air traffic controlled space, where the outbound corridor does not allow any other air traffic to fly therein, and allowing the drones to fly through the outbound corridor to leave the air traffic controlled space without requiring air traffic control. The method also includes providing an inbound corridor through the air traffic controlled space to the carrier facility that does not allow any other air traffic to fly therein, and allowing drones to return to the carrier facility through the air traffic controlled space by flying through the inbound corridor without requiring air traffic control.
US09754496B2

A system and method for management of airspace for unmanned aircraft is disclosed. The system and method comprises administration of the airspace including designation of flyways and zones with reference to features in the region. The system and method comprises administration of aircraft including registration of aircraft and mission. A monitoring system tracks conditions and aircraft traffic in the airspace. Aircraft may be configured to transact with the management system including to obtain rights/priority by license and to operate in the airspace under direction of the system. The system and aircraft may be configured for dynamic transactions (e.g. licensing/routing). The system will set rates for licenses and use/access to the airspace and aircraft will be billed/pay for use/access of the airspace at rates using data from data sources.
US09754493B2

A system and method for guiding and coordinating vehicular traffic determine tasks to be completed by vehicles in a transportation network in order to complete an objective, allocate the tasks among the vehicles, and determine sets of allowable actions for the vehicles based on the allocation of the tasks. The sets of allowable actions dictate plural different allowable actions that the vehicles are allowed to perform in order to complete the tasks allocated to the vehicles. The allowable actions are determined such that the vehicles are scheduled to complete the tasks and complete the objective without the vehicles colliding or blocking movement of each other. The allowable actions are communicated to the vehicles such that the vehicles are permitted to select one or more of the allowable actions and prohibited from performing one or more other actions during performance of the tasks allocated to the vehicles.
US09754492B2

The disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for providing a notification relating to a geographical boundary based on monitored sensor data collected by networked devices. The disclosed embodiments include, for example, a method that monitors positional sensor data received from one or more triggering devices. The method may calculate a first boundary extent delimiting the geographical area of the first boundary based on one or more boundary extent parameters. The method may also detect an occurrence of a triggering condition that impacts a movement of at least one of a client device or at least one of the triggering devices within a geographic region that includes the first location. In response to the detected triggering event, at least one of modified start time or a second location may be established for the event, which may be provided to the client and triggering devices in a notification.
US09754477B2

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for processing alarm signals are presented. In some embodiments, a mobile device may be registered with a security system that is installed at a premises. Subsequently, an alarm trigger associated with the security system may be received. Based on receiving the alarm trigger, the location of the mobile device may be determined. A response to the alarm trigger then may be determined based on the location of the mobile device.
US09754471B2

An electronic switch for controlling a device 170 by switching a function of the device at least in dependence on a sleep stage of a human. The switch includes an EEG data interface configured to receive brain activity data from an EEG sensor 120 configured to monitor electrical activity of the brain of the human during a training phase, an EEG sleep classifier 125 configured to classify sleep stages of the human from the received brain activity data, and a body data interface configured to receive body activity data from an alternative sensor 130 configured to monitor a bodily function of the human both during the training phase and during a subsequent usage phase. The alternative sensor is different from the EEG sensor, and the electronic switch further includes an alternative sleep classifier 135 and a machine learning system 140, the machine learning system being configured to train the alternative sleep classifier 135 to classify a sleep stage of the human from the received body activity data, the learning system using sleep stages classified by the EEG sleep classifier 125 and concurrent body activity data received from the alternative sensor as training data, wherein in the usage phase, the device 170 is controlled in dependency on sleep stages of the human classified by the alternative sleep classifier 135. A control logic 150 is configured to at least determine that the classified sleep stage is one of a set of particular sleep stages and to switch a function of the device at least in dependency on said determination.
US09754465B2

One aspect of the present invention provides an alerting device for sending an alert message. The method includes: determining at least one cognitive needs of one or more message recipients in the area; selecting an alert message that meets the needs of one or more message recipients in the area; and sending the alert message to one or more message recipients in the area.
US09754464B1

Providing haptic communications includes attaching to skin of a user a haptic device that produces touch impulses, electronically transmitting a message to the haptic device, converting the message to touch impulses, and providing the touch impulses to the user. Messages may be converted to touch impulses using coding from the Braille system or Morse code. Messages may be converted to touch impulses using Braille coding where the touch impulses are provided by a positional matrix that is part of the device. Messages may be converted to touch impulses using Morse coding where a Morse code dot is provided by a brief touch and where a Morse code dash is provided by a longer touch. The haptic device may be a patch or a sticker attached to the user with a biocompatible adhesive. The haptic device may notify the user of receipt of a new message using special touch symbols.
US09754452B2

A method and apparatus provides a bonus event on an electronic video gaming machine having touchscreen sensitivity on a video display in communication with a processor. The method includes: a) triggering a bonus event; b) providing and displaying at least one wild card symbol in a fixed position in columns and rows used to determine a bonus outcome; c) the processor generates a first random symbol for use in the bonus game which is displayed on the video gaming machine; d) the touch screen is activated so that a final position for the first random symbol is selectable by touchscreen activity; e) the processor filling the unfilled frames with random symbols; and f) the processor resolving a bonus outcome of the bonus outcome according to paylines within the columns and rows used to determine the bonus outcome.
US09754436B1

A banknote cash unit capable of securely sealing an opening of a storage bag is disclosed. The storage bag has a first fixation tab and a second fixation tab. The opening is defined between the first fixation tab and the second fixation tab. The banknote cash unit includes a housing, a banknote inlet unit and a paper sheet storing unit. The banknote inlet unit is disposed on the housing. The paper sheet storing unit is installed in the housing and for holding the storage bag. The paper sheet storing unit includes a first sealing module and a second sealing module disposed next to the first sealing module. When the second fixation tab is closed to the first fixation, the first sealing module generates a first sealing portion and the second sealing module generates a second sealing portion, so as to combine the first fixation tab and the second fixation tab.
US09754425B1

Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a system that may facilitate communications so that parents or other superiors may monitor driving behavior of a vehicle carrying children or other subordinates. The system may allow communications to be sent from a parent computing device to a particular child computing device to set conditions for notifying the parent or superior of the driving behavior of a vehicle. Child computing devices may collect drive data (e.g., vehicle telematics data) for the system to evaluate and determine whether conditions are met (e.g., whether parental restrictions, like a geo-fence, are violated). Further, the system may send notifications to child computing devices and parent computing devices indicating whether the drive data meets the conditions of an agreement between a parent and teen. The system may also provide a web portal for use in forming the agreement between parents and their teens.
US09754422B2

Systems and methods for the manipulation of captured light fields and captured light field image data in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a system for manipulating captured light field image data includes a processor, a display, a user input device, and a memory, wherein a depth map includes depth information for one or more pixels in the image data, and wherein an image manipulation application configures the processor to display a first synthesized image, receive user input data identifying a region within the first synthesized image, determine boundary data for the identified region using the depth map, receive user input data identifying at least one action, and perform the received action using the boundary data and the captured light field image data.
US09754411B2

The invention relates to a system (100) for visualizing an object of interest comprised in a volume of an image dataset, the system comprising a path unit (110) for specifying a path in the volume of the image dataset on the basis of the object of interest, a location unit (120) for determining a location on a projection ray through the volume of the image dataset on the basis of the specified path, and a value unit (130) for computing a projected gray value corresponding to the projection rayon the basis of the determined location on the projection ray. Because the locations on the projection ray are determined based on the specified path for indicating the object of interest, the actual computation of the projection gray values may be designed and constructed to show gray values describing the object of interest while hiding gray values describing other objects, in particular occluding objects. Thus, the system of the invention is arranged for visualizing the object of interest at different viewing angles without occluding the object of interest.
US09754405B1

System, computer-readable medium and method are provided for organizing and rendering 3D voxel models in a tree data structure. The system includes a display, a memory loaded with 3D voxel data arranged in a N3-tree data structure, and a processor that renders the 3D voxel data on the display. The N3-tree data structure includes a top node, one or more levels of middle nodes, and leaf nodes. Each of the top node and middle nodes includes 64 occupancy bits and 32 index bits. The 64 occupancy bits indicate an occupied (“1”) or empty (“0”) state of each of 64 subunits (subcubes or voxels) included in the node. The 32 index bits represent a pointer to a memory location where its occupied subunits are stored. Each of the leaf nodes represents an occupied voxel, and includes an index number that can be used to point to a memory location of at least one type of attribute value (color, normal, intensity, etc.) of the occupied voxel.
US09754398B1

Techniques are described by which the data associated with a 3D animation may be reduced in a manner that does not result in perceptible visual artifacts when the animation is rendered on the display of a target device. Animation curve reduction is achieved by the removal of redundant animation curve samples, and is independently guided for different object attributes or animation channels by the nature of the attribute and one or more display parameters of the target device for which the animation is intended.
US09754397B1

Methods, hardware, and software perform augmented reality created from a separate source in context with, such as synchronized and positioned in, captured media, so as to replicate a similar augmented reality at a different instance. A computer processor in a network of communications devices handles a combination of augmented reality information, anchor information that provides the context-matching, limitation information that controls if such information is transmitted or acted upon, and captured media information. The computer processor compares the anchor information with the media to identify triggering media and how augmented reality elements should appear in context with such media. If successful, the augmented reality is performed on a communications device based on the media. Augmented reality can thus be performed in strict reference to actually-captured media, in only desired or restricted conditions, and information transmission and processing to enable the same may be undertaken only at useful, resource-conserving instances.
US09754392B2

