US09968007B2

A rack assembly includes a rack body and a jet generating device. The rack body is configured to hold a plurality of servers that are displaced from each other by a passageway. The jet generating device is disposed in the passageway and includes a partition wall, a proximal barrier, and a distal barrier. The partition wall is disposed to define an inflow path and an outflow path. When cooling air is drawn into the inflow path, the cooling air is blocked by the distal barrier such that the cooling air is forced to flow into the outflow path through internal ports of the partition wall to generate a plurality of cooling air jets, which impinge on and cool one of the servers.
US09968005B2

Systems, methods and computer-readable media for reducing upstream preheat for high-density hard disk drive storage. A system can include first and second rows of storage devices installed in a storage rack, the first and second rows having a first distance between consecutive storage devices. The second row can be located behind the first row and farther away from a source of an airflow than the first row. The system can monitor a temperature associated with the second row and when the temperature rises above a threshold, the system can remove a storage device from the first row. The system can then adjust placement within the first row such that the remaining devices have a second, larger distance between each other to increase airflow to storage devices in the second row and reduce system impedance.
US09967998B1

A server rack with vertically stacked shelves is disclosed. The shelves are used for housing loads (e.g. servers) and power supply units. Thus, both the power supply units and the servers are vertically stacked in the rack. An array of vertical and horizontal busses is secured to the back side of the server rack to electrically couple the servers with the power supply units. The arrangement of the PSUs and the busses provides for uniform current density across the server rack. The devices placed on the shelves are accessible and serviceable from the front of the server rack. The server rack can be placed within or secured to a device, system or a server room in a vertical orientation, a horizontal orientation or at an angle.
US09967992B2

The present invention provides a PCB Fixing Mechanism and Liquid Crystal Display Device. The PCB fixing mechanism utilizes annular conducting foam (30) and conductive adhesive (20) to fix PCB (50) on the back plate (10), then improve the contact efficiency between PCB (50) and back plate (10). In cooperate with compressing annular conducting foam by PCB hood (40), the annular conducting foam obtain great conductivity with sufficient compress ratio ensured, further improve PCB grounding, thus can promptly and effectively bypass ESD interference to prevent electrostatic damage. By the way, PCB fixing procedure is simplified and labor hours are saved. The liquid crystal display device using aforesaid PCB fixing mechanism, can simplify PCB fixing procedure, save labor hours, improve PCB grounding and prevent electrostatic damage.
US09967988B1

Disclosed is a retention system for an electronic device including a base member for receiving the electronic device, a retention pad attached to the base member, a plurality of adhesive portions of the retention pad wherein the adhesive portions are dispersed, generally, in a gradient across the retention pad.
US09967982B2

An interposer including stress-engineered nonplanar microsprings may provide interconnection of bonding pads of electronic structures disposed above and below the interposer. The lateral offset between an anchor portion of a microspring disposed for contact at a bottom surface of the interposer and the tip of the microspring located in a free portion of the microspring for contact and deflection over a top surface of the interposer permits the interconnection of devices having different bonding pad pitches. Microspring contacts at the free portion permit temporary interconnection of devices, while solder applied over the free portion permit permanent connection of devices to the interposer.
US09967978B1

A rear-loaded electronics array, comprising a first circuit board assembly comprising a rail and at least one slat assembly. The at least one slat assembly can be operable to be removed from the rail and replaced on the rail from a rearward position. A second circuit board assembly can comprise a rail and at least one slat assembly. The at least one slat assembly can be operable to be removed from the rail and replaced on the rail from a rearward position. The first circuit board assembly can be positioned adjacent the second circuit board assembly, and the first circuit board assembly can be coupled to the second circuit board assembly, thus forming the rear-loaded electronics array. The first and second circuit board assemblies can be installed and removed independent of one another, as well as each of the individual slat assemblies from any circuit board assembly.
US09967967B2

A pane having an electrical connection element, the pane having: a substrate; an electrically conductive structure in a region of the substrate; and a connection element in a region of the electrically conductive structure, the connection element containing at least a chromium-containing steel. The connection element has a region which is crimped about a connecting cable and a soldering region connected to the electrically conductive structure by means of a lead-free solder.
US09967958B2

A lighting unit comprises a solid state lighting element (10). An upper housing (18) forms a light mixing chamber (20) over the solid state lighting element (10) and a loop-shaped antenna (22) is held by the upper housing (18), wherein the upper housing (18) comprises a reflective inner wall at least where it defines the mixing chamber (20) and said solid state lighting element (10) is inside said reflective inner wall. This makes use of the component which defines the mixing chamber (20) to hold a loop-shaped antenna (22) in place above the lighting element (10) and therefore away from the heat generated by the lighting element (10) and away from any metallic heat sink or heat spreading components (16).
US09967940B2

The present disclosure is directed to a solution providing active thermal management that has multiple innovations and advantages. In some aspects, the design of the active thermal management (ATM) device is not a threshold clamp and instead, is a non-linear equation that proportionally changes relative to the dimming input. In some aspects, the innovation of the ATM design is how ATM works while the light is being dimmed. The design anticipates overheating by reducing power before the product gets to the maximum temperature threshold. The design also may include an equation that predicts the LED die temperature as a function of product case temperature. The ATM may operate responsive to one or more of a plurality of profile or power curves.
US09967937B2

A light-emitting device including a light-emitting diode including an n-doped InGaN layer and a p-doped GaN layer, and an active zone including a number m of InGaN-emitting layers each one arranged between two InGaN barrier layers, of which the indium compositions of the emitting layers are different and are greater on the side of the n-doped InGaN layer than on the side of the p-doped GaN layer, and of which the indium compositions of the barrier layers are different and which are greater on the side of the n-doped InGaN layer than on the side of the p-doped GaN layer. An electric power supply supplies the diode with a periodic signal. A controller of the power supply can alter the peak value of the periodic signal according to a spectrum of the light emitted.
US09967935B2

The invention relates to a LED light source comprising: input terminals for connection to a mains voltage supply source, a rectifier coupled to the input terminals for rectifying the mains supply voltage supplied by the mains supply voltage source and comprising rectifier output terminals, a DC-DC converter for generating a DC current out of the rectified mains supply voltage, comprising converter input terminals connected to the rectifier output terminals and comprising a first converter output terminal and a second converter output terminal, a LED load with an anode coupled to the first converter output terminal via a first current control element for blocking a current flowing from the anode of the LED load to the first converter output terminal, and with a cathode coupled to the second converter output terminal via a first controllable switch having a control electrode coupled to first control circuitry for rendering the controllable switch non-conductive in case the LED light source is in standby mode, whereby the cathode of the LED load is coupled to the first controllable switch via a second current control element for blocking a current flowing from the first controllable switch.
US09967929B1

A high performance linear driving circuit converting an AC voltage of an external power supply into a DC output current and then outputs the DC current to at least one LED includes a detection unit, a control unit and a current unit. In a 180-degree phase sine wave period of the AC voltage, the total current of the output current is formed by a first working section, an energy saving section and a second working section, and the detection unit detects at least a voltage value of the AC voltage or a current value of the output current to generate a detection signal, and drives the control unit to modulate the duty cycle and current value of the first working section, energy saving section and second working section, and the amounts of current of the first and second working sections are greater than that of the energy saving section.
US09967925B2

A radiating element is provided for applying electromagnetic energy to a cavity. The radiating element includes a feeding section and a grounding section, wherein the feeding section and the grounding section extend substantially within a first plane. The radiating element also includes a radiating section in electrical communication with the feeding section and the grounding section, wherein the radiating section includes at least one bend between the feeding section and a distal end of the radiating section, the at least one bend extending in a second plane different from the first plane.
US09967922B2

A glazing comprising a transparent substrate, a plurality of electrically conductive filaments extending over the transparent substrate, wherein the filaments are shaped into a sequence of portions of the perimeters of ellipses, wherein ellipse axial ratios of the ellipses are in the range 1.1 to 4.0 and are selected so that from a pre-defined viewing position and in corresponding pre-defined viewing directions the ellipses in the plane of substrate are viewed as circles. In a preferred embodiment, major axis angles are selected so that from a pre-defined viewing position and in corresponding pre-defined viewing directions the ellipses in the plane of substrate are viewed as circles. In an example of a heated vehicle window, diffraction patterns caused by oncoming headlights interacting with heating filaments of a vehicle window are thereby minimized.
US09967920B2

This invention provides an electrical apparatus that includes a main body portion, a battery pack, and a frame portion. The main body portion comprises a converting portion that may convert electric power to one of light, wind, heat, and sound; and an outputting portion. The battery pack may detachably mounted on a battery holder provided at the main body portion, and may supply electric power to the converting portion. The frame portion may rotatably support the main body portion, and may define a first ground contact plane that can contact a ground surface and a second ground contact plane that can contact the ground surface at a different angle from an angle of the first ground contact plane. The main body portion may be rotatable relative to the frame portion without contacting the ground surface.
US09967919B2

Electrical resistor heating with an electrical resistor heating circuitry which includes an AC power source of at least one phase, a plurality of heating resistors provided in a spatial arrangement, and switches to connect the AC power source with the heating resistors generating ON and OFF power states. Power scheduling is provided to adjust the power fed from the AC power source to the heating resistors at a desired partial-power level by ON/OFF switching a number of switches, wherein the power scheduling causes at least some of the switches to switch between the ON and OFF states in a staggered manner so that energization of the partial-power level of different resistors takes place, at least partially, non-simultaneously.
US09967916B1

A method for operating cellular connectivity in a wearable device includes configuring a sensor device to measure physical activity of a user and to output measurement data representing the measured physical activity; establishing, by using a cellular radio device included in the wearable device, cellular connectivity with an access node of a cellular communication system; and adjusting utilization of cellular uplink resources allocated to the cellular radio device according to a rate at which the measurement data from the sensor device becomes available for uplink transmission in the wearable device.
US09967895B2

Provided is a wireless transmission system including a plurality of access points and an access controller. The access controller determines a start standard time for a polling period for the plurality of access points to perform polling communication with a plurality of wireless terminals. The access controller generates a scheduling setting information indicating timings when the plurality of access points perform polling communication with the plurality of wireless terminals during the polling period. The access controller transmits, to each of the plurality of access points, a polling period start signal including the start standard time and a corresponding portion of the scheduling setting information for each of the plurality of access points. The plurality of access points perform polling communication with the plurality of wireless terminals based on respective polling period start signals.
US09967892B2

Disclosed is a method by which a transmission terminal transmits a signal by using device-to-device direct communication in a wireless communication system. Particularly, the method comprises the steps of: identifying each of a plurality of resource units as a clean unit or a dirty unit; selecting one of the clean units as a transmission resource if the number of clean units is a first threshold value or more; selecting, as the transmission resource, one among the one or more dirty units from which interference that is a second critical value or more is detected if the number of clean units is less than the first threshold value; and transmitting a device-to-device direct communication signal by using the selected transmission resource.
US09967889B2

A device may detect a trigger to configure a coverage enhancement mode for a wireless device. The wireless device may be associated with a particular coverage area. The device may determine information associated with one or more wireless devices connected to a network. The network may be associated with the particular coverage area. The information may be associated with a level of network traffic of the network. The device may determine a level of coverage enhancement for the wireless device based on the information associated with the one or more wireless devices connected to the network. The device may transmit an instruction to cause the wireless device to utilize the level of coverage enhancement for the coverage enhancement mode.
US09967888B1

When a base station has just a small amount of data to transmit to a served UE, the base station will transmit the data to the UE in a DCI message on a PDCCH, rather than using the DCI message to allocate PDSCH resources to carry the data and transmitting the data on the allocated PDSCH resources. Further, the base station could advantageously make use of a standard DCI message format but could transmit the data in DCI message fields that would otherwise be used to allocate PDSCH resources or otherwise to facilitate PDSCH transmission, since those DCI message fields would not be needed when the data is transmitted in the DCI message itself.
US09967887B2

A method includes storing locations of mobile devices that are registered for ad hoc grouping, and matching an access request that specifies a location that corresponds to a goal for an ad hoc grouping with candidate mobile devices that match the access request. The method also includes retrieving network addresses of the candidate mobile devices and sending invitations to join the ad hoc grouping. An ad hoc grouping is formed from the candidate mobile devices accepting the invitations.
US09967885B2

A telecommunications system is provided that includes a unit for communicating channelized digital baseband signals with remotely located units. The channelized digital baseband signals include call information for wireless communication. The unit includes a channelizer section and a transport section. The channelizer section can extract, per channel, the channelized digital baseband signals using channel filters and digital down-converters. The transport section can format the channelized digital baseband signals for transport together using a transport schedule unit for packetizing and packet scheduling the channelized digital baseband signals. A signal processing subsystem can control a gain of uplink digital baseband signals, independently, that are received from the remotely located units prior to summing the uplink digital baseband signals.
US09967883B2

Methods for negotiating optimum parameters for communicating between a wireless control device and a wireless user device are disclosed. The methods generally include transmitting a frequency-hopped and spread negotiation signal using network-maximum parameters. The initial parameters make the negotiation signal long-range but low-data. The methods further include adjusting the initial parameters to optimal parameters based on a link budget and data rate requirements received in response to the negotiation signal. The signals are communicated on the 902-928 MHz unlicensed ISM band, and the parameters include spreading factor, output power, and carrier frequency channel bandwidth.
US09967873B2

A mobile station device transmits a transport block in an uplink subframe. The mobile station device delivers acknowledgement (ACK) for the transport block to higher layers in a case that the transport block was transmitted by the mobile station device to a base station device and the transport block is disabled based on a physical downlink control channel received in a downlink subframe.
US09967865B2

A method and apparatus are disclosed to handle UL information. The method includes configuring a UE (User Equipment) with multiple serving cells. The method further includes transmitting, from the UE, in a subframe i a first UL control information on a physical channel of a first UL serving cell. The method also includes transmitting, from the UE, in the subframe i a second UL control information on a physical channel of a second UL serving cell, wherein if the total transmit power of the UE exceeds {circumflex over (P)}CMAX (i), the UE would scale down the transmit power of the physical channel with lower power priority based on types of the first UL control information and the second UL control information.
US09967862B2

A method for monitoring a control channel in a multiple carrier system, and a user equipment (UE) therefore are discussed. The method according to one embodiment includes, if an aggregation of carriers is configured and if a carrier indicator field (CIF) is configured, monitoring a plurality of downlink control channels within a plurality of UE-specific search spaces of a first carrier; and receiving downlink control information (DCI) on at least one of the plurality of the downlink control channels, which is successfully decoded, via the first carrier. The DCI includes scheduling information on either a downlink channel or an uplink channel in a second carrier.
US09967860B2

A system and method for network-wide broadcasting, including identifying interference dependencies between base stations (eNBs) to generate one or more single frequency network (SFN) clusters for one or more broadcast sessions. The generating of SFN clusters includes performing a controlled decrease in transmit diversity gain for each of the sessions by progressively creating smaller SFN clusters, iteratively creating the smaller SFN clusters until a target modulation and coding scheme (MCS) threshold is met to generate a plurality of SFN clusters, and selecting an SFN cluster with a maximum common MCS for all SFN clusters in a set. Resource block (RB) allocation is integrated with the generating of the SFN clusters to determine maximum system utility, and the system utility considers the sum of the utilities of broadcast and unicast flows. Network-wide broadcasting is controlled based on the determined maximum system utility.
US09967849B2

Disclosed is a method for transmission of a device-to-device (D2D) signal by a terminal in a wireless communication system. The method for transmission of a D2D signal, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: a first terminal generating a D2D synchronization signal; and transmitting a subframe comprising the D2D synchronization signal, wherein the D2D synchronization signal comprises a primary D2D synchronization signal and a secondary D2D synchronization signal, and wherein, if at least one of the primary D2D synchronization signal and the secondary D2D synchronization signal in the subframe comprises two or more sequences that are transmitted in the subframe at different times, the two or more sequences are different from one another.
US09967842B2

The present invention relates to a method in which a user equipment transmits and receives a synchronization signal of the user equipment for device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless communication system. Specifically, the method comprises a step of monitoring the synchronization signal for the D2D communication (D2DSS), wherein the D2DSS is assigned in an interval of a multiple raster unit from a center frequency.
US09967838B2

This disclosure relates to techniques for avoiding loss of synchronization between a cellular device and a cellular network. According to some embodiments, a wireless device and a base station may perform a handshake procedure to select configuration parameters for cellular communication. The handshake procedure may establish a system frame number and subframe number at which the selected configuration parameters take effect. The wireless device and the base station may implement the selected configuration parameters at the selected system frame number and subframe number.
US09967830B2

A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device includes a communication interface, a memory configured to store multimedia data obtained through at least one camera operatively connected with the memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to transmit at least part of the multimedia data to an external electronic device through a network using a first transmit power function of the portable electronic device, through the communication interface, to determine context information associated with at least one of the portable electronic device and the network, and to change from the first transmit power function to a second transmit power function of the portable electronic device if the context information corresponds to a condition.
US09967827B2

A method of communicating in a wireless system includes receiving resource scheduling information indicating a location of a resource for transmitting a packet, an indication of a target power level, and an indication of a first bandwidth, receiving an indication of a first transmission power level, determining a second transmission power level in accordance with the target power level, and at least one of the first bandwidth and the first transmission power level, and transmitting the packet at the location of the resource with the second transmission power level.
US09967821B2

A mobile communications system transmitting data to and/or receiving data from communications devices includes one or more base stations, each including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide a wireless access interface for communicating data to/from the communications devices. The wireless access interface provides plural communications resource elements across a first frequency range and within a second frequency range within and smaller than the first frequency range. The wireless access interface includes plural time divided sub-frames, at least one of the sub-frames including a first wideband control channel in a part of each sub-frame for communicating first signalling information to one or more of the communications devices, and a second narrow band control channel in a second part of each sub-frame. The base stations are configured to transmit a sleep indication signal to one or more of the communication devices, to realize a power saving.
US09967805B2

A disclosed method is implemented by a network node in a wireless communication network to transmitting system information to a plurality of wireless terminals. The network node transmits a first group of system information blocks (SIBs) via a first physical channel, and transmits a second group of additional SIBs via a different, second physical channel. A corresponding network node operative to implement the method is also disclosed. Another disclosed method is implemented by a wireless terminal in a wireless communication network. The wireless terminal processes information received from a base station over a first physical channel to identify a first group of SIBs, and processes information received from the base station over a different, second physical channel to identify a second group of additional SIBs. A corresponding wireless terminal operative to implement the method is also disclosed.
US09967804B2

A base station and a method that reduce abnormal cell re-selection behaviors. The base station includes: a detection module having a pattern information detector that provides pattern information of an almost blank subframe, and a measurement configuration adjustor that provides a first parameter threshold for cell-selection and generates a second parameter threshold for cell-selection according to the pattern information; and a measurement configuration generating module having a measurement configuration schedule generator that generates a broadcasting schedule according to the pattern information, a system information broadcaster that transmits first schedule information to first user equipment when the first user equipment establishes connection to allow the first user equipment to receive the first parameter threshold according to the first schedule information and perform cell-selection, and a dedicated signal generator that generates a dedicated signal and transmits second schedule information to second user equipment when the second user equipment establishes connection.
US09967801B2

Proposed are a method for receiving, by a base station (BS), authorization information on a network slice in a wireless communication system, and an apparatus supporting the same. The method may include: receiving an attach request from a user equipment (UE); selecting a common control plane function (C-CPF) corresponding to a particular network slice based on the attach request; transmitting the received attach request to the selected C-CPF; and receiving authorization information, which indicates whether the UE is authorized to use the particular network slice, from the selected C-CPF.
US09967799B2

Customized communication routing and regulation thereof are provided. The routing of an incoming communication to a device, wireless or wireline, is based on a routing preference and a presence condition of a mobile device in a home or visited wireless environment served by a confined-coverage access point (AP). The routing preference can be configured for a device that operates in the home or visited wireless environment. The confined-coverage AP can be owned or leased by a subscriber associated with the incoming call or by a third party. Provisioning of routing of incoming call based on a third-party confined-coverage AP can be event-based. Add-on services can be provisioned and configured; screening of incoming call(s) based on screening rule(s) specific to a confined-coverage AP is provided. Customized communication routing to equipment that operates in a confined-coverage area served by a third-party confined-coverage AP can be canceled.
US09967798B2

A near field communication (NFC) router of a mobile device receives a first message from an external NFC device and, in accordance with a first active rule, processes the first message as being targeted to a first host processing device of the mobile device. When the NFC router receives a second message from the external NFC device and detects a bit pattern in the second message indicating that the first host processing device is not an intended target of the second message, the NFC router activates a second rule. When the NFC router receives a further first message from the external NFC device, the NFC router processes the further first message as being targeted to a target host processing device in accordance with the second active rule.
US09967794B2

Provided are two types of schemes capable of reducing power consumption of a User Equipment (UE). The first scheme is to select a set capable of minimizing power consumption of the UE when the UE enters a sleep mode. The second scheme is a handover scheme in which the UE having entered the sleep mode maintains the sleep mode corresponding to a cooperative Base Station (BS) set in a handover of the UE.
US09967789B2

A wireless communication system includes a wireless terminal and a neighboring base station capable of performing coordinated multi point transmission. The wireless terminal includes a path-loss comparison unit comparing a first path loss, including a path loss between the wireless terminal and the current serving base station, with a second path loss, including a path loss between the wireless terminal and the neighboring base station; a distance comparison unit comparing a first distance, including a distance between the wireless terminal and the current serving base station, with a second distance, including a distance between the wireless terminal and the neighboring base station; and a control unit performing handover from the current serving base station to the neighboring base station, if at least either the second path loss is smaller than the first path loss or the second distance is shorter than the first distance.
US09967788B2

A base station includes a radio communication unit that establishes communication with a mobile communication terminal using a plurality of component carriers. The base station further includes a determination unit that determines a handover factor. The base station also includes a control unit allocates to the mobile communication terminal a measurement time interval for at least one component carrier from the plurality of component carriers according to the handover factor. A channel quality of the at least one component carrier of another base station is measured during the measurement time interval.
US09967782B2

A network node having ATCF for use in eSRVCC includes an SDP analyzing unit that acquires information regarding a codec contained in a SDP offer/SDP answer, a data storage unit that holds at least one of information regarding a codec supported by ATGW or a neighboring MGW, information regarding transcoding supported by the ATGW or the neighboring MGW, and information regarding a codec supported by a neighboring CS network, and a determination unit that determines whether transmission of the SDP offer for codec re-negotiation from the ATCF to a communication terminal is allowed using the information regarding a codec acquired in the SDP analyzing unit and information retrieved from the data storage unit.
US09967781B2

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for supporting handover. That is, inform a target base station which bear in bearers to be handed over is a Local Internet Protocol (IP) Access (LIPA) bearer, by a source base station. Regarding the LIPA bearer, the target base station sends a message to a corresponding Local Gateway (L-GW), to request the L-GW to update downlink user plane transmission. By adopting the method for supporting handover, provided by an embodiment of the invention, a correct user plane transmission may be established for a User Equipment (UE), to enable a user plane to be correctly established during handover process. Thus, continuity of LIPA service may be guaranteed, and successful handover may be achieved.
US09967778B2

The present specification provides a reception method of a machine type communication (MTC) device. The reception method can comprise the steps of: receiving a control channel through the entire system bandwidth on first and second orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols of a subframe; and determining whether to receive a data channel only in a reduced bandwidth compared with the system bandwidth from the third symbol of the subframe. At this point, when the control channel does not continue up until a third symbol of the subframe, the data channel can be received in a reduced bandwidth compared with the system bandwidth from the third symbol of the subframe.
US09967766B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for adaptive antenna switching for measurements, for example, in high gain automotive devices. According to certain aspects, a method is provided herein for wireless communications. The method generally includes selecting, based on one or more conditions, a first measurement configuration that uses at least an external antenna mounted on a surface of a vehicle for one or more measurements or a second measurement configuration that uses at least an internal antenna associated with the vehicle for the one or more measurements; performing the one or more measurements using the selected measurement configuration; and sending a report based on the one or more measurements. The techniques for measurement configuration selection may allow the device to achieve the benefits of both the high gain external antenna and the lower gain internal antenna(s) depending on the current conditions.
US09967761B2

The present invention relates to a measurement housing adapted to receive at least one mobile communication device for measurement of a wireless communication of said mobile communication device, wherein said measurement housing is transparent to high frequency signals and comprises a temperature control unit adapted to control an internal temperature within said measurement housing. The present invention further relates to a casing for holding such a measurement housing.
US09967758B2

A method and system for multiple access in a system utilizing two-dimensional signal modulation. The method includes spreading data symbols arranged in a two-dimensional information domain onto sets of grid points respectively associated with different users in a time-frequency domain. The spreading is performed using two-dimensional basis functions uniquely associated with positions on a lattice in the information domain corresponding to the data symbols. A modulated signal is then generated using the sets of transformed symbols. The sets of grid points associated with the different users may be interleaved within the time-frequency domain or may form non-interleaved windows.
US09967757B2

In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided apparatus, systems and methods for implementing distributed wireless data sharing and control systems. Methodologies may include, for example, means for performing operations at a first wireless node having at least a processor and a memory therein, in which such operations include collecting measurements of a wireless environment at the first wireless node; determining a current configuration of the first wireless node; receiving state information from a second wireless node, in which the received state information describes a configuration of the second wireless node and further describes collected measurements of a wireless environment at the second wireless node; with the operations further including analyzing the collected measurements of the wireless environment at the first wireless node and also analyzing the state information received from the second wireless node, the analysis being used to determine one or more modifications to the current configuration of the first wireless node; adopting a modified configuration at the first wireless node by updating the current configuration of the first wireless node with the determined one or more modifications; and communicating first node state information to the second wireless node, in which the first node state information describes the modified configuration adopted by the first wireless node and the collected measurements of the wireless environment at the first wireless node. Other related embodiments are disclosed.
US09967754B2

Monitoring non-supported wireless spectrum within a coverage area of a distributed antenna system (DAS) in which a listening module connected to a remote unit of the DAS monitors non-supported wireless frequencies (i.e., frequencies that are outside the frequency ranges supported by the downlink and uplink signals of the DAS), via one or more antennas. The listening module also transmits the wireless frequencies to a monitoring module connected to head-end equipment (HEE) of the DAS. In that manner, a monitoring module can use an existing DAS infrastructure to monitor non-supported portions of the wireless spectrum at remote locations. In addition to avoiding the need to run a parallel DAS infrastructure, the disclosed arrangements are also useful in shared spectrum environments and other environments where efficient spectrum utilization is desired.
US09967749B2

Secure NFC interactions with a server information handling system management controller, such as a baseboard management controller, are supported with an NFC application running on a mobile information handling system. A private key is applied by the mobile application to create an application hash that a baseboard management controller verifies to authorize access by the NFC application. The private key encrypts a user name and password so that the baseboard management controller decrypts the user credentials to look up access privileges in a security database. If user privileges include access to components, the baseboard management controller automatically actuates locks to provide access.
US09967742B1

Systems and methods for device-agnostic, multi-factor network authentication are disclosed. In some embodiments, a wireless network connection can authenticate a device over secure authentication means with a certificate that confirms a device identity. After authenticating the device, a user can be prompted to provide credentials in a captive portal. The captive portal can be inaccessible to devices that have not already authenticated using a certificate. After providing approved credentials to the captive portal, the user can access the network. This embodiment and additional embodiments are readily integrated into private wireless networks and others.
US09967737B2

Web pages corresponding to example game devices are previously provided in a server. One of the game devices obtains a character from another one of the game devices when these game devices pass each other. The one of the game devices processes the obtained character and transmits the processed character to the web page corresponding to the other game device in the server, and the character is stored in the server. The other game device accesses the web page corresponding to the other game device in the server to obtain the processed character.
US09967732B2

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that manages utilization of mobile subscriber identity information including enabling reuse of such information by a different communication device and/or re-authorizing use by a communication device that previously was authorized to utilize the information by way of detecting registration error messages. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09967728B2

Methods and systems for joining a wireless connection advertisement. The joining device connects to a commissioning device through a first wireless connection protocol. The first wireless connection protocol comprises a relatively low power connection. The commissioning device is configured to manage access to a fabric. The joining device also receives credentials, via the first wireless connection protocol, for connecting to a first wireless network having a second wireless connection protocol. Furthermore, the joining device attempts to join the first wireless network using the received network credentials.
US09967726B2

A method for deterministic directional discovery of neighbor devices by a device in a wireless network comprises dividing equally an access time to a discovery channel to predefined number of sector scanning periods (410), wherein each sector scanning period includes a predefined number of discovery sweep periods (430), and each discovery sweep period includes a predefined number of time slots (440); scanning the discovery channel in a single sector during a current sector scanning period (S310); transmitting a discovery frame towards each sector during each time slot of each discovery sweep period of the current sector scanning period (S320); checking if at least one response to a transmitted discovery frame has been received during the current sector scanning period (S330); and setting the device to scan the discovery channel in a next sector during a next sector scanning period, thereby sequentially accessing the predefined number of sector scanning periods (S35).
US09967719B2

An embodiment of an apparatus for determining clusters of access nodes includes a processing apparatus configured to determine a first cluster based on a first metric, wherein the first cluster comprises one or more access nodes for serving at least a first user node, assign further user nodes to be served by the one or more access nodes of the first cluster based on a spatial separation of the further user nodes and a second metric, and determine at least a further cluster by repeating the determining and assigning steps for further access nodes and user nodes.
US09967717B2

A system may include zones associated with respective seating positions of a vehicle and in-vehicle components each associated with at least one of the zones. An in-vehicle component may identify a personal device associated with the zone of the in-vehicle component by identifying a personal device associated with the zone of the in-vehicle component by determining average signal strength between the personal device and the in-vehicle components of each zone, and identifying for which zone the average signal strength is highest, and sending a notification to the personal device responsive to a detected user interaction. A method may include detecting user interaction to an in-vehicle component of a zone; acquiring signal strength intensity information of personal devices from other in-vehicle components of the zone; calculating average signal strengths of the personal devices to the in-vehicle components; associating one of the personal devices to the zone as having a highest average signal strength to the in-vehicle components of the zone; and sending a notification to the one of the personal devices.
US09967716B2

A method for navigating within a retail establishment includes: generating and distributing an encoded identity to each of a plurality of location beacons, the encoded identity being effective during a time interval; broadcasting the encoded identity from each of the plurality of location beacons to a user device within a retail establishment; mapping the encoded identity of each of the plurality of location beacons to a location thereof; generating a masked mapping by combining the mapping with a time interval mask; storing the masked mapping in a website accessible to the user device; and broadcasting an srw signal to the user device within the retail establishment, the srw signal comprising information for recovering the mapping from the masked mapping in the web site; whereby navigation via the location beacons is enabled.
US09967704B1