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to data visualization. In aspects, a caller sends a request to draw a set of shapes that have a shape type common among the shapes. The request may be for a static drawing or 1 of N animation frames. If the device has a graphical processing unit (GPU) that is available, GPU code is generated for the GPU to draw the set of shapes. Otherwise, CPU code is generated to draw the set of shapes. The drawing code is tailored to the constant, data-mapped, and animated attribute values specified by the caller and omits conditional statements that test values that are computable prior to drawing the shapes.
US09754389B2

A method for improving image quality of image data includes analyzing, for each of a plurality of voxels of image data, a set of entries of a dictionary, wherein an entry represents a mapping between a lower resolution patch of voxels and a corresponding higher resolution patch of voxel or a local neighborhood around a voxel, deriving, for each of the plurality of voxels, a subspace based on the analysis, wherein the subspace is for one of the mapping or the local neighborhood, and restoring target image data based on the subspaces, wherein the target image data is image data with higher image resolution or reduced image noise.
US09754374B1

A method for detecting a position of a sheet of light is described. A second derivative filter is applied to an intensity profile of a line of pixels. An ingress pixel position associated with an ingress zero-crossing second derivative value is determined. The ingress pixel position is between a first pixel position with a first minimum intensity value of the intensity profile and a second pixel position with a first maximum intensity value of the intensity profile. An egress pixel position associated with an egress zero-crossing second derivative value is determined. The egress pixel position is between a third pixel position with a second maximum intensity value of the intensity profile and a fourth pixel position with a second minimum intensity value of the intensity profile. A midpoint pixel position between the ingress pixel position and the egress pixel position is output as the position of the sheet of light.
US09754372B2

A method includes registering a first coordinate system of a fluoroscopic imaging system and a second coordinate system of a magnetic position tracking system. A three-dimensional (3D) map of an organ of a patient, which is produced by the magnetic position tracking system, is displayed. A 3D volume that would be irradiated by the fluoroscopic imaging system is calculated using the registered first and second coordinate systems. The calculated 3D volume is marked on the 3D map.
US09754371B2

A Multimodality Brain Mapping System (MBMS), comprising one or more scopes (e.g., microscopes or endoscopes) coupled to one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors obtain training data from one or more first images and/or first data, wherein one or more abnormal regions and one or more normal regions are identified; receive a second image captured by one or more of the scopes at a later time than the one or more first images and/or first data and/or captured using a different imaging technique; and generate, using machine learning trained using the training data, one or more viewable indicators identifying one or abnormalities in the second image, wherein the one or more viewable indicators are generated in real time as the second image is formed. One or more of the scopes display the one or more viewable indicators on the second image.
US09754361B2

The image processing apparatus of the embodiment comprises a multi-resolution decomposition part configured to repeatedly perform decomposition on a first image in which pixels thereof are arrayed in two-dimensional or three dimensional directions into high-frequency components and low-frequency components until the number of pixels becomes a predetermined number in each of the directions, and generate a second image based on the low-frequency components in a result of the last decomposition, an adjustment part configured to adjust the brightness of the second image, and a restoration part configured to generate a restored image having the same number of pixels as that of the first image in each of the directions using the brightness adjusted second image.
US09754355B2

Systems and methods for generating and distributing photo filters are described. A photo filter publication application receives filter data and object criteria and generates a photo filter based on the filter data. The photo filter is associated with satisfaction of the object criteria. A photo filter engine then identifies that a client device has taken a photograph. The photo filter engine then provides the photo filter to the client device based on the photograph including an object that satisfies the object criteria. The photo filter may then be displayed as an option on a user interface of the client device. The object criteria may include associations between an object and a source of image data, for example, a brand of a merchant in which case the associated photo filter may include images associated with the brand of the merchant.
US09754353B2

A method and system for video stream personalization. A personalization policy may be accessed. The personalization policy may include an image identification and an image alteration to a video image identified by the image identification. At least one instance of the video image may be identified in a video stream. An output stream may be produced from the video stream in response to the personalization policy. The output stream may include the image alteration to the video image.
US09754351B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can obtain a set of video frames at a first resolution. Process the set of video frames using a convolutional neural network to output one or more signals, the convolutional neural network including (i) a set of two-dimensional convolutional layers and (ii) a set of three-dimensional convolutional layers, wherein the processing causes the set of video frames to be reduced to a second resolution. Process the one or more signals using a set of three-dimensional de-convolutional layers of the convolutional neural network. Obtain one or more outputs corresponding to the set of video frames from the convolutional neural network.
US09754349B2

A system determines for each color channel of each portion of the image, a corresponding adjustment value to apply to the color channel to correct for a color irregularity. The system determines a corrected adjustment value based on a difference between twice the pixel value and the maximum saturation value. If the adjustment value as applied is larger than the corrected adjustment value, the system applies the adjustment value to the corresponding color channel of the image portion to produce the adjusted color channel. Otherwise, the system applies the corrected adjustment to the corresponding color channel of the image portion to produce an adjusted color channel. The system generates a modified image based on the adjusted color channel.
US09754348B2

A system for user activity and data aggregation and visualization, comprising a data aggregation server that receives data via a network, a prioritization server that ranks data, and a visualization engine that generates a visualization of ranked data using a planetary model, and a method for visualizing data using a planetary model.
US09754346B2

A mixture ratio determiner chooses a first mixture ratio set in a case where a blur evaluation value is a reference value or more, and chooses a second mixture ratio set in a case where the blur evaluation value is less than the reference value. The second mixture ratio set has a higher mixture ratio of an in-focus image and a lower mixture ratio of an out-of-focus image than the first mixture ratio set. A mixed image generator produces a plurality of mixed images having a gradually varying mixture ratio, from the in-focus image and the out-of-focus image. A display controller sequentially displays the plurality of mixed images on a monitor in the manner of a moving image.
US09754334B2

In some embodiments, scripts may be used to perform parcel data acquisition, conversion, and clean-up/repair in an automated manner and/or through graphical user interfaces. The scripts may be used, for example, to repair geometries of new parcel data, convert multi-part parcel geometries to single part parcel geometries (explode), eliminate duplicate parcel geometries, append columns, create feature classes, and append feature classes. These scripts may be executed in a predetermined manner to increase efficiency. In some embodiments, different combinations of attributes may be appended to stored parcel data. In some embodiments, a tracking application may be used to track information about sources of data. In some embodiments, a tracking application may be used to track which system users are assigned to specific tasks (e.g., in a data acquisition project).
US09754330B2

An electric power retail management apparatus according to an embodiment includes an adjustment parameter calculating unit and an adjustment parameter transmitting unit. The adjustment parameter calculating unit calculates a total electric power adjustment parameter, which balances electric power generation amounts of power generators and the electric power consumption amounts of electric power customers, for each of the electric power generators on the basis of conditions of the electric power generation amounts of the electric power generators and the electric power consumption amounts of the electric power customers existing in a single region. The adjustment parameter transmitting unit transmits the total electric power adjustment parameters to the electric power generators.
US09754305B2

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for managing the display of product module descriptors within a user interface. Product module data, along with historical visit and product module purchase data, is processed to generate a Config Score numeric value, which in turn is processed to generate a ConfigRank numeric value for each of a plurality of product modules. In turn, the ConfigRank numeric values are then used to determine the placement of each product module's associated product module descriptor within a user interface window.
US09754300B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus transferring power between the grid and an electric vehicle are disclosed. The apparatus may include at least one vehicle communication port for interfacing with electric vehicle equipment (EVE) and a processor coupled to the at least one vehicle communication port to establish communication with the EVE, receive EVE attributes from the EVE, and transmit electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) attributes to the EVE. Power may be transferred between the grid and the electric vehicle by maintaining EVSE attributes, establishing communication with the EVE, and transmitting the EVSE maintained attributes to the EVE.
US09754298B2

Techniques for collaborative shopping are presented. During a shopping transaction, a customer collaborates in real time with one or more additional participants. Real-time and dynamic feedback is provided to the customer from the participants throughout the shopping transaction. Furthermore, real-time and dynamic feedback is provided from the customer to the participants throughout the shopping transaction.
US09754295B2

Methods and systems for providing navigation functionality in a retail location using local positioning technology are presented. In some embodiments, a customer assistance computing platform may receive one or more attributes associated with a beacon signal received by a customer computing device and an identifier associated with the customer computing device. Subsequently, the computing platform may determine an identity of a customer using the customer computing device. The computing platform then may determine a location of the customer using the customer computing device based on the one or more attributes associated with the beacon signal. Thereafter, the computing platform may generate one or more navigation instructions to guide the customer to another location. Then, the computing platform may send the one or more navigation instructions to the customer computing device.
US09754294B2

Methods, apparatus and systems for automatically calculating charitable donations for donors and for distributing the charitable donations in accordance with the donors' wishes to approved and/or registered recipients, such as approved charitable organizations. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving contributor information, recipient information and donation data during a predetermined period of time, and then aggregating the donations from a plurality of contributors into a plurality of recipient contribution amounts. The process also includes distributing, at the end of the predetermined period of time, the recipient contribution amounts to recipient financial institutions based on the contributor information, the recipient information and the donation data.
US09754287B2

A system for targeting advertising content includes the steps of: (a) receiving respective requests for advertising content corresponding to a plurality of mobile communication facilities operated by a group of users, wherein the plurality includes first and second types of mobile communication facilities with different rendering capabilities; (b) receiving a datum corresponding to the group; (c) selecting from a first and second sponsor respective content based on a relevancy to the datum, wherein each content includes a first and second item requiring respective rendering capabilities; (d) receiving bids from the first and second sponsors; (e) attributing a priority to the content of the first sponsor based upon a determination that a yield associated with the first sponsor is greater than a yield associated with the second sponsor; and (f) transmitting the first and second items of the first sponsor to the first and second types of mobile communication facilities respectively.
US09754282B2

This invention concerns optimal ad selection for Web pages by selecting and updating an attribute set, obtaining and updating an ad-attribute profile, and optimally choosing the next ad. The present invention associates a set of attributes with each customer. The attributes reflect the customers' interests and they incorporate the characteristics that impact ad selection. Similarly, the present invention associates with each ad an ad-attribute profile in order to calculate a customer's estimated ad selection probability and measure the uncertainty in that estimate. An ad selection algorithm optimally selects which ad to show based on the click probability estimates and the uncertainties regarding these estimates.
US09754266B2

The present invention provides techniques for use in association with online advertising, relating to use of serving thresholds, associated with predicted click through rates, and delivery policies, associated with advertising inventory serving and distribution. An offline-trained machine learning-based model may be utilized in advertising serving decision-making in connection with serving opportunities. However, serving thresholds and delivery policies, for use in association with the model in serving decision-making, may be adjusted online, such as in real-time or near real-time, based on information obtained online affecting factors such as predicted click through rates and advertising inventory distribution.
US09754261B2

A system capable of charging up electronic money cards using a credit card is provided. A PIN is authenticated between a card terminal and the credit card. The card terminal transmits to a credit company server an authentication result, amount information indicating an amount with which to charge up, and a credit card number of the credit card. After billing, the credit company server transmits the amount information and the credit card number to an electronic money server. The electronic money server identifies an electronic money card based on the credit card number. The electronic money server generates amount change information for adding the amount with which to charge up to “VALUE”, and transmits the amount change information to the card terminal. The electronic money card updates the amount of “VALUE” stored therein to an amount specified by the amount change information.
US09754259B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can acquire historical data including a plurality of features associated with known legitimate activities and with known illegitimate activities. A machine learning technique can be applied to the historical data to gain information about the plurality of features associated with the known legitimate activities and with the known illegitimate activities. A decision tree can be generated based on at least a portion of the information about the plurality of features. A node in the decision tree that satisfies specified precision criteria can be identified. A rule can be created based on the node. One or more illegitimate activities can be identified based on the rule.
US09754256B2

The invention provides systems and methods for risk assessment using a variable risk engine. A method for risk assessment may comprise setting an amount of real-time risk analysis for an online transaction, performing the amount of real-time risk analysis based on the set amount, and performing an amount of time-delayed risk analysis. In some embodiments, the amount of real-time risk analysis may depend on a predetermined period of time for completion of the real-time risk analysis. In other embodiments, the amount of real-time risk analysis may depend on selected tests to be completed during the real-time risk analysis.
US09754248B2

A POS terminal 8 in a transaction system 1 transmits control data instructing executing a transaction-related process during a transaction; a recording device 12 receives the control data, executes a process based on the control data, transmits transaction information based on the control data and transaction identification information identifying the transaction information, and outputs a 2D code representing the transaction identification information; a terminal 14 reads the transaction identification information from the 2D code output by the recording device 12, and transmits the transaction identification information that was read and a customer ID, which is identification information to store; and a control server 10 receives the transaction information and transaction identification information from the recording device 12, receives the transaction identification information and customer ID from the terminal 14, and relationally stores the transaction information and customer ID when both of the received transaction identification information match.
US09754240B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for assisting a user in recovering from a task interruption. During operation, the system records the user's activity while the user is performing a task, and detects an interruption to the task. Upon the detection of the interruption, the system transfers to a storage the recorded user activities during a predetermined time period before the interruption. The system presents a visual representation of the recorded activities to the user, thereby assisting the user in recovering from the task interruption.
US09754233B1

Systems and methods are provided for centralized employee data analytics. For example, a method includes collecting employee data for one or more employees of an organization from a plurality of data sources, analyzing the collected employee data to determine criteria for use in assessing management skills of employees in the organization, and utilizing the determined criteria to rate an employee's management skills in the organization.
US09754232B2

A system and method is disclosed for solving supply chain planning problems. The system includes a database that stores data representing a planning problem of a supply chain network and a computer that accesses the planning problem of the supply chain network stored in the database and models the planning problem as a network of nodes and edges. The computer further generates a hierarchical linear programming solution of the planning problem and applies advanced heuristics to the generated hierarchical linear programming solution. The computer still further formulates a mixed integer program to generate an optimized global hierarchical solution and stores the generated optimized global hierarchical solution in the database.
US09754227B2

Some embodiments relate to an example system for adjusting an exercise schedule of a generator. The system includes the generator and a controller that exercises the generator according to the exercise schedule. The controller modifies the exercise schedule based on generator use. In some of the example embodiments described herein, the controller is a generator controller. Other embodiments relate to a method for adjusting an exercise schedule of a generator. The method includes exercising the generator according to the exercise schedule, and modifying the exercise schedule based on generator use.
US09754225B2

Automated risk assessment and management techniques are provided. Assets of an enterprise are monitored within an enterprise repository via their electronic identities. The identities are annotated with business defined values. The annotations can dynamically change based on dynamic policy evaluation and evolving actions of the assets, the state of the enterprise, and/or the state of an enterprise system. The annotations are accumulated and used in customized calculations for purposes of driving automated actions of the enterprise and producing a variety of reporting features.
US09754224B2

A method for implementing an action-based to-do list includes monitoring user actions with a personal management device which is configured to compare the user actions to a task definition file. A processor of the personal management device determines if the user actions fulfill one or more predefined conditions, within the task definition file. If a condition is fulfilled, the processor of the personal management device modifies the to-do list based on the fulfilled condition. A personal management device for implementing an action-based to-do list includes a user interface configured to allow a user to interact with a to-do list application and a processor configured to execute the to-do list application. The to-do list application, when executed, causes the processor to monitor user actions and compare the user actions to a task definition file, determine if the user actions fulfill one or more conditions within the task definition file, and if a condition is fulfilled, modify the to-do list based on the fulfilled condition.
US09754223B2

Methods and systems for generating and validating electronic tickets are disclosed. The systems include a server that is configured to host a centralized website through which a computer application may be downloaded into a plurality of user devices. The server is further configured to issue electronic tickets to the user devices that have downloaded the computer application; embed an encrypted visual identifier that is unique to an event in each electronic ticket; generate instructions to be issued to an event administrator that identifies a decrypted form of the visual identifier for each event; and include instructions within each electronic ticket that may be executed by an event administrator to convert the encrypted visual identifier that is shown in the electronic ticket of each user device into the decrypted form of the visual identifier.
US09754217B2

A data leak protection system and methods thereof are described that identify and analyze a digital fingerprint for a data package, the digital fingerprint characterizing the data package based on a corpus of data within the data package. In one embodiment, an asset descriptor is configured to identify one or more assets within the corpus of data while a contextual analyzer frames the one or more assets into the prevailing contextual environment. Then, a domain identifier further identifies a data perimeter based on the assets identified for the prevailing contextual environment. A comparison of the digital fingerprint to a collection of domain specific identifiers allows further actions responsive to a digital fingerprint falling outside of the data perimeter for an identified contextual environment. In one example, a data leak triggers quarantining of the data package for further manual processing.
US09754213B2

According to an aspect, a cyclical directed graphical model that includes a plurality of nodes connected by directed edges is accessed. Each directed edge has an edge strength indicating a degree of relation between the nodes, and each node has a value and a state of either active or inactive. A first node that has at least one directed incoming edge from a second node having a state of active is selected. At least a subset of the nodes in the cyclical directed graphical model are traversed in a reverse direction relative to the directed edges. The traversing is performed along a path starting from the second node and ending at a third node having a state of active. If the path does not include the first node, an inference about a value of the first node is proposed based on a value of the second node.
US09754210B2

In one implementation, a computer-implemented method for determining user interests includes receiving user activity data that describes an interaction between a user and digital content. The method further includes generating first interest-level data that quantifies a first level of interest between the user and an entity that is a topic of the digital content, where the entity is of a plurality of entities included within a knowledge base. The knowledge base includes an ontology that indicates relationships between the plurality of entities. The method further includes identifying a candidate entity based on the candidate entity having one of the relationships to the entity within the knowledge base. Additionally, the method includes generating second interest-level data that quantifies a second level of interest between the user and the candidate entity based on an analysis of the one of the relationships of the candidate entity to the entity within the knowledge base.
US09754207B2