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.
US09967701B1

A method may perform assisted position determination based on pressure measurements which includes ascertaining a pressure value, and determining whether the ascertained pressure value is within a first threshold of a stored pressure value of the set of stored position and pressure values. The method may also include obtaining a stored position value, from the set of stored position and pressure values, which corresponds to the stored pressure value, in response to determining that the ascertained pressure value is within the first threshold of the stored pressure value, and providing the stored position value as a current location along the route.
US09967699B1

A telecommunication system receives a request from a caller phone to establish a telecommunication call with a recipient phone. The telecommunication system determines whether the caller phone is authorized to receive location information related to a current geographic location of the recipient phone and upon determining that the caller phone is authorized to receive location information, obtains information about a current geographic location of the recipient phone. Upon establishing at least an initial communication with the recipient phone, the telecommunication system causes the information about the current geographic location of the recipient phone to be audibly included in a caller tune to the caller phone if the caller phone is authorized to receive location information, wherein the caller tune is indicative of the recipient phone ringing in response to the request from the caller phone.
US09967698B2

A communication apparatus includes a first communication unit, a second communication unit, and a communication-apparatus-side controller. The first communication unit wirelessly communicates with plural terminal apparatuses, the number of which is less than or equal to a predetermined maximum number of connections allowed. The second communication unit wirelessly communicates with a connection-requesting terminal apparatus that attempts to wirelessly communicate with the first communication unit. The communication-apparatus-side controller transmits, to the connection-requesting terminal apparatus via the second communication unit, information indicating that wireless communication via the first communication unit is not available in a case where the number of connections established for wireless communication via the first communication unit has reached the predetermined maximum number of connections allowed.
US09967688B2

To be able to activate a self-device when an input digital audio signal is an audio signal indicating sound.An AV receiver 1 includes a detection circuit 4 that detects that a digital audio signal terminal is connected and supplies a detection signal, a DIR 5 that converts an SPDIF signal into an I2S signal when the detection circuit 4 supplies the detection signal, a detection circuit 7 that detects that the I2S signal into which the DIR 5 convers is an audio signal indicating sound and supplies a detection signal, and a microcomputer 2 that activates the AV receiver 1 when the detection circuit 7 supplies the detection signal.
US09967674B2

A vibration system is disclosed. The vibration system includes a vibrating diaphragm including a dome part and a suspension part encircling the dome part; a voice coil for driving the vibration diaphragm; and a heat conduction plate located between and connected with the dome part and the suspension part. The heat conduction plate includes a lower surface connecting with the voice coil and an upper surface opposite to the lower surface. The suspension part includes an internal peripheral part connected with the heat conduction plate, the dome part comprises a joint part connected with the heat conduction plate, and the upper surface of the heat conduction plate is at least partially exposed outside.
US09967673B2

An acoustic transducer comprises one or more electromagnetic motors that drive one or more sets of multiple diaphragms to provide acoustically efficient loudspeaker systems having dimensions that allow use in applications that would be difficult or impossible with traditional transducers. The diaphragms may be driven directly, inertially or fluidically. If diaphragms are driven by rods that pass through holes in the diaphragms, noise may be generated by air that leaks through the pass-through holes. This noise may be reduced or eliminated by measures that reduce or eliminate the air leakage.
US09967667B2

The present disclosure provides an audio broadcast system and method. The audio broadcast system includes a primary device including a primary wireless communication module and an audio broadcast module; and one or more secondary devices each including a secondary wireless communication module and an audio broadcast module. The primary device and the one or more secondary devices form a wireless transmitting linking path. The primary device is configured to receive a first audio data from an external device, and to send the first audio data to the one or more secondary devices by using the primary wireless communication module. Further, the secondary wireless communication module is configured to receive the first audio data from the primary device or from a different connecting secondary device; and the audio broadcast modules of the primary device and the one or more secondary devices are configured to broadcast the first audio data.
US09967659B2

A shielded electronic array is provided and includes a main plate having opposing first and second major surfaces, first and second electronic devices disposed on respective first portions of the first and second major surfaces, respectively, a noise-shielding plate disposed on a second portion of the second major surface, an insulated eyelet, which is press-fittable into the main and noise-shielding plates and first and second wiring components. The first wiring component extends along a main plate plane from the second electronic device. The second wiring component extends from the first wiring component to the first electronic device and has an exposed first portion and a second portion extending through the insulated eyelet.
US09967656B2

A speaker includes a speaker enclosure including a peripheral sound wave exit to emit sound waves peripherally. A driver is connected to the speaker enclosure. The driver includes a speaker cone having an outer portion connected to a mounting plate that is disposed adjacent the peripheral sound wave exit. A phase plug includes a first portion positioned substantially parallel and adjacent to part of the speaker cone and a second portion that extends outwards toward a circumference of the speaker enclosure.
US09967651B2

A method, system, and apparatus for noise cancelation is disclosed herein, which may be used in a wireless unit (WU) and a headset removably connected to the WU. The WU may include a processor, a memory, a user interface, internal microphones and internal speakers. The headset may include microphones and speakers, and be powered by the WU. The WU may receive an ambient noise from a headset microphone, which may generate a signal based on the ambient noise. The WU processor may then calculate an estimate of the ambient noise based on the signal, calculate an inverse of the estimated ambient noise based on the estimate of the ambient noise, cancel the estimated ambient noise from an audio output signal based on the application of the inverse of the estimated ambient noise, and send the audio output signal to the speakers of the headset or the WU.
US09967649B2

A case for a pair of wireless earbuds includes a lid and a lid sensor configured to generate a detect signal when the lid is moved from a closed position to an open position. The case further includes circuitry configured to, in response to receiving the detect signal, send a signal to the wireless earbuds to turn them on and to initiate a pairing sequence between the wireless earbuds and an electronic device.
US09967639B2

A portable miniature sound amplifying apparatus for use with an electric guitar having a guitar jack, includes a body, an electric sound amplifying device positioned in the interior space of the body, and a guitar plug in electrical communication with the electric sound amplifying device that includes a male configuration for selectively mating with the guitar jack of the electric guitar. A speaker is mounted to the electric sound amplifying device and may be directionally articulated and is configured to receive and emit sound data from the guitar via the guitar plug. One or more stabilizer arms may be pivotally coupled to the sound amplifying device and positioned to protect a guitar from being damaged thereby.
US09967638B2

A network node comprises an optical input, an optical output, a random-access queue and processing system. It receives a data packet, at the optical input and determines whether to process it as a guaranteed-service packet or as a statistically-multiplexed packet. A guaranteed-service packet is output within a predetermined maximum time of receipt, optionally within a data container comprising container control information. A statistically-multiplexed packet is queued. The node determines a set of statistically-multiplexed packets that would fit a gap between two guaranteed-service packets; selects one of the packets; and outputs it between the two guaranteed-service packets.
US09967637B2

A quantum key distribution system is deployed in an optical fiber network transporting classical data traffic. A source of entangled photon pairs is used to generate quantum keys. Classical data traffic is typically transported over channels in the C-band. If a pair of channels for transport of quantum data is available within the C-band, then the source of entangled photon pairs is tuned to emit in a pair of channels in the C-band. If a pair of channels for transport of quantum data is not available within the C-band, then the source of entangled photon pairs is tuned to emit in a pair of channels in a combined S-band and L-band. When a periodically-poled lithium niobate waveguide pumped with a laser is used for the source of entangled photon pairs, the output spectral properties are tuned by varying the temperature of the waveguide.
US09967635B2

A device may detect an emergency alert system message. The emergency alert system message may include a message to be provided for consumption by multiple users. The device may determine that the emergency alert system message has not been successfully delivered for consumption by a user. The device may store the emergency alert system message, for future delivery, based on determining that the emergency alert system message has not been successfully delivered for consumption by the user. The device may receive an indication to provide the emergency alert system message after storing the emergency alert system message. The device may provide the emergency alert system message, for consumption by the user, based on receiving the indication to provide the emergency alert system message.
US09967634B2

Generating trick mode data from streaming media content is described herein. A media device receives streaming media content. A content server streams media content to the media device configured to identify a plurality of key frames within the media content. The content server receives the plurality of key frames from the media device. The content server further generates trick mode data for the media content based on the received plurality of key frames.
US09967631B2

Aspects relate to computer implemented methods, systems, and processes to automatically enable audio-based display indicia during playback of a media content including receiving, by a processor, one or more user preference audio profiles, the user preference audio profiles defining at least one audio characteristic and an associated criteria, playing the media content having audio-based display indicia, monitoring, with one or more detectors, the at least one audio characteristic defined in the user preference audio profiles, and when the at least one audio characteristic meets the associated criteria, enabling the audio-based display indicia in the media content.
US09967630B2

A device for enabling content selection is configured to display a graphical user interface including a map and information associated with other users. The map may including identifiers of users at respective locations. The device may enable a user to navigate to a particular identifier. The device may be configured to display a window including an item of content associated with a particular identifier. The device may be configured to facilitate a video chat between one or more users.
US09967624B2

A method and system utilizing proximity information in managing digital rights is provided. An example method includes receiving a request to access a content item at an electronic device, determining proximity information using at least one processor, the proximity information indicating proximity of the electronic device to a designated base electronic device and using the proximity information for granting or denying access to the content item.
US09967606B2

Disclosed is a system and method for scheduling clips. An example method involves (i) accessing a first list that includes ordered clip identifiers C1 . . . Cn; (ii) accessing a second list that includes a player identifier Pq; (iii) accessing a third list that includes player identifiers P1 . . . Px; (iv) making a determination that a particular clip identifier from the clip identifiers C1 . . . Cn is associated with a property; (v) responsive to making the determination, assigning to the particular clip identifier, the player identifier Pq; (vi) assigning to each clip identifier C1 . . . Cn except for the particular clip identifier, a respective one of the player identifiers P1 . . . Px, wherein the player identifiers are selected in an ordered and looping fashion; and (vii) for each of the clip identifiers C1 . . . Cn, causing a player identified by the one of the player identifiers Pq or P1 . . . Px assigned to that clip identifier to load a clip identified by that clip identifier.
US09967591B2

Methods for improved parallel motion estimation are provided that decouple the merging candidate list derivation and motion estimation for merge mode and skip mode and the advanced motion vector predictor (AMVP) candidate list construction from regular motion estimation to increase the coding quality in parallel motion estimation while meeting throughput requirements. This decoupling may be accomplished by modifying the availability rules for spatial motion data (SMD) positions for construction of the candidate lists. As part of the decoupling, largest coding units (LCUs) of a picture may be divided into non-overlapping parallel motion estimation regions (PMER) of equal size. Within a PMER, motion estimation for merge mode, skip mode, and normal inter-prediction mode may be performed in parallel for all the prediction units (PUs) in the PMER.
US09967588B2

A method performed by a video encoding apparatus, includes: encoding block mode information indicating whether a block mode of a current block to be decoded is a skip mode; when the block mode of the current block is the skip mode, encoding a skip motion information of the current block without encoding information on residual signals of the current block, wherein the skip motion information is used for determining a motion vector of the current block; and when the block mode of the current block is not the skip mode, encoding prediction information of the current block, and encoding partition information of a tree structure related to dividing the current block into one or more subblocks, and thereby encoding information on residual signals of the subblocks.
US09967580B2

A system and method disposed to enable encoding, decoding and manipulation of digital video with substantially less processing load than would otherwise required. In particular, one disclosed method is directed to generating a compressed video data structure that is selectively decodable to a plurality of resolutions including the full resolution of the uncompressed stream. The desired number of data components and the content of the data components that make up the compressed video data, which determine the available video resolutions, are variable based upon the processing carried out and the resources available to decode and process the data components. During decoding, efficiency is substantially improved because only the data components necessary to generate a desired resolution are decoded. In variations, both temporal and spatial decoding are utilized to reduce frame rates, and hence, further reduce processor load. The system and method are particularly useful for real-time video editing applications.
US09967579B2

Techniques are presented herein for switching between a software decoder and a hardware decoder in a hybrid decoder. A video bit stream is received. The video bit stream is analyzed to determine whether or not the video bit stream can be decoded by the hardware decoder. When the video bit stream can be decoded by the hardware decoder, the video bit stream is routed to the hardware decoder and also stored in a first buffer. The video bit stream is decoded by the hardware decoder and when a reference frame is decoded, the reference frame is stored in a second buffer. When the video bit stream cannot be decoded by the hardware decoder, the video bit stream is routed to the software decoder for decoding. When an instantaneous decoder refresh (IDR) frame is decoded by the software decoder, the IDR frame is stored in the first buffer.
US09967573B2

A codec according to an exemplary embodiment includes a codec processor which receives a current frame, determines a type of a received current frame, and sets rate control parameters of the current frame, and a bit-rate estimator which allocates total target bits to a first group of picture (GOP) including the current frame, and allocates a target bit to each of frames included in the first GOP based on a determined type of the current frame and set rate control parameters.
US09967572B2

A method for decoding an image including performing intra prediction on a chrominance block according to whether the intra prediction mode of the chrominance block is equal to an intra prediction mode of a luminance block.
US09967570B2

Provided are methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding an image. Method of encoding includes: determining a maximum size of a buffer to decode each image frame by a decoder, a number of image frames to be reordered, and latency information of an image frame having a largest difference between an encoding order and a display order from among image frames that form an image sequence, based on an encoding order the image frames that form the image sequence, an encoding order of reference frames referred to by the image frames, a display order of the image frames, and a display order of the reference frames; and adding, to a mandatory sequence parameter set, a first syntax indicating the maximum size of the buffer, a second syntax indicating the number of image frames to be reordered, and a third syntax indicating the latency information.
US09967551B2

In one embodiment, it is proposed a method for displaying a 3D content on a multi-view display device, said multi-view display device being able to display k-views, with k an integer greater or equal to two, said method being implemented on said multi-view display device. Such method is remarkable in that it comprises: obtaining a user's input being a depth level and/or a viewpoint; modifying said user's input in function of at least one configuration parameter, said modifying defining a group of images, said images from said group being spatially successive images of a scene at a same time; and displaying k-views on said multi-view display device, said k-views being obtained from a process taking into accounts elements from said group of images.
US09967548B2

A stereoscopic video imaging system includes a first imaging apparatus and a second imaging apparatus coupled to the first imaging apparatus and arranged to take a 3D image. A single cable connects the first imaging apparatus to the second imaging apparatus. A switching device selects one of the first and second imaging apparatuses to be a main imaging apparatus and the remaining imaging apparatus to be a sub imaging apparatus. The main imaging apparatus is enabled to generate a synchronization signal, the synchronization signal being communicated to the sub imaging apparatus through the single cable.
US09967544B2

A remote monitoring system includes: a display unit on which a CG video generated from a three-dimensional CG model is displayed; an input unit which accepts a user's input to the CG video; a three-dimensional CG image generation unit which displays, on the display unit, the CG video after being moved on the basis of the input; an optimal camera calculation unit which specifies a surveillance camera that can pick up a real video similar to the CG video after being moved; and a control unit which controls the surveillance camera that is specified, wherein a real video from the surveillance camera that is controlled is displayed on the display unit.
US09967541B2

Imaging systems and imaging methods are disclosed to estimate a three-dimensional position of an object at a scene and/or generate a three-dimensional image of the scene. The imaging system may include, for example, one or many light sources; an optical system configured to direct light from the one or more light sources into a pattern onto the scene; a mask; a detector array disposed to receive light from the scene through the mask; and at least one processor communicatively coupled with the detector and configured to estimate a depth of a particle within the scene.
US09967530B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for generating a projected image are provided. Movement measurements are received from an accelerometer within a projection device. A determination is made as to whether the movement measurements indicate movement of the projection device. Upon determining that the movement measurements indicate movement of the projection device, a movement correction factor is determined based on the movement measurements to compensate for the movement of the projection device. The projection device is caused to generate a projected image according to the movement correction factor.
US09967527B2

An imaging unit includes a color filter in which filter elements of R, G and B are arranged in a plane thereof. The imaging unit captures an object in a state where infrared light with three frequencies assigned to R, G and B are projected so as to generate first to third frames. A synthesizing unit in a pre-signal processing unit arranges pixel data for the three primary colors including pixel data for R in the first frame, pixel data for G in the second frame and pixel data for B in the third frame in such a manner as to have the same array as the filter elements in the color filter, so as to generate synthesized image signals synthesized in one frame. A demosaicing unit subjects the frame of the synthesized image signals to demosaicing so as to generate frames of the three primary colors.
US09967513B2

A multi-room media network includes a network for providing device interconnectivity for receiving and sending data and a plurality of content control devices coupled to the network. Password control for multi-room digital video recorder is provided through the resetting and/or resynchronization of a password for a multi-room digital video recorder.
US09967509B2

Systems and methods for automatically generating a playlist of series assets and systems and methods for grouping assets of a playlist in clusters are provided. In one embodiment, series assets may automatically be included into a playlist for that series. In another embodiment, an interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters based on one or more user selected parameters or may group assets in cluster based on automatically determined parameters. In yet another embodiment, the interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters and display at least one identifier in connection with each cluster to indicate a basis for forming the cluster. The identifier may be a key word or catch phrase that succinctly identifies a trait or characteristic of assets in a particular cluster associated with the identifier.
US09967505B1

Example comparators as disclosed herein may include a first comparator comprising a first plurality of device areas, wherein the first plurality of device areas at least includes a first comparator input device area, a first comparator cascode device area, and a first comparator current mirror area, and a second comparator comprising a second plurality of device areas, wherein the second plurality of device areas at least includes a second comparator input device area, a second comparator cascode device area, and a second comparator current mirror area, where the second comparator input area is disposed between the first comparator input area and the first comparator cascode device area, the first comparator cascode device area is disposed between the second comparator input area and the second comparator cascode device area, the first comparator current mirror area is disposed between the first comparator cascode device area and the second comparator current mirror area, the second comparator cascode device area is disposed between the first comparator cascode device area and the second comparator current mirror area, and the second comparator current mirror area is disposed between the first comparator current mirror area and a second comparator second stage input area.
US09967504B1

A pixel circuit for use in an image sensor includes an unpinned photodiode disposed in a semiconductor material. The unpinned photodiode adapted to photogenerate charge carriers in response to incident light. A floating diffusion is disposed in the semiconductor and coupled to receive the charge carriers photogenerated in the unpinned photodiode. A transfer transistor is disposed in the semiconductor material and coupled between the unpinned photodiode and the floating diffusion. The transfer transistor is adapted to be switched on to transfer the charge carriers photogenerated in the unpinned photodiode to the floating diffusion. A boost capacitor is disposed over a surface of the semiconductor material proximate to the unpinned photodiode. The boost capacitor is coupled to receive a photodiode boost signal while the transfer transistor is switched on to further drive the charge carriers photogenerated in the unpinned photodiode to the floating diffusion.
US09967501B2

An imaging device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a first image pickup cell comprising a first photoelectric converter that converts incident light into a first charge, a first charge detection circuit that is electrically connected to the first photoelectric converter and detects the first charge, and a first capacitive element one end of which is electrically connected to the first photoelectric converter, the first capacitive element storing at least a part of the first charge; and a second image pickup cell comprising a second photoelectric converter that converts incident light into a second charge, and a second charge detection circuit that is electrically connected to the second photoelectric converter and detects the second charge.
US09967492B2

A pixel array has a plurality of output units arranged in matrix form and a plurality of A/D conversion units corresponds to the output units. Each of the output units outputs an electric signal based on incident electromagnetic waves. Each of the A/D conversion units converts the electric signal input from the corresponding output unit to a digital signal. A plurality of storage units corresponds to columns of the output units. Each of the storage units holds the corresponding digital signal. A first signal line is configured to supply a driving bias to at least one of the output units and the A/D conversion units. A second signal line is configured to transmit the digital signal from the A/D conversion units to the storage units. The output units are provided between the first signal line and the second signal line.
US09967489B2

Image sensors may include imaging pixels that have comparators to read out image pixel signals. An imaging pixel may include a photodiode, a floating diffusion region, and a transfer transistor that transfers charge from the photodiode to the floating diffusion region. The floating diffusion region may be coupled to a source follower transistor. The source follower transistor may be coupled to a current source. A row select transistor may be interposed between the source follower transistor and the current source. To form an in-column comparator stage and reduce power consumption, an additional transistor may be interposed between the row select transistor and the current source. The additional transistor may be a pMOS transistor and the source follower transistor may be an nMOS transistor. The additional transistor may have a gate that receives a searching voltage that is ramped from a maximum value to a minimum value.
US09967487B2

Embodiments may be implemented by a computing device, such as a head-mountable display or mobile phone, in order to pre-emptively warm up the device's camera, when it is probable that a user will be taking a photo. An illustrative method involves a computing device (a) receiving sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the computing device, wherein the computing device comprises an image-capture device, (b) analyzing the sensor data to detect at least one pre-image-capture signal, wherein the at least one pre-image-capture signal indicates a subsequent image-capture signal is likely to be received, and (c) in response to detecting the at least one pre-image-capture signal, causing the computing device to initiate an image-capture preparation process that prepares the image-capture device to capture an image.
US09967486B2

An image pickup apparatus includes: a solid-state image pickup device partitioned into a light-receiving portion region that generates an image pickup signal of an optical image, a circuit portion region that processes the image pickup signal and generates a driving signal, and a terminal portion region having terminals for inputting/outputting signals with an external apparatus; and an objective optical portion having an objective lens unit including a unit main body having an objective lens group for forming an optical image and a holding barrel where the unit main body is fixed, and a prism that guides the optical image that passes through the objective lens unit to the light-receiving portion region. The prism of the objective optical portion is disposed on the light-receiving portion region of the substrate, and the holding barrel of the objective lens unit is disposed on the circuit portion region.
US09967472B2

Various technologies described herein pertain to combining high dynamic range techniques to enable rendering higher dynamic range scenes with an image sensor. The image sensor can implement a combination of spatial exposure multiplexing and temporal exposure multiplexing, for example. By way of another example, the image sensor can implement a combination of spatial exposure multiplexing and dual gain operation. Pursuant to another example, the image sensor can implement a combination of temporal exposure multiplexing and dual gain operation. In accordance with yet another example, the image sensor can implement a combination of spatial exposure multiplexing, temporal exposure multiplexing, and dual gain operation. The image sensor can be formed on a single wafer or the image sensor can be a 3D-IC image sensor that includes at least two vertically integrated layers.
US09967470B2

A camera tracking system allows a camera to lock onto and follow a target object dynamically and automatically, without direct human intervention, including when the object moves erratically or unpredictably.
US09967464B2

There is provided an imaging apparatus capable of easily generating favorable still image data based on a moving image. The imaging apparatus is capable of capturing and recording a moving image, and capable of generating a still image based on the recorded moving image. During moving image capturing, the imaging apparatus corrects an image shake in an exposure period and records interframe shake information as metadata. When generating moving image data as a moving image, the imaging apparatus adds thereto a motion blur according to the shake information recorded as metadata. When generating moving image data as a still image, the imaging apparatus generates a still image without adding a motion blur thereto.
US09967463B2

A motion estimation and correction system and methods are shown comprising: an image acquisition device configured to acquire an image via scanning an image frame over a period of time, an inertial measurement unit configured to measure at least one of a position, an orientation, and a movement of the image acquisition device during the period of time and output an indication of the movement as detected; and a state estimation module, operatively coupled to the inertial measurement unit and the image acquisition device, configured to estimate a state related to at least one of position and orientation of the image acquisition device based on the at least one of the position, the orientation, and the movement. In one example, systems and methods include using an inertial measurement unit along with an image acquisition device. In one example, the image acquisition device includes a rolling-shutter camera.
US09967462B2

An image processing apparatus detects predetermined information from an image signal and output a detection signal indicating the detected information, stores the detection signals for a plurality of periods, calculates a first prediction value based on a predetermined number of detection signals, from a newer one to older ones excluding a latest detection signal, stored in the storage unit, calculates a coefficient based on a difference between the first prediction value and a value of the latest detection signal, calculates a second prediction value based on the coefficient and the predetermined number of detection signals, from the latest one to older ones, and generates, based on the second prediction value, a control signal for controlling a predetermined constituent member.
US09967458B2

The client terminal includes a candidate display control unit configured to control a candidate for a reference captured image to be displayed on a display unit, the reference captured image being retrieved based on a preliminary captured image obtained by preliminary image capture in an imaging unit and being referred to during actual image capture, and a detailed information output control unit configured to control detailed information to be output, the detailed information being attached to a reference captured image selected from among the displayed candidates for the reference captured image.
US09967449B2

Disclosed is a camera system, the camera system including a first camera photographing an object image, a second camera including an actuator moving a lens for focusing, a 3-D depth extraction unit extracting a 3-D depth using object images photographed by the first and second cameras, a memory unit stored with position information of a lens corresponding to a 3-D depth data of an object image, and a controller driving the actuator by reading the position information of the lens corresponding to the 3-D depth of the object image stored in the memory unit based on 3-D depth data extracted by the 3-D depth extraction unit.
US09967444B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method to capture an image in an electronic device. The method includes capturing images focused on an object by a camera module mounted on a flexible display configured to bend in a direction of the object. The method also includes synthesizing the captured images and processing the synthesized image into an image of a set type.
US09967431B2

A non-transitory computer readable medium stores a program causing a computer to execute a process. The process includes receiving a temporary use request from a user; generating temporary identification information in accordance with the temporary use request and providing the generated temporary identification information to the user; acquiring authorization information from a service providing apparatus, the authorization information being information for receiving delegation of a privilege of the user for the service providing apparatus; storing the temporary identification information and the authorization information in association with each other; and when a request including the temporary identification information is received from an apparatus that has transmitted the request, transmitting the authorization information to the service providing apparatus in order to perform an operation according to the request, the authorization information being associated with the temporary identification information.
US09967428B2

There are provided a printing system, a method of generating a halftone processing rule, a method of acquiring a characteristic parameter, image processing device and method, a halftone processing rule, a halftone image, a method of manufacturing a printed material, an ink jet printing system, and a program which are capable of reducing an operation load of a user and acquiring a halftone processing rule appropriate for the printing system. A characteristic parameter acquisition chart (100) including a pattern for acquiring characteristic parameters related to characteristics of the printing system is output, and the output characteristic parameter acquisition chart (100) is read by image reading means. The characteristic parameters are acquired by analyzing the read image of the characteristic parameter acquisition chart (100), and halftone processing rules that define the processing contents of halftone processes used in the printing system are generated based on the acquired characteristic parameters.
US09967422B2

An image reading device includes a document feeder and a reader. The document feeder includes a document tray and feeds an original document loaded on the document tray. The reader includes an original glass plate, a reading unit, and a document separating member. At least one of the document feeder and the reader is provided with a fan that creates an air flow. A first duct is provided in a housing of the reader. The document separating member is provided with a plurality of first discharge holes through which the air flowing through the first duct is discharged. A second duct is provided in a housing of the document feeder. The wall of the document feeder is provided with a plurality of second discharge holes through which the air flowing through the second duct is discharged.
US09967419B2

An image reading apparatus capable of detecting correct color tones of an image printed on a sheet is described. The image reading apparatus includes a scanner 100, a colorimeter 103, a cooling device 145, a temperature control unit 111, and an image correction unit 113. While an image correction process is not performed, the temperature control unit 111 controls the cooling temperature to a first temperature for shifting the cooling device 145 to a predetermined cooled state. While the image correction process is performed, the temperature control unit 111 controls the cooling temperature to a second temperature for making the temperature of the sheet uniform. The image correction unit 113 obtains, while the temperature control unit 111 controls the cooling temperature to the second temperature, the correction amount of the image based on the colorimetric measurement result of the colorimeter 103 and the reading result of the scanner 100.
US09967417B2

A sub-system determines, based on an input instruction to transition a power state of an information processing apparatus to a power saving state, a power state from a plurality of power states in which the sub-system can operate, and notifies the main system of a recovery period that corresponds to the determined power state and that the sub-system requires to recover from the determined power state. The main system determines, based on the recovery period notified from the sub-system, a power state that the main system transitions to from a plurality of power states in which the main system can operate.
US09967406B2

According to one example, there is provided a printing system. The printing system comprises a support having a plurality of spaced apertures and a color sensor moveable to measure light from each aperture. The printing system further comprises a controller to control the color sensor to measure characteristics of light emitted through each aperture, and to determine, for each aperture, light calibration data.
US09967395B1

A modified telecommunications system is provided herein in which UEs can be associated with a user account using information other than SIM card data or a username and password combination. For example, when a subscriber activates a user account, the subscriber may be requested to provide a signature. A signature can include a unique PIN, a sample voice command, a fingerprint, a retinal scan, and/or the like. The signature may be stored in a data store in an entry corresponding to the user account. To associate a UE with a user account, the subscriber can provide a signature via the UE. The UE can then transmit the provided signature and a UE address to a management system. The management system can then store the UE address in the data store in an entry associated with the user account that corresponds with the provided signature.
US09967386B2

Exemplary embodiments may disclose a mobile device which is connected with an external input device, and includes a first connector for receiving an input signal generated by the external input device through a docking station, the first connector being detachably connected with the docking station; and a first controller for receiving the input signal from the first connector, and executing a pre-stored function corresponding to the received input signal.
US09967382B2

A system capable of connecting a home telephone circuit connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to a server via a data network using an adapter. The system may enable a telephone connected to the home telephone circuit to perform voice commands by sending audio data from the telephone to the server via the data network and the server determining the voice commands included in the audio data. Based on the voice command, the server may send an instruction to the adapter via the data network, the instruction causing the adapter to initiate a telephone call over the PSTN. Additionally, the server may send an instruction to any device associated with a user profile corresponding to the adapter. Thus, the system may enable the telephone to control a number of devices within the home using the voice commands.
US09967377B1

An apparatus for replacing a battery in a housing of a cell phone or other electronic device. The housing has a slot for receiving the battery and further includes a docking pad within the housing. The docking pad provides a locking of the battery in place when the battery is pressed into the slot to contact the docking pad. The battery may be released by either pushing the battery forward a second time or by the use of a separate release button.
US09967366B2

A first network device receives a token request from an application and, in response, generates a token that includes a time-stamp and a server identifier. The server identifier indicates a particular proxy server, of a group of proxy servers, in an API management layer. A second network device receives, from an application, an API call that includes the token and validates the token. The second network device routes the API call to the particular proxy server indicated by the token in response to successfully validating the token. The first network device or second network device provides a bypass uniform resource locator (URL), to the application, to bypass the API management layer, for one or more types of designated API calls.
US09967357B2

A proxy requestor, who is expected to participate in events hosted on a computing network, may hope to find a proxy to handle the events for the proxy requestor. The proxy requestor, using a requestor device, may submit a request for such proxy to a proxy service provider during or prior to the event. In some examples, the proxy service provider may transmit one or more candidate proxies to the requestor device. Once the proxy requestor device selects a proxy from among the one or more candidate proxies, the requestor device may either facilitate or schedule a connection between the selected proxy and other participants of the events.
US09967354B2