A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for corpus quality analysis. The mechanism applies at least one filter to a candidate corpus to determine a degree to which the candidate corpus supplements existing corpora for performing a natural language processing (NLP) operation. Responsive to a determination to add the candidate corpus to the existing corpora based on a result of applying the at least one filter, the mechanism adds the candidate corpus to the existing corpora to form modified corpora. The mechanism performs the NLP operation using the modified corpora.
US09754200B2

The method for protecting the authenticity of an article from imitation and counterfeit is characterized by the following. During the packaging process, a container label is affixed to the article, which container label comprises a national bank note having a serial number which is encoded with the aid of a cryptographic algorithm and is shown on the outer surface of the label as a verification code, which is decoded with the aid of cryptographic keys. The verification code is represented in the form of alphanumeric information or in the form of a two-dimensional QR barcode, wherein more than one verification code can be shown on the outer surface of the label.
US09754193B2

Provided is a method of authenticating a user by correlating speech and corresponding lip shape. An audiovisual of a user requesting authentication is captured. The audiovisual is processed to generate a speech vector quantization sequence and a corresponding lip vector quantization sequence of the user. A likelihood of the speech vector quantization sequence and the corresponding lip vector quantization sequence with probability distributions of speech vector quantization code words corresponding to different lip shape vector quantization code words of the user requesting authentication weighed by probabilities of speech and lip vector quantization indices of the user requesting authentication is evaluated. If upon evaluation, a likelihood of the user requesting authentication being an authentic user is more than a predefined threshold, the user is authenticated.
US09754189B2

A detection device includes an image acquisition section that acquires an image that has been captured by an imaging section, and includes an image of an object, a distance information acquisition section that acquires distance information about the distance from the imaging section to the object, a feature quantity calculation section that calculates a feature quantity from the image, a learning feature quantity storage section that stores a learning feature quantity calculated by a learning process corresponding to each of a plurality of distance ranges that are set corresponding to the distance from the imaging section to the object, and a detection section that determines a distance range that corresponds to the feature quantity based on the distance information, and detects the target area based on the learning feature quantity that corresponds to the determined distance range, and the feature quantity calculated by the feature quantity calculation section.
US09754187B2

For extracting data from a document with fixed structure, we recognize key words in an image of the document; identify reference object based on these key words, create templates based on the identified reference objects; match the created templates against the image of the document while recognizing fields in the image of the document these templates; and select the best template using quality of the recognized field.
US09754186B2

Systems and methods for image processing are disclosed. For example, a system for processing images includes voxel-ranking circuitry that ranks individual voxels using voxel data derived from physiological responses resulting from exposure to a plurality of corresponding baseline stimulus images, and voxel selection circuitry that selects a portion of the set of ranked voxels based on their rank.
US09754182B2

Methods and systems for detecting keypoints in image data may include an image sensor interface receiving pixel data from an image sensor. A front-end pixel data processing circuit may receive pixel data and convert the pixel data to a different color space format. A back-end pixel data processing circuit may perform one or more operations on the pixel data. An output circuit may receive pixel data and output the pixel data to a system memory. A keypoint detection circuit may receive pixel data from the image sensor interface in the image sensor pixel data format or receive pixel data after processing by the front-end or the back-end pixel data processing circuits. The keypoint detection circuit may perform a keypoint detection operation on the pixel data to detect one or more keypoints in the image frame and output to the system memory a description of the one or more keypoints.
US09754174B2

An object detection apparatus includes means for acquiring image data from an in-vehicle imaging device and means for extracting, from the image data acquired by the acquiring means, an object region which is an image region where a preset object exists. Moreover, the extracting means includes means for identifying the object region, means for measuring the processing time of the identifying means and controlling means. The identifying means includes a plurality of identifiers for identifying candidate regions for the object region. The identifiers are serially linked so as to sequentially refine the candidate regions. The controlling means controls, based on the measured processing time at a preset time point, a degree of refining the candidate regions by the identifying means after the preset time point by adjusting at least one of the linkage between the identifiers and processes to be executed by the identifiers after the preset time point.
US09754172B2

A three-dimensional object detection device includes an image capturing unit, a detection area setting unit, an image conversion unit, a three-dimensional object detection unit, a reference image area setting unit, a contour information extraction unit, a reference sharpness calculation unit and a subject sharpness calculation unit. The image conversion unit converts a viewpoint of an image obtained by the image capturing unit to create a bird's-eye view image. The reference image area unit sets a reference image area for extracting contour information by the contour information extraction unit. The reference sharpness calculation unit calculates a reference sharpness using contour information of the reference image area. The subject sharpness calculation unit calculates a subject sharpness using contour information of the detection area. The three-dimensional object detection unit calculates a final sharpness based on the reference sharpness and the subject sharpness, and sets a difference threshold value based on the final sharpness.
US09754168B1

Introduced here are techniques for incentivizing the consumption of foodstuffs through the use of augmented reality features. A parent may initiate an application on a mobile phone and scan a plate of one or more foodstuffs by initiating a live view captured by a camera. The parent can then select a given foodstuff that a child is unlikely to consume. When the child views the given foodstuff through the mobile phone, a portion of an augmented reality feature could be shown. For example, the child may be able to see the tail of a creature, a corner of a item, etc. As the child consumes the given foodstuff, additional portion(s) of the augmented reality feature are exposed, and the augmented reality feature becomes increasingly visible. Such a technique incentivizes the child to continue eating the given foodstuff so that the augmented reality feature can be fully seen.
US09754166B2

A system and method for object and area detection and replacement in an image includes identifying an object or area in one or more sequential images that form a moving image sequence and replacing some or all of the identified object or areas with another image such that the image looks to be part of the original composition of the original image including lighting, shadows, placement, occlusion, orientation, position, and deformation.
US09754157B2

A method, apparatus, computer program product and system are provided for facilitating video and/or image summarization based on facial expressions. In this regard, a method is provided that includes receiving one or more first frames and one or more second frames, determining information regarding one or more facial expressions contained in the one or more second frames, and causing the information regarding the one or more facial expressions to be associated with at least one of the one or more first frames.
US09754154B2

A candidate human head is found in depth video using a head detector. A head region of light intensity video is spatially resolved with a three-dimensional location of the candidate human head in the depth video. Facial recognition is performed on the head region of the light intensity video using a face recognizer.
US09754140B2

A method and a read/write device for selecting at least one wireless data medium from a number of detected wireless data media that are RFID transponders, wherein the data media are registered in a detection area of a read/write device via a plurality of detection cycles, at least one receive parameter is recorded for each of the detected data media, and at least one data medium of the data media is selected based on an evaluation of the recorded receive parameters, a plurality of detection cycles are performed at different antenna polarizations, at least one receive parameter is recorded at each of utilized antenna polarizations for the detected data media, and at least one of the detected data media is selected in each case based on a statistical evaluation of the receive parameters recorded in the different antenna polarizations.
US09754134B2

A tool for creating mechanical stamps that produce machine-readable optical labels. The tool selects an initial element of a list of two-dimensional labels. The tool selects a pixel difference to apply to a two-dimensional label for the initial element. The tool selects a cardinality for bits in one or more bytes to encode. The tool determines whether a cardinality of a bit difference for each element compared to the initial element equals the selected bit difference cardinality. The tool determines whether a pixel difference between a two-dimensional label for each element and the two-dimensional label for the initial element equals the selected pixel difference. The tool selects one or more elements from the list of two-dimensional labels to create one or more mechanical stamps.
US09754133B2

A semiconductor device may include a secure memory configured to store a programmable key, an interface for programming the programmable key in the secure memory, and a plurality of configurable features of the semiconductor device that are associated with the programmable key, each configurable feature having a set of multiple selectable configurations, wherein a value of the key defines a selection of one of the multiple configurations for each of the configurable features. For example, the key may include multiple sub-keys, each associated with one of the configurable features, wherein a value of each sub-key defines a selection of one of the multiple configurations for the configurable feature associated with that sub-key. In addition, the full programmable key may enable an additional functionality of the semiconductor device.
US09754125B2

An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
US09754124B1

A method for protecting data on a first storage device from unauthorized access is provided. The method includes copying a data map, such as a file allocation table, from the first storage device, on which the data to be protected resides, to a second storage device. A security key is established for the data map. The data map is then deleted from the first storage device, to render unusable the data thereon. The data map is restored to the first storage device upon successful input of the security key.
US09754119B1

Containerized security is disclosed. An indication is received that a content item included in a body of managed content is associated with a container. A security measure is associated with the content item, based at least in part on the association of the content item with the container, that causes access to the content item by a user who is not associated with the container but who otherwise would have access to the content item within the body of managed content to be denied.
US09754118B2

A method of performing an operation on a data storage for storing data being encrypted with a key KD associated with an owner of the data is provided. The method includes deriving, for each authorized client Cj, a first key KCj and a second key KTj, providing the client Cj with the first key KCj, and providing a Trusted Third Party (TTP) with the second key KTj. The method further includes, at a Policy Enforcement Point, receiving a request for performing the operation on the data storage from a client Ck of the authorized clients, acquiring a first key KCk from the client Ck, acquiring a second key KTk from the TTP, deriving the key KD from the first key KCk and the second key KTk, and performing the operation on the data storage using the derived key KD. The disclosed trust model uses two-part secret sharing.
US09754115B2

A system and method is disclosed for securely binding an arbitrary program to an authorized instance of a generic execution platform. Once the binding process occurs, the protected software application will not exhibit correct behavior unless run on the execution platform to which it is bound. The system and method withstands repeated attacks which tamper with the software application and the execution platform. The system and method present a mechanism to bind a program, P, to any un-trusted execution platform, E, which contains a Trusted Signing Authority (TSA). The TSA may take many alternate forms including a trusted platform module, secure processor, kernel driver, and hardened software agents.
US09754113B2

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for detecting a document object model (DOM) based cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability, an apparatus thereof, and a terminal are provided. The method includes: obtaining a set of parameter-value pairs from an original web address of a web page, where the set of parameter-value pairs comprises at least one parameter-value pair; replacing a parameter value in a parameter-value pair with feature code, to form a test web address for the web page, where the feature code comprises malicious code that comprises a malicious character and is uniquely identified in a DOM tree of the web page; obtaining page content corresponding to the test web address; converting the page content, into the DOM tree; and detecting whether a XSS vulnerability exists in the parameter-value pair, based on the DOM tree and the feature code.
US09754106B2

The disclosed computer-implemented method for classifying security events as targeted attacks may include (1) detecting a security event in connection with at least one organization, (2) comparing the security event against a targeted-attack taxonomy that identifies a plurality of characteristics of targeted attacks, (3) determining that the security event is likely targeting the organization based at least in part on comparing the security event against the targeted-attack taxonomy, and then in response to determining that the security event is likely targeting the organization, (4) classifying the security event as a targeted attack. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09754105B1

An anti-exploit system monitors and identifies malicious behavior related to one or more protected applications or processes. The anti-exploit system intercepts API calls associated with the protected application or process including parameters passed on to the operating system functions as well as a memory address associated with the caller to the API calls. Based on the characteristics associated with the intercepted API call a Behavioral Analysis Component determines whether the API call is malicious in nature.
US09754095B2

A computer implemented method for detecting input gesture events on a touchscreen of an electronic device and for unlocking the electronic device is disclosed. The method may include displaying, while the electronic device is in a locked state, a plurality of guidance lines on the touchscreen of the electronic device, detecting, during an input gesture event, guidance line crossings and calculating a number of guidance line crossings detected during the input gesture event. The method may also include converting a calculated number of detected guidance line crossings into at least one password digit, comparing a sequence of password digits to a stored password in the electronic device and unlocking, in response to comparing the sequence of password digits to the stored password, the electronic device.
US09754094B2

Provided is a programmable display apparatus that enables post-hoc identification of a user who has been permitted to access an application through facial authentication. The programmable display apparatus stores feature data of a face of a user and identification information of the user in association with each other. The programmable display apparatus performs facial authentication based on image data of a user obtained through image capture and on the feature data. The programmable display apparatus permits a user to access the application if the user has been authenticated. The programmable display apparatus stores identification information of the authenticated user and a history indicating a state in which the access has been permitted in association with each other.
US09754091B2

Systems and techniques are provided for restricted accounts on a mobile platform. A request to create a restricted account may be received. The restricted account may be a user account with a restriction. Credentials for the restricted account may be received. A restriction for the restricted account may be received. The restriction may include an access restriction or a lifetime restriction. An access restriction may prevent an application from accessing the restricted account and a lifetime restriction may limit the lifetime of the restricted account. The restricted account may be stored with the credentials and the restriction. A request may be received for a list of user accounts from an application. The restricted account may be determined to include an access restriction that prevents the application from accessing the restricted account. The list of user accounts may be sent to the application and without an identifier for the restricted account.
US09754080B2

A method for at least one of characterizing, diagnosing, and treating a cardiovascular disease condition in at least a subject, the method comprising: receiving an aggregate set of biological samples from a population of subjects; generating at least one of a microbiome composition dataset and a microbiome functional diversity dataset for the population of subjects; generating a characterization of the cardiovascular disease condition based upon features extracted from at least one of the microbiome composition dataset and the microbiome functional diversity dataset; based upon the characterization, generating a therapy model configured to correct the cardiovascular disease condition; and at an output device associated with the subject, promoting a therapy to the subject based upon the characterization and the therapy model.
US09754077B2

Methods, computer-readable media, and systems for providing disease management. In one implementation, a system develops a treatment recommendation for a patient based on patient data. The system may receive patient data, execute a basic model of the physiological system of the patient to generate a modified model for the patient based on the patient data, perform a statistical analysis of the patient data to detect data excursions of the parameter values; use the modified model to determine factors causing the data excursions; and use the model to develop a treatment recommendation to ameliorate negative effects of the disease.
US09754072B1

One aspect checks and prepares design data (202) based on design rule(s) to identify tracks for physical implementation of an electronic design. Structured physical implementation (204) is performed to implement at least a part of the electronic design by using the tracks under separate design rule(s). Structured physical implementation using the tracks under separate design rules result in correct-by-construction implementation results automatically satisfying the design rule(s), without performing additional design rule checking on the design rule(s). Additional physical implementation (206) may be optionally performed for portion(s) of the electronic design not implemented with the structured physical implementation. Layout fixing or optimization may be optionally performed to fix design rule violations in the additional physical implementation results, if any, or to optimize the additional physical implementation results.
US09754065B2

A method for designing a system on a target device utilizing programmable logic devices (PLDs) includes generating options for utilizing resources on the PLDs in response to user specified constraints. The options for utilizing the resources on the PLDs are refined independent of the user specified constraints.
US09754059B2

A graphical tool creates design-verification environments. The tool includes a graphical environment builder that allows for the drag and drop addition of verification IP (“VIP”) modules to a graphical verification environment. The tool assigns connector signals associated with source code that simulates a connection between a VIP module and the device under test (“DUT”). The tool learns which connection signals are suitable to connect a VIP to the DUT and facilitates selecting of the suitable signals in the environment development process. The tool converts the graphical environment to source code that can be executed to simulate testing on the DUT. The tool also allows a user to navigate between view modes that display the verification environment graphically, and that display the source code associated with components of the verification environment.
US09754034B2

Techniques and systems for facilitating contextual information lookup and navigation are presented. Contextually relevant information can be presented without requiring a user to switch context or craft a search query. From within an application in which a user may consume or create content, a user may indicate text for further exploration. The application can receive the indication of an initial text selection, determine the intended selection and provide contextual search results to the user. In some implementations, the initial selection and a selection context (that includes at least some of the text surrounding the initial selection) is sent to a contextual search service which provides the intended selection and contextual search results based on the initial selection and selection context. In other implementations, text may be suggested by the contextual search service for selection from within the application.
US09754027B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide, systems, methods, and computer program products for processing data in an extract, transform, and load system. Embodiments of the present invention provide protective enhancements to be applied to data during extract-transform-load operations, including protections that can prevent unauthorized access and/or modifications to data stored on an intermediate computer system. Embodiments of the present invention can afford users with the ability to modify the protective enhancements and provide users with transformation operations compatible with the protective enhancements during extract-transform-load operations.
US09754026B2

A matching system receives probe audio samples for comparison to references of a data store. Comparisons are generated between a first segment of a probe audio sample and corresponding time segments of a plurality of reference audio samples to identify a plurality of sufficiently matching reference audio samples based upon a first set of consistency scores. Matching references are retained, unless they meet a score threshold. Comparisons are continually generated with a second segment of the probe audio sample and corresponding time segments of the sufficiently matching reference audio samples to generate a second set of consistency scores. The retained results are outputted based on the first and second set of consistency scores.
US09754019B2

An information processing apparatus that compares content to stored information identifying a plurality of words, identifies words from the content that match words included in the stored information, retrieves information based on the identifying, and generates an image to be displayed based on the retrieved information.
US09754014B2

According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for confirming/rejecting a most relevant example includes: generating a binary decision model by training a binary classifier using a plurality of training documents; classifying one or more test documents into one of a plurality of categories using the binary decision model, wherein the one or more test documents lack a user-defined category label; selecting a most relevant example of the classified test documents from among the classified test documents; displaying, using a display of the computer, the most relevant example of the classified test documents to a user; receiving, via the computer and from the user, a confirmation or a negation of a classification label of the most relevant example of the classified test documents; and storing the confirmation or the negation of the classification label of the most relevant example of the classified test documents to a memory of the computer.
US09754005B2

Systems and methods are provided for backing up out-of-band storage. A protection policy is activated for out-of-band storage at a remote host, wherein the out-of-band storage is not physically accessible by the computing device, such that the out-of-band storage is not in communication with the remote host through the computing device. A backup request is transmitted to the remote host comprising data indicative of a volume on the out-of-band storage to back up according to the protection policy. A response to the backup request is received comprising staging disk requirements for the volume, the staging disk requirements comprising a required size for a staging disk to back up the volume. A staging disk is determined based on the response. The staging disk is presented to the remote host. A backup result is received comprising data indicative of whether a backup of the volume to the staging disk succeeded.
US09754002B2

Disclosed herein is a data synchronization between a client computing device's local store and another data store, such as a data store that is remote to the client computing device. The other data store may comprise a cloud data store. The existence, or absence, of a causal relationship between the local and remote data stores for a given data item is used to determine whether or not a conflict exists and/or whether a requested operation may be performed. The causal relationship may be determined using a previous commit's hash value, referred to as a hash_base value, and a hash value, both of which are associated with the data item.
US09754000B2