Software for an online social service receives a request for a newsfeed from a user. The newsfeed depends at least in part on a memory-cached list of social friends of the user and on a memory-cached list of events associated with each social friend. The software refreshes a memory-cached copy of the list of social friends from a corresponding list in a persistent data store, based upon a determination of a utility associated with the user. And the software refreshes a memory-cached copy of a list of events associated with a social friend from a corresponding list of events in a persistent data store, based upon a determination of a utility associated with the social friend. Then the software causes the newsfeed to be displayed to the user.
US09967348B2

A method for a user agent to access a session policy in a network is provided. The method comprises the user agent sending a registration message to a first network node. The method further comprises the user agent receiving policy-related information from the first network node in a response to the registration message. The policy-related information is one of the session policy, a Uniform Resource Locator that points to the session policy, and a Policy-Contact header containing a policyContactURI for a policy document.
US09967344B2

An image processing apparatus includes: a communication interface configured to communicate with at least one server and a relay device; a processor configured to execute functions; and a controller. The controller causes the image processing apparatus to: send the relay device identification information identifying the image processing apparatus; receive, from the relay device, setting information indicating which service is usable by the image processing apparatus identified by the transmitted identification information, among services provided by the at least one server; display at least one service image respectively identifying at least one usable service of the services based on the setting information; and limit selection of at least one of the functions, based on the setting information.
US09967343B2

A method for providing an IoT service is provided. The method for providing the IoT service may provide the IoT service by using a D-platform, a P-platform, an M-platform, and an S-platform, and thus may provide an open type IoT service. Therefore, an IoT service developer may reduce the time and cost required to develop and an IoT service user may access the IoT service intuitively and systematically.
US09967340B2

A network-displaced direct storage architecture transports storage commands over a network interface. In one implementation, the architecture maps, at hosts, block storage commands to remote direct memory access operations (e.g., over converged Ethernet). The mapped operations are communicated across the network to a network storage appliance. At the network storage appliance, network termination receives the mapped commands, extracts the operation and data, and passes the operation and data to a storage device that implements the operation on a memory.
US09967330B2

A resource management and allocation method includes detecting a resource request, from a requesting device, requesting a particular resource for a particular time interval and one or more responses to the resource request from other devices within a device group. A master arbiter of the device group identifies a particular response to fulfill the resource request and broadcasts a confirmation of the particular response and the corresponding resource allocation. The resource allocation is recording in a virtual resource bank to indicate the allocation of the particular resource by the particular device for the particular time interval. The device group may constitute a group of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the master arbiter be implemented by an edge gateway device associated with the device group. The types of resources the IoT devices may possess include processing, storage, sensor, and connectivity resources.
US09967316B2

The presently disclosure provides methods and system for reducing the size of an application by replacing a media item in the application with a reference to the media item stored in a remote storage location. A method may include detecting a media item in an application and storing the media item in a remote storage location. The media item in the application may be replaced with a reference to the media item stored in the remote storage location and the application may be provided to a device. A media item request may be received from the device, and the media item request may indicate a parameter associated with the requested media item. The media item stored in the remote storage location may be scaled based on the parameter associated with the media item request and the scaled media item may be provided to the device.
US09967311B2

Embodiments as disclosed may include an integration application that allows multiple disparate applications to be integrated. Specifically, in certain embodiments, a method of providing multiple browser-based applications through a single interface may include providing a single interface, configured for integrating the multiple browser-based applications, to a user, wherein the single interface has a parent area associated with a set of applications and a child area for presenting content associated with the set of applications.
US09967310B2

A system that stores sets of data blocks in extents located in storage devices is described. During operation, a receiving device receives, through an RPC framework, a first call asking to transfer an extent from a sending device to the receiving device. In response, the receiving device opens a port for a data connection that operates outside the RPC framework. The receiving device makes a second call, to the sending device through the RPC framework, asking to stream the extent to the port. The receiving device subsequently receives the extent from the sending device through the port and computes a checksum for the extent. The receiving device also receives a return from the second call, including a checksum for the extent computed by the sending device. If the computed checksum matches the received checksum, the receiving device returns the first call to indicate the transfer operation completed successfully.
US09967309B2

Techniques for dynamically loading route and dependency information in a single-page application (SPA) that executes on a client device are provided. In one technique, a SPA includes a route handler that receives a requested route. The route handler determines whether the requested route matches any route in a list of routes. The only route that the request route may “match” is a wildcard route, which is associated with a function, when called with the requested route as input, causes a server request to be generated and transmitted from the client device to a server. The server responds with the requested route, dependency information for the requested route, and, optionally, one or more other routes, which may be “child” routes of the requested route. A module instance is generated based on the dependency information and loaded into the SPA.
US09967306B1

A method for prioritized transmission of redundancy data in a voice-over-packet call. A sending device applies a variable rate codec to generate a sequence of encoded voice frames having varying sizes, and the sending device inserts the encoded voice frames into a sequence of fixed-size packets, one encoded voice frame per packet, resulting in varying left-over payload capacity per packet. The sending device further generates based on each encoded voice frame multiple redundancy blocks to help facilitate recovery of the encoded voice frame. And on a per packet-basis, the sending device selects, from a sliding-window set of recently generated redundancy blocks, one or more redundancy blocks to add into the left-over payload capacity of the packet, with the selecting of each redundancy block being based at least on importance of the voice frame based on which the redundancy block was generated, and the age and size of the redundancy block.
US09967303B2

A method of throttling a media stream, comprising a sequence of media segments, for transmission to a client via a radio access network is provided. The method comprises acquiring a media segment, determining a duration of the media segment, transmitting a first part (501′-504′) of the media segment to the client, and transmitting a remaining part (501″-504″) of the media segment to the client. At least one of the parts (501′-504′, 501″-504″) is transmitted during a time interval (Δt1, Δt2) which is shorter than a corresponding duration of that part, and transmitting the remaining part is delayed (Δt0), such that a time interval (Δttx) between starting transmitting the first part and transmission of the remaining part being completed is shorter than the duration (Δtp) of the media segment. Further, a corresponding network node for throttling a media stream is provided. Embodiments of the invention are advantageous in that bursty traffic is generated, resulting in a more efficient usage of air interface resources and reduced power consumption.
US09967299B1

A system, method and computer program product having instructions stored thereon for automatically data streaming a multiparty conference session comprises receiving an Internet-based interface at a session moderator, said Internet-based interface configured for said session moderator to enter a request for data streaming a multiparty conference session, automatically establishing a data stream of said conferencing session, without any human intervention, wherein establishing said automated data stream includes: recording the multiparty conference session, and data streaming the multiparty conference session to listen-only participants thereby enabling listen-only participants to connect to the multiparty conference session without using additional conference ports and/or conference resources.
US09967297B1

Disclosed are various embodiments relating to generating profile-based groups to obtain suggestions regarding a topic. Third party profiles corresponding to third party users are identified based on a similarity to a profile associated with a client device of a user. A network page that is configured to facilitate discussion regarding a topic is generated and transmitted to a client device and third party devices associated with the third party users. Suggestions regarding the topic may be received from the third party devices via the network page.
US09967295B2

A method, apparatus and system related to automated discovery and launch of an application on a network enabled device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a client device includes determining that a networked media device sharing a local area network common with the client device has automatically detected an audio-visual data and/or an application currently being accessed by a user of the client device. The client device automatically communicates a present state of the audio-visual data and/or the application currently being accessed by the user of the client device to the networked media device. Then, the client device detects that the audio-visual data and/or the application currently being accessed by the user of the client device has been launched on the networked media device. Optionally, a haptic gesture may be applied on the client device by the user to transport the audio-visual data and/or the application from the client device to the networked media device. The application may serve a control point when the present state of the audio-visual data and/or the application currently being accessed by the user of the client device is communicated to the networked media device. In addition, an automatic content recognition algorithm in the client device and/or the networked media device may generate a meta-data associated with content in the present state of the audio-visual data.
US09967281B2

A system and approach having security assurance for a controller relative to outside connections such as internet. The controller may have locked and exposed modes. A locked mode may mean that the system is correctly configured in that security related settings meet minimum standards. For example, the controller is protected through sufficiently strong user accounts and passwords whether entered or by default. Also, there may be an entity, such as person or organization that has responsibility for securing the controller against undesired intrusions. In the exposed mode, where the system may be incorrectly configured, the controller may shut down some or all of the functionality that has relevance to remote access. In the exposed mode, a built-in web server may show one or more screens that allow one to access the controller. There may be security indicators, such as lights that indicate whether the controller is exposed or locked.
US09967268B1

One or more processors receive, from one or more social-network sources, social-network data that identifies at least one potentially malicious source accessing a plurality of social-network profiles for a group of users. The one or more processors receive, from one or more e-mail servers, e-mail data associated with a plurality of e-mail messages received by the group of users. The one or more processors determine, based on the social-network data and the e-mail data, that an e-mail message of the plurality of e-mail messages is from the at least one potentially malicious source. The one or more processors output information identifying the e-mail message as being from the potentially malicious source.
US09967261B2

A method and system for accessing a resource associated with a resource control entity that includes receiving, by a ledger, a request, corresponding to a user, to access the resource; obtaining, in response to the request, user metadata; sending to the user a ledger authentication token, which a credential application uses to verify that the ledger is a valid ledger; receiving, from the credential application, a public key encrypted payload including signature entries; decrypting, by the ledger, the encrypted payload using a payload secret key to obtain the signature entries and other user data; obtaining results of a verification by successively verifying each of the signature entries until a scoring threshold associated with the resource is met, and transmitting, to the resource control entity, a notification including the results of the verification, which the resource control entity uses to determine whether to grant the user access to the resource.
US09967259B2

In one embodiment, a method includes analyzing information received from a first network-enabled device to identify instructions for a second network-enabled device associated with a second user of a social-networking system, the first network-enabled device being associated with a first user of the social-networking system. The method also includes determining (1) that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to a social graph of the social-networking system and (2) that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device, where the authorization is based on social-networking information. The method further includes providing the instructions to the second network-enabled device.
US09967258B2

A deployable computing environment may facilitate interaction and data sharing between users and devices. Users, devices, and relationships between the users and devices may be represented within the deployable computing environment. A relationship between a user and a device may specify that the device is owned by the user and that the device is authorized to perform operations within the deployable computing environment on behalf of the user. Secure authentication of devices and users for interaction within the deployable computing environment is achieved by authenticating tickets corresponding to the user, the device, and the relationship. A device identification ticket and a user identification ticket are used to authenticate the device and user for interaction within the deployable computing environment. A device claim ticket allows the device to perform delegated operations (e.g., data synchronization, peer connectivity, etc.) on behalf of the user without the user's credentials (e.g., user identification ticket).
US09967247B2

A device that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, generating a security domain root structure for a universal integrated circuit card of an end user device, where the security domain root structure includes a hierarchy of a link provider operator security domain above a mobile network operator trusted security domain, where the link provider operator security domain enables transport management by a link provider operator, and where the mobile network operator trusted security domain enables card content management and subscription eligibility verification by a mobile network operator trusted service manager. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09967244B2

A multi-factor user authentication framework using asymmetric key includes a host device, a user agent, a gesture system, and an authentication system. The multiple factors include a user credential as well as a user gesture that indicates that the user is present. The user interacts with the user agent via the host device in order to obtain access to something for which user authentication is needed. The authentication system maintains the user credentials, which are provided to authenticate the user in response to the authentication system determining that the user is present (which can be determined in different manners, such as using a personal identification number (PIN), biometric information regarding the user, geographic location of the gesture system, etc.). The user agent, gesture system, and authentication system can be implemented on the same device (e.g., the host device), or alternatively implemented across one or more different devices.
US09967234B1

The present invention is a device, system and method for providing a more secure full motion video with metadata streaming product. More specifically, the invention is capable of ensuring a more secure video transfer from a less secure input data network to a more secure data receiving network through the use of a firewall on the less secure input network interface, which is used for separating video and discarding other unwanted data, and an Air Gap that physically separates the input and output networks. This physical separation ensures a secure transfer of the “cleaned” input data from the less secure input source to the more secure data receiving network.
US09967232B1

A service is described that makes it easy and cost-effective to configure network traffic flowing to multiple endpoints. Enterprises and developers can easily manage the way that end-users are routed to applications running in different geographic regions. Customers can route traffic based on multiple criteria in a customer policy. Customers can manage large-scale, multi-region applications, increase application availability, and minimize latency to end-users. The service can consider the state of end-users, such as their geography, their network, and their latency to different geographic regions. The service can also consider the state of the customer's applications, such as the load on the application, the application's health, the cost of using that application (e.g., resource costs), resource states (e.g., disk throughput), resource location, customer-provided endpoint cost parameters, etc.
US09967229B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of securing a service Identifier (ID). For example, a wireless device may include a Secure Service Identifier (SSID) processor to determine a SSID corresponding to a service, the SSID including an encrypted value being based on a service name key from a service provider of the service and a service name corresponding to the service; and a radio to transmit a wireless message including the SSID.
US09967222B2

Disclosed in the present application are a method and device for managing a shared memory in a robot operating system. A detailed embodiment of the method comprises: acquiring a shared memory registering service request transmitted from a message receiving node, the shared memory registering service request comprising a topic name and a size of a required memory segment; requesting a memory segment in a shared memory area based on the size of the required memory segment, associating the topic name with the requested memory segment, and saving the topic name in a configuration file; dividing the requested memory segment into a plurality of memory blocks based on a size of a message transmitted from a message transmitting node; and deallocating the requested memory segment where any one of following conditions is satisfied: the topic name in a main node is inconsistent with that in the configuration file, the message transmitting node and message receiving node stop working, and the message receiving node stops subscribing to a topic corresponding to the topic name. By means of the embodiment, the shared memory of the robot operating system is allocated and managed more reasonably and flexibly.
US09967221B2

A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product inserts a new e-mail into an interior of an original e-mail thread. An e-mail server receives a request to send a new e-mail to a new recipient. The new e-mail is relevant to an interior e-mail in an original e-mail thread. The original e-mail thread is an existing e-mail thread that has an unbranched single thread status, and includes an initial e-mail and a latest e-mail that are addressed to prior recipients. The interior e-mail is chronologically between the initial e-mail and the latest e-mail in the original e-mail thread. The e-mail server retrieves the original e-mail thread and inserts the new e-mail into the original e-mail thread next to the interior e-mail to create an updated e-mail thread, such that the updated e-mail thread retains the unbranched single thread status of the original e-mail thread.
US09967201B2

A data transmission method, a core forwarding device, and an endpoint forwarding device, where the data transmission method includes, an end-to-end flow control technology that is established between a core device and an endpoint device of a system using the core forwarding device and the endpoint forwarding device, resolving a technical problem in the prior art that a uniform back pressure is generated in an entire data transmission link when any endpoint device generates back pressure when peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) data is transmitted through the Ethernet, thereby achieving technical effects of increasing bandwidth utilization of the entire system and increasing the data transmission efficiency.
US09967198B2

Disclosed are systems and methods for an optimal transmission rate for large quantities of data over a network using gambler strategies. The gambler strategies can include initiating a gambler of a generation including a plurality of gamblers and transmitting one or more packets for the gambler over a network at a transmission rate specified by the gambler. In response to a determination the gambler is finished the network to discharge. In response to a determination the generation is finished, determining a gain-loss of the generation and the plurality of gamblers can be adjusted to be inline with an inherent network data loss rate.
US09967195B1

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computing device program products for iteratively calculating autocorrelation function for Big Data. Embodiments of the invention include iteratively calculating one or more components of an autocorrelation function at a specified range of lags in an adjusted computation window based on one or more components of an autocorrelation function at the specified range of lags calculated for a previous computation window and then calculating the autocorrelation function at the specified range of lags for the adjusted computation window using the iteratively calculated components. Iteratively calculating autocorrelation function avoids visiting all data elements in the adjusted computation window and performing redundant computations thereby increasing calculation efficiency, saving computing resources and reducing computing system's power consumption.
US09967194B2

The objective of the invention is to enable sharing, between layers in a network in which the layers are used to perform communications, resource information and information required for using paths. A network control system includes: a lower layer information storage unit, a lower layer control information conversion unit, an upper layer information storage unit, an upper layer control information conversion unit, an integrated layer information storage unit and a layer integration unit. The layer integration unit integrates, as virtual links, the information of flows, which are representative of communications among terminals in the lower layer, with the network information of the upper layer, thereby constituting the network information of the integrated layer. Further, the layer integration unit performs reciprocal exchanges of network information among the integrated layer information storage unit, the lower layer information storage unit and the upper layer information storage unit, said reciprocal exchanges including a process of giving, as the attribute information of the ports of the upper layer, label information required for using the virtual link provided by the lower layer.
US09967192B2

A system for offloading management controller traffic includes a data port, an out-of-band port, and a leaf switch. The leaf switch includes a switch application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and an unmanaged chip directly connected to the switch ASIC. The switch ASIC is configured to direct data traffic to the data port and offload baseboard management controller (BMC) traffic to the unmanaged chip. The unmanaged chip is configured to direct the BMC traffic to the out-of-band port.
US09967191B2

In one embodiment, a receiver device determines that it accepts flow entropy, and accordingly determines a set of entropy labels the receiver device is accepting. After transmitting the set of entropy labels from the receiver device to one or more sender devices, the receiver device may then receive packets from the one or more sender devices with selected particular entropy labels from the set of entropy labels. In another embodiment, a sender device receives from a receiver device a set of entropy labels the receiver device is accepting. As such, when determining a packet to forward to the receiver device with flow entropy, the sender device may select a particular entropy label from the set of entropy labels for that receiver device, and transmits the packet device to the receiver device with the selected particular entropy label.
US09967190B2

Disclosed is a session link control method. The method comprises: monitoring a data transmission rate of a transmission link used currently by a mobile terminal; and when it is monitored that the data transmission rate of the transmission link where the mobile terminal is located is lower than a preset rate threshold, creating a new transmission link for the mobile terminal, and controlling the mobile terminal to be switched from the current transmission link to the new transmission link. In addition, also disclosed are a session link control apparatus and a computer storage medium.
US09967187B2

In a method for performing an exact match lookup in a network device, a network packet is received at the network device. A lookup key for the network packet is determined at least based on data included in a header of the received network packet. A hash function is selected, from among a plurality of possible hash functions, at least based on a size of the lookup key, and a hash operation is performed on the lookup key using the selected hash function to compute a hashed lookup key segment. A database is queried using the hashed lookup key segment to extract a value exactly corresponding to the lookup key.
US09967186B2

Methods, systems, and computer program products for packet inspection are provided herein. The method includes the steps of receiving a first packet of a stream of packets and processing the first packet using a slow processing path. The method also includes the steps of examining a network layer or transport layer of the first packet to determine whether a protocol used by the stream of packets is relevant, and transferring subsequent packets in the stream to a fast processing path if the protocol used is not relevant. The method further includes the steps of examining an application layer of a pre-determined number of packets subsequent to the first packet to determine whether a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) field of each of the pre-determined number of packets is relevant, and transferring packets subsequent to the pre-determined number of packets to a fast processing path if the URLs are not relevant.
US09967185B1

An example network device includes a network interface and a control unit that receives a packet having header information. The control unit includes a forwarding structure having a plurality of entries that each refers to one of a plurality of logical interfaces, a forwarding engine configured to access the forwarding structure to select a first logical interface to which to forward the packet based on the header information, wherein the first logical interface comprises a pseudo-device interface (PDI). The control unit also includes a PDI module that tunnels the packet to an external service complex (ESC) by at least applying a set of metadata to the packet, encapsulating the packet with a header, and forwarding the packet to the ESC via the network interface, and wherein the metadata allows the ESC to determine a set of services to be applied to the packet based on the metadata.
US09967179B2

An ingress node configured to receive a first request for a temporal label switched path (LSP) in the network. The first request indicates the ingress node, egress node, network constraint, and scheduled time interval having a predetermined start time and a predetermined end time for the temporal LSP to carry traffic. The ingress node computes a shortest path in the network for the temporal LSP that satisfies the network constraint in a shifted time interval when the request indicates that the time interval is elastic, and reserves a network resource for use during the shifted time interval for the temporal LSP in advance of the predetermined start time on a link extending from the ingress node to a next hop node on the path. The ingress node sends a path message to the next hop node to set up the temporal LSP in the shifted time interval.
US09967177B2

A switch is provided with a function to process packets by sequentially referring to a plurality of flow tables that have priorities. A control apparatus that controls the switch is provided with an entry generation unit that generates entry information to be set in each of a first flow table having, as match conditions, predetermined item(s) among information that can be set as match conditions, and a second flow table that has, as match conditions, item(s) that are different from the first flow table, and that is referred to when an entry of the first flow table is hit; an entry operation unit that instructs the switch to update the first and second flow tables, based on the generated entry information; and an entry management unit that manages content of each flow table of the switch.
US09967175B2

When there is a change from a first service chain instance path to a second service chain instance path, the head-end node of the second service chain instance path is notified to include information that specifies the second service chain instance path in data packets to be routed on the second service chain instance path. That information is used to route those data packets until the nodes in the second service chain instance path complete installation of a new steering policy. When those nodes have installed the new steering policy, the information that specifies the second service chain instance path may no longer be included in data packets, and the steering policy is then used to route the data packets.
US09967170B2

In one embodiment, a device in a network identifies a routing domain migration candidate node in a first routing domain that is in range of a second routing domain. The device determines that the second routing domain is able to accommodate the candidate node sending traffic via the second routing domain. The device determines that the candidate node should send traffic via the second routing domain, based in part on a determination that the second routing domain is able to accommodate the candidate node sending traffic via the second routing domain. The device causes the candidate node to send traffic via the second routing domain.
US09967168B2

A remote real-time monitoring system based on cloud computing is disclosed, comprising: a monitored terminal which is a terminal for collecting data and processing control on site, a management terminal which is a user terminal for performing remote monitoring and managing on the monitored terminal, and a cloud monitoring platform. The monitored terminal and the management terminal are connected to the cloud monitoring platform through a network comprising GPRS, 3G broadcast TV network, telecommunication network, power carrier network and satellite via the Internet. A monitoring service system operated on the cloud monitoring platform stores, analyzes and computes data sent by the monitored terminal. A monitoring service system, a fault diagnosis system and a report analysis system and etc. are also mounted to monitor states of the monitored terminal and pre-warn a fault in real time.
US09967142B2

A system for solving a technical problem in a network architecture with at least one service operator network and a plurality of in-house networks supported by the at least one service operator network, includes a computing device adapted to receive in-house network parameters and to determine, based on the received in-house network parameters, a coordination strategy involving the reconfiguration of a number of involved in-house networks being supported by a number of involved service operator servers. The computing device is adapted to inform the number of involved operator servers of the coordination strategy. A service operator server is adapted to reconfigure an in-house network according to the coordination strategy to solve the technical problem.
US09967138B2

A method and system for automatically configuring an application after downloading the same via a website such as an enterprise web application that is installed on a server in a customer network. A “one-touch configuration” method simplifies the initial configuration of the application to be installed, and makes manual entries after installation unnecessary. The method according to the invention is further applicable to obtaining applications from the Internet, wherein a customer has an account with a provider. The customer logs in using the customer login thereof at the website of the company. The company is aware of which applications the customer has purchased, by means of the customer account information, and can proved corresponding supplementary downloads, including a licensing key. The licensing key can then be transmitted to the installed application in a simple manner using the method presented.
US09967134B2

Some embodiments provide a network control system with techniques for handling failover of network controllers with minimal churn in the network state distributed to the forwarding elements of the network. Specifically, in some embodiments, the local controller designates a waiting period before computing output network state data entries based on the new version of the input network state data entries. Alternatively, or conjunctively, the local controller of some embodiments calculates the changes between the new version of input state data entries and its stored existing version of the input state data entries, and only generates new output network state data entries based on the calculated changes, in order to minimize unnecessary recalculations of the output network state data entries. The new output network state data entries may then be used by the local controller to provision its managed forwarding element.
US09967132B2

The present invention relates to a session handling entity in a communication system, the session handling entity (S-CSCF) maintain a relationship between at least one public user identity, at least one private user identity and at least one contact address of a user of a communication system. Then receives from a subscription entity an indication of a correlation identity associated with the user, and stores the indication of the correlation identity as part of the relationship maintained by the maintaining means. When a session request of the user is received, determining the correlation identity for the user based on a contact address of the user included in the session request and the indication of a correlation identity associated with the user take place, and the correlation identity is included in the session request.
US09967120B2

A BPSK demodulator circuit comprises: a sideband-separating and lower sideband signal-delaying unit which separates a modulated signal into a lower sideband and an upper sideband by a primary low pass filter and a primary high pass filter having a cut-off frequency as a carrier frequency, and which outputs an upper sideband analog signal and an analog signal delayed by ¼ of a cycle of the carrier frequency from a lower sideband analog signal; a data demodulating unit which demodulates digital data by means of latching, through a hysteresis circuit, an analog pulse signal appearing in accordance with the phase change part of a signal generated by the sum of the analog signals; and a data clock restoring unit which generates a data clock by using a data signal and a signal having the delayed lower sideband analog signal digitized through a comparator.
US09967113B2

Disclosed is a reception apparatus that has solved a problem that fluctuations cannot be followed immediately after a commencement of turbo equalization in a high-speed fading environment. A reception apparatus includes a soft interference canceller, an MMSE equalizer, a likelihood calculator, a de-interleaver, an SISO decoder, an information bit hard decision unit, a subtracter, an interleaver, a soft estimation value calculator, a zero storage unit, a known signal memory unit, a transmission path estimator, and a plurality of switches. At the time of equalization, the transmission path estimator uses, as a reference signal, a known signal stored in the known signal memory unit or an output of the MMSE equalizer. Meanwhile, at the time of a first equalization, the soft interference canceller is given a ‘0’ value from the zero storage unit as a reference signal.
US09967098B2

Embodiments of a system for, and method for using, an elliptic curve cryptography integrated circuit are generally described herein. An elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) operation request may be received. One of a plurality of circuit portions may be instructed to perform the ECC operation. The plurality of circuit portions that may be used include a finite field arithmetic circuit portion, an EC point addition and doubler circuit portion, a finite field exponentiation circuit portion, and a point multiplier circuit portion. The result of the ECC operation may then be output.
US09967097B2

The embodiments herein provide a method for converting data in an electronic device. The method includes determining a plurality of parameters associated with a user and a zone. Further, the method includes generating a key using the plurality of parameters associated with the user and the zone. Further, the method includes converting the data in the electronic device from a first format to a second format using the key. Further, the method includes performing at least one action on the data in the second format.
US09967083B2

A communication device includes a timing generation circuit generates timing signals at several timing points within one period of a first clock signal. A clock sampling circuit receives the first clock signal and detects a logic level of the first clock signal at each of the timing points. A control circuit calculates a difference between the number of times a first or a second logic level is detected for the first clock signal and outputs a control signal indicating whether a duty ratio of the first clock signal is to be adjusted. A correction circuit that changes at a duty ratio of a second clock signal transmitted to the transmitting device, the duty ratio being set in accordance with the control signal. The duty ratio of the first clock signal is then adjusted by the transmitting device according to the duty ratio of the second clock signal.
US09967080B2

Techniques for performing listen before talk (LBT) procedures in networks having multiple channels within a shared radio frequency spectrum band are provided. These techniques may include determining a contention window size for a first LBT procedure to access a first channel of a shared radio frequency spectrum band, which may then be applied as the contention window size for a second LBT procedure to access a second channel of the shared radio frequency spectrum band. The contention window size may be determined based at least in part on one or more of a service priority or a channel type for data to be transmitted using the first channel. Performing the first LBT procedure may include determining that a recipient base station has reserved the first channel and the second channel, and performing the second LBT procedure for the second channel.
US09967078B2

A wireless communication apparatus is capable of improving communication efficiency by reducing the amount of control information transmitted. A channel quality information extraction section extracts CQI's from a received signal. An allocation control section allocates subcarriers for every communication terminal apparatus and selects a modulation scheme in such a manner that required transmission rate is satisfied for each communication terminal apparatus based on required transmission rate information, etc. and CQI's for communication terminal apparatus of each user. A required subcarrier number determining section decides the number of subcarriers allocated to every communication terminal apparatus so as to satisfy the required transmission rate for each communication terminal apparatus. A required subcarrier number information generating section generates information for the number of subcarriers allocated to every communication terminal apparatus. A subcarrier allocation section allocates packet data to selected subcarriers. Modulating sections adaptively modulate packet data allocated to each subcarrier.
US09967072B2

A method for transmitting a signal to a receiver by a transmitter in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes transmitting information about a first non-precoded pilot signal and information about a second non-precoded pilot signal to the receiver, transmitting the first non-precoded pilot signal the second non-precoded pilot signal to the receiver, and transmitting one or more transmission streams to the receiver through first logical antenna ports and second logical antenna ports, wherein the number of the first logical antenna ports is less than or equal to the number of the second logical antenna ports, the first non-precoded pilot signal is a pilot signal for measuring channel state information at the receiver, and the second non-precoded pilot signal is a pilot signal for determining the number of the first logical antenna ports.
US09967070B2

Adaptive pilot signaling is disclosed in which resources allocated to pilot symbols are allowed to vary to more closely match channel conditions. User equipments (UEs) may request different pilot configurations depending on channel conditions. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first set of pilot symbols using a first number of resource elements during a first transmission time interval (TTI), and receiving a second set of pilot symbols using a second number of resource elements during a second TTI. In the embodiment, the first TTI and the second TTI include the same number of resource elements, and the first number of resource elements is different than the second number of resource elements.
US09967066B2

A scheme for the co-ordination of multiple base stations of different RATs (radio access technologies), such as a LTE eNB, UMTS base station, and WiFi access point with the assistance of the terminals in order to achieve efficient radio resource scheduling for multi-RAT multi-flow aggregation in the downlink. At the network side, multi-RAT flows (RB11) share the same PDCP Entity, (PDCP Entity) while each has independent RLC/MAC (RAT1 RLC Entity, RAT2 RLC Entity). The terminal (UE1) performs necessary measurements on all involved RATs, depending on the requirements of different RATs, and sends measurement reports/indication to all involved base stations. Based on the measurement report as well as pre-defined rules/policy, a decision is made on which RAT should be used for next DL transmission or next period of DL transmission.
US09967065B2

A central node of a MIMO system may transmit, to one or more communication terminals of the MIMO system, a long-duration downlink pilot signal carrying a pilot sequence having a first duration. The first duration may be equal to or greater than a quantity of antennas of the central node. The central node may receive retransmitted long-duration downlink pilot signals from the communication terminals. The central node may further transmit, to one or more communication terminals, a short-duration downlink pilot signal carrying a pilot sequence having a second duration. The second duration may be less than or equal to the quantity of antennas. The central node may receive a retransmitted short-duration downlink pilot signal from the one or more communication terminals. An uplink and downlink between the central node and one or more communication terminals may be estimated based on the received signals.
US09967063B2

In a transmitter or transceiver, codewords from HARQ processes can be mapped or assigned to various layers for transmission and/or retransmission of information on a radio channel. Exemplary embodiments provide for various mappings which facilitate, for example, HARQ processes. For example, a codeword can be mapped onto a plurality of layers which are equal in number to a channel rank of a radio channel to be used for the transmission.
US09967062B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for transmitting a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)-ACK in a wireless communication system, comprises the steps of: determining a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource for a plurality of downlink subframes using a HARQ-ACK resource offset (ARO); and transmitting HARQ-ACK from one uplink subframe via the PUCCH resource.
US09967061B2

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for retransmission in a wireless LAN. The method for retransmission in a wireless LAN may comprise the steps in which: an STA receives an RTS frame from an AP; the STA transmits a CTS frame to the AP in response to the RTS frame; the STA receives an initial data frame from the AP after transmitting the CTS frame; if decoding on the initial data frame is impossible, the STA transmits a retransmission request frame to the AP; and the STA receives a retransmission data frame from the AP in response to the retransmission request frame.
US09967058B2

A method for reconciling bit strings over a communications network. A first subscriber ascertains error correction information for each one of a plurality of different blocks, which each include a predetermined number of bits from a first bit string, and transmits the same over the communications network. Each of the blocks having at least one bit in common with at least one other one of the blocks.
US09967051B2

An optical communication amplification system may include a number of amplification stages for an optical signal that includes a first optical wavelength band signal portion and a second optical wavelength band signal portion. Each amplification stage may separate the first optical wavelength band signal portion from the second optical wavelength band signal portion. The separated first optical wavelength band signal portion is amplified using one or more first optical wavelength band amplifiers and the separated second optical wavelength band signal portion are amplified using one or more second optical wavelength band amplifiers. The amplified first optical wavelength band signal portion is filtered and a reflected portion of the first optical wavelength band signal portion may be used to provide energy to the one or more second optical wavelength band amplifiers to increase the power or gain of the separated second optical wavelength band signal portion.
US09967050B2

The invention provides a low-cost and easy-to-align optical signal processing device on which a plurality of WSS function units can be integrated using only a single lens. Optical signals input to the first input/output port group (101-1) are output into a space as collimated light via the microlens array (102). The signal light propagating through the space will be wavelength-demultiplexed by the diffraction grating (103), focused by the lens (104), and focused at the upper part in the drawing, with respect to the y-axis direction of the spatial light modulator (105). The light provided with a desired phase modulation and reflected by the spatial light modulator (105) is deflected at a desired angle in the y-z plane according to its phase setting, and further optically coupled to an arbitrary port by passing through the lens (104) again, thus the switching operation is completed.
US09967043B2

Provided is a method and apparatus for transmitting interference signal information for inter-cell interference cancellation in a wireless communication system. The method for transmitting interference signal information may comprise the steps of: calculating the intensity of a signal on the basis of antenna gain and transmission power for a generated signal; generating probability information on the probability that interference is cancelled when the signal acts as interference; determining interference signal information indicating a feature of the signal when the signal acts as interference, on the basis of the antenna gain, the intensity of the signal, and the probability information; and transmitting the interference signal information to an adjacent cell.
US09967040B2

Discussed generally herein are methods and devices including or providing a patch system that can help in diagnosing a medical condition and/or provide therapy to a user. A body-area network can include a plurality of communicatively coupled patches that communicate with an intermediate device. The intermediate device can provide data representative of a biological parameter monitored by the patches to proper personnel, such as for diagnosis and/or response.
US09967031B1

A communications system may include an optical source to generate an optical carrier signal, and an RF signal path including a first electro-optic (EO) modulator to modulate the optical carrier signal based upon an RF signal, a stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) device coupled to the first EO modulator, and an optical circulator downstream from the SBS device. A local oscillator (LO) path may include a second EO modulator coupled to the optical source to modulate the optical carrier signal based upon an LO signal, and an optical bandpass filter(s) coupled to the second EO modulator. A filter function path may be coupled to the optical circulator and include a third EO modulator to perform optical modulation based upon a filter function signal. A detector may be coupled to the RF signal path and the LO path to generate an intermediate frequency (IF) signal.
US09967029B2

A visible light communication MIMO system and a method for realizing data transceiving therefor are disclosed. The method includes: converting data of a sending end into two-dimensional code information containing locating information through light intensity modulation and compilation to send; a receiving end scanning received two-dimensional code information, and rectifying the received two-dimensional code information according to the locating information; and demodulating the rectified two-dimensional code information to obtain data. In the embodiments of the present document, the rectification on the image with the geometric distortion is implemented by using the two-dimensional code technology, and the rectification on the plane image sent by an LED array in the visible light communication MIMO system is implemented, which guarantees that pixels of various points within one frame of image are simultaneously and correctly detected, and achieves the object of sending and receiving frames synchronously, thereby improving the data transmission efficiency.
US09967028B2

Diversity combining schemes have been extensively used in wireless and free space optical communication systems. The present invention of a system and method for free space optical communications where multiple gain combiner (MGC) provides a better performance as compared to selection combining (SC) and equal gain combining (EGC) and can also be used for wireless applications. It also gives a cost effective solution with a minimal degradation in quality when maximal ratio combining (MRC) is compared in terms of hardware complexity and implementation cost. There is no need for present channel state information. Also, Adaptive weight adjustment is not required in present invention. Therefore, the MGC of system and method disclosed in the present invention is a simple, cost effective and high performance diversity combiner.
US09967022B2

A tester that measures pressure includes at least one pressure input port, at least one transducer, GPS communications, and a controller. The transducer measures pressure of the pressure input port. The controller is coupled with the transducer and the GPS communications such that the controller associates location data provided by the GPS communications with the pressure measured by the transducer to create a test result.
US09967021B2

The disclosure provides systems and methods for interference reduction in wireless communications. The method can include receiving a composite signal having multiple overlapping constituent signals and a noise floor. The noise floor can have at least one interfering coherent signal. The system can characterize and synthesize the multiple overlapping constituent signals without a priori know. The method can include receiving a secondary input comprising the at least one interfering coherent signal. The method can include canceling the interfering coherent signal from the noise floor. The method can include outputting the first signal and the second signal having a reduced noise floor.
US09967020B2

Techniques for facilitating data communications among electronic devices via various communication networks are provided. A first electronic device may be connected to a terrestrial network and a second electronic device may be connected to an on-board communications network of a vehicle. A first voice- or message-based content may be received from the first electronic device, for delivery to the second electronic device. A data center may transmit a corresponding forward communication to the second electronic device via a satellite communication link. The data center may also receive a return communication from the second electronic device via either the satellite communication link or a terrestrial communication link, and transmit corresponding content to the first electronic device.
US09967011B1

The present disclosure provides system and methods for calibrating a tunable metamaterial device including a plurality of external antennas. A sequence of port impedance vectors, (z(m), m) may be generated. Each of the port impedance vectors may be applied to the tunable metamaterial device, and measuring at least one S-parameter associated with an antenna external to the tunable metamaterial device. A simulated S-Matrix may be generated by associating each of the port impedance vectors, z(m), with the unknown admittance matrix. The unknown admittance matrix may be solved for by determining a plurality of optimization variables by comparing each of the S-parameters, S(m), to the simulated S-Matrix for each port impedance vector, z(m), and generating an estimated admittance matrix by associating each of the optimization variables with the unknown admittance parameters. The estimated admittance matrix may be used for more accurate radiation patterning.
US09967010B2

The patent application discloses data transmission method, a base station, network controller and terminal. The base station includes a receiver, configured to receive codebook instruction from a network controller; a processor, configured to select one or more coordination codebooks from the one or more codebooks specified in the codebook instruction; and a transmitter, configured to send a codebook notification to the terminal. One or more codebooks that can be used by the base station in data transmission with a terminal are specified in the codebook instruction. The selected one or more coordination codebooks are specified in the codebook notification. The base station is one of a coordinating cluster of base stations that perform data transmission with the terminal.
US09967003B2

A distributed antenna system (DAS) includes host that receives downstream signals corresponding to radio frequency (RF) channel and remote antenna units (RAUs) communicatively coupled to host. Host communicates downstream transport signal derived from downstream signals received at host to RAUs. Each RAU uses downstream transport signal to generate downstream RF signal for radiation from antenna associated with RAU. Downstream RF signal comprises a subset of plurality of downstream frequency bands. Each RAU receives upstream RF signal including respective RF channel. Each RAU communicates upstream transport signal derived from upstream RF signal to host. Host uses upstream transport signal to generate upstream signal including at least one upstream frequency band. Host analyzes attribute of downstream and upstream transport signals associated with RAUs, correlates analyzed attribute for each RAU with profile, and determines current capacity usage of RAUs based on correlation. Host dynamically allocates capacity amongst RAUs based on current capacity usage.
US09966993B2

An example method for interference suppression in full duplex cable network environments is provided and includes providing a baseband (BB) reference signal on a first pathway to a signal processor, converting the BB reference signal to a first radio frequency (RF) signal, transmitting the first RF signal on the first pathway, the first RF signal being reflected back on a second pathway, receiving a second RF signal on the second pathway, the second RF signal including interferences from the reflections, generating an RF reference signal based on signals on the first pathway, providing the RF reference signal to the signal processor, providing the second RF signal to the signal processor, and reducing, by the signal processor, interferences in the second RF signal from reflections of the first RF signal based on the BB reference signal and the RF reference signal.
US09966985B2

A case and a system for wirelessly pairing, storing and charging an adjunct camera to a handheld electronic device, such as a smartphone. A software application on the device controls the adjunct camera. In one embodiment, the case provides a telescopic rod to elevate the adjunct camera. In another embodiment, the case provides a cable on a retractor reel operative for connecting the adjunct camera to the case. The adjunct camera is selectively detachable from the case and attachable to a user or other object for hands-free operation once the software app is engaged. The case, the adjunct camera, the electronic device and the app comprise a system for capturing, streaming and saving video and photos by expanding the reach of the native camera function of the electronic device.
US09966977B1

Apparatuses (and methods of manufacturing same), systems, and methods concerning polyphase digital filters are described. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided, including at least one pair of subfilters, each having symmetric coefficients, and a lattice comprising two adders and feedlines corresponding to each of the at least one pair of subfilters, each having symmetric coefficients. In one aspect, the apparatus is a polyphase finite impulse response (FIR) digital filter, including an interpolator and a decimator, where each of the interpolator and the decimator have at least one pair of subfilters, each having symmetric coefficients, and a lattice comprising two adders and feedlines corresponding to each of the at least one pair of subfilters, each having symmetric coefficients.
US09966975B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for optically communicating data by, at a transmitter side, encoding a block of input bits by one or more outer encoders, and after interleaving the encoded bits, permuting the encoded bits according to a predetermined sequence or order, and further encoding the encoded bits by an inner encoder, and at a receiver side, decoding received bits with an inner decoder, and after the encoded bits are permuted, subsequently decoding by and outer decoder, and returning information bits at an outer decoder as an output. The soft-decision and hard-decision outputs from the outer BCH code help the inner LDPC decoder to have better estimation of the received bits and gain performance. The performance in higher-order modulation formats could be as large as 0.5 dB in one embodiment.
US09966964B1

An example embodiment disclosed herein enables at least one frequency divider chain of a multiphase divider circuit to ensure proper phase relations after multiple frequency divisions. Another example embodiment enables a unique reset sequence to maximize a timing margin for reset signals of the at least one frequency divider chain and, thus, maximizes a bandwidth of the multiphase divider circuit.
US09966955B2

Various implementations described herein are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include signal generation circuitry that receives an input signal from a first voltage domain and generates multiple internal signals based on the input signal. The integrated circuit may include signal evaluation circuitry that receives the multiple internal signals from the signal generation circuitry and provides an intermediate signal based on the multiple internal signals. The integrated circuit may include signal conversion circuitry that receives the intermediate signal and provides an output signal for a second voltage domain based on the intermediate signal. The integrated circuit may include signal protection circuitry that receives the input signal from the first voltage domain, receives the intermediate signal from the signal evaluation circuitry, and allows the input signal until the intermediate signal transitions between a first state and a second state that is different than the first state.
US09966946B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a radio frequency (RF) switching circuit includes a plurality of series connected RF switch cells having a load path and a control node, and a switch driver coupled to the control node. Each of the plurality of series connected RF switch cells includes a switch transistor and a gate resistor having a first end coupled to a gate of the switch transistor and a second end coupled to the control node. The switch driver includes a variable output impedance that varies with a voltage of the control node.
US09966941B2

This disclosure describes techniques for generating relatively low regulated power supply voltages over a relatively wide range of input voltages. The techniques for generating the regulated voltages may include using at least two different pass transistors to regulate an output voltage of a voltage regulator. Both the turn-on threshold voltage and the maximum drain-to-source voltage rating of the first pass transistor may be greater than the corresponding characteristics of the second pass transistor. Using two different pass transistors with two different turn-on threshold voltages and two different maximum drain-to-source voltage ratings may increase the range of voltages over which a voltage regulator can generate a relatively low output voltage relative to the range of voltages that would be allowable if a single type of pass transistor were used.
US09966934B2

A duty correction device may be provided. The duty correction device may include a duty controller configured to output a control signal by controlling a duty of a duty corrected signal, and detect a level of a feedback signal to convert the duty based on a code signal which is applied at a section where the level of the feedback signal corresponds to a logic level. The duty correction device may include a power gating circuit configured to generate the feedback signal by driving the control signal.
US09966926B2

A technique relates to a lossless microwave switch discussed herein. Multiple ports are included in the lossless microwave switch. Tunable filters are included in the lossless microwave switch. Each of the ports is operatively coupled a corresponding one of the tunable filters.
US09966918B2

Systems and methods for dynamically adjusting transmit gain in a transceiver. The gain is adjusted in order to provide the maximum gain. The amount of distortion is measured. The gain is increased until the distortion reaches a predetermined limit. The gain of several components can be adjusted independently.
US09966911B2

A CMOS transmission gate that is compensated for lost current to parasitic capacitance. Parasitic capacitance current is detected by an amplifier and fed back in-phase to the input of the CMOS transmission gate with the gain of the amplifier set to avoid circuit instability. In a first example a transconductance amplifier detects a voltage drop across a resistor in and RC network and the resulting current applied to the input of the transmission gate. A second example uses a current amplifier to detect gate current of the N-channel and P-channel transistors of the transmission gate, and an output current is fed back in phase to the input of the CMOS transmission gate.
US09966904B2

An RF amplifier to increase a gain using a transformer is provided. The amplifier includes: a first transistor configured to generate a current by amplifying and converting an input voltage; a second transistor configured to amplify the generated current; and a first transformer configured to feed an emitter current of the second transistor back to a gate. Accordingly, Gm of the transistor is boosted using the transformer, such that a high gain can be obtained with a low current. Therefore, a problem of a gain reduction caused by a parasitic capacitor at a high frequency can be solved.
US09966902B2

An apparatus includes a Doherty PA having an input, an output manifold, and peaking and main amplifier paths. The peaking amplifier path includes peaking amplifier(s) configured to amplify signals over multiple frequency bands. A main amplifier path is separate from the peaking amplifier path until the main amplifier path terminates in the output manifold. The main amplifier path includes main amplifier(s), configured to amplify signals over the multiple frequency bands, and a multiple-band matching network coupled to the output of the main amplifier(s) and terminating in the output manifold. The multiple-band matching network includes multiple signal paths, one for each of the multiple frequency bands. Each signal path includes circuitry configured to pass signals to the output manifold from only a unique one of the multiple frequency bands and to reject signals from others of the multiple frequency bands. The circuitry for each signal path includes a resonant tank.
US09966895B1

A method for controlling a trolling motor including a sonar transducer and an electric motor rotating a propeller includes providing a motor controller configured for electrical connection to the electric motor. The motor controller includes a pulse width modulator outputting a PWM signal. A high-side electronic switch is provided between a high-side output of the pulse width modulator and the electric motor and a low-side electronic switch is provided between a low-side output of the pulse width modulator and the electric motor. The electric motor is driven by current transmitted via the high-side electronic switch or the low-side electronic switch in response to the PWM signal. An operating frequency of the PWM signal is selected such that an operating frequency of the sonar transducer is approximately centered between harmonic frequencies of the PWM signal. A spread spectrum switching algorithm reduces a peak noise level of the PWM signal.
US09966891B2

An electric motor is controlled using a feedback signal that includes an error between the measured current and the estimated current determined using the measured current, the measured voltage, and a model of the motor. A feedback gain is determined as an error function of a feedback signal and a speed of the motor is estimated using a product of the feedback gain and the feedback signal. The voltage of the motor is determined using a difference between the estimated speed of the motor and a reference speed of the motor and the motor us controlled using the determined voltage.
US09966890B2

A system for detecting offset error in a power steering system is provided. The system includes a programmable high pass filter module configured to filter a final voltage command and generate a filtered final voltage command. The filtered final voltage command includes the sinusoidal component, a gain and phase compensation module configured to perform a gain compensation and a phase compensation on the filtered final voltage command to generate a compensated final voltage command. An error detection module is configured to determine an offset of the compensated final voltage command in a stator reference frame.
US09966888B2

A damping system can include a sensor disposed to measure an amplitude of a speed ripple of a drive shaft of a generator, and can include a feedforward circuit connected to the sensor and to the generator. The feedforward circuit can determine a phase angle formed by a load resistance and a load capacitance driven by the generator, calculate a voltage signal value based on the amplitude and the phase angle, and can adjust a DC link voltage provided by the generator and across the load resistance according to the voltage signal value.
US09966885B1

A method for calibrating a motor, the motor comprising a permanent magnet synchronous motor, is provided. The method generates a rotating magnetic field using a voltage vector, the rotating magnetic field configured to rotate at a constant angular velocity independent of an actual rotor position, and the rotating magnetic field rotating in a first direction; identifies, by a processor, timing data associated with a plurality of digital Hall effect sensors; computes, by the processor, accurate positions for each of the plurality of digital Hall effect sensors, using the timing data and the constant angular velocity; creates a reference table in system memory, by the processor, the reference table comprising the accurate positions; and during operation of the motor, calculates accurate angular velocity values for the motor, using the reference table.
US09966884B2

A method for determining the rotor position and the rotational speed of a rotating field machine, including, based on Hall sensor signals, a step of determination of a sector in which a rotor of the rotating field machine is situated and a step of determination of a preliminary rotational speed of the rotating field machine. In a step of determination, the rotor position and the rotational speed are determined based on the sector and on the preliminary rotational speed, an observer of the rotating field machine being used at least for the determination of the rotational speed.
US09966876B2

A voltage conversion device includes a first conversion circuit, a second conversion circuit, a voltage detection circuit, and a CPU (failure detector). The first conversion circuit switches a DC voltage at a DC power supply to convert the DC voltage into an AC voltage. The second conversion circuit rectifies the AC voltage converted with the first conversion circuit to convert the AC voltage into a DC voltage. The voltage detection circuit detects voltage at a connection point of an auxiliary switching element and a first capacitor. The CPU monitors a change in voltage at the connection point in a predetermined period, the voltage being detected with the voltage detection circuit, and detects failure that occurs in one of or both a main switching element and the auxiliary switching element during operation based on the change in the voltage.
US09966869B2

A modular high voltage supply system has a mobile adapter transformer with a high-voltage output side and a low-voltage input side, electrical connecting input-terminals being foreseen at the mobile adapter transformer outer surface, a mobile container with a low voltage supply system, mounted stationarily therein, having a high current busbar and at least one electrical frequency converter connected thereto, electrical connecting output-terminals for the high current busbar being foreseen at an accessible the mobile container edge; and a modular interim busbar system, for temporary electrical connection of input- and output-terminals, having at least one interim busbar with at least one elongated busbar basic module mounted on a frame structure and respective resilient electrical connections on both busbar basic module ends forming an electrical connection to the input- and/or output-terminals and arranged such that a transmission of vibrations from the mobile adapter transformer to the mobile container is suppressed.
US09966861B1

A control method for an active clamp converter has steps of: detecting a state of the load; when the state of the load is a light-load state, using a skipping mode to control a switch frequency of a master switch; when the state of the load is not the light-load state, using an ACF mode to control the switch frequency of the master switch. In the skipping mode, the switch frequency is decreased when the state of the load is getting light, thus providing an energy efficiency power saving function for the light-load state. In the ACF mode, the master switch is controlled to turn on while a reverse current is generated, thus the switching loss of the master switch is reduced.
US09966853B2

The present disclosure eliminates the unwanted conduction of the body diode of the low side switch or the unwanted conduction of the low side switch in coupled phases of DC-DC converters operating in DCM to increase efficiency. Specifically, in one implementation, by detecting strong or weak coupling, the present disclosure eliminates body diode conduction in strong coupling by turning on the low side switch and eliminates negative body diode current in weak coupling by turning off the low side switch. Further, for multiphase switching DC-DC converters with coupled inductors operating at light load (i.e., in DCM), when a high side switch of a first phase is turned on, the body diode of a low side switch of a second phase is adaptively bypassed if needed, blocked by specific design, or prevented from conducting by reducing forward voltage across the body diode.
US09966849B1

A current mode voltage converter having fast transient response is provided. The current mode voltage converter is used for converting an input voltage into an output voltage to drive a load. The current mode voltage converter adaptively adjusts the frequency of a clock signal by a first compensation circuit and a second compensation circuit to accordingly adjust an inductive current. Therefore, the output voltage can be adjusted rapidly in response to different load changes to enhance the transient response of the output voltage.
US09966842B1

At least one aspect is directed to a power supply. The power supply includes one or more unregulated voltage converters. Each unregulated voltage converter includes a switched block producing an output voltage across its output terminals. The power supply includes a voltage supply input coupled to at least one of the unregulated voltage converters, and an unregulated voltage bus coupled to at least one of the unregulated voltage converters. The power supply includes a voltage regulator coupled to the unregulated voltage bus and producing a regulated voltage across its output terminals. The output terminals of the voltage regulator are connected in parallel to the output terminals of at least one of the unregulated voltage converters. This can produce a regulated output voltage across a pair of power supply output terminals.
US09966841B2

A power supply includes a power factor correction module that is real-time adaptive based on the operating conditions.
US09966840B2

The present invention is directed toward a switching power supply and improvements thereof. In accordance with an embodiment, a switching power supply is provided. The switching power supply comprises: a first power supply stage that forms an intermediate regulated voltage; and a second power supply stage configured to accept the intermediate regulated voltage and configured to form a regulated output voltage, wherein the intermediate voltage is set to an initial target level upon start-up of the power supply and wherein the intermediate regulated voltage is set to a second target level during steady-state operation of the power supply.
US09966839B2

A switching power supply device includes an energy storage element which is charged with a voltage generated in an auxiliary winding of a transformer; a switching control circuit to which the terminal voltage of the energy storage element is given as a power supply voltage and which controls the switching operation of a switching element; an initial operation control circuit which, when it is detected that the power supply voltage is lower than a first voltage, causes a current supply circuit to stop the switching operation until the power supply voltage rises to a second voltage; and a switching suppression circuit which, when it is detected that the power supply voltage is lower than a third voltage which is higher than the first voltage and lower than the second voltage, causes the current supply circuit to stop the switching operation for a predetermined period.
US09966837B1

A switched mode power supply is provided comprising a pulse-width-modulator (PWM), a power section, and a drive section for the power switch. The drive section consists of a new method of driving the power switch where it is desired that the switch terminals be isolated from the PWM ground. The new driver design, which incorporates a small isolation transformer along with unique modifications to the traditional DC restore circuit, is directed to solving problems when PWM type switching power supplies encounter fault conditions such as a short circuit across their output as well as protecting the switch and the load when an ordinary shutdown or disable command is received. One problem that arises with switch drivers that utilize isolation transformers during an overload event or even an ordinary shutdown event is that the driver does not turn off and hold off the power switch when it is commanded to do so. This invention solves these problems by insuring that the appropriate components are de-energized in the classical dc-restore circuit which will prevent the PWM from losing control of the power switch.
US09966835B2

A power conversion topology and control method intended for use with a DC bus is disclosed, providing a means to prevent the flow of ground fault current while detecting a fault condition and optionally continuing to operate the DC bus. In one control configuration, a DC-DC power stage with an active current control loop drives differential current to zero, and a separate voltage control loop maintains the desired differential bus voltage. Absolute bus voltage with respect to ground is monitored in order to detect fault conditions. In another configuration, the absolute voltage of the bus with respect to ground is controlled and differential bus current is monitored to detect ground fault conditions.
US09966834B2

A power supply protecting apparatus includes a first comparison unit, a second comparison unit, and a switch unit. The first comparison unit receives an input voltage from an electronic device, compares the input voltage with a first DC voltage, and outputs a first control signal. The second comparison unit receives an output voltage from an electronic device, compares the output voltage with the first DC voltage, and outputs a second control signal. The switch unit receives the first control signal and the second control signal, and outputs a first voltage level reference voltage when receiving a first voltage level first control signal from the first comparison unit or a second voltage level second control signal from the second comparison unit. A reference terminal of the electronic device receives the first voltage level reference voltage, and the electronic device stops working when receiving the first voltage level reference voltage.
US09966829B2

A stepper motor has a stator winding assembly with a permanent ring magnet located radially outside of electromagnetic windings for the stator poles. The permanent ring magnet remotely magnetizes a rotor seated by bearings on an axial shaft so as to rotate within the stator winding assembly, thereby freeing up space within the rotor for an internal damper. The rotor has a cylindrical damping weight enclosed within, but not fixed to, the rotor. The weight ideally has a rotational moment of inertia that substantially matches that of the rotor. The weight is elastically coupled to the rotor by a viscous material contained in the rotor and filling the space between the weight and the rotor and between the weight and the axial shaft. The viscosity of this material is selected such that motion of the weight is delayed, preferably so as to be substantially 180° out-of-phase with, but at the same frequency as, the stepping rotation of the rotor. The weight thereby serves as a counterweight to the rotor so as to cancel vibrations generated by stepping of the rotor.
US09966819B2

The invention relates to an electric machine (10) which is embodied as an alternator, comprising a rotor (20) and an axis of rotation (183), a stator iron (17) which maintains a stator winding (18). Said stator winding (18) comprises phase terminals of winding wires (204), a rectifier circuit (151) which comprises at least one bridge circuit consisting of a positive diode (99) and a negative diode (58). Said positive diode (99) and the negative diode (58) are connected in an electrically conductive manner to the phase terminal of winding wires (204) by means of a metal connecting element (133, 146) which has two half arms (215). One half arm (215) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to a positive diode (99) by means of a connecting section (216) and another half arm (215) is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the negative diode (58) by means of another connecting section. The half arms (215) are oriented in front of the connecting sections (216) in such a manner that the metal surfaces (240) are oriented perpendicular to a rotational axis (183) of the rotor (20). The half arms (215) are arranged parallel to each other on a longitudinal section in front of the connecting sections (216). Said connecting sections (216) start respectively from a half arm (215) and comprise ends (217) which are aligned counter to each other.
US09966805B2

An electric motor includes a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted to the stator. The stator includes a housing having an open end, a plurality of adhesive strips applied on an inner surface of the housing, a plurality of magnets bonded to the inner surface of the housing by the adhesive strips, and an end cap assembly mounted to the opening end of the housing. The adhesive covers at least 70% of the area of the outer surface of each magnet after the magnets are assembled to the housing.
US09966804B2

An outer-rotor permanent magnet brushless motor is disclosed, which comprises an outer-rotor and an inner-stator. The outer-rotor configured with P poles, P is a natural number and denotes a multiple of 4. The inner-stator has a stator axle, and S teeth which configured on outer surface of stator, S=P−1, S is a natural number. A circle is formed about a center of the stator axle from the center of the outer end surface. A correction angle a1 and an original angle a are defined from the center of the outer end surface. T The ratio of a1/a is defined by the following formula: 0.2<(a1/a)<0.6.
US09966794B1

A power supply for a redundant power system includes a housing, a first circuit board, a second circuit board and a cooling fan. The first and second circuit boards are sequentially disposed in the housing. The length of the first circuit board is smaller than that of the second circuit board. Between the first and second circuit boards is a gap. The first and second circuit boards are each distributed with multiple electronic elements, and are connected by at least one electrical connecting line. The electronic elements form a power supply circuit, in which a bridge rectification module is disposed on the first circuit board and close to the gap. The cooling fan is at least connected to the first circuit board and a second circuit board to locate in the gap, and directly provides the bridge rectification module with a first cooling air current when activated.
US09966791B2

Disclosed is an interconnected smoke detector system of one or more smoke detector(s) wired into a dedicated circuit with a single location housing a DC power backup source, such as a rechargeable DC battery. The DC power backup source may be replaceable or rechargeable with DC current from and AC-DC transformer, a photovoltaic cell, or other means. Electronic relays within the system provide a current to the dedicated circuit by selecting between the line-voltage alternating current source and the DC power backup.
US09966789B2

The wireless charging system includes a base member for placing a to-be-charged device, a wireless power transmission module for wireless charging the to-be-charged device through a magnetic resonance unit, an impedance detection module, a power throttle module, an information reception module. Through the wireless charging system, firstly, the to-be-charged device is wireless charged on the base member. Secondly, when the to-be-charged device is not a desired object and reveals a higher impedance value, the impedance detection module would detects this and inhibits/throttles the wireless power transmission module. Thirdly, if the to-be-charged object is a desired one but attached with some metallic object such as a metallic back cover, the wireless charging system may continue wireless charging according to the impedance information from the wireless reception module.
US09966786B2

The disclosure generally relates to methods, system and apparatus to optimize wireless charging while allowing FM radio reception. In an exemplary embodiment, presence of an active FM radio on a wireless platform is detected and the active FM channel is identified. To reduce radio frequency interference between the wireless charging magnetic field and the FM channel, the PTU may adaptively shift the A4WP frequency. The disclosed embodiments improve user experience with FM radios in wireless charging systems.
US09966773B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to a multi-cell battery, with at least two cells electrically connected in a first parallel arrangement, which is connected in series to a second parallel arrangement of at least two additional cells. Each cell is locally connected to a sensor to sense and control current of each cell in parallel or parallel-series combination in the multi-cell battery. A control module is in communication with each sensor, and associated instructions electrically remove or disable a cell from the multi-cell battery determined to be defective based on measurements from the associated sensor. A configuration performs measurements and monitors a state of health of each cell in the multi-cell battery, the measurements including temperature, voltage and current sensing. Identifying one cell of the cells in the multi-cell battery as subject to a performance failure results in electrically switching the identified cell to an off position.
US09966766B2