According to one general aspect, a method may include replicating, to a software-as-a-service application, a plurality of pieces of master data from a physically remote master database. The method may also include converting the plurality of pieces of master data into one or more pieces of local data of the software-as-a-service application. The method may include changing one or more of either the pieces of master data or the pieces of local data. The method may further include synchronizing the changed pieces of either master data or local data between the remote master database and the software-as-a-service application.
US09753998B2

A method for presenting a trusted tag cloud to a user. The method includes associating a number of tags with a first user who applies the tags, calculating a weight of the tags being examined by a second user. The weight may be based on the identity of the second user, the identity of the first user, and examining the relationship between the two. The tags may then be presented to the user in accordance with the value of the weight.
US09753996B2

A method and a system of standardizing data from devices such as medical simulators. The method includes receiving data from a device, determining by a computer type of information provided in the received data, converting the information into a predetermined format based on the determined type and generating a message based on the determined type, the message comprising the converted information in the predetermined format. In this method, type of the information is different based on a stage of a process in which the received data was provided.
US09753983B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
US09753977B2

A database management method generates an execution plan with respect to a factorized character string generated by factoring an execution value list of a query and storing the factorized character string and an execution plan identifier associated with the factorized character string. The method includes receiving a factorized character string generated from a query; determining whether the factorized character string is stored in a memory; transmitting an execution plan identifier matching the factorized character string stored in the memory when the factorized character string is stored in the memory; generating and transmitting an execution plan identifier with respect to an execution plan of the factorized character string when the factorized character string is not stored in the memory; receiving a query request consisting of the execution plan identifier and an execution value list included in the query; and providing a query result obtained using the query request.
US09753972B2

Information may be presented to a user by receiving a selection of one or more terms passively displayed in a document, loading the terms to a search configuration, generating first results responsive to a user's predicted interest as expressed in the search configuration, and enabling display of the first results.
US09753965B2

The disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods relate to a location query mechanism that can efficiently determine whether a target entity is located within a region of interest (ROI). At a high level, the location query mechanism can be configured to represent a ROI using one or more polygons. The location query mechanism can, in turn, divide (e.g., tessellate) the one or more polygons into sub-polygons. Subsequently, the location query mechanism can use the sub-polygons to build an index system that can efficiently determine whether a particular location is within any of the sub-polygons. Therefore, when a computing device queries whether a particular location is within the region of interest, the location query mechanism can use the index system to determine whether the particular location is within any of the sub-polygons.
US09753954B2

Systems and methods for data node fencing in a distributed file system to prevent data inconsistencies and corruptions are disclosed. An embodiment includes implementing a protocol whereby data nodes detect a failover and determine an active name node based on transaction identifiers associated with transaction requests. The data nodes also provide to the active name node block location information and an acknowledgment. The embodiment further includes a protocol whereby a name node refrains from issuing invalidation requests to the data nodes until the name node receives acknowledgments from all data nodes that are functional.
US09753953B2

An interactivity system is provided that tracks interactivity between a target entity and participant entities and identifies entities whose interactions satisfy an interactivity criterion. The interactivity system maintains for the target entity interactivity models between the target entity and each participant entity, with each interactivity model modeling the interactions between the target entity and that participant entity. The interactivity system dynamically updates the interactivity models as notification of interactions are received. Upon receiving a query that specifies an interactivity criterion, the interactivity system analyzes the interactivity models to determine whether the interactivity criterion is satisfied. When an interactivity criterion is satisfied, the interactivity system sends a response to the query indicating that the interactivity criterion is satisfied along with the identity of the entity that satisfies the interactivity criterion.
US09753945B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for interpreting geographical search queries are provided. Query templates for geographical search queries are generated from search logs of previously executed geographical search queries. Unique queries are extracted from the search logs and interpretations for these queries are obtained. Based on these interpretations, query templates having an arrangement of term types are extracted. Additionally, probability distributions for the query templates for a context, such as a locale, language, client type, etc., are determined.
US09753942B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for generating traffic statistics for a datacenter. Distributed, parallel processing may be used to generate traffic statistics from data sets about traffic in a datacenter. To reduce data sets from which such statistics are derived to manageable sizes and relevant processing times for distributed, parallel processing, traffic agents may be provided at end hosts in the datacenter. The traffic agents may summarize data traffic over large numbers of packets in terms of the various sockets over which they are transmitted. Reports on the various sockets may be sent by the various flow agents that monitor them to an analytic controller. The analytic controller may aggregate, provide flow-path information for, further reduce, and/or provision the resultant data for distributed parallel processing.
US09753938B2

Methods and apparatuses for performing selective deduplication in a storage system are introduced herein. Techniques are provided for determining deduplication priorities of data objects based upon projected likelihoods that deduplication of such data objects will provide a storage space benefit. Inline deduplication and/or post processing deduplication is selectively provided on an individual data object basis based upon deduplication priorities assigned to respective data objects.
US09753922B2

Disclosed are systems and methods for enhanced tracking of user interactions with online documents, such as, in accordance with various embodiments, interaction tracking on a sub-document level of granularity. In some embodiment, user interests or expertise are determined based at least in part on the tracked user interactions with document elements and topics associated with the elements.
US09753916B2

A method comprising using at least one hardware processor for: identifying relations between pairs of claims of a set of claims; aggregating the claims of the set of claims into a plurality of clusters based on the identified relations; generating a plurality of arguments from the plurality of clusters, wherein each of the arguments is generated from a cluster of the plurality of clusters, and wherein each of the arguments comprises at least one claim of the set of claims, scoring each possible set of a predefined number of arguments of the plurality of arguments, based on a quality of each argument of the predefined number of arguments and on diversity between the predefined number of arguments; and generating a speech, wherein the speech comprises a top scoring possible set of the possible set of the predefined number of arguments.
US09753911B2

A system includes, for a selection of objects on a displayed page of the system, each object having pre-defined customizable attributes and non-customizable attributes, a sorter to sort the customizable attributes of the selected objects. The system also includes a dialog builder to build a customization dialog specific to the selection based on the sorted pre-defined customizable attributes, a displayer to display the dialog and an updater to receive input according to the dialog and to update the customizable attributes according to the input.
US09753908B2

A system and method that transfers data from scanned documents and document images directly into a spreadsheet. The user can construct a map that associates data types in the input scanned document with an area in the spreadsheet. The user can also use pre-stored maps that have previously been constructed by the user or by someone else. The map may be stored as an XML file in a hidden sheet of the spreadsheet or in a separate file. During use, the user selects a map, scans the document, parses the document to extract the data types and associated data, and transfers the parsed data to the spreadsheet in accordance with the selected mapping.
US09753902B2

A system and method for orchestration of customization for a user experience is disclosed. The system in an example embodiment includes automatically producing user experience customization selections for generating a webpage based on context information and a collection of user activity feedback from a community of users who previously interacted with the webpage. The user experience customization selections include a plurality of modules for inclusion in the web page, where each of the modules represent a user-interface element. One or more of the plurality of modules having input and output properties defining at least one application programming interface (API). The system in a further embodiment includes discovering dependencies between the one or more of the plurality of modules by extracting dependency information from the at least one API associated with the one or more of the plurality of modules. The system in another embodiment includes generating a dependency graph for the webpage based on the dependencies between the one or more of the plurality of modules and invoking the plurality of modules based on the dependency graph to generate the webpage.
US09753899B1

The present disclosure provides various systems and methods for indexing digital (electronic) documents and providing various error reporting and identification functions. The systems and methods may utilize various software, hardware, and firmware modules to identify notations, such as primary sheet names and reference sheet names on construction documents. Various algorithms and methods may be employed to identify errors, erroneous notations, missing sheets, missing details, and/or the like to aid in the correction of construction documents. Identified notations are indexed and may be used to create hyperlinked and/or backlinked notations in output files.
US09753893B2

In rejection sampling of a function or distribution p over a space X, a proposal distribution q(n) is refined responsive to rejection of a sample x*εX to generate a refined proposal distribution q(n+1) selected to satisfy the criteria p(x)≦q(n+1)(x)≦q(n)(x) and q(n+1)(x*)
US09753889B2

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for using an index array and finite state machine for scatter/gather operations. Embodiment of apparatus may comprise: decode logic to decode a scatter/gather instruction and generate a set of micro-operations, and an index array to hold a set of indices and a corresponding set of mask elements. A finite state machine facilitates the gather operation. Address generation logic generates an address from an index of the set of indices for at least each of the corresponding mask elements having a first value. An address is accessed to load a corresponding data element if the mask element had the first value. The data element is written at an in-register position in a destination vector register according to a respective in-register position the index. Values of corresponding mask elements are changed from the first value to a second value responsive to completion of their respective loads.
US09753887B2

A communications apparatus is provided having a first line driver transmitting data at a first end of a serial bus to a second line receiver at a second end of the serial bus. A first line receiver receives data at the first end of the serial bus from a second line driver at the second end of the serial bus. The first line receiver has a selectable input parameter that controls a physical layer quality of data received at the first end of the serial bus. Programming instructions stored in memory cause the second line driver to transmit a training signal that is not a COMWAKE signal to the first line receiver in response to the first line driver transmitting a COMWAKE signal to the second line receiver. A controller compares a received physical layer quality of the training signal at the first line receiver to a desired physical layer quality and computes a value for the input parameter to obtain a desired physical layer quality.
US09753872B2