A system and method for digital management and control of power conversion from battery cells. The system utilizes a power management and conversion module that uses a CPU to maintain a high power conversion efficiency over a wide range of loads and to manage charge and discharge operation of the battery cells. The power management and conversion module includes the CPU, a current sense unit, a charge/discharge unit, a DC-to-DC conversion unit, a battery protection unit, a fuel gauge and an internal DC regulation unit. Through intelligent power conversion and charge/discharge operations, a given battery type is given the ability to emulate other battery types by conversion of the output voltage of the battery and adaptation of the charging scheme to suit the battery.
US09966763B2

A system for continuously generating baseload electrical energy entirely from renewable resources and transmitting the generated electrical energy to a transmission grid includes, in combination, a first energy generation device for continuously generating electrical energy output, which has a bio-mass fuel supply requirement for generating the electrical energy. One or more additional energy generation devices provide, as available, intermittent electrical and thermal energy for substituting, or supplementing, the electrical energy output of the first energy generation device, and for supplementing the fuel supply requirement for the first energy generation device. A switching device ensures a least-cost generation of baseload electrical energy from the generating system by selectively using the output of the first energy generation device or, as available, the one or more additional energy generation device for substituting, or supplementing, the electrical output of the first energy generation device, and selectively supplementing the fuel supply requirement of the first energy generation device providing, at a minimum, a baseload electrical energy output exclusively from renewable energy resources. A redundant supply of combustible bio-mass fuel assets are assured by a bio-mass harvesting and logistics system which supplies such fuels directly from the source to the first energy generation device for combustion. Effluent gasses containing CO2 from bio-mass combustion are sequestered in a body of fluid containing micro-algal bodies and light-emitting sources for causing, by photosynthesis in the presence of CO2, an increased mass of algal bodies by absorption of the CO2 and the emission of free oxygen. The increased mass of algal bodies are removed from the fluid body and used for the production of bio-diesel fuel. A method of operating an entirely renewable sourced electric power generation and transmission business is also provided.
US09966762B2

A method for providing control power for an electricity network in which at least one energy store connected to the electricity network supplies energy to the electricity network as required and/or takes up energy from the electricity network as required, the control power being delivered in dependence on a frequency deviation from a setpoint value of a network frequency, tolerance with respect to the amount of the control power to be provided being used to set a charging state of the energy store at a same time as providing control power by the energy store. A device for carrying out such a method includes a control system and an energy store, the device being connected or connectable to an electricity network, the control system being connected to the energy store and controlling control power given off and/or taken up by the energy store.
US09966761B1

In general, one innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a load control system configured to perform load control operations comprising: measuring a voltage on an electrical grid at a plurality of times; determining, for each time of the plurality of times, a difference between a specified normal voltage and the respective measured voltage at that time; summing the differences between the specified normal voltage and the measured voltages to determine a curtailment level; determining whether the curtailment level exceeds a first threshold curtailment level; and in response to determining that the curtailment level exceeds the first threshold curtailment level, adjusting an amount of power drawn by a load.
US09966745B2

A roof top junction box for direct attachment to a roof top, the box comprising a storage unit and an enclosure, the storage unit including an internal storage area, a plurality of screw holes, a plurality of screw hole channels, a plurality of press fit flutes, a plurality of threaded screw elements, a multithreaded flute, a bottom conduit port and a conduit fastening assembly; a mounting component in the internal storage area of the storage unit, the mounting component having at least one terminal component secured thereto; wherein at least two of the plurality of press fit flutes is aligned inside at least two of the plurality of screw hole channels, respectively; wherein the plurality of threaded screw elements is affixed to a flashing member attached to the roof top; and wherein a conduit is inserted through the bottom conduit port and connects to a wiring system within a building.
US09966741B2

A power connector (100) is provided for connecting a drawout circuit breaker to a conductive bus bar. The power connector (100) is formed as a unitary body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end has a circuit breaker terminal (310) to connect to the drawout circuit breaker through the clusters. The second end has a bus bar terminal (350) to connect to the conductive bus bar. The bus bar terminal (350) may have a pair of extending arms (352), which form a U-shape profile. A conductive bus bar can be connected between the pair of extending arms (352) on one or both sides to the bus bar terminal (350).
US09966732B2

An optical amplifier is described. The optical amplifier (1) comprises a semiconductor disk gain medium (2) including at least one quantum well layer (9) and a pump field source (17) for generating an optical pump field (3) for the semiconductor disk gain medium. The optical amplifier acts to generate an output optical field (5) from an input optical field (4) received by the optical amplifier and arranged to be incident upon the semiconductor disk gain medium. Employing a semiconductor disk gain medium within the optical amplifier allows it to be optically pumped and thus provided for increased stability and beam quality of the output optical field while allowing for the design of optical amplifiers which can operate across a broad range of wavelengths. The optical amplifier may be employed with continuous wave or pulsed input optical fields.
US09966727B2

A fiber laser system enables an improved reflection resistance property. The fiber laser system includes fiber lasers (2 through 4) each having a laser medium which is an optical fiber made from silica glass. A difference between respective lasing wavelengths of any given two of the fiber lasers is greater than a wavelength equivalent to a half width at half maximum of a peak deriving from a vibration mode of a planar four-membered ring of a Si—O network structure of silica glass.
US09966725B1

A spectral feature of a pulsed light beam produced by an optical source is adjusted by receiving an instruction to change a spectral feature of the pulsed light beam from a value in a first target range to a value in a second target range; regulating a first operating characteristic of the optical source; determining an adjustment to a second actuatable apparatus of the optical source; and adjusting the second actuatable apparatus by an amount based on the determined adjustment. The first operating characteristic is regulated by adjusting a first actuatable apparatus of the optical source until it is determined that the first operating characteristic is within an acceptable range of values. The adjustment to the second actuatable apparatus is determined based at least in part on: a relationship between the adjustment of the first actuatable apparatus and a spectral feature of the light beam, and the second target range.
US09966705B2

An intelligent cable is disclosed. The cable provides a connector and a metal core. The connector is pluggably coupled with an external apparatus and enclosing a circuit unit electrically connected to an external apparatus. The metal core is electrically connected to the circuit unit in the connector. The circuit unit includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter receives input signals from the external apparatus and outputs a transmitted signal to the metal core. The receiver receives the transmitted signal from the metal core and provides output signals to the external apparatus. A feature of the cable is that the transmitter modulates the input signals and the receiver de-modulates the transmitted signal both by the PAM configuration.
US09966703B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of telecommunication, and more specifically to the connectivity components implemented therein. In an embodiment, the present invention is an RJ45-compatible network jack which includes a front sled PCB assembly incorporating short PICs, a compensation printed circuit board, and a spring loaded movement designed to provide a portion of the total displacement necessary to accommodate plug travel of a mated plug. The PICs are capable of displacement which is designed to be adequate to provide reliable contact while mating with a plug.
US09966702B2

A 4.3/10 coaxial connector configured to receive a mating 4.3/10 connector includes: an inner contact; a dielectric spacer; and an outer contact, the dielectric spacer separating the inner contact and the outer contact. The outer contact includes an outer wall and a plurality of spring fingers, the spring fingers configured to deflect radially inwardly when the mating 4.3/10 connector is mated. The connector further comprises blocking structure that prevents mating of a Mini-Din connector.
US09966694B2

A biomedical electrode structure is presented. The electrode structure comprises a contact member having a tissue interfacing face for contacting a tissue surface, and an opposite electrical coupling face; at least a first electrically conductive surface disposed within said tissue interfacing face, and being configured to electrically couple to a portion of the contacted tissue; and at least two electrical connectors mounted in a spaced apart relationship on said electrical coupling face and electrically coupled to different regions of said electrically conductive surface for allowing measurement of at least one electrical property of at least a portion of said at least first electrically conductive surface residing therebetween.
US09966689B2

The invention relates to a contact carrier (1) for holding contact elements and for bringing into contact with a corresponding contact carrier. The contact carrier (1), which is made of an insulating material, has a plurality of cavities (4) in order to hold the contact elements, which cavities extend in a plugging direction through the entire contact carrier (1) and a retaining region (3) of the contact carrier and a plugging region (2) of the contact carrier. According to the invention, the contact carrier (1) has an insertion bevel (8), which insertion bevel makes it easier to bring the contact carrier (1) into contact with a corresponding contact carrier. The invention relates to improvements in the plugging region in order to avoid incorrect plugging of two contact carriers, in particular a resting of the contact carriers during the plugging process.
US09966688B2

There is provided a faceplate for an electrical receptacle having a safety measure, and a method thereof. The faceplate including: a cover mountable on an electrical receptacle, the cover having cover apertures corresponding to electrical terminals of electrical sockets; a pair of horizontally opposed pinching members on the cover; and a shield connected to the pair of horizontally opposed pinching members and mutually biased to block access to at least one of the electrical sockets, the shield configured to permit access to the at least one of the electrical sockets while the pair of horizontally opposed pinching members are engaged by a user.
US09966684B2

A connector assembly includes a first connector body, a first elastic layer disposed on the first connector, a first electrode disposed on the first elastic layer, a second connector body, and a second electrode disposed on the second connector, wherein the first elastic layer is configured to provide a compressive force to the first electrode when the first connector body engages the second connector body.
US09966681B2

While efficient assembly performance of an electrical connector is obtained, good operability can be also obtained by a simple configuration. Good shielding performance with respect to transmission paths are configured to be obtained by a simple configuration in which movement of an actuator causes both shield shells to contact each other by covering at least part of outer surfaces of an insulating housing and the actuator by the shield shells consisting of electrically-conductive metal members, causing the actuator-side shield shell moved to an action position to contact the insulating-housing-side shield shell, and continuously covering the transmission paths, which are from a signal transmission medium to a printed wiring board through electrically-conductive contact members.
US09966673B2

A window assembly (10) includes a transparent pane (18), an electrical conductor (20) contacting the transparent pane (18), an electrical connection element (22) for energizing the electrical conductor (20), an encapsulation (26) disposed over the electrical connection element (22) and the electrical conductor (20), and an electrically conductive compressible member (28) disposed between the electrical connection element (22) and the electrical conductor (20) for providing an electrical connection between the electrical connection element (22) and the electrical conductor (20).
US09966669B2

An improved patch antenna arrangement includes a patch electrode and a frame patch electrode surrounding the patch electrode provided on a dielectric. A top patch is also provided. The top patch is arranged opposite the dielectric at a distance from the patch electrode surface and at a distance from the ring or frame patch electrode surface. The top patch has an extent in the longitudinal and transverse direction, such that the top patch covers both the patch electrode surface and the frame patch electrode surface at least in some sections.
US09966668B1

A semiconductor antenna includes an antenna region. The antenna region includes semiconductor nano-antennas. The semiconductor nano-antennas are formed of a semiconductor material have a doping concentration such that the real part of the permittivity of the semiconductor material is negative over at least a portion of radio frequencies from 1 MHz to 300 GHz.
US09966666B2

An antenna device is provided. The antenna device may include a conductive radiator pattern formed on one surface of a dielectric substrate, an artificial magnetic conductor layer including at least one unit cell formed on the other surface of the dielectric substrate, and a shorting pin connected to the unit cell. The artificial magnetic conductor layer may be configured to form an induction current of the same phase with regard to a signal current flowing through the conductive radiator pattern.
US09966663B1

A dual-band antenna module is provided. The dual-band antenna module includes a circuit board, a ground coupling portion electrically connected to a reference ground plane of the circuit board, a first antenna, and a second antenna spaced from the first antenna. The first antenna and the ground coupling portion are disposed on the circuit board and configured to couple each other. The first antenna includes a first radiation unit, a U-shaped conductive frame, and a first feeding portion. The U-shaped conductive frame is disposed on the first radiation unit and opens toward the circuit board. The second antenna includes a second radiation unit, a high-frequency impedance portion, and a second feeding portion. The second radiation unit and the high-frequency impedance portion are respectively disposed on two opposite surfaces of the circuit board to resonate to each other. The second radiation unit includes a ground extension portion electrically grounded.
US09966661B2

A system for controlling a multi-element antenna array comprising a plurality of elements each arranged to receive a signal from a signal source, wherein each of the plurality of elements includes a frequency locking module arranged to lock the frequency of the signal received by each of the elements, and, a phase control module being in communication with each of the frequency locking modules to control the phase of the signal received by each of the elements.
US09966655B2

The present invention discloses an antenna structure and ensures an all-metal housing feature of the mobile terminal device. The antenna structure includes a housing and a feed plate, where the housing includes a main housing, a first floating object, a second floating object, and an antenna radiator; and the first floating object, the second floating object, and the antenna radiator are separated from the main housing by a first slot; there is a second slot between the first floating object and one side of the antenna radiator, and a third slot between the second floating object and the other side of the antenna radiator; the main housing, the first floating object, the second floating object, and the antenna radiator are connected as a whole by an insulator; and the feed plate is disposed opposite to the main housing, the first floating object, and the antenna radiator at an interval.
US09966653B2

An electronic device may have wireless circuitry with antennas. The electronic device may have a dielectric housing. A printed circuit board with electrical components may be mounted in the dielectric housing. Heat spreader structures may be used to dissipate heat from the electrical components. The heat spreader structures be configured to form antenna cavities. The antennas in the electronic device may be formed from the antenna cavities and may have antenna resonating elements formed on the printed circuit. An electrical component such as a light-emitting diode may be mounted in one of the antenna cavities. Each antenna element may be an inverted-F antenna resonating element with short and long arms. The short arm of each antenna resonating element may be formed from edge plated metal traces on an edge of the printed circuit.
US09966649B2

In one example an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a housing for coupling a satellite dish, an elevation adjustment bolt to perform an elevation adjustment on the satellite dish, an azimuth adjustment bolt to perform an azimuth adjustment on the satellite dish, a plate for coupling one or more U-bolts coupled to the housing, the plate comprising a curved portion that sits flush along a perimeter of a pole and a movable tab member coupled to the plate to allow for a plurality of different pole mounting configurations.
US09966648B2

A compact, agile polarization diversity, multiband antenna with integrated electronics for satellite communications antenna systems is disclosed. The antenna includes a feed assembly having integrated microwave electronics that are mechanically and electromagnetically coupled thereto in a distributed arrangement so that diverse polarization senses having a low axial ratio and electronic switching control is provided. The microwave electronics include a distributed transmitter that can include high-band and low-band transceivers. The high-band and low-band transceivers can include high-band and low-band transmitter and receiver pairs, respectively. The antenna presented enables the mechanical rotation of the orientation of the high-band transceiver for skew alignment while the low-band transceiver remains stationary relative to the antenna assembly. The low-band transmitter and receiver pair can include planar interfaces electromagnetically coupled to the feed assembly between a main reflector and subreflector via OMTs. The highly compact antenna system presented offers polarization performance previously achievable by only larger devices.
US09966646B1

A coupled-line coupler having a coil in one of the coupled lines may include first and second conductors having at least first and second coupled sections in which the first and second conductors are closely coupled. A coil extending around an axis may be formed in the first conductor. At least a portion of the coil may be between the first and second coupled sections. A first portion of the first conductor may cross over a second portion of the first conductor when viewed along the axis. At least a first capacitor may be connected between a circuit ground and the first conductor at a position of the coil between and spaced from the first and second coupled sections.
US09966638B2

A manufacturing method for a non-aqueous secondary battery includes the following steps. (a) Preparing an electrode body including a positive electrode having a positive electrode active material layer and a negative electrode having a negative electrode active material layer. (b) Constructing a battery assembly using the electrode body and a non-aqueous electrolyte. (c) Initially charging the battery assembly. (d) Aging the battery assembly at a temperature of 60° C. or higher. (e) Forcibly starting to discharge the battery assembly in said temperature region after lowering the temperature of the battery assembly down to a temperature region of 35° C. or higher and 55° C. or lower. (f) Adjusting the SOC of the battery assembly. (g) Measuring a voltage drop amount by self-discharging the battery assembly. And (h) determining whether or not the battery assembly is qualified based on the voltage drop amount.
US09966634B2

A heat resistant battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material fixed on the positive electrode current collector, wherein the positive electrode active material includes a sodium-containing transition metal compound capable of electrochemically storing and releasing a sodium ion; a negative electrode including a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material fixed on the negative electrode current collector, wherein the negative electrode active material contains at least one selected from the group consisting of a sodium-containing titanium compound and a non-graphitizable carbon, each of the sodium-containing titanium compound and the non-graphitizable carbon capable of storing and releasing a sodium ion at a lower potential than a potential of the sodium-containing transition metal compound; and a sodium ion-conductive electrolyte provided at least between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, wherein the sodium ion-conductive electrolyte includes a salt of an organic cation having a pyrrolidinium skeleton and a bis(perfluoroalkyl sulfonyl)imide anion.
US09966630B2

Set forth herein are pellets, thin films, and monoliths of lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes having engineered surfaces. These engineered surfaces have a list of advantageous properties including, but not limited to, low surface area resistance, high Li+ ion conductivity, low tendency for lithium dendrites to form within or thereupon when the electrolytes are used in an electrochemical cell. Other advantages include voltage stability and long cycle life when used in electrochemical cells as a separator or a membrane between the positive and negative electrodes. Also set forth herein are methods of making these electrolytes including, but not limited to, methods of annealing these electrolytes under controlled atmosphere conditions. Set forth herein, additionally, are methods of using these electrolytes in electrochemical cells and devices. The instant disclosure further includes electrochemical cells which incorporate the lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes set forth herein.
US09966629B2

A sodium-conductive solid-state electrolyte material includes a compound of the composition Na10MP2S12, wherein M is selected from Ge, Si, and Sn. The material may have a conductivity of at least 1.0×10−5 S/cm at a temperature of about 300K and may have a tetragonal microstructure, e.g., a skewed P1 crystallographic structure. Also provided are an electrochemical cell that includes the sodium-conductive solid-state electrolyte material and a method for producing the sodium-conductive solid electrolyte material via controlled thermal processing parameters.
US09966626B2

The present invention relates to a redox flow battery, and more particularly, to a redox flow battery which is charged and discharged by supplying a positive electrolyte and a negative electrolyte to a battery cell using an active material containing vanadium and a cation exchange membrane, in which the positive electrolyte and the negative electrolyte contain vanadium ions as active ions, the difference in volume between the positive electrolyte and the negative electrolyte is maintained at 10% or less, and the total concentration of anions in the negative electrolyte is higher than the total concentration of anions in the positive electrolyte, whereby the transfer of water in the battery is controlled and a change in the volume of the electrolytes is minimized.
US09966622B2

The invention provides an electrochemical cell based on a new chemistry for a flow battery for large scale, e.g., gridscale, electrical energy storage. Electrical energy is stored chemically at an electrochemical electrode by the protonation of small organic molecules called quinones to hydroquinones. The proton is provided by a complementary electrochemical reaction at the other electrode. These reactions are reversed to deliver electrical energy. A flow battery based on this concept can operate as a closed system. The flow battery architecture has scaling advantages over solid electrode batteries for large scale energy storage.
US09966619B2

Disclosed is an aircraft resource management system. The system may include at least one fuel cell cluster having at least one fuel cell system configured to receive and convert a hydrogen input comprising hydrogen and an oxygen input comprising a fluid having an initial oxygen content so as to yield a number of products. The products can include water, thermal energy, an oxygen-depleted product comprising the fluid having a second oxygen content lower than the initial oxygen content, and electrical power. The system may include at least one load cluster with at least one load configured to utilize at least one product of the fuel cell cluster. The system may compare a demand level of the load cluster with a supply level of the fuel cell cluster and manage operating levels of the fuel cell cluster based at least in part on the comparison.
US09966617B2

A fuel cell includes a membrane-electrode assembly, an anode separator and a cathode separator disposed at both sides of the membrane-electrode assembly, wherein the anode separator includes a hydrogen adsorption portion formed in a hydrogen reaction channel in which hydrogen flows.
US09966610B2

Provided are an electrode for fuel cell including a support with improved durability and capable of suppressing poisoning of catalyst particles by ionomer, and a method for manufacturing the same. The method at least includes: performing heat treatment of a support made of mesoporous carbon having a crystallite diameter Lc at 002 plane that is 1.5 nm or less, at 1,700° C. or more and less than 2,300° C.; supporting catalyst particles at least inside of the support subjected to the heat treatment; and applying ionomer to the support supporting the catalyst particles for coating.
US09966605B2

A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery can efficiently discharge the gas generated to the outside of the electrode and exhibits a low decrease in battery capacity even when used for a long period of time in the case of using an aqueous binder as the binder of a negative electrode active material. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a positive electrode active material layer is formed on a surface of a positive electrode current collector, a negative electrode active material layer is formed on a surface of a negative electrode current collector, and a separator, wherein the density of the negative electrode active material layer is from 1.3 to 1.6 g/cm3, the negative electrode active material layer contains an aqueous binder, and the surface center line average roughness (Ra) of a surface on a separator side of the negative electrode active material layer is from 0.5 to 1.0 μm.
US09966602B2

Methods are presented for synthesizing metal cyanometallate (MCM). A first method provides a first solution of AXM2Y(CN)Z, to which a second solution including M1 is dropwise added. As a result, a precipitate is formed of ANM1PM2Q (CN)R.FH2O, where N is in the range of 1 to 4. A second method for synthesizing MCM provides a first solution of M2C(CN)B, which is dropwise added to a second solution including M1. As a result, a precipitate is formed of M1[M2S(CN)G]1/T.DH2O, where S/T is greater than or equal to 0.8. Low vacancy MCM materials are also presented.
US09966599B2

Provided is lithium titanate that is readily pulverized, and readily dispersed in a binding agent. The lithium titanate is characterized in that the value of a degree of pulverization Zd representing the ratio of the 50% cumulative diameter pre- and post-pulverization is 2 or greater. The lithium titanate is produced by the following steps (1)-(3). (1) a step in which titanyl sulfate or titanium sulfate is thermally hydrolyzed to produce metatitanic acid; (2) a step in which a slurry containing the metatitanic acid is prepared, and the slurry, subsequent to neutralization to bring the pH to 6.0-9.0, undergoes solid-liquid separation, to produce a metatitanic acid-containing titanium starting material having a BET specific surface area of 100-400 m2/g, and in which the sulfuric acid (SO4) content is 0.01-2.0 mass % with respect to the amount of metatitanic acid, on a TiO2-converted basis; and (3) a step in which the titanium starting material and a lithium compound are mixed and baked.
US09966592B2

In order to allow for maximum freedom of design in the selection of an electrode or battery shape, a compact configuration and low production costs, the invention specifies a battery electrode and a method for producing same, wherein a collector substrate is coated with a coating film and at least one arrester region is produced thereon by removing the coating film by means of laser ablation.
US09966582B2

An exemplary battery pack enclosure assembly includes a tensioning section that limits movement of a first enclosure side relative to a second enclosure side to resist expansion of at least one battery cell within a group of battery cells that are disposed along an axis between the first enclosure side and the second enclosure side.
US09966576B2

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case having an opening at an upper portion to accommodate the electrode assembly, a cap plate for covering the opening of the case, and a retainer surrounding a corner portion of the electrode assembly, the retainer being disposed between the electrode assembly and a bottom of the case.
US09966575B2

A film-forming composition according to the present invention includes: a fluororesin having a repeating unit of the formula (1) and a repeating unit of the general formula (2); and a fluorine-containing solvent. In the general formula (2), R1 represents a C1-C15 straight, C3-C15 branched or C3-C15 cyclic hydrocarbon group in which at least one hydrogen atom may be replaced by a fluorine atom or chlorine atom and which may have a hydroxy group. This film-forming composition is suitably usable for the manufacturing of an organic semiconductor element as the composition can form a fluororesin film on an organic semiconductor film; and the formed film has resistance to an etching solvent during the fine pattern processing of the organic semiconductor film by photolithography etc.
US09966553B2

A display apparatus includes: a substrate; a first electrode; an insulating film including an opening that extends to at least the central portion of the first electrode; a light-emitting diode disposed on the first electrode and including a first pad electrically connected to the first electrode; a reflective film disposed on the insulating film so as to cover at least a portion of an inner surface of the opening; and a light path guide layer disposed on the insulating film so as to cover at least a portion of the reflective film and including a plurality of holes or a plurality of grooves on the top surface. In one embodiment, the display apparatus improves the light extraction efficiency of the light-emitting diode.
US09966546B2

Provided is a display device having a first region and a second region. The first region includes: a base film; a first layer located over the base film and including a transistor; and a second layer located over the first layer and including a light-emitting element electrically connected to the transistor. The second region includes: the base film; a substrate under the base substrate; and a wiring layer located over the base film and including a wiring extending from the first layer to an edge portion of the base film. A thickness of the substrate decreases with decreasing distance to the first region.
US09966541B2

An organic electroluminescence device utilizes a novel combination comprising one or more biscarbazole derivative compounds as the phosphorescent host material in combination with a green phosphorescent dopant material in the light emitting region of the device, where the biscarbazole derivative compounds are represented by a formula (1A) or (1B) below; where A1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group having 1 to 30 ring carbon atoms; A2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 30 ring carbon atoms, or substituted or unsubstituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group having 1 to 30 ring carbon atoms; X1 and X2 each are a linking group; Y1 to Y4 each represent a substituent; p and q represent an integer of 1 to 4; and r and s represent an integer of 1 to 3; and the green phosphorescent dopant material is a phosphorescent organometallic complex having a chemical structure represented by LL′L″M wherein M is a metal that forms octahedral complexes, L, L′, and L″ are equivalent or inequivalent bidentate ligands wherein each L comprises a substituted or unsubstituted phenylpyridine ligand coordinated to M through an sp2 hybridized carbon and N; and, one of L, L′ and L″ is different from at least one of the other two.
US09966540B2

A condensed cyclic compound is represented by Formula 1. An organic light-emitting device includes the condensed cyclic compound represented by Formula 1. X, Y1, Y2, A, B, and R1 of Formula 1 are described herein. An organic light-emitting device including an organic layer including the condensed cyclic compound may have low driving voltage, high efficiency, high brightness, and long lifespan.
US09966534B2

A copolymer comprising a repeat unit of Formula (I) and at least one further repeat unit: Formula (I) wherein: wherein: Ar1 and Ar2 are each independently selected from aryl and heteroaryl, each of which is independently unsubstituted or substituted with one or more substituents; each R is independently a substituent; each n is independently 0, 1 or 2; each m is independently 0, 1, 2 or 3, and at least one of the repeat units of the polymer is a partially conjugating repeat unit.
US09966530B2

A resistive random access memory device and a method for fabricating the same are presented. The resistive random access memory device includes a first electrode having a first dopant within. A second electrode is disposed on the first electrode. A resistive switching layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09966528B2

A magnetic junction and method for providing the magnetic junction are described. The magnetic junction includes free and pinned layers separated by a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. Providing the pinned and/or free layer(s) includes providing a magnetic layer including a glass-promoting component, providing a sacrificial oxide layer on the magnetic layer, providing a sacrificial layer on the sacrificial oxide layer and performing at least one anneal of the magnetic layer, the sacrificial oxide layer and the sacrificial layer at anneal temperature(s) greater than 300 degrees Celsius and not exceeding 475 degrees Celsius. The magnetic layer is amorphous as-deposited but is at least partially crystallized after the anneal(s). The sacrificial layer includes a sink for the glass-promoting component. The sacrificial layer and the sacrificial oxide layer are removed after the anneal(s).
US09966524B2

According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a single crystal piezoelectric body with first and second planes facing each other and having a crystal orientation of [100], first and second electrodes on the respective first and second plane of the piezoelectric body, an acoustic matching layer on the first electrode, and a backing member under the second electrode, wherein the piezoelectric body is polarized along a first direction passing through the piezoelectric body and first and second electrodes, a fracture surface of the piezoelectric body that includes the first direction has a multilayer shape along one of the first and second electrodes, and a thickness of each layer of the multilayer shape is not less than 0.5 μm and not more than 5 μm.
US09966513B2

A light emitting device includes a light emitting element; a light reflecting member having an Ag-containing layer on a surface thereof; and a protective film having a thickness of 1 nm to 300 nm and covering a surface of the light reflecting member, the protective film covering a surface of the light reflecting member, in which the Ag-containing layer has a thickness of 0.1 μm to 0.5 μm.
US09966511B2

The present invention relates to a light emitting diode component (101), comprising a light emitting semiconductor structure (104) having a top surface, and a micro-optical multilayer structure (102) arranged to guide light out from said light emitting semiconductor structure (104), said micro-optical multilayer structure (102) comprising a plurality of layers, wherein an i+1:th layer is arranged on top an i:th layer in a sequence as seen from said semiconductor structure (104), wherein a refractive index, ni, of the i:th layer is greater than a refractive index, ni+1, of the i+1:th layer, and wherein a thickness of the i+1:th layer is greater than a thickness of the i:th layer. The present invention also relates to a light emitting diode comprising such a light emitting diode component.
US09966509B2

Light emitting apparatus including: substrate; LED chips on substrate; sealing member sealing LED chips; buffer layer on substrate; and dam material on the top surface of buffer layer, for holding back sealing member, wherein the adhesive strength of buffer layer to substrate and the adhesive strength of dam material to buffer layer are higher than the adhesive strength of dam material to substrate.
US09966501B2

A light emitting device includes a substrate including gallium nitride, and a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer including an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer disposed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the active layer, in which an angle defined between a crystal growth plane of the substrate and an m-plane thereof is in a range of 3.5° to 6.
US09966500B2

A semiconductor optical device includes: a ridge stripe structure portion 20 in which a first compound semiconductor layer 31, an active layer 32, and a second compound semiconductor layer 32 are stacked and which has a first end surface 21 which emits light and a second end surface 22 opposite to the first end surface 21; and a current regulation region 41 provided to be adjacent to at least one of ridge stripe adjacent portions 40 positioned at both sides of the ridge stripe structure portion 20, at the second end surface side, and to be away from the ridge stripe structure portion 20. A bottom surface of the current regulation region 41 is under the active layer 33, and a top surface of the ridge stripe adjacent portion 40 excluding the current regulation region 41 is above the active layer 33.
US09966495B2

Disclosed are a transparent conductive layer and a transparent electrode comprising the same, and in particular, a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive layer having a textured surface, wherein the textured surface has protrusions, each protrusion having a ridge forming an arc in its protruding direction, or having an apex at an edge thereof such that two ridges forms an obtuse angle of 90° or more. The transparent conductive layer is manufactured by sputtering only without wet etching.
US09966494B2

A method for manufacturing a polycrystalline silicon ingot includes steps of: a) melting a silicon material in a container disposed in a thermal field to form a molten silicon; b) controlling the thermal field to provide heat to the molten silicon from above the container and to solidify a portion of the molten silicon contacting a base part and at least a portion of a wall part proximate to the base part of the container to form a solid silicon crystalline isolation layer; and c) controlling the thermal field to continuously provide heat to the rest of the molten silicon from above the container and to solidify the rest of the molten silicon gradually from a bottom to a top of the rest of the molten silicon to form a polycrystalline silicon ingot.
US09966485B2

Disclosed are a solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell includes a first back electrode layer on a support substrate; a second back electrode layer on the first back electrode layer; a light absorbing layer on the second back electrode layer; and a front electrode layer on the light absorbing layer.
US09966479B2

The present invention is directed to a paste composition comprising Al and Sn dispersed in an organic medium and to paste compositions that provide a solderable electrode. The present invention is further directed to an electrode formed from the paste composition and a semiconductor device and, in particular, a solar cell comprising such an electrode. The paste compositions that provide a solderable electrode are particularly useful for forming a solar cell back side solderable electrode.
US09966477B2

Embodiments provide a split gate device, methods for fabricating a split gate device, and integrated methods for fabricating a split gate device and a periphery device. In an embodiment, the split gate device is a charge trapping split gate device, which includes a charge trapping layer. In another embodiment, the split gate device is a non-volatile memory cell, which can be formed according to embodiments as standalone or embedded with a periphery device.
US09966476B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a first floating gate and a second floating gate of conductivity types with different polarities. Injection of electrons into the first floating gate via a tunnel insulating film is stored through a decrease in holes in a valence band of the second floating gate, and ejection of electrons from the first floating gate via the tunnel insulating film is stored through an increase in holes in the valence band of the second floating gate.
US09966472B2

A stacked structure includes: an insulating substrate; a graphene film that is formed on the insulating substrate; and a protective film that is formed on the graphene film and is made of a transition metal oxide, which is, for example, Cr2O3. Thereby, at the time of transfer of the graphene, polymeric materials such as a resist are prevented from directly coming into contact with the graphene and nonessential carrier doping on the graphene caused by a polymeric residue of the resist is suppressed.
US09966470B2

A FinFET device includes a substrate and a fin structure having a semiconductor material layer over the substrate and recessed regions on side walls of the fin structure. The recessed regions have openings facing away from the fin structure. The fin structure has a bottom portion below the recessed regions that is wider than a top portion.
US09966467B2

An integrated circuit and a code generating method are described. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of field effect transistors, a plurality of sense-amplifiers, and a processing circuit. Each field effect transistor is configured to represent an address in a mapping table and includes a source, a drain, a channel and a gate. Each sense-amplifier is connected to the drain and configured to sense an electric current from the drain and identify a threshold voltage of the corresponding field effect transistor. The processing circuit is configured to categorize each of the threshold voltages identified by the corresponding sense-amplifiers into a first state and a second state and mark the state of each of the threshold voltages at the corresponding address in the mapping table.
US09966457B2

Aspects of the present disclosure include finFET structures with varied cross-sectional areas and methods of forming the same. Methods according to the present disclosure can include, e.g., forming a structure including: a semiconductor fin positioned on a substrate, wherein the semiconductor fin includes: a gate area, and a terminal area laterally distal to the gate area, a sacrificial gate positioned on the gate area of the semiconductor fin, and an insulator positioned on the terminal area of the semiconductor fin; removing the sacrificial gate to expose the gate area of the semiconductor fin; increasing or reducing a cross-sectional area of the gate area of the semiconductor fin; and forming a transistor gate on the gate area of the semiconductor fin.
US09966455B2

The reliability of a semiconductor device is improved. A first gate electrode of a dummy gate electrode including silicon is formed over a semiconductor substrate. Then, by an ion implantation method, a semiconductor region for source or drain of MISFET is formed in the semiconductor substrate. Then, over the semiconductor substrate, an insulation film is formed in such a manner as to cover the first gate electrode. Then, the insulation film is polished to expose the first gate electrode. Then, the surface of the first gate electrode is wet etched by APM. then, the first gate electrode is removed by wet etching using aqueous ammonia. Thereafter, a gate electrode for MISFET is formed in a region from which the first gate electrode has been removed.
US09966449B2

Methods of forming a semiconductor device are provided. A method of forming a semiconductor device may include forming a metal contact that includes a heavy alkaline earth metal on an n-type semiconductor layer. The heavy alkaline earth metal may underlie a metal layer and/or a capping layer. Related semiconductor devices are also provided.
US09966445B2

A semiconductor device includes first, a second, and third semiconductor layers respectively made of a nitride semiconductor and stacked on a substrate, a drain electrode formed on the third semiconductor layer, a gate electrode formed on the third semiconductor layer, and a source electrode formed within an opening penetrating the third and second semiconductor layers and exposing the first semiconductor layer. The source electrode includes a first conductor layer in contact with the first semiconductor layer, and a second conductor layer stacked on the first conductor layer and in contact with the second semiconductor layer. A work function of a material forming the first conductor layer is smaller than that of a material forming the second conductor layer.
US09966443B2

Systems and methods for molecular sensing are described. Molecular sensors are described which are based on field-effect or bipolar junction transistors. These transistors have a nanopillar with a functionalized layer contacted to either the base or the gate electrode. The functional layer can bind molecules, which causes an electrical signal in the sensor.
US09966439B2

A semiconductor device or a crystal that suppresses phase transition of a corundum structured oxide crystal at high temperatures is provided. According to the present invention, a semiconductor device or a crystal structure is provided, including a corundum structured oxide crystal containing one or both of indium atoms and gallium atoms, wherein the oxide crystal contains aluminum atoms at least in interstices between lattice points of a crystal lattice.
US09966436B2

A semiconductor device includes a first channel having a first linear surface and a first non-linear surface. The semiconductor device includes a first dielectric region surrounding the first channel. The semiconductor device includes a second channel having a third linear surface and a third non-linear surface. The semiconductor device includes a second dielectric region surrounding the second channel. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode surrounding the first dielectric region and the second dielectric region.
US09966434B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate including a plurality of transistor devices formed thereon, at least an epitaxial structure formed in between the transistor devices, and a tri-layered structure formed on the epitaxial structure. The epitaxial structure includes a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material, and a lattice constant of the second semiconductor material is larger than a lattice constant of the first semiconductor material. The tri-layered structure includes an undoped epitaxial layer, a metal-semiconductor compound layer, and a doped epitaxial layer sandwiched in between the undoped epitaxial layer and the metal-semiconductor compound layer. The undoped epitaxial layer and the doped epitaxial layer include at least the second semiconductor material.
US09966431B2

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to vertical memory cell structures and methods of manufacture. The vertical memory cell includes a vertical nanowire capacitor and vertical pass gate transistor. The vertical nanowire capacitor composes of: a plurality of vertical nanowires extending from an insulator layer; a dielectric material on vertical sidewalls of the plurality of vertical nanowires; doped material provided between the plurality of vertical nanowire; the pass gate transistor composes of: high-k dielectric on top part of the nanowire, metal layer surrounding high-k material as all-around gate. And there is dielectric layer in between vertical nanowire capacitor and vertical nanowire transistor as insulator. At least one bitline extending on a top of the plurality of vertical nanowires and in electrical contact therewith; and at least one wordline formed on vertical sidewalls of the plurality of vertical nanowires and separated therefrom by the dielectric material.
US09966408B1

A method of image sensor fabrication includes forming a photodiode and a floating diffusion in a first semiconductor material, and removing part of an oxide layer disposed proximate to a seed area on a surface of the first semiconductor material. The method also includes depositing a second semiconductor material over the surface of the first semiconductor material, and annealing the first semiconductor material and second semiconductor material. A portion of the second semiconductor material is etched away to form part of a source follower transistor, and dopant is implanted into the second semiconductor material to form a first doped region, a third doped region, and a second doped region. The second doped region is laterally disposed between the first doped region and the third doped region, and the second doped region is a channel of the source follower transistor.
US09966405B2

A device having a sensor die with a sensor and a control circuit die with at least one control circuit disposed therein, the control circuit die on the sensor die. A plurality of mounting pads is disposed on a second side of the sensor die. A first electrical connection connects a first one of the plurality of mounting pads to a first control circuit of the at least one sensor control circuit and a second electrical connection connects the first control circuit to the sensor. A third electrical connection connects the sensor to a second control circuit of the at least one control circuit and a fourth electrical connection connects the second control circuit to second one of the plurality of mounting pads.
US09966404B2

An image sensor package includes an image sensor with a pixel array disposed in a semiconductor material. A first transparent shield is adhered to the semiconductor material, and the pixel array is disposed between the semiconductor material and the first transparent shield. The image sensor package further includes a second transparent shield, where the first transparent shield is disposed between the pixel array and the second transparent shield. A light blocking layer is disposed between the first transparent shield and the second transparent shield, and the light blocking layer is disposed to prevent light from reflecting off edges of the first transparent shield into the pixel array.
US09966395B2

A solid-state image sensor is provided. The sensor includes a first transistor including a first diffusion region, a second transistor including a second diffusion region and an insulation film arranged over these transistors. The insulation film includes a first and a second film. A first portion of the first diffusion region covered with the insulation film includes a second portion covered with only the second film. A third portion of the second diffusion region covered with the insulation film includes a fourth portion covered with the first and second film. A stress in the fourth portion is larger than the second portion. A proportion of an area of the first portion except the second portion to an area of the first portion is lower than a proportion of an area of the fourth portion to an area of the third portion.
US09966391B2

A backplane for a display apparatus includes a substrate including a display area and a non-display area; a first transistor formed on the display area; and a second transistor formed on the non-display area, wherein a first active layer includes a first channel area, a first source area disposed on one side of the first channel area, a first drain area disposed on the other side of the first channel area, and a low-density doped area and a halo doped area that are adjacent to both ends of the first gate electrode, and the second active layer includes a second channel area, a second source area disposed on one side of the second channel area, and a second drain area disposed on the other side of the second channel area.
US09966376B2

Disclosed are CMOS device and CMOS inverter. The CMOS device includes a substrate having active lines extending in a first direction and defined by a device isolation layer, the substrate being divided into an NMOS area, a PMOS area and a boundary area interposed between the NMOS and the PMOS areas and having the device isolation layer without the active line, a gate line extending in a second direction across the active lines and having a first gate structure on the active line in the first area, a second gate structure on the active line in the second and a third gate structure on the device isolation layer in the third area. The electrical resistance and parasitic capacitance of the third gate structure are smaller than those of the NMOS and the PMOS gate structures. Accordingly, better AC and DC performance of the CMOS device can be obtained.
US09966375B2

A semiconductor device includes a compound semiconductor layer, where the compound semiconductor layer includes separate fin patterns in separate regions. The separate fin patterns may include different materials. The separate fin patterns may include different dimensions, including one or more of width and height of one or more portions of the fin patterns. The separate fin patterns may include an upper pattern and a lower pattern. The upper pattern and the lower pattern may include different materials. The upper pattern and the lower pattern may include different dimensions. Separate regions may include separate ones of an NMOS or a PMOS. The semiconductor device may include gate electrodes on the compound semiconductor layer. Separate gate electrodes may intersect the separate fin patterns.
US09966373B2

Elongated metal contacts with longitudinal axes that lie in a first direction are formed to make electrical connections to elongated source and drain regions with longitudinal axes that lie in the first direction, and elongated metal contacts with longitudinal axes that lie a second direction are formed to make electrical connections to elongated source and drain regions with longitudinal axes that lie the second direction, where the second direction lies orthogonal to the first direction.
US09966355B2

A wire, preferably a bonding wire for bonding in microelectronics, contains a copper core with a surface and coating layer containing aluminum superimposed over the surface of the copper core. The ratio of the thickness of the coating layer to the diameter of the copper core is from 0.05 to 0.2 μm. The wire has a diameter in the range of from 100 μm to 600 μm and specified standard deviations of the diameter of the copper core and of the thickness of the coating layer. The invention further relates to a process for making a wire, to a wire obtained by the process, to an electric device containing at least two elements and the wire, to a propelled device containing the electric device, and to a process of connecting two elements through the wire by wedge bonding.
US09966343B2

Disclosed herein is an electronic circuit package includes: a substrate having a power supply pattern; an electronic component mounted on a surface of the substrate; a mold resin covering the surface of the substrate so as to embed therein the electronic component; a magnetic film formed of a composite magnetic material obtained by dispersing magnetic fillers in a thermosetting resin material, the magnetic film covering upper and side surfaces of the molding resin and an edge portion of the front surface exposed to a side surface of the substrate; and a metal film connected to the power supply pattern and covering the molding resin through the magnetic film.
US09966341B1

Input/output pins for a chip-embedded substrate may be fabricated by applying a contact-distinct volume of solder to at least two contacts that are recessed within the chip-embedded substrate, temperature-cycling the chip-embedded substrate to induce solder reflow and define an input/output pin for each one of the at least two contacts, and machining the input/output pin for each one of the at least two contacts to extend exposed from the chip-embedded substrate to a common height within specification tolerance. Such a technique represents a paradigm shift in that the manufacturer of the chip-embedded substrate, as opposed to the immediate customer of the manufacturer, may assume the burden of quality control with respect to minimizing unintended solder void trapping under the input/output pins, thereby reinforcing existing customer loyalty and potentially attracting new customers.
US09966336B2

A device includes a first low-k dielectric layer, and a copper-containing via in the first low-k dielectric layer. The device further includes a second low-k dielectric layer over the first low-k dielectric layer, and an aluminum-containing metal line over and electrically coupled to the copper-containing via. The aluminum-containing metal line is in the second low-k dielectric layer.
US09966334B2

A semiconductor module (10A) according to one embodiment includes: vertical first and second transistor chips (12A, 12B), wherein a second main electrode pad (20) formed on a back surface of the first transistor chip is mounted on and connected to a first wiring pattern (74) on the substrate, a first control electrode pad (16) formed together with a first main electrode pad on a front surface of the first transistor chip is electrically connected to a second wiring pattern (76) on the substrate, third main electrode pad (18) formed together with a second control electrode pad on a front surface of the second transistor is mounted on and connected to the first wiring pattern, and the second control electrode pad (16) formed on a back surface of the second transistor chip is electrically connected to a third wiring pattern.
US09966333B2

A semiconductor substrate includes: (1) a first dielectric structure having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; (2) a second dielectric structure having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, wherein the fourth surface faces the first surface, the second dielectric structure defining a through hole extending from the third surface to the fourth surface, wherein a cavity is defined by the through hole and the first dielectric structure; (3) a first patterned conductive layer, disposed on the first surface of the first dielectric structure; and (4) a second patterned conductive layer, disposed on and contacting the second surface of the first dielectric structure and including at least one conductive trace, wherein the first dielectric structure defines at least one opening, and a periphery of the opening corresponds to a periphery of the through hole of the second dielectric structure.
US09966331B2

The wiring substrate includes an insulation layer that includes a lower surface, an upper surface, and an intermediate surface located between the lower surface and the upper surface. A first wiring layer is formed on the lower surface of the insulation layer. A second wiring layer is formed on the intermediate surface of the insulation layer. A recess is formed in the upper surface of the insulation layer. The recess overlaps, in a plan view, a first through hole that extends through the insulation layer. The first through hole is filled with a via wiring, which is formed integrally with the first wiring layer. A bump is formed integrally with the via wiring and projected into the recess. An upper end surface of the bump is located above an upper surface of the second wiring layer.
US09966326B2

A method of producing wettable fillets in electronic packages. A matrix of unsingulated lead frames is provided, each including a plurality of lead elements and a chip pad. Chips are attached to the chip pads and terminals on the chips are electrically connected to lead portions of the lead elements. The top portion of the package is encapsulated. Masking is applied to the bottom surface of the lead elements and the chip pads, but at least one of the lead elements has a portion of its surfaced remaining exposed. The exposed lead element surface is etched to create a fillet. The fillets, lead elements and bottom surface of the chip pads are plated, and the packages then singulated, producing packages with wettable flanks.
US09966311B2

A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to an embodiment including partially forming a first groove on a nitride semiconductor layer provided on a first plane of a substrate having first and second planes by etching so that the substrate is exposed, forming a second groove on the substrate exposed inside the first groove so that a portion of the substrate remains, removing the substrate from the second plane side so that the second groove is not exposed, thinning the substrate, forming a metal film on the second plane side of the substrate, removing the metal film in a portion where the second groove is formed, and forming a third groove on the substrate in the portion where the second groove is formed so that the second groove is exposed from the second plane side.
US09966310B1

One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method of forming an integrated circuit structure. The method may include providing a substrate having a front side and a back side, the substrate including a deep trench (DT) capacitor within the substrate extending toward the back side of the substrate; etching the substrate on the back side of the substrate to remove at least a portion of the substrate on the back side; forming a first dielectric layer covering the back side of the substrate and extending away from the front side of the substrate; and forming a through silicon via (TSV) adjacent to the DT capacitor, the TSV extending through the first dielectric layer toward the front side of the substrate.
US09966309B2

A method includes forming a metallic layer over a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) device, forming reverse memory posts over the metallic layer, and etching the metallic layer using the reverse memory posts as an etching mask. The remaining portions of the metallic layer include a gate contact plug and a source/drain contact plug. The reverse memory posts are then removed. After the gate contact plug and the source/drain contact plug are formed, an Inter-Level Dielectric (ILD) is formed to surround the gate contact plug and the source/drain contact plug.
US09966301B2

A method of forming a semiconductor structure is disclosed. The method includes forming a semiconductor wafer having a device layer situated over a handle substrate, the device layer having at least one semiconductor device, forming a front side glass on a front side of the semiconductor wafer, and partially removing the handle substrate from a back side of the semiconductor wafer. The method also includes removing a portion of the semiconductor wafer from an outer perimeter thereof, either by sawing an edge trim trench through the handle substrate, the device layer and into the front side glass to form a ring, and removing the ring on the outer perimeter of the semiconductor wafer, or by edge grinding the outer perimeter of the semiconductor wafer. The method further includes completely removing the handle substrate.
US09966300B1

Methods and systems for a semiconductor device package with a die to interposer wafer first bond are disclosed and may include bonding a plurality of semiconductor die comprising electronic devices to an interposer wafer, and applying an underfill material between the die and the interposer wafer. Methods and systems for a semiconductor device package with a die-to-packing substrate first bond are disclosed and may include bonding a first semiconductor die to a packaging substrate, applying an underfill material between the first semiconductor die and the packaging substrate, and bonding one or more additional die to the first semiconductor die. Methods and systems for a semiconductor device package with a die-to-die first bond are disclosed and may include bonding one or more semiconductor die comprising electronic devices to an interposer die.
US09966296B2

The present invention proposes variations of the laser separation method allowing separating homoepitaxial films from the substrates made from the same crystalline material as the epitaxial film. This new method of laser separation is based on using the selective doping of the substrate and epitaxial film with fine donor and acceptor impurities. In selective doping, concentration of free carries in the epitaxial film and substrate may essentially differ and this can lead to strong difference between the light absorption factors in the infrared region near the residual beams region where free carriers and phonon-plasmon interaction of the optical phonons with free carriers make an essential contribution to infrared absorption of the optical phonons. With the appropriate selection of the doping levels and frequency of infrared laser radiation, it is possible to achieve that laser radiation is absorbed in general in the region of strong doping near the interface substrate-homoepitaxial film. When scanning the interface substrate-homoepitaxial film with the focused laser beam of sufficient power, thermal decomposition of the semiconductor crystal takes place with subsequent separation of the homoepitaxial film. The advantage of the proposed variations of the method for laser separation of epitaxial films in comparison with the known ones is in that it allows the separation of homoepitaxial films from the substrates, i.e., homoepitaxial films having the same width of the forbidden gap as the initial semiconductor substrate has. The proposed variations of the method can be used for separation of the epitaxial films.
US09966284B2

According to one embodiment, an alignment method includes calculating a position gap of a predetermined point in a device area of a wafer based on a stress applied to the device area, and correcting an exposure condition in a lithography process of the device area based on the position gap of the predetermined point.
US09966280B2

Provided is a method and system for cleaning a substrate with a cleaning system comprising a pre-treatment system and a wet clean system. One or more objectives for the pre-treatment system are selected and two or more pre-treatment operating variables including UV dose, substrate temperature, oxygen partial pressure, oxygen and ozone partial pressure, and/or total pressure, are optimized to meet the pre-treatment objectives, using metrology measurements. The substrate includes a layer to be cleaned and an underlying dielectric layer having a k-value. A pre-treatment gas comprising oxygen and/or ozone is delivered onto a surface of the substrate and irradiated with a UV device, generating oxygen radicals. Cleaning of the substrate in the pre-treatment process is set at less than 100% in order to ensure the change in k-value of the substrate is within a set range for the substrate application.
US09966276B2

Provided are a semiconductor device including an interposer having a relatively thin thickness without a through silicon via and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an interposer including a redistribution layer and a dielectric layer on a dummy substrate, connecting a semiconductor die to the redistribution layer facing an upper portion of the interposer, encapsulating the semiconductor die by using an encapsulation, removing the dummy substrate from the interposer, and connecting a bump to the redistribution layer facing a lower portion of the interposer.
US09966274B2

Provided are a method of generating plasma and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device including the method, which may improve selectivity in an etching process and minimize damage to layers. The method of generating plasma includes generating first plasma by supplying at least one first process gas into a first remote plasma source (RPS) and applying first energy having a first power at a first duty ratio, and generating second plasma by supplying at least one second process gas into a second RPS and applying second energy having a second power at a second duty ratio.
US09966268B2

Provided are a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device capable of forming a high-quality film having low roughness and resistivity and a substrate processing apparatus and program. The method includes (a) forming an amorphous metal film on a substrate while maintaining the substrate by performing steps (a-1) and (a-2) in a time-divisional manner wherein the step (a-1) includes supplying in the time-divisional manner a metal-containing gas and a first reducing gas to the substrate a predetermined number of times to form a first amorphous metal film on the substrate, and the step (a-2) includes simultaneously supplying the metal-containing gas and a second reducing gas to the substrate having the first amorphous metal film formed thereon to form a second amorphous metal film on the first amorphous metal film; and (b) heating the substrate having the amorphous metal film formed thereon to.
US09966262B2

Methods of fabricating a semiconductor device are provided. The methods may include forming a hard mask film on a lower film and forming first spacers on the hard mask film. The first spacers may define an exposure region of the hard mask film, and the exposure region may include a patterning portion and a non-patterning portion. The methods may also include forming a mold film on the first spacers and forming a blocking pattern in the mold film. The blocking pattern may vertically overlap the non-patterning portion. The methods may further include exposing the first spacers by removing the mold film after forming the blocking pattern.
US09966253B2

A nanotip apparatus which includes nanotips arranged in a pattern on a semiconductor base. Each of the nanotips have a pointed tip portion and a base portion in contact with the semiconductor base. Further, each of the nanotips include a gradient of silicon germanium (SiGe) with the highest concentration of germanium being at the pointed tip portion and the lowest concentration of germanium being at the base in contact with the semiconductor base. Also disclosed is a method in which the nanotips may be formed.
US09966246B2

A lamp for automotive vehicle front lighting is described. The lamp 10 comprises a base 12 for mechanical and electrical connection to an automotive headlight 50 and a burner 14 fixed to the base 12. The burner 14 comprises an enclosed transparent vessel 22. A first and a second filament 34, 36 are arranged within the vessel 22. A baffle 40 is arranged proximate to the first filament 34 to shield the second filament 36 from the first filament 34. When the first filament 34 is operated at a supply voltage of 13.2 V at an electrical power greater than 35 W and less than or equal to 38 W, light with a luminous flux of 500-700 lm is emitted from the lamp 10. If the second filament 36 is operated at a supply voltage of 13.2 V at an electrical power greater than 35 W and less than or equal to 38 W, light with a luminous flux of 800-1,000 lm is emitted from the lamp 10. Both the first and the second filament wire 34, 36 are comprised of a filament wire wound in a winding structure around a filament axis, where the number of winding turns for each of first and second filaments 34, 36 is 16-23.
US09966245B2

A cooling apparatus for cooling a light source unit is provided. The cooling apparatus includes a cooling unit provided outside a path of light from the light source unit, and a heat pipe configured to connect a heat generating portion of the light source unit and the cooling unit. The heat pipe also serves as an electrode wire of the light source unit.
US09966244B2

An ion manipulation method and device is disclosed. The device includes a pair of substantially parallel surfaces. An array of inner electrodes is contained within, and extends substantially along the length of, each parallel surface. The device includes a first outer array of electrodes and a second outer array of electrodes. Each outer array of electrodes is positioned on either side of the inner electrodes, and is contained within and extends substantially along the length of each parallel surface. A DC voltage is applied to the first and second outer array of electrodes. A RF voltage, with a superimposed electric field, is applied to the inner electrodes by applying the DC voltages to each electrode. Ions either move between the parallel surfaces within an ion confinement area or along paths in the direction of the electric field, or can be trapped in the ion confinement area.
US09966242B2

A high throughput deposition apparatus includes a first process chamber; one or more first deposition sources in the first process chamber; a first main carrier comprising a plurality of first sub-carriers each configured to carry one or more substrate each positioned around an axial direction and configured to receive a first deposition material from the one or more first deposition sources, wherein the first sub-carriers define a curved surface around the axial direction; and a transport mechanism configured to move the first main carrier along the axial direction through the first process chamber.
US09966241B2

A sputtering apparatus includes a shutter arranged having a first surface on a side of a substrate holder and a second surface on the opposite side, a first shield having a third surface including a portion facing the second surface and a fourth surface on the opposite side, a second shield having a fifth surface including a portion facing end portions of the shutter and the first shield, and a gas supply unit supplying a gas into a space arranged outside the first shield to communicate with a first gap between the second surface of the shutter and the third surface of the first shield. The second shield includes a protruding portion on the fifth surface to form a second gap between the protruding portion and the end portion of the shutter.
US09966236B2

A plasma processing chamber and methods for operating the chamber are provided. An exemplary chamber includes an electrostatic chuck for receiving a substrate and a dielectric window connected to a top portion of the chamber. An inner side of dielectric window faces a plasma processing region that is above the electrostatic chuck and an outer side of the dielectric window is exterior to the plasma processing region. Inner and outer coils are disposed above the outer side of the dielectric window, and the inner and outer coils are connected to a first RF power source. A powered grid is disposed between the outer side of dielectric window and the inner and outer coils. The powered grid is connected to a second RF power source that is independent from the first RF power source.
US09966229B2

In one embodiment, a supporting case includes a lower case member and an upper case member. The mounting substrate is pinched between a lower cylindrical supporting portion and a upper cylindrical supporting portion. Peripheral regions of the mounting substrate that are on a peripheral side with respect to a part pinched between the lower cylindrical supporting portion and the upper cylindrical supporting portion are positioned in a space defined by a bottom plate portion, a lower peripheral-wall portion, and the lower cylindrical supporting portion of the lower case member and a top lid portion, an upper peripheral-wall portion, and the upper cylindrical supporting portion of the upper case member.
US09966225B2

A simulation device calculates a detection number of electrons generated by charged particles radiated to a sample by a simulation and generates a simulation image of the sample. The simulation device holds penetration length information (272) in which incidence conditions of the charged particles and a penetration length are associated with each other, sample configuration information (271) which shows a configuration of a sample, and emission electron number information in which the incidence conditions of the charged particles and an emission electron number are associated with each other. The simulation device calculates the number of electrons emitted from a predetermined incidence point, on the basis of incidence conditions at the predetermined incidence point, the penetration length information (272), the sample configuration information (271), and the emission electron number information.
US09966224B2

Quantitative Secondary Electron Detection (QSED) using the array of solid state devices (SSD) based electron-counters enable critical dimension metrology measurements in materials such as semiconductors, nanomaterials, and biological samples (FIG. 3). Methods and devices effect a quantitative detection of secondary electrons with the array of solid state detectors comprising a number of solid state detectors. An array senses the number of secondary electrons with a plurality of solid state detectors, counting the number of secondary electrons with a time to digital converter circuit in counter mode.
US09966222B2

A sample holder includes an adapter attached to an adapter attaching part. An analysis target, e.g., analytical cell, has first electrical connection members. The adapter has second electrical connection members. The number of the first electrical connection members and the number of the second electrical connection members are the same. Further, the adapter has third electrical connection members, and the adapter attaching part has fourth electrical connection members. The number of the third electrical connection members and the number of the fourth electrical connection members are the same. For example, the third electrical connection members are six electrically conductive membranes, i.e., a first electrically conductive membrane to a sixth electrically conductive membrane. Among the six electrically conductive membranes, only the third electrically conductive membrane is not electrically connected to any of the second electrical connection members and the first electrical connection members.
US09966215B2

The disclosure relates to a permanent magnet actuator comprising: a stator iron core having a space therein-side, and having a first wall and a second wall opposing the first wall; a movable element moving reciprocally between the first wall and the second wall, along a moving axis which connects the first wall and the second wall inside the space; a first magnetomotive force supplying body and a second magnetomotive force supplying body disposed respectively on the first wall and the second wall, so as to supply a magnetomotive force to the movable element for the reciprocal movement thereof, wherein, at least one of the first magnetomotive force supplying body and the second magnetomotive force supplying body selectively produces a bidirectional magnetomotive force; a permanent magnet disposed between the first magnetomotive force supplying body and the second magnetomotive force supplying body, and providing a coercive force to the movable element for maintaining the state thereof; and a driving circuit comprising a control unit for controlling a voltage or current that is supplied to the first magnetomotive force supplying body and the second magnetomotive force supplying body.
US09966213B2

An electronic device capable of reducing costs for equipment is shown. Of a plurality of housings each having an electromagnetic relay body incorporated therein, the adjacent housings are unified with a disconnectable connector provided on facing outer surfaces of the housings.
US09966210B1

A circuit interrupter having a moveable contact arm that forms part of the linkage assembly that connects to the handle. The moveable contact arm positioned essentially vertically in the circuit interrupter housing and positioned such that any arc that develops is drawn in a direction away from the moveable contact arm. The moveable contact arm moveable about two pivot points when the contacts are opening and closing, one of the two pivots positioned in a curved channel to slidingly move in the channel during opening and closing.
US09966207B1

A high voltage in-line air break disconnect switch suspended by an electric power line conductor wherein the switch includes a rotating switch blade that is operated by a communication system controlled motor that may include a switch mounted radio which may be controlled by another radio located at a distance and powered by a solar charged battery. The communication system controlled motorized in-line air break disconnect switch may also be arranged in a three phase installation in a two-way or three-way switching arrangement attached to a utility pole or other structure. The communication system controlled motorized in line air break disconnect switch may in addition be arranged in a phase over phase switching arrangement supported by a utility pole or other structure.
US09966201B2