A control device is coupled to node devices and one or more input and output devices, each node device including an arithmetic processing unit and a memory. The control device is configured to store history information including an entry in which device identification information for identifying the input and output device that is accessed based on a request corresponds to node identification information for identifying a node device of the node devices which is a transmission source of the request; determine the node identification information corresponding to the device identification information that indicates an input and output device which outputs a memory access request to the memory based on search of the entry in the history information; generate a packet in which the determined node identification information is set to a memory access destination based on the memory access request; and output the generated packet.
US09753869B2

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a storage device having a non-volatile memory, a Proof of Physical Access (PPA) mechanism and a controller circuit. The PPA mechanism generates a PPA value responsive to a direct physical user interaction with the storage device by a user. In response to receipt of a storage command from a host, the controller circuit executes the received storage command responsive to the storage command being determined to be a protected command and responsive to detection of the PPA value during a predetermined window of time. The controller circuit does not execute the received storage command responsive to the storage command being determined to be a protected command and responsive to an absence of the PPA value during the predetermined window of time. The protected command is a command that changes access to data stored in the non-volatile memory.
US09753868B2

In one embodiment, a device executes reading and writing for a storage unit storing a table tree and verifier tree. The table tree includes a parent table and child table. The verifier tree includes a parent verifier associated with the parent table, and a child verifier associated with the child table. The parent verifier is used for verifying the child table and the child verifier. The device stores a secure table tree being a part of the table tree and used for address translation, and a secure verifier tree being a part of the verifier tree, to a secure storage unit. The device, when data has a read-only attribute, calculates verification information based on the data and a secure value varying according as the data is updated, and executes verification based on a verifier corresponded to the data and the verification information.
US09753867B2

In one embodiment, a device executes reading and writing for a storage unit storing a table tree and verifier tree. The table tree includes a parent table and child table. The verifier tree includes a parent verifier associated with the parent table, and a child verifier associated with the child table. The parent verifier is used for verifying the child table and child verifier. The device stores a secure table tree being a part of the table tree and used for address translation, and a secure verifier tree being a part of the verifier tree, to a secure storage unit. The device executes verification, based on verification information calculated based on a first child table and first child verifier in the storage unit and a first parent verifier in the secure verifier tree.
US09753852B1

Methods and systems for a device coupled to a computing device are provided. As an example, one method includes receiving a request for processing an address list control block (ALCB) by an ALCB offload engine of an adapter coupled to a computing device; determining by the ALCB offload engine if the ALCB is located at a cache managed by a cache controller of the ALCB engine; forwarding the ALCB to an address computation module that determines an address of a memory location of the computing device, where the ALCB stores the address of the memory location in an address list; generating a direct memory access (DMA) request to retrieve the ALCB from an adapter memory, when the ALCB is not located at the cache; and storing the ALCB at the cache, after the ALCB is received in response to the DMA request.
US09753851B2

A computer system to schedule a garbage collection process within a computing environment comprises a memory unit and a hardware computer processor. The memory unit includes a load-monitored region configured to undergo a garbage collection process. The hardware computer processor is configured to perform operations comprising invoking a handler to obtain processing control in response to a request from an application to load a pointer that points to an object located within the load-monitored region, and determining by the handler a priority of the application, and performing a garbage selection process according to one mode among a plurality of different modes based on the priority.
US09753838B2

A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to receive a tool error output determined by a code inspection tool and select at least one defect classification mapping profile based on the code inspection tool. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to map the tool error output to one or more output classifications using the selected at least one defect classification mapping profile and generate at least one report based on the one or more output classifications.
US09753837B2

A management apparatus, based on received error information of applications and information of applications installed in a terminal being managed by the management apparatus, determines a condition that an application causes the error, send information indicating that the application satisfies the condition for causing the error to an terminal satisfying the error condition out of a plurality of terminals. An application execution terminal receives from the management apparatus the information indicating that the condition that the application causes an error is satisfied, and inhibits the execution of the application causing the error by changing a display form of the corresponding application or by displaying a message at the time of the activation of the application.
US09753832B2

In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there is provided systems and methods for minimizing bandwidth to compress an output stream of an instruction tracing system. For example, the method may include identifying a current instruction in a trace of the IT module as a conditional branch (CB) instruction. The method includes executing one of generating a CB packet including a byte pattern with an indication of outcome of the CB instruction, or adding an indication of the outcome of the CB instruction to the byte pattern of an existing CB packet. The method includes generating a packet when a subsequent instruction in the trace is not the CB instruction. The packet is different from the CB packet. The method also includes adding the packet into a deferred queue when the packet is deferrable. The method further includes outputting the CB packet followed by the deferred packet into a packet log.
US09753825B2

Systems and methods can use a testing framework for testing an event processing system. The testing framework operates to send one or more input events in an event stream to an event processing system, wherein each said input event is associated with a timestamp. Also, the testing framework can receive one or more actual output events from the event processing system, wherein each said actual output event is associated with a timestamp. Furthermore, the testing framework can compare said one or more actual output events in an event window with one or more expected output events for the event window.
US09753821B2

A power supply control device for a system having two or more power supply devices, configured to control a first power supply device that includes a compensation device configured to perform power compensation at a time of power failure, the power supply control device includes a controller configured to limit the power compensation of the compensation device in a normal state, and release the limitation on the power compensation of the compensation device if detecting power failure of the first power supply device and detecting power failure of a second power supply device provided redundantly in addition to the first power supply device.
US09753819B2

A test device and a method for controlling the test device are disclosed. After a test is interrupted due to a malfunction of the test device, the test device continuously performs the interrupted testing. The test device for testing a biological material includes: a memory configured to store information which relates to progress of a test; and a controller which, if the test is interrupted due to a malfunction of the test device, is configured to continue performance of the test by using the information which relates to the test progress which is stored in the memory.
US09753813B1

Persistent storage for a master copy is provided using operation numbers. A master copy can include a persistent key-value store such as a B-tree with references to corresponding data. When provisioning a slave copy, the master copy sends a point-in-time copy of the B-tree to the slave copy, which stores a copy of the B-tree, allocates the necessary space, and updates the references of the B-tree to point to a local storage before the data is transferred. When writing the data to persistent storage, a snapshot created on the master copy is an operation that is replicated to the slave copy. The snapshot is generated using a volume view that includes changes to chunks of data of the master copy since a previous snapshot, as determined using the operation number for the previous snapshot. Data (and metadata) for the snapshot is written to persistent storage while new EO operations are processed.
US09753806B1

A method, system and memory controller are provided for implementing signal integrity fail recovery and mainline calibration for Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). After identifying a failed DRAM, the DRAM is marked as bad and taken out of mainline operation. Characterization tests and periodic calibrations are run to evaluate optimal settings and to determine if the marked DRAM is recoverable. If recoverable, the marked DRAM chip is redeployed. If unrecoverable, error reporting is provided to the user.
US09753805B2

A method and related apparatus are provided for restoring a connection through a provider network (PN). In particular, a connection is established along a path (P1) through the provider network (PN) for the transport of client traffic between two client network nodes (CR1, CR2) of a client network (CD1, CD2). Any restoration service for this connection is deactivated. However, when a failure (F1) is detected along the path (P1) which affects the connection, a path search is performed anyhow to determine a projected restoration path (P2) through the provider network (PN) available to restore said failed connection. In the case that the path search was successful and a projected restoration path (P2) was found, the availability of the projected restoration path (P2) is communicated (MS1, MS2) to the client network (CD1, CD2). The client can now decide whether to accept a temporary service upgrade to restoration service or not. Only after receipt of a confirmation (CM1, CM2) from said client network (CD1, CD2), a path restoration is performed to restore the failed connection over the projected restoration path (P2).
US09753803B2

A storage system includes an information processing apparatus and plural storage nodes. A replication unit replicates plural data elements respectively stored in plural data regions of one of the plural storage nodes, and stores replicated data elements respectively in plural data regions of each of the other storage nodes. A parity generation unit generates a parity corresponding to the data elements respectively stored in the plural data regions, and stores the parity in the parity region, for each of the storage nodes. The data selection unit selects one or more data regions that hold data elements, from among the plural data regions, and releases one or more non-selected data regions, for each of the storage nodes, so as to reduce a multiplicity of the data elements respectively stored in the plural data regions of each of the plural storage nodes.
US09753795B2

Dynamically adjust an error threshold in a data system based system status changes caused by either an external environment and/or an internal status.
US09753794B2

A method and an apparatus for controlling sending of a heartbeat signal are provided. The method includes acquiring a target push delay corresponding to all target applications; sending the target push delay to a push server; receiving a first heartbeat signal control time sent by the push server and corresponding to the target push delay; and sending a heartbeat signal to the push server at an interval of the first heartbeat signal control time. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a first heartbeat signal control time may be determined according to an acquired target push delay corresponding to all target applications, and the first heartbeat signal control time may be adjusted according to a target application, so that a push client can send a heartbeat signal to a push server at an interval of the first heartbeat signal control time, to maintain a Push connection.
US09753790B2

A method of handling requests between contexts in a processing system includes, in a current context of a source processing system element (PSE): executing a send-and rendezvous instruction that specifies a destination PSE, a queue address in the destination PSE, a set of source registers, and a set of receive registers; and sending a send-and-rendezvous message (SRM) to the destination PSE, wherein the SRM includes an address of the destination PSE, a destination queue address, a source PSE address, and an identifier of the current context in the source PSE.
US09753789B2

A computing node in a distributed system comprising a processor and associated memory, said memory storing: software component code executable to provide a service to software components running on other computers in said distributed system; component monitoring code executable to generate an event message for distribution in said distributed system in response to the occurrence of an event pertaining to the performance of said software component; action request assembly code executable to store an assemblage of action requests received from other computers in said distributed system in reaction to the distribution of said event message in said memory; action request assemblage processing code executable to order and/or filter said assemblage of action request to generate a processed set of action requests for execution by said software component.
US09753787B2

Apparatuses, methods and storage media associated with multiple processor modes execution are described herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a processor with a plurality of processor modes, including a first processor mode to address a first address space, and a second processor mode to address a second address space, the second address space including the first address space. The apparatus may further include a signal handler to handle a signal from a kernel, in the first processor mode; and a signal handler wrapper to switch the processor to the second processor mode on delivery of the signal from the kernel, save a current extra context of the second processor mode from the second register file to a user stack, switch the processor back to the first processor mode, then invoke the signal handler to handle the signal. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.
US09753780B2

In an example embodiment, a method of operating a task scheduler for one or more processors is provided. A topology of one or more processors is obtained, the topology indicating a plurality of execution units and physical resources associated with each of the plurality of execution units. A task to be performed by the one or more processors is received. Then a plurality of available execution units from the plurality of execution units is identified. An optimal execution unit is then determined, from the plurality of execution units, to which to assign the task, based on the topology. The task is then assigned to the optimal execution unit, after which the task is sent to the optimal execution unit for execution.
US09753773B1

In one embodiment of multi-mode task dispatching for extreme temperature avoidance, a performance-based dispatching mode includes a heating sub-mode in which heat generating non-system workload tasks are dispatched to idle processor cores of a set of available processor cores to raise the temperature of processing cores receiving a heat generating task. The heating sub-mode is entered if a multi-processor core temperature such as the ambient temperature of a CPU complex, for example, is below a sub-mode temperature threshold value. In this manner, the ambient temperature of the CPU complex may be prevented from reaching or maintaining a level which causes the CPU complex to fully or partially shut down due to low temperatures. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.
US09753766B2

A system and method for allocating resources receive one or more resource requests describing tasks, each of the one or more resource requests having a request priority, a requested configuration type, and a requestor identifier. In a winner-take-all circuit, all of the existing resource priorities within each configuration of the requested configuration type are compared to determine a highest-priority task occupying each assignment. In a loser-take-all circuit, one or more current highest resource priorities of each configuration within the requested configuration type, which are output from the winner-take-all circuit associated with the requested resource assignment, each of the one or more current resources having a current priority, are compared. One of the one or more current resource configurations within the requested configuration type having the lowest current priority is identified as the lowest-priority current resource configuration. The requested configuration type is allocated to the selected resource request if the request priority is higher than the lowest current priority configuration output from the loser-take-all circuit. The method further comprises continuing to allocate the requested configuration type to the lowest-priority current resource tasks currently occupying the lowest current priority configuration within the requested configuration if the lowest current priority configuration within the requested configuration is higher than or equal to the request priority.
US09753759B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for optimizing and enhancing delivery of application virtualization layers to client computing devices are described herein. In various embodiments, an application virtualization layer optimization service may identify a first and a second application virtualization layer to be delivered to one or more client computing devices. Each application virtualization layer may represent a package of one or more applications. A layer analysis service may analyze the first and second application virtualization layers to determine conflicts between the layers, using predetermined conflict analysis rules, and generate an actionable conflict resolution report based on the analysis. Based on the actionable conflict resolution report, the application virtualization layer optimization service may resolve conflicts between the first and second application virtualization layers, order the first and application virtualization layers, and deliver the ordered layers to the one or more client computing devices.
US09753757B2

Embodiments relate to generating a virtual machine (VM) migration plan. A method includes determining an initial mapping of VMs to hosts as an origin state and a final mapping of VMs to hosts as a goal state. Candidate paths are generated from the initial mapping to the final mapping. The candidate paths are evaluated based on a heuristic state transition cost from the origin state through intermediate states to the goal state by recursively obtaining a list of transitions that a parent state underwent. A heuristic goal cost is identified to reach the goal state from the intermediate states based on a fewest number of VM movements. The VM migration plan is generated based on the heuristic state transition cost of the candidate paths in combination with the heuristic goal cost of a sequence of transitions from the origin state to the goal state having a lowest total cost.
US09753756B2

A first network device determines whether it is available to transmit division data which is transmitted from a first virtual machine execution apparatus to a second network device which is provided at a side of a second virtual machine execution apparatus among a plurality of network devices, and stores the division data in a storing device when determining that it is not available to transmit, and transmit the division data in the storing device to the second network device when determining that it is available to transmit the division data to the second network device.
US09753748B2

A method of customization of software configuration includes generating and saving user information relating software features, when the software features are requested by a user for the first time. The computer system executes instructions to allow the user to input and adjust the user information. The user information is reviewed and adjustments to configurations of the software features based on the saved user information. Then, the computer system executes the software features requested by the user, according to the implemented adjustments to the configurations of the software features.
US09753745B1

A method and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program for optimizing a system function-flow of a system capable of performing at least one function and comprising a plurality of components by utilizing application programming interface (API) profiling are provided. The method comprises receiving a request to perform the at least one function of the system from a user; obtaining at least one component required to realize the at least one function requested by the user from the plurality of the components; providing a plurality of APIs to the at least one obtained component to choose from; profiling each of the plurality of APIs to get a performance score of each API; based on the profiled APIs, optimizing the system function-flow of the system; determining corresponding APIs for the optimized system function-flow; and performing the at least one function requested by the user based on the determined APIs.
US09753719B2

Techniques for updating an application installed on a communication device may include determining that an update for a private portion of the application is available at a server, sending a request for the update to the server, receiving an updated version of the private portion from the server, and installing the updated version of the private portion on the portable communication device without updating the public portion.
US09753715B2

In an exemplary information processing apparatus communicable with a server via network, update information is obtained from the server at a first timing and the obtained update information is saved. The update information is information for determining presence of an update of each application. At a second timing independent of the first timing, the information processing apparatus determines whether there is an update to each of at least one of applications stored in a storage unit accessed by the information processing apparatus based on the saved update information. The information processing apparatus obtains, from the server, update data used for updating the application with respect to which it has been determined that the update is present.
US09753708B2

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of automatic conversion of sequential array-based programs to parallel MapReduce programs. In various examples, automatic conversion of sequential array-based programs to parallel MapReduce programs may be implemented in the form of systems, methods and/or algorithms.
US09753694B2

Systems and methods relate to division of a dividend by a divisor, with fast result formatting. Counts of leading sign bits of the dividend and the divisor are determined. The dividend and the divisor are normalized based on their respective counts of leading sign bits to obtain a normalized dividend and a normalized divisor, respectively. An exact number of significant quotient bits of a quotient of the division, based on the normalized dividend, the normalized divisor, and the counts of leading sign bits of the dividend and the divisor and used to determine a correct position of a leading bit of the quotient based on this exact number. The quotient is developed by placing the leading bit at or near the correct position and appending less significant bits to the right of the leading bit. Thus, left-shifts in each iteration and large final shifts are avoided in formatting the result.
US09753693B2

A binary logic circuit is provided for determining a rounded value of px q , where p and q are coprime constant integers with p
US09753691B2

A method for fast parallel adder processing. The method includes receiving parallel inputs from a communications path, wherein each input comprises one bit, adding the inputs using a parallel structure, wherein the parallel structure is optimized to accelerate the addition by utilizing a characteristic that the inputs are one bit each, and transmitting the resulting outputs to a subsequent stage.
US09753688B2

Provided is a motor control system of a numerical controller that can instruct a plurality of motors and display data on a display device by means of a single serial bus. An amplifier which controls the motor drives the motor based on a motor command received from the numerical controller via the serial bus. The display device display data on a screen based on display data received from the numerical controller via the serial bus.
US09753673B1

A data storage device is disclosed configured to connect to a host compute device via a power bus and at least one data bus, the data storage device comprising an I/O port configured to receive power from the power bus and provide data to and receive data from the host compute device via the at least one data bus, a timer configured to open a timing window when a cache flush command is received from the host compute device and close the timing window after a predetermined amount of time has expired or a host write command is received, and control circuitry configured to detect when the power from the host compute device is removed, determine whether the timing window is closed, and, if the timing window is closed, provide a warning alarm to indicate improper removal of the power from the host compute device.
US09753669B2

A method and system for real-time cloud bursting is provided. The method and system are directed to extending a data center with cloud computing resources by decoupling computing resources and storage devices in a virtualized data center, and booting the decoupled computing resources in a staged process while storage devices are divided and prioritized into components. Data and boot instructions are re-routed and cached as needed through a proxy system.
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