In an electrochemical cell including a cathode 7, an anode 6, electrolyte 10, a hollow container 1 accommodating these members, and terminals extending from the inside to the outside of the hollow container 1, the terminals include a plurality of inner terminals 5a formed on the inner surface of the hollow container 1, a cathode outer terminal 5b1 formed on the outer surface of the hollow container 1, and an inner layer wire 5c formed on the inner layer of the hollow container 1 for commonly connecting the plurality of inner terminals 5a to the cathode outer terminal 5b1.
US09966185B2

An electronic device is disclosed. An electronic device comprises a first magnetic sheet, a coil, and a board. The first magnetic sheet has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The coil is located on the first surface. The board has a third surface facing the second surface and has a first component on the third surface. The first magnetic sheet has a through hole that penetrates therethrough from the first surface to the second surface in a region of the first surface, the region being surrounded by the coil. The first component has a first portion facing the through hole.
US09966183B2

A coil is provided at a multilayer body including insulating layers stacked on one another. The coil includes linear conductors connected by via conductors to make a looped track when viewed from a layer stacking direction. The linear conductors include a first linear conductor contacting with an external electrode provided on the surface of the multilayer body, and a second linear conductor forming a half of the looped track. The first linear conductor includes a coil portion forming a part of the looped track. The second linear conductor is adjacent to the first linear conductor with one of the insulating layers in-between, and a first end of the second linear conductor is connected to a first end of the first linear conductor by a first via conductor. A second end of the second linear conductor does not overlap the first linear conductor when viewed from the layer stacking direction.
US09966181B2

There is provided a thin film-type coil component having a size equal to or less than 0806 and including a ceramic main body, external electrodes including a plurality of first external electrodes formed on one surface of the ceramic main body and a plurality of second external electrodes formed on the other surface facing one surface of the ceramic main body, and a coil unit including a plurality of coil layers stacked in the ceramic main body, thereby obtaining low direct current (DC) resistance.
US09966179B2

A common mode filter includes a magnetic substrate in which ferrite particles having anisotropy and a planar structure are disposed to have a planar orientation.
US09966175B2

A voltage limiting circuit of a solenoid drive device includes a function to limit the value of a boost voltage generated by a boost voltage power source circuit. The voltage limiting circuit is equipped with a boost voltage comparing unit and a boost voltage discharge unit. The boost voltage comparing unit compares a voltage-divided value of the boost voltage with a reference voltage value, and in the case that the voltage-divided value is higher than the reference voltage value, the boost voltage discharge unit lowers the voltage-divided value to be less than or equal to the reference voltage value.
US09966173B2

A superconducting magnet device includes a superconducting coil, a radiation shield, a vacuum case, an electrode member, and a conductive member. The conductive member includes an oxidized lead disposed in the radiation shield. The vacuum case includes a case body having an outer opening and an outer lid that is detachably attachable to the case body. The radiation shield includes a shield body having an inner opening and an inner lid that is detachably attachable to the shield body. The inner opening is formed in the region of the shield body that overlaps a portion of the outer opening when viewed in the direction from the outer opening to the oxidized lead.
US09966159B2

An apparatus comprising a variable aperture for controlling electromagnetic radiation and related systems and methods are described. In one aspect, a variable aperture to control electromagnetic radiation comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, an attenuation fluid, at least one charging electrode, and at least one displacing electrode. The second substrate is located opposite the first substrate and spaced apart from the first substrate to form a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. The attenuation fluid is located in the gap and configured to absorb electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wavelength. The at least one charging electrode is in electrical contact with the attentional fluid. The at least one displacing electrode is located on a surface of the first substrate facing the gap or on a surface of the second substrate facing the gap.
US09966157B2

The invention related to a complexing system for extracting a radionuclide from a waste water solution including calix[n]arene groups on the surface of a porous conducting material.
US09966156B2

The present invention relates to a process for sintering a compacted powder of at least one oxide of a metal selected from an actinide and a lanthanide, this process comprising the following successive steps, carried out in a furnace and under an atmosphere comprising an inert gas, dihydrogen and water: (a) a temperature increase from an initial temperature TI up to a hold temperature TP, (b) maintaining the temperature at the hold temperature TP, and (c) a temperature decrease from the hold temperature TP down to a final temperature TF, in which the P(H2)/P(H2O) ratio is such that: 500
US09966155B2

An apparatus for reinforcing a jet pump riser includes: an elbow upper clamp for covering a riser elbow coupled to a thermal sleeve from an upper side thereof; an elbow lower clamping member for clamping the riser elbow from a lower side thereof; an elbow vertical portion clamping member for covering a vertical portion of the riser elbow; and an elbow horizontal portion clamping member for covering a horizontal portion of the riser elbow. These members are disposed in different orientations with respect to the elbow upper clamp so as to fix the thermal sleeve, the riser elbow and the riser pipe.
US09966150B2

A method to program bitcells of a ROM array uses different programming cells for programming the bitcells with a first or second data item. A first bitcell is programmed by means of a selected programming cell, wherein the programming cell is selected in dependence on operating the memory array as a flipped or a non-flipped memory in multi-bank instance. All other bitcells located in the same column as the first bitcell and subsequent rows are programmed by selected programming cells, wherein the selection of the programming cells is dependent on operating the memory array as a flipped or a non-flipped memory in multi-bank instance and the programming state of the programming cells used for the previously programmed bitcells in the same column.
US09966144B2

In a method of programming a semiconductor memory device, during a standby period, a standby voltage is applied to word lines coupled to a plurality of memory cells included in a selected memory cell string, and, during a first program period, a first pre-bias voltage is applied to a word line coupled to at least one of programmed memory cells of the selected memory cell string. The first pre-bias voltage is greater than the standby voltage.
US09966143B2

A solid state drive (SSD) with improved power efficiency includes one or more non-volatile memory devices configured to operate according to a programming voltage for a program function or an erase function and to a supply voltage for a read function. The SSD also includes a voltage regulator, external of the one or more non-volatile memory devices, having an output connected to the one or more non-volatile memory devices to supply the programming voltage and an input connected to receive a first voltage, the voltage regulator configured to convert the first voltage to the programming voltage. A discrete capacitor is connected to supply the first voltage to the voltage regulator. The one or more non-volatile memory devices operate according to the programming voltage supplied by the voltage regulator during both the normal operation of the SSD and in the event of a power loss or failure of the SSD.
US09966142B2

A memory system (100B) includes an array of non-volatile memory cells (140) and a memory controller (110) having a first port (port connected to line 101) to receive a program command that addresses a number of the memory cells for a programming operation, having a second port (port connected to lines 102 and 103) coupled to the memory array via a command pipeline, and configured to create a plurality of fractional program commands in response to the program command. Execution of each fractional program command applies a single program pulse to the addressed memory cells to incrementally program the addressed memory cells with program data, where the duration of the program pulse associated with each fractional program command is a selected fraction of the total programming time typically required to program the memory cells.
US09966134B1

Disclosed is a multilevel nonvolatile resistive random-access memory device including a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and an insulation film interposed between the lower electrode and the upper electrode. Each of the lower electrode and the upper electrode includes a plate-shaped portion, and a patterned portion formed on the plate-shaped portion, and the patterned portion includes a protruding 3-dimensional prism structure pattern in which a plurality of prism-shaped structures is repeatedly arranged at a constant interval in a given direction. The patterned portion of the lower electrode and the patterned portion of the upper electrode are arranged to face each other, and a longitudinal direction of the prism-shaped structures of the lower electrode patterned portion and a longitudinal direction of the prism-shaped structures of the upper electrode patterned portion cross each other.
US09966132B2

A method for programming a non-volatile memory device includes programming a lower bit in a memory cell included in the non-volatile memory device, reading the lower bit programmed in the memory cell before programming an upper bit in the memory cell, determining a threshold voltage of the memory cell according to a result of reading the lower bit, determining a type of the memory cell using the threshold voltage, and supplying one of a plurality of pulses to a bit line connected to the memory cell according to the determined type of the memory cell.
US09966126B2

A delay circuit of a semiconductor memory device includes a delay chain, a first phase converter and a second phase converter. The delay chain is connected between an input terminal and an output terminal, includes 2N delay cells, and delays a first intermediate signal to generate a second intermediate signal. The first phase converter is connected to the input terminal, and provides the first intermediate signal to the delay chain, wherein the first intermediate signal is generated by inverting a phase of an input signal or by maintaining the phase of the input signal in response to a control signal. The second phase converter is connected to the output terminal, and generates an output signal by inverting a phase of the second intermediate signal or by maintaining the phase of the second intermediate signal in response to the control signal.
US09966123B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first memory cell capable of storing one of first and second data, first and second lines coupled to the first memory cell, a first controller capable of simultaneously outputting first and second signals, and a first driver configured to apply a first voltage to the first line and apply a second voltage to the second line according to the first data and an asserted first signal in the first data writing, and apply a third voltage to the first line and apply a fourth voltage to the second line according to the second data and an asserted second signal in the second data writing.
US09966122B2

According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory device includes a metal-containing layer including a metallic element, a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first intermediate layer. The second magnetic layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and a portion of the metal-containing layer. The first intermediate layer includes a portion provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The first intermediate layer is nonmagnetic. The first intermediate layer is convex toward the metal-containing layer.
US09966113B1

A synchronized playing system for virtual reality (VR) image adopted by a ride system includes a track and a car running along the track. The system includes a controller system, a synchronization system and a visualization system. The visualization system includes multiple VR apparatuses respectively worn by the passengers of the car. The synchronization system includes a barcode arranged on top face of the track and a proximity sensor arranged on bottom face of the car. The controller system includes a calculation unit and a wireless communication unit communicated wirelessly with the visualization system. The calculation unit generates and transmits a control signal to the visualization system based on barcode content when the car is moving and the barcode is sensed by the proximity sensor. Therefore, each VR apparatus may perform synchronizing process to current played VR video based on current position of the car.
US09966099B2

A record playback apparatus of the present disclosure includes a plurality of optical pickups that records information on a recording medium or plays back information from the recording medium; a single transport mechanism that transports the plurality of optical pickups together; and a transport control circuit that drives the single transport mechanism so that, when the single transport mechanism is driven to transport the plurality of optical pickups to respective target positions on the recording medium, absolute value of a maximum value of transport errors of the plurality of optical pickups with respect to the respective target positions becomes substantially equal to absolute value of a minimum value of transport errors of the plurality of optical pickups with respect to the respective target positions.
US09966081B2

Provided is a method and apparatus for synthesizing a separated sound source, the method including generating spatial information associated with a sound source included in a frame of a stereo audio signal, and synthesizing a separated frequency-domain sound source from the frame of the stereo audio signal based on the spatial information, wherein the spatial information includes a frequency-azimuth plane representing an energy distribution corresponding to a frequency and an azimuth of the frame of the stereo audio signal.
US09966079B2

For directing voice input based on eye tracking, a method is disclosed that includes receiving, by use of a processor, an audio signal, the audio signal comprising voice input, selecting a location from the group consisting of a computing device and an application being displayed on a screen of the computing device, the location being detected where a user's eyes are directed, and directing the voice input to the selected location.
US09966067B2

Digital signal processing techniques for automatically reducing audible noise from a sound recording that contains speech. A noise suppression system uses two types of noise estimators, including a more aggressive one and less aggressive one. Decisions are made on how to select or combine their outputs into a usable noise estimate in a different speech and noise conditions. A 2-channel noise estimator is described. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09966064B2

Methods and systems for automatic speech recognition and methods and systems for training acoustic language models are disclosed. In accordance with one automatic speech recognition method, an acoustic input data set is analyzed to identify portions of the input data set that conform to a general language and to identify portions of the input data set that conform to at least one dialect of the general language. In addition, a general language model and at least one dialect language model is applied to the input data set to perform speech recognition by dynamically selecting between the models in accordance with each of the identified portions. Further, speech recognition results obtained in accordance with the application of the models is output.
US09966047B2

The present invention relates to a time display method. The method includes: when an electronic device in a standby state detects, by using a first sensor, that a movement track of the electronic device meets a first condition, acquiring current time of the electronic device; generating a clock display user interface UI by using the current time, and saving the clock display UI in a buffer; and displaying, on a screen of the electronic device, the clock display UI in the buffer when the screen of the electronic device is lit up. The present invention resolves a problem that time displayed when a screen of an electronic device is lit up undergoes a rapid change, and reduces power consumption of the electronic device.
US09966045B2

There is provided an image display device including a display control unit having a display combining unit that displays one or a plurality of pathological index cursors based on information relating to a pathological slide image.
US09966044B2

The present document describes a method for controlling an output presented on a visual display of a portable computing device having an orientation, the portable computing device comprising a memory on which is stored visual content comprising at least one of graphics data, photo data and video data, and text content substantially comprising text data, the text content further comprising a visual content indicator indicative of the existence of the visual content, the method comprising: detecting the orientation of the portable computing device as corresponding to one of a first display mode and a second display mode; in the orientation corresponding to the first display mode, presenting the text content on the visual display in the first display mode; in the presence of the visual content indicator, detecting a change of the orientation corresponding to the first display mode to the orientation corresponding to the second display mode; and in the orientation corresponding to the second display mode, presenting the visual content in the second display mode on the visual display.
US09966042B2

The present disclosure provides a method for calibrating brightness unevenness of an OLED display panel, the method includes: getting a brightness matrix of an OLED display panel in at least three gray scales, and determining a uniform brightness area and an uneven brightness area, and calculating a fitting Gamma value of each pixel corresponding to the at least three gray scales in the uneven brightness area, and fitting the fitting Gamma curve of the each pixel in the uneven brightness area, and calibrating the brightness of the uneven brightness area based on the fitting Gamma curve of the each pixel. The present disclosure can improve the accurate of the calibrating brightness and the efficiency of the calibration.
US09966040B2

A display device includes: a display unit, a driver unit, and a control unit. The display unit includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in a matrix. The driver unit includes an output transistor configured to drive a plurality of scanning lines connected to the plurality of pixel units. The control unit is configured to supply to the driver unit in a display period, a signal for displaying an image on the display unit, and control a bias state of the output transistor in a display suspension period, so that an absolute value of a threshold voltage of the output transistor which is increased in the display period decreases.
US09966037B2

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is provided for facilitating modification of text colors in a digital image. In an embodiment, the GUI includes a first user interface adapted to display a selectable first set of text colors to appear in a modified digital image. In another embodiment, the GUI includes a second user interface adapted to display a selectable first set of text colors to appear in a modified digital image. In yet another embodiment, the GUI includes various options to facilitate securing of confidential data in the digital image.
US09966032B2

A driving circuit in this disclosure includes plural stages of shift register circuits. Every stage in the shift register circuits includes an enabling control circuit, a first output circuit, a second output circuit and a disabling control circuit. The enabling circuit is configured to control the voltage of the first operation node according to enabling signal. The first output unit is configured to generate the first driving signal according to the voltage of the first operation node and the first clock signal. The second output unit is configured to generate the second driving signal according to the voltage of the first operation node and the second clock signal. The disabling control unit is used to pull low the voltage of the first operation node and output terminal of the first and second output unit to the reference voltage according to the first, third, and fourth clock signals.
US09966029B2

A GOA circuit includes GOA circuit units. Each of the GOA circuit units at each stage includes an input control module, an output control module, and a pull-down module. The pull-down module includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a resistor. The GOA circuit unit uses fewer transistors and fewer capacitors. Therefore, the GOA circuit unit proposed by the present invention is beneficial for being used in displays with a narrow bezel. In addition, the GOA circuit unit omits a capacitor so power generated after the capacitor is charged is reduced. It provides a beneficiary effect of reducing power of the whole GOA circuit.
US09966024B2

The occurrence of flicker is effectively suppressed particularly in a liquid crystal display device that performs low-frequency driving.Provided are a gradation-to-voltage value conversion table for converting a gradation to a voltage value, a correction value map for storing a correction value, and a voltage value-to-gradation conversion table for converting a voltage value to a gradation. A gradation of an input image signal is converted to a first voltage value, using the gradation-to-voltage value conversion table. The correction value specified in accordance with a location of a pixel to be processed is added to or subtracted from the first voltage value so that a second voltage value is obtained. The second voltage value is converted to an output gradation, using the voltage value-to-gradation conversion table. A driving video signal is applied to a source bus line, based on the output gradation.
US09966018B2

Methods are provided for of driving a bistable electro-optic display having at least first and second pixels separated by an inter-pixel gap. In one method, there is applied to the first pixel a drive pulse which drives the pixel to one extreme optical state, and there is applied to the second pixel, which is in this extreme optical state, a reinforcing pulse of the same polarity as the drive pulse. In a second method, a drive pulse applied to the first pixel drives that pixel away from one extreme optical state, and an inverse reinforcing pulse applied to the second pixel is of opposite polarity to the drive pulse. The drive methods reduce edge ghosting or blooming.
US09966013B2

A display apparatus includes an image data receiver receiving image data of an image to be displayed. A driving mode determining controller receives anomalous trichromat data of a user, determines a driving mode as either a general driving mode or an anomalous trichromat correction driving mode, and outputs a driving mode signal indicative of the determination. A correction mode requirement luminance calculator calculates a correction mode requirement luminance for an image output for the user. A backlight boosting determination controller determines a level of boosting light emitted from a backlight, and outputs a boosting determine signal. An image data converter converts image data corresponding to the anomalous trichromat data of the user and the correction mode requirement luminance, and outputs a data signal corresponding to correction image data. The backlight emits light having an intensity corresponding to signals. A pixel transmits light according to the data signal.
US09966012B2

An image display apparatus according to the present invention, includes a light emitter, a first panel configured to transmit light emitted from the light emitter, a second panel configured to transmit light transmitted through the first panel, and a controller configured to control emission brightness of the light emitter and at least one of transmittance of the first panel and transmittance of the second panel, based on input image data.
US09966010B2

Provided are a driving circuit and a driving method thereof, a touch display panel, and a touch display device. The first input terminal of the delay unit is connected to corresponding previous gate driver, the first output terminal of the delay unit is connected to corresponding subsequent gate driver. The delay unit outputs a starting signal to the subsequent gate driver for enabling it after a predetermined time elapses since the previous gate driver outputs a driving signal. The delay unit achieves shift registering between the previous gate driver and the subsequent gate driver, to form a touch-control time period after the previous gate driver outputs a driving signal and before the subsequent gate driver is enabled, so as to ensure that the touch display panel can also achieve a touch-control function with high precision on the premise of achieving a display function of high resolution.
US09966005B2

Pixel compensation circuit, method and flat display device. The circuit includes control terminals of first to fourth controllable and driving switches respectively connected with first to fourth scanning lines and second terminal of the second controllable switch, first terminal of the first controllable switch connected with data line; first terminal of the second controllable switch connected with second terminal of the first controllable switch; first terminal of the third controllable switch connected with the second terminal of the first controllable switch; the second terminal of the first controllable switch is connected with the second terminal of the driving switch through a storage capacitor; anode of an OLED connected with the second terminal of the driving switch, cathode is grounded; first terminal of the fourth controllable switch connected with second voltage terminal, which can avoid unstable current of the organic light emitting diode by drift of threshold voltage of driving transistor.
US09965999B1

An electronic device may include a display and a light that may illuminate the display. Based at least partly on preferences of a user that is using the electronic device, a brightness of the display, and/or a brightness of the ambient environment surrounding the electronic device, the color that is being rendered by the display or that is being illuminated on the display may be determined and/or adjusted to a different color. The color may be presented or adjusted by setting or adjusting the power or current being supplied to one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) included within the light.
US09965989B2

Disclosed are a method and device for controlling low grayscale white balance. The method comprises: calculating a total color difference ΔE(nmax−0) between a grayscale 0 and a grayscale threshold value nmax, according to measured tristimulus values of the grayscale 0 and the grayscale threshold value nmax; determining a color difference relation between various grayscales from the grayscale 0 to the grayscale threshold value nmax, according to the total color difference ΔE(nmax−0) between the grayscale 0 and the grayscale threshold value nmax, wherein the color difference relation enables human eyes to observe a gradual and smooth change from the grayscale 0 to the grayscale threshold value nmax; and controlling white balance according to the color difference relation between various grayscales from the grayscale 0 to the grayscale threshold value nmax. By means of the method, the present invention can automatically adjust white balance, and the transition between low grayscales can be smooth and natural when observed by human eyes.
US09965986B2

The present disclosure discloses a shift register unit and a driving method thereof, a shift register circuit and a display device, and relates to the field of display technology, in order to solve problems of the conventional shift register that it has a complex structure, and occupies a too larger space. The shift register unit comprises an input module for receiving a signal of an input signal terminal and a signal of a high level terminal, a reset module for resetting an output terminal of the shift register unit and a pull-up control node, a pull-down module for discharging the pull-up control node and the output terminal of the shift register unit, a pull-down control module for generating a power supply enable signal and a power supply signal, and an output control module for generating a gate drive signal and outputting the power supply enable signal, the power supply signal and the gate drive signal. The shift register unit provided by the present disclosure is applied to the display device.
US09965983B2

A keyless entry system for an automobile includes a capacitive touch screen having at least one drive line and at least one sense line, the drive and sense lines defining a plurality of touch detection nodes. The touch screen is associated with an exterior surface of the automobile. A control circuit coupled to the touch screen is configured to detect proximity of a stimulus to the touch detection nodes. The control circuit provides a control output to a lock or latch controller when the control circuit determines that the stimulus has been placed proximate the touch detection nodes according to predetermined criteria.
US09965982B2

A near-eye light field display device for displaying a light field to at least one eye of a viewer, the device comprising an array of light field display elements, each display element adapted to display a time-varying light field view image, the display device configured to modulate the focus of the time-varying view image displayed by each display element according to a time-varying fixation depth of the at least one eye.
US09965979B2

The present invention discloses a display system and an encryption and decryption method thereof. The display system includes a display apparatus and a decryption apparatus. The decryption apparatus includes a decryption device which includes a decryption panel. The display apparatus generates encrypted first display light. The decryption panel decrypts the first display light according to a preset cipher.
US09965975B2

A system includes several pairable elements and elements to be used for such a system. Each of the elements is adapted to be combined with another element, thereby constituting a pair of elements. The elements include a first indicator where when combining the first indicator of a first element and the first indicator of a second element in a manner specific to the first indicators, the combined first indicators indicate if the first and second elements are a pair. Further, elements include a second indicator where when combining the second indicator of the first element and a second indicator of the second element in an manner specific to the second indicators, the combined second indicators indicate if the elements are a pair and if they are not a pair, the combined second indicators identify the right element to pair with said first and second element.
US09965960B1

The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods for providing an indicator of a direction between a requester and a transportation vehicle. For example, the systems and methods described herein can provide a dynamic digital compass from the current orientation of a requester client device to the location of a transportation vehicle. For example, the systems and methods described herein can determine a location of a requester client device, a location of a transportation vehicle, and an orientation of the requester client device. The systems and methods can also utilize the location of the requester client device, the location of the transportation vehicle, and the orientation of the requester client device to identify a direction from the requester client device to the transportation vehicle relative to the current orientation of the requester client device and provide a digital compass to indicate the direction to the transportation vehicle.
US09965954B2

Provided is a computer system and methods for directing mobile peer devices. A method includes receiving an itinerary identifying one or more goals for the peer devices; receiving a priority associated with the itinerary, the priority identifying at least one goal of the one or more goals, the priority listing the at least one goal in order of importance; determining a routing in accordance with the itinerary and the priority; and broadcasting the routing. A computer system includes a routing module coupled to a memory configurable to determine a routing based on priorities and itinerary goals; a receiver coupled to a processor configurable to receive the priorities and the itinerary goals from at least two peer devices over a wireless connection; and a transmitter coupled to the processor configurable to broadcast the routing to the peer devices, the routing configurable to direct the peer devices.
US09965949B2

A system, a method and a computer-readable medium are disclosed for generating an infrared code from an envelope waveform of an infrared signal on a computing device. An envelope waveform is created by reflections of the original infrared signal between the emitter of the infrared signal and the receiver of the computing device. The computing device generates an intermediate signal from the received IR signal and then determines a digital envelope waveform from the intermediate signal. The computing device queries a database storing known pairs of digital envelope waveforms and IR codes and receives an IR code.
US09965946B2

Systems and methods for monitoring physiological monitoring systems are described herein. A communication interface module can be configured to receive from a physiological monitoring system first data based on a snapshot taken of a status of the physiological monitoring system at a first time. A memory module can be configured to store the first data and a baseline associated with the physiological monitoring system. A processor module can be configured to compare the first data with the baseline and to generate a notification if the first data deviates from the baseline by a predetermined amount. A display module can be configured to display a physical location of a plurality of physiological monitoring systems and display the notification.
US09965944B1

An example protective device for an alarm system includes a first connection interface configured to couple communicatively to a command module via a first communications bus, a second connection interface configured to couple communicatively to a communications module via a second communications bus, and a third connection interface configured to couple communicatively to one or more sensors or input devices via a third communications bus. The protective device is configured to receive, from a control module via the first communications bus, a first electrical signal corresponding to a command addressing the communications module. In response, the protective device transmits the first electrical signal to the communications module via the second communications bus. The protective device is also configured to detect a fault condition with respect to the third communication bus. In response, the protective device electrically isolates the first and second communications buses from the third communications bus.
US09965943B2

A hand hygiene compliance monitoring system includes a method and computer program product for performing sanitation compliance monitoring including receiving sanitation compliance data. The sanitation compliance data includes a zone identifier corresponding to a first device in a zone and an entity identifier corresponding to a second device attached to a mobile entity in the zone. The zone is defined by an area over which the first device and the second device communicate via one-way or two-way communication. It is determined whether the entity is compliant with a sanitation protocol associated with the zone, and a database is updated with results of the determining.
US09965941B2

A tracking system can provide intervention notifications to a user to notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or is in a predicted state. The tracking system may notify the user that a tracking device is potentially lost or in a predicted state based on a number of factors, including: a proximity of a tracking device to other tracking devices or a user's mobile device, a movement of a tracking device to more than a threshold distance away from a mobile device or other tracking devices, a location of a tracking device relative to a geographic location or to geographic boundaries, a usage or movement behavior of the tracking device, a usage or movement behavior of a user or owner of a tracking device, information received from an external source, or information received from sensors within the tracking device or a user's mobile.
US09965934B2

Systems and methods for communicating in a network using parcel theft share signals in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure are provided. In one embodiment, an audio/video (A/V) recording and communication device comprises: a camera configured to capture first image data of a drop-off zone; a communication module; and a processing module comprising: a processor; and a parcel theft deterrence application that configures the processor to: monitor a parcel in the drop-off zone, wherein the parcel is associated with parcel tracking data; determine that the parcel has been removed from the drop-off zone; generate a parcel theft share signal using the first image data and the parcel tracking data, wherein the parcel theft share signal includes a command to share the first image data with a network of users; and transmit the parcel theft share signal to the backend server using the communication module.
US09965931B2

Systems and methods for interfacing with an aircraft cabin control system are provided. One system includes a controller configured to control cabin services associated with one or more passengers, a portable electronic device configured to wirelessly connect to the controller and a seat location identifier associated with a seat of one passenger of the passengers. The system further includes an application on the portable electronic device that interfaces with the controller when the portable electronic device is wirelessly connected to the controller, wherein the application controls the cabin services associated with the seat of the one passenger.
US09965913B2

An apparatus comprising a money item sensor comprising an electrical oscillator operable at a plurality of different oscillating frequencies to sense at least one property of money items. The oscillator is configured to trigger changes in the oscillating frequency synchronously with the beginning of a new frequency cycle of the oscillator.
US09965897B2

A guide system for guiding actions of an individual includes a guide system controller and a head wearable display device that includes a display that is viewable by an individual wearing the device. An information signal from the controller to the head wearable display device generates a visual image on the display corresponding to the information signal that is viewable by the individual, with the visual image providing guidance to the wearer to perform an action and the display being generally transparent and the visual image electronically generated and virtually over laid on a physical object or surface when viewed through the display. Upon completion of an action associated with the visual image, a confirmation signal is provided to the controller.
US09965893B2

Systems and methods for performing shading operations of a three-dimensional model, such as a three-dimensional model of a geographic area, are provided. According to aspects of the present disclosure, shading operations can be performed based on a curvature of the polygon mesh such that smooth surfaces still appear smooth after shading and such that sharp edges still appear sharp after shading. In particular, a curvature-driven normal is used for shading operations that takes into account the local curvature of the polygon mesh. A curvature factor can be obtained for each vertex in the polygon mesh. The curvature factor for each vertex can be a scalar value that describes the degree of local curvature in the mesh polygons connected at the vertex. The curvature-driven normal for each fragment can be determined based on the curvature factors associated with the vertices in the polygon mesh.
US09965892B2

A moving or defocused geometry may be stochastically rendered by grouping a plurality of primitives of that geometry in a hierarchical data structure. Visible fragments may be located in that data structure by hierarchically traversing a ray frustum through the structure. A time-dependent ray tracing data structure may be used in some embodiments.
US09965891B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for integrating imaging data from multiple sources to create a single, accurate model of a patient's anatomy. One method includes receiving a representation of a target object for modeling; determining one or more first anatomical parameters of the target anatomical object from at least one of one or more first images of the target anatomical object; determining one or more second anatomical parameters of the target anatomical object from at least one of one or more second images of the target anatomical object; updating the one or more first anatomical parameters based at least on the one or more second anatomical parameters; and generating a model of the target anatomical object based on the updated first anatomical parameters.
US09965889B2

A ray tracing core includes a ray generation unit and a plurality of T&I (Traversal & Intersection) units with MIMD (Multiple Instruction stream Multiple Data stream) architecture. The ray generation unit generates at least one eye ray based on an eye ray generation information. The eye ray generation information includes a screen coordinate value. Each of the plurality of T&I units receives the at least one eye ray and checks whether there exists a triangle intersected with the received at least one eye ray. The triangle configures a space.
US09965878B2

A communication terminal includes a transceiver to receive first touch information from a counterpart terminal, the first touch information having coordinate information of a touch input inputted by a user of the counterpart terminal, the coordinate information being identified based on a coordinate of the touch input on an image displayed on the counterpart terminal. An image signal processor of the communication terminal controls the first touch information to be displayed on a display of the communication terminal, and controls image information corresponding to the image displayed on the counterpart terminal to be displayed on the display in association with the first touch information, and controls the first touch information to be displayed on the image information.
US09965876B2

A graphics processing pipeline determines whether respective graphics processing operations, such as respective blends, respective depth tests, etc., to be performed at a stage of the graphics processing pipeline would produce the same result for each sampling point of a set of plural sampling points represented by a fragment being processed by the graphics processing pipeline. If it is determined that respective graphics processing operations would produce the same result for each of the sampling points, then only a single instance of the graphics processing operation is performed and the result of that graphics processing operation is associated with each of the sampling points. The number of instances of the graphics processing operations needed to process the set of plural sampling points which the fragment represents is reduced in comparison to conventional multisampling graphics processing techniques which perform graphics processing operations for fragments on a “per sample” basis. The determination of whether or not the same result would be produced for each sampling point of the set of plural sampling points is facilitated by providing metadata which indicates whether or not fragment data and/or stored sample data for use when processing the sampling points is the same.
US09965871B1

An image encoded with character information can be created by binarizing an input image followed by connected component labeling, and then repeating the binarization and connected component labeling on an inverted version of the input image. This results in identification of connected components. Related connected components are arranged in a family tree in which successive generations of the connected components alternate between two tree layer classifications. One of the tree layer classifications is selected based on whether certain connected components define characters. A label image is created which includes labels for the connected components except for the connected components in the selected tree layer classification.
US09965870B2

Calibration methods use a calibration target for obtaining the intrinsic and extrinsic camera parameters of one or more cameras are. The methods can include acquiring, with each camera, a sequence of target images representing the calibration target in different target poses and at different acquisition times. The methods can include identifying reference images from the target images, and defining volume bins, angle bins and multi-camera bins into which the reference images are stored. The reference images can be used to determine the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the one or more cameras. In some implementations, the calibration methods can enable a user to monitor the progress of the calibration process, for example by providing an interactive calibration target including an input/output user interface to guide the user in real-time during the acquisition of the target images and/or sensors to provide positional information about the target poses.
US09965861B2

A system, article, and method of feature matching for multiple images.
US09965854B2

A medical image processing apparatus includes a core line identifying unit that identifies a core line of a predetermined region of a tubular structure from medical three-dimensional image data, a center position identifying unit that identifies a center position of the tubular structure from a plurality of points forming the core line identified by the core line identifying unit, an obtaining unit that obtains positions where straight lines intersecting at the center position and the tubular structure in the medical three-dimensional image data are in contact with each other, and a calculating unit that calculates a length of the tubular structure based on the positions obtained by the obtaining unit.
US09965851B2

The inventive concepts provide a method for inspecting a pattern, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and an apparatus used according to the methods. The method for inspecting a pattern includes detecting a measured image corresponding to a pattern formed on a substrate, detecting a first hot spot corresponding to a ghost image of the measured image, with the first hot spot representing a defect of the pattern, and detecting a second hot spot that has an area that is wider than that of the first hot spot.
US09965849B2

A void evaluation apparatus in a solder includes an evaluation function calculation unit for calculating a solder evaluation function by using a pixel value pi contained in the voids that is set to 1 and the pixel value pi not contained in the voids is 0 for each pixel constituting an image in the solder, and by using a weight function w(ri), which is maximum at a solder center (ri=0), and is 0 at a maximum radius (ri=r0) for a distance ri from the solder center. The apparatus further has a void evaluation unit for evaluating that the influence of voids is larger as the evaluation function is relatively larger for the each solder. ∑ i = 1 N ⁢ ⁢ w ⁡ ( r i ) ⁢ p i ∑ i = 1 N ⁢ ⁢ w ⁡ ( r i ) × 100 i: pixel number (1−N) pi: pixel value (0 or 1) w(ri): weighting function
US09965843B2

Methods for characterizing two-dimensional concept drawings are disclosed. The concept drawings comprise cross-sections intersecting at cross-hairs. The method comprises: determining, for each cross-section: a plane on which the cross-section is located, the plane having a normal vector in a three-dimensional coordinate system; and, for each cross-hair on the cross-section, a tangent vector in the three-dimensional coordinate system which is tangent to the cross-section at the cross-hair. For each cross-hair comprising ith and jth intersecting cross-sections, one or more constraints are satisfied, the constraints comprising: the normal vector ni of the plane on which the ith cross-section is located is at least approximately orthogonal to the normal vector nj of the plane on which the jth cross-section is located; and the tangent vector tij to the ith cross-section at the cross-hair is at least approximately orthogonal to the tangent vector tji to the jth cross-section at the cross-hair.
US09965838B2

The invention relates to a user interface (300) for measuring an object viewed in an image computed from image data, the user interface comprising an image unit (310) for visualizing the image data in the image, a deployment unit (320) for deploying a caliper (21) in an image data space, a scaling unit (330) for scaling the caliper (21) by a scaling factor in a direction in the image data space, a translation unit (340) for translating the caliper (21) in the image data space, and a caliper unit (350) for visualizing the caliper (21) in the image, wherein the caliper (21) comprises a knot for measuring the object, and wherein the object is measured based on the scaling factor. The caliper (21) comprising the knot, which determines the shape of the caliper (21), is a simple reference object of known geometry and size. Looking at the image data and the caliper (21) visualized in the image, the user may easily place the caliper (21) in the image data space and adjust its size to match the size of the measured object. Unlike the prior art methods, which are based on selecting two points and measuring the distance between them, there is no need to change the view of the image data in order to place and/or adjust the size of the caliper (21). Therefore, the caliper (21) of the invention typically reduces the amount of manual interactions needed to measure the object. Advantageously, the caliper (21) of the invention also enhances the visual experience of the user. The size of the caliper (21) may be isotropically or anisotropically adjusted, i.e. in one or more directions, by rotating a mouse wheel, while the mouse translations may determine the location of the caliper (21) in the viewing plane.
US09965837B1

A system, according to various embodiments, receives images such as videos and photographs from one or more portable computing devices associated with one or more individuals while the portable computing devices are in a particular position within a particular location at a particular time. The system determines a virtual position within a 3-D representation of the particular location that generally corresponds to the particular position and combines the images with the 3-D representation to generate an enhanced 3-D representation of the particular location. The system may create one or more avatars to help users better understand how people will look and move within the space. Users may then login to an enhanced 3-D representation application to view a recreation of the activity at a particular time at a particular location.
US09965835B2

A method and system are disclosed. The method may include determining a histogram of intensity values for pixels in image sensor data in which the histogram is bimodal. The method may include determining a breakpoint between the two modes. The histogram may include a first distribution of intensity values below the breakpoint and a second distribution of intensity values above the breakpoint. The method may include generating output intensity values. Generating output intensity values may include compressing the first distribution of intensity values of the pixels with intensity values below the breakpoint, stretching the second distribution of intensity values of the pixels with intensity values above the breakpoint, and generating an output image based on the output intensity values.
US09965831B2

A method and apparatus for interpolating data on a data grid having a plurality of data grid points to provide an interpolated data value at an interpolated point offset from a data grid point by offsets x, y, the method comprising the steps of obtaining a data value and a plurality of derivative values for each of a set of data grid points defining a sub-grid, defining a 4×4 data value matrix from the data values and derivative values, defining a plurality of 4×4 transformation matrices, calculating a 4×4 coefficient matrix from the transformation matrices and the data value matrix, defining a x vector based on the offset x and a y vector based on the offset y, and calculating the interpolated data value from the x vector, y vector and coefficient matrix.
US09965828B2

A provisional coefficient acquirer of an image processing apparatus acquires provisional coefficients for projection conversion of an image, on the basis of feature points indicating features of the image. A polygon converter does projection conversion on a polygon having a plurality of fixed points as vertices, on the basis of the provisional coefficients acquired by the provisional coefficient acquirer. A transformation degree acquirer acquires a transformation degree indicating a magnitude of the transformation degree of the polygon from the pre-projection-conversion polygon and the post-projection-conversion polygon. A determiner determines whether the transformation degree acquired by the transformation degree acquirer exceeds a permitted transformation degree. When the determiner determines that the transformation degree does not exceed the permitted transformation degree, a projection converter does projection conversion on the image using as actual coefficients the provisional coefficients acquired by the provisional coefficient acquirer.
US09965827B2

A graphics processing system for processing polygons includes a cache with cache lines for storing data entries, each line having a tag for identifying the data stored in the line. The polygons have vertices with which pieces of vertex attribute data are associated. The system also includes processing circuitry which writes, to a line in a first set of lines, data entries associated with pieces of vertex attribute data. The pieces of vertex attribute data are associated with the vertices of a polygon. The processing circuitry also writes a tag including a polygon identifier to identify the polygon associated with the data entries to the line in the first set of lines, and writes, to a second set of lines of the cache, data entries associated with pieces of vertex attribute data. The processing circuitry also writes tags including vertex identifiers to the second set of lines to identify the vertices associated with the data entries.
US09965819B1

School District Administrators have the real-time monitoring of students and school buses during daily school transportation. The IRITRANS® system will provide school districts with real-time bus locations and more importantly the “specific identity of all students on-board”. The system prevents students from becoming lost by boarding or exiting at the wrong assigned bus stop. The iris scanning process is completely mobile from all points of the bus for loading and unloading students with special needs requirements. If a student has a medical emergency the medical history is available to responders for correct treatment. In a hijacking event authorities have access to the real-time GPS location of the bus and the specific identity of students onboard. In the event of a school evacuation, administrators know where the students have been taken and the identity of the students on a specific bus to provide parents. On field trips students are accounted for and not left behind on the return trip. Students will not be abandoned or left sleeping on the school bus.
US09965818B2

Systems and methods for applying Electric Network Frequency (ENF) forensic techniques to determine characteristics associated with an audio and/or video recording such as when and where the recording was made. In one embodiment, a system that determines at least one of a time and a location associated with a recording includes an ENF forensic database, an ENF extraction processing module and a comparison processing module. The ENF forensic database stores powerline data collected from at least one electrical power grid. The ENF extraction processing module extracts ENF content coupled into the recording. The comparison processing module compares the extracted ENF content with powerline data retrieved from the ENF forensic database and outputs information including one or more of a time during which the recording was made and a location where the recording was made based on the comparison with the powerline data.
US09965805B1

Systems, methods, and program products for providing an exchange traded product holding digital math-based assets are disclosed. Shares based on digital math-based assets may be redeemed using one or more computers by determining share price information based upon quantities of digital math-based assets held by a trust, electronically receiving a request from an authorized participant user device to redeem a quantity of shares, electronically transmitting a quantity of digital math-based assets from one or more origin digital asset accounts to one or more destination digital asset accounts associated with the authorized participant, and canceling the quantity of shares from the authorized participant.
US09965798B1

The invention provides a refrigerator system, a method and a software program product for controlling and/or advising a diet for a user. The refrigerator system has a refrigerator including a light and a camera that captures an image of contents of the refrigerator. The image is processed by a graphics processing unit (GPU) integrated with the refrigerator and/or a cloud server. The GPU analyzes the image to recognize a quantity, a quality, and/or a kind of food articles and/or food packages such as, vegetables, fruits, beverages, etc. A central processing unit (CPU)/GPU of the refrigerator provides diet plans, recipe recommendations, identifies grocery replenishment requirements, updates and shares shopping lists with food delivery agents, etc., based on the analysis of the refrigerator contents. The invention helps in minimizing food wastage, expanding meal options considering expiry dates, and maximizing benefits of a healthy diet by recommending and controlling the user's diet.
US09965784B2

The present invention is an instant message service (“IMS”) based interactive information, marketing and sales system, which provides a Merchant or Seller with a means to rapidly and effectively communicate with its customer base in order to facilitate the sale of a product or service from a Merchant's website to a customer via a customer's mobile computing device. The system represented by this invention is a voluntary, opted-in system, by which the customer provides its mobile telephone number or the telephone number of its chosen mobile device and the instant messaging system that the customer is using on its mobile device, to the Merchant or Seller. A customer then requests that the Merchant or Seller forward specific information to the customer concerning a particular product or service being sold by the Merchant or Seller. The present invention permits the customer to request that certain product specific information be transmitted by the Merchant to the customer's mobile computing device via an instant message service (“IMS”) message, as soon as said information becomes available.The present invention permits the Merchant or Seller to transmit a URL link from the Merchant's website to a customer's mobile number via instant message service (“IMS”) message transmitted directly from the web site page. Once received, a customer can then interact directly with a Merchant or Seller, from a customer's mobile computing device, via the instant messaging service. This permits a customer to make inquiries about products or services, make offers to purchase or even to enter bids in online auction environments. The present invention permits a Merchant or Seller to forward via instant messaging service (“IMS”) message, a URL link which contains a short cut Icon to reside on the home page of the customer's mobile computing device, which when clicked, will act as a short-cut to the Merchant's web site. Also, this present invention permits a Merchant or Seller to forward via instant messaging service an instant message containing a URL link, which when selected by a customer permits the customer to immediately purchase a product or service from its mobile computing device.
US09965772B2

A system and method for unifying user-level data across a plurality of media platforms are provided. The method includes receiving user-level data events from the plurality of media platforms, wherein each event relates to at least one online advertisement viewed by a plurality of users; processing the received user-level data events to detect a group of user-level data events related to the same user of the plurality of users; combining user-level data from each group of user-level data events related to the same user; assigning a unique user identifier to the combined user-level data to result in a unified user-level data related to a particular user; and storing the unified user-level data in a database, thereby providing consistent user-level data across the plurality of media platforms.
US09965771B2

Systems and methods of tracking multimedia content transmitted over at least one network to one or more mobile devices that may be employed to verify delivery of the multimedia content to the respective mobile devices, and to determine the perceptual quality (also referred to herein as “quality of experience” or “QoE”) of the multimedia content at the respective mobile devices. The systems and methods employ content identification techniques in conjunction with objective quality measures to allow mapping of the quality of experience or QoE to specific multimedia content, which may include audio content, imagery content, textual content, and/or video content.
US09965758B2

In one embodiment, a system for troubleshooting transactions in a network environment includes an interface that may receive a transaction report from each of a number of network devices used to process a transaction. Each transaction report may include a status code field indicating a status of the transaction at each of the plurality of network devices. The system may also include a processor communicatively coupled to the interface. The processor may generate a transaction flow report that links each of the received transaction reports associated with the transaction. The processor may determine that the status code field associated with a first one of the plurality of network devices indicates a failed status. The processor may then communicate a status alert message to a network administrator associated with a first one of the plurality of network devices.
US09965757B2

A computer implemented system and method for controlling access to a financial account, the system comprising: one or more memories for storing information and at least one set of instructions, and one or more processors for receiving the financial account information at an access terminal, wherein the access terminal collects access data; identifying a destination account from the financial account information; sending an authorization request to a mobile device linked to the destination account, wherein the authorization request comprises a variable amount of the access data; receiving a response to the authorization request from the mobile device; and controlling access to the financial account at the access terminal based on the response. In some embodiments, the system and method may be further configured to store the response in the destination account. In other embodiments, the financial account is used for payment in a sales transaction, and the access is a request for payment from the financial account.
US09965752B2

A point of sale system and method for consummating sales transactions and enabling sporting event betting. The point of sale system includes a cash register, an event server, and a customer interface. The cash register consummates point of sale transactions and accepts cash, credit and debit payments. The event server communicates with the cash register for communicating sporting event choices to the cash register. The customer interface communicates with the cash register and includes a display for displaying at least one of said sporting event choices to a customer. The customer interface includes an input module for enabling a customer to select at least one of said sporting event choices and for enabling a customer to place a wager on the selected sporting event choice. The system also includes a printer in communication with the cash register to print a transaction receipt including a description of the selected sporting event choice and the wager. The point of sale system communicates with a risk management server that calculates the odds of each wager. In one embodiment of the invention, the wager, the odds and a description of the sporting event are printed on the receipt in addition to the point of sale transactional information such descriptions of items purchased, cost of each item, subtotal, tax and total.
US09965749B2

Systems and methods are provided for transferring settlement funds received into a pooled settlement account of an acquirer processor account to one or more financial accounts of a merchant. The transferring of the funds can be directed by one or more settlement rules defined by a merchant. The type of transfer method can be based on the type of financial account. Example types of transfers include Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfers and intrabank transfers.
US09965733B2

Method, apparatus, and communication systems of updating user data are provided. Business flow data and conversation flow data of a first user are obtained. Whether the first user has completed a preset first business task is determined according to the obtained business flow data, and whether the first user has completed a preset first conversation task is determined according to the obtained conversation flow data. After determining that the first user has completed the preset first business task and the preset first conversation task, a user data update volume corresponding to a first task group is obtained and updated. The introduction of the task group can help to prevent cheating behaviors, and can help to improve security of updating user data. The introduction of the conversation task can help to improve utilization of network resources, and help to promote business growth and better precipitation of user relationship chains.
US09965731B2

Improved techniques are disclosed for processing transactions or requests in a data processing system. For example, a method for processing requests in a system including a plurality of nodes includes the following steps. At least two nodes of the plurality of nodes receive a plurality of requests. The two nodes exchange information to determine an order for processing requests. The two nodes process the requests in accordance with the order. The order may include a total order or a partial order.
US09965729B2

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for providing a geolocation check-in system. An exemplary apparatus is configured to collect positioning data related to a user. After collecting position data the apparatus may be configure to determine, based at least partially on the positioning data that the user has crossed a threshold of a geofence associated with a merchant's location. Based at least partially on this determination the apparatus may be configured to initiate a merchant check-in associated with the user and transmit user information to the merchant.
US09965725B1

A method for power management comprising inferring a user behavior from an action, inferring a mission state from the action and an event, forecasting a forecasted action from the user behavior and the mission state and outputting an instruction to modify a power resource allocation based on the forecasted action. A processor based assembly for power management of at least one device comprising a means to infer a user behavior from an action, a means to infer a mission state from the action and an event, a means to forecast and a means to plan power management from the inferred information. In some embodiments, the systems and methods apply pattern recognition algorithms and pattern learning algorithms to manage the power allocation to power consuming devices.
US09965724B2

The system and method for determining fuzzy cause and effect relationships in an intelligent workload management system described herein may combine potential causes and effects captured from various different sources associated with an information technology infrastructure with substantially instantaneous feedback mechanisms and other knowledge sources. As such, fuzzy correlation logic may then be applied to the combined information to determine potential cause and effect relationships and thereby diagnose problems and otherwise manage interactions that occur in the infrastructure. For example, information describing potential causes and potential effects associated with an operational state of the infrastructure may be captured and combined, and any patterns among the information that describes the multiple potential causes and effects may then be identified. As such, fuzzy logic may the be applied to any such patterns to determine possible relationships among the potential causes and the potential effects associated with the infrastructure operational state.
US09965719B2

A computer-implemented method for detecting objects by using subcategory-aware convolutional neural networks (CNNs) is presented. The method includes generating object region proposals from an image by a region proposal network (RPN) which utilizes subcategory information, and classifying and refining the object region proposals by an object detection network (ODN) that simultaneously performs object category classification, subcategory classification, and bounding box regression. The image is an image pyramid used as input to the RPN and the ODN. The RPN and the ODN each include a feature extrapolating layer to detect object categories with scale variations among the objects.
US09965716B2

The disclosed embodiments generally relate to transaction card constructions, and particularly, to a two-piece transaction card construction. Disclosed embodiments include a generally planar first card component including a first surface and a generally planar second card component including a second surface wherein the first card component is separate from the second card component. In disclosed embodiments, for example, the generally planar first card component and the generally planar second card component may be configured such that one forms a cavity and the other forms an inlay component configured to be seated within the cavity. In other embodiments the generally planar first card component and the generally planar second card component may be configured such that one forms a container and the other forms a lid configured to close the container.
US09965703B2

An algorithm for performing an image or video processing task is generated that may be used to combine a plurality of different independent solutions to the image or video processing task in an optimized manner. A plurality of base algorithms may be applied to a training set of images or video and a first generation of different combining algorithms may be applied to combine the respective solutions from each of the respective base algorithms into respective combined solutions. The respective combined solutions may be evaluated to generate respective fitness scores representing measures of how well the plurality of different combining algorithms each perform the image or video processing task. The algorithms may be iteratively updated to generate an optimized combining algorithm that may be applied to an input image or video.
US09965700B2

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for generating a fingerprint for verification of a reference object, such as a layer or ply during a composite laminate layup procedure. An exemplary method includes generating a plurality of images of the reference object from a plurality of angles, removing at least one lighting effect from at least one reference image to generate at least one processed image, generating a reference fingerprint for the reference object based on the at least one processed image, generating at least one candidate image of a candidate object, generating a candidate fingerprint for the candidate object based on the at least one candidate image, comparing the candidate fingerprint and the reference fingerprint to determine whether a correlation exists between the candidate fingerprint and the reference fingerprint, and generating an alert based on the comparison of the candidate fingerprint and the reference fingerprint.
US09965699B2

A method performed by an object size mapping system is described for enabling improved positioning of a vehicle. The object size mapping system includes a first reference camera adapted to be arranged on-board a reference vehicle. The object size mapping system determines a current reference position of the reference vehicle. The system captures by the first reference camera, at the current reference position of the reference vehicle, a current reference image of a stationary physical reference object situated in the surroundings of the reference vehicle. The object size mapping system then determines a current reference size value of at least a portion of the stationary physical reference object, in the current reference image. The object size mapping system stores the current reference size value to be associated with the current reference position of the reference vehicle and a mapped digital reference object corresponding to the stationary physical reference object.
US09965698B2

When binary labeling is performed, an outline specification unit specifies a first outline present toward a target region and a second outline present toward a non-target region, and which have shapes similar to an outline of the target region. A voxel selection unit selects an N number of voxels constituting all of the first outline and the second outline. The energy setting unit sets N-order energy when a condition that all of the voxels of the first outline belong to the target region and all of the voxels of the second outline belong to the non-target region is satisfied smaller than the N-order energy when the condition is not satisfied. After then, labeling is performed by minimizing energy.
US09965697B2

An object that has attracted a viewer's interest is determined using head pose and distance information. In one example a viewer's head is detected at a camera of a computing system. A distance from the head to the camera is determined. A pose of the head is determined as a yaw angle of the head. A location is determined using the distance and the yaw angle, and an object of attention is determined using the location.
US09965695B1

A method for binarizing a grayscale document image, which first divides the document image into a plurality of sub-images and determining a type of each sub-image based on a horizontal projection profile and a density of each sub-image, the type being 1: text only, 2: graphics only, 3: photo only, 4: text and graphics, 5: text and photo, 6: graphics and photo, or 7: text and graphics and photo. Then a selected one of first to seventh binarization processes is applied to binarize each sub-image based on its type to generate a binary sub-image. All binary sub-images are then combine to generate a binary image of the grayscale document image. Of the first to seventh binarization processes respectively applied to the first to seventh types of sub-images, at least those for the first, second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh type are different from each other.
US09965689B2

A first map comprising local features and 3D locations of the local features is generated, the local features comprising visible features in a current image and a corresponding set of covisible features. A second map comprising prior features and 3D locations of the prior features may be determined, where each prior feature: was first imaged at a time prior to the first imaging of any of the local features, and lies within a threshold distance of at least one local feature. A first subset comprising previously imaged local features in the first map and a corresponding second subset of the prior features in the second map is determined by comparing the first and second maps, where each local feature in the first subset corresponds to a distinct prior feature in the second subset. A transformation mapping a subset of local features to a subset of prior features is determined.
US09965688B2

A display apparatus includes a display unit configured to display in a plurality of display areas the video images of a first group out of the plurality of the video images input by the input unit and then to switch them to video images of a second group out of the plurality of the video images to produce display in a plurality of the display areas, a detection unit configured to detect objects in each video image, and a control unit configured to, in a case where the number of the objects detected in respective video images of the first group by the detection unit is equal to or greater than a first predetermined number, control the display unit to make the display time of the video image of the first group longer than a predetermined display time for displaying other video images of the first group.
US09965683B2

A device may receive, from another device, an image that depicts one or more events occurring at a location. The device may detect an event of the one or more events depicted in the image. The device may determine a first score that indicates a likelihood that the event is an anomalous event. The first score may be based on first data received from the other device. The device may determine a second score that indicates a similarity between the event and another event. The second score may be based on second data received from the other device. The second data may comprise data from a sensor, a wearable device, a mobile device, and/or a handheld device. The device may perform an action based on the first score or the second score.
US09965681B2

Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for imaging, recognizing, and tracking of a user's eye that is wearing a HWC. Aspects further relate to the processing of images reflected from the user's eye and controlling displayed content in accordance therewith. Aspects further relate to determining health conditions of the user based on eye imaging technologies.
US09965678B2

A table and flowchart detection method is disclosed. First, based on connected component analysis and the sizes of the connected components, a target connected component that corresponds to possible elements of table or flowchart is detected in the input image. The target connected component is broken into corners and edges that connect the corners. Based on the relationship between the corners and edges, it is determined whether the target connected component is a table or a flowchart. For table detection, the edges and corners are linked into horizontal sets and vertical sets, and based on corner counts in the horizontal sets and vertical sets, it is determined whether the target connected component is a table. For flowchart detection, the boundary boxes and connecting lines between boundary boxes are detected to determine whether the target connected component is a flowchart.
US09965675B2

Examples of the disclosure provide for calibrating a virtual reality environment based on data input in response to initial calibration prompts to provide a customized detection phase for a behavior analysis session. User interaction data are received during the customized detection phase and is dynamically pushed through a trained machine learning component to generate a dynamic behavior vector for the behavior analysis session, the dynamic behavior vector updating during the customized detection phase. The virtual reality environment is dynamically modified during the customized detection phase using the dynamic behavior vector.
US09965674B2

The present invention discloses a ticket evading decision system with human face recognition and usage method thereof. The ticket evading decision system comprises a human face information collecting module, an information storing module, a ticket counting module and a ticket evading decision module, wherein the human face information collecting module, the ticket counting module and the ticket evading decision module are connected with the information storing module; the human face information collecting module scans and collects human face feature information and converts and compresses the same; the information storing module integrates the collected human face feature information into a complete record and stores the same; the ticket counting module computes and counts thrown fare data in real time and stores or updates the currently thrown ticket data and state into the information storing module; and the ticket evading decision module retrieves and processes each record stored in the information storing module in real time, and performs analysis, decision and timing processing according to the state of the record. The present invention provides a solution with good compatibility, high efficiency, high automation degree and low cost for a ticket evading scene.
US09965671B2

A material identifying system includes an identifying panel, a voltage source and a determining circuit. The voltage source is arranged to transmit a voltage signal to an object to be identified via the identifying panel in order to obtain an impedance of the object, wherein the voltage source adjusts a frequency of the voltage signal in a predetermined range to find a specific frequency in the predetermined range where the impedance of the object is minimum. The determining circuit is arranged to determine if the specific frequency of the object to be identified matches any specific frequency of a plurality of known materials in order to identify a material of the object.
US09965670B1

A method for controlling unlocking includes the following operations. A reference feature point set of a finger of a user is acquired by scanning the finger through a fingerprint recognition sensor. A matching process is performed between the reference feature point set and at least one template feature point of a pre-stored fingerprint template feature point set in descending order of matching priority of the at least one template feature point. The terminal is unlocked based on the number of template feature points successfully matched with the reference feature point set.
US09965666B2

The present disclosure relates to a fingerprint recognition method, a fingerprint recognition device and an electronic device, wherein the fingerprint recognition method comprises: an obtaining step of obtaining a capacitance detection value corresponding to each sensing electrode in a sensing electrode array; a calculation step of calculating a difference value between a first capacitance detection value corresponding to a first sensing electrode and a second capacitance detection value corresponding to a second sensing electrode, wherein the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode are adjacent to each other in the sensing electrode array; a type determination step of determining a fingerprint type detection result of the first sensing electrode and a fingerprint type detection result of the second sensing electrode according to the difference value; and a recognition step of recognizing the fingerprint according to the fingerprint type detection results.
US09965663B2

Plasmonic-surface antenna systems are described in which resonators, or cells, are closely arranged but do not touch. At least a portion of a radiating surface includes a plurality of cells (operative as resonators) placed very close together to one so that a surface (plasmonic) wave causes near replication of the current of one cell in an adjacent cell. Cells with one or more fractal shapes may be used as a fractal plasmonic surface (FPS). Systems and/or methods are described of using plasmonic surfaces or fractal plasmonic surfaces for radiofrequency identification (RFID). A PS or FPS may act as an intermediary array of antennas, which can serve to connect an RFID reader with one or more RFID tags. Structures including cages are described that can include one or more surfaces that are each an FPS. Methods of power transfer are described.
US09965655B1

A system includes a first computing device and a second computing device. The first computing device includes a port. The second computing device is configured to communicate with the first computing device. The system also includes a port security device configured to restrict access to the port. The port security device includes a transceiver configured to communicate with a third computing device. The third computing device is configured to determine a status of the port security device. At least one of the port security device and the third computing device includes a user interface configured to provide an indication of the status of the port security device.
US09965653B2

A trusted computing device (TCD) includes an isolated environment, host interface, secure interface, and program instructions. The environment includes an isolated environment processor (IEP), memory (secure and non-secure partition), and an auxiliary processor (AP). Memory and AP are connected for data communication with the IEP, and communicate with a host only through the IEP. The host interface and each secure interface are connected for data communication with the IEP. The instructions provision TCD for cryptographic operations via a secure interface; present a first file system partition comprising a write file and a read file with file creation/deletion privileges allocated only to the IEP at the host interface via the IEP; present a non-secured file system partition with access to the non-secure partition via the host interface via the IEP; receive, via the write file, requests to perform trusted computing; perform requested computing using the IEP, secure memory, and AP; and write results to the read file.
US09965646B2

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure illustrates a sensitive data discrimination method executed in a data loss prevention system to determine whether a file has the least one sensitive data during a file generation proceeding. Steps of the sensitive data discrimination method are illustrated as follows. Multiple characters inputted via a keyboard are recorded. The recorded characters are trimmed to generate a trimmed data. The trimmed data and at least one predefined term related to the at least one sensitive data are compared, to determine whether the trimmed data has the at least one sensitive data.
US09965645B2

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing data security for data that is stored in a cloud-level platform. In one embodiment, each session is associated with specific session “keys” for use in encrypting and decrypting data. The session specific keys are generated by a client application and the client public key of a public/private key pair is provided to the cloud platform as part of a user authentication process. If the user is properly authenticated, then the platform creates its own set of keys and sends the server public key of a public/private key pair to the client. When the client requests a data record or document, the platform can determine if the user is authorized to have access to the entire data record or document or only to certain fields or portions of the record or document. Based on that determination, the platform may selectively encrypt certain fields or portions of the record or document with the client public key.
US09965635B2

Provided is an image tagging device including: a first functional unit in which an image including an object that is a target of privacy protection is stored and that removes privacy information by changing part of the master image; a second functional unit that acquires the changed image from the first functional unit and changes a region image of an object that is not to be tagged in the first image; a function that distributes the changed image from the second functional unit to a tagging operation terminal device and receives image tag information from the tagging operation terminal device over a network; and a tagged image generator that generates a tagged image on the basis of the master image and the image tag information. This makes it possible to collect tagged images while achieving both privacy protection and an improvement in efficiency of a tagging operation.
US09965629B2

Provided are a malicious code diagnosing system and a method of diagnosing malicious codes. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a malicious code diagnosing operation is performed only on files that are likely to be infected by malicious codes by utilizing file change log information recorded in a file system. Accordingly, malicious code diagnosing operation can be performed more quickly and reliably than conventional diagnosing method.
US09965627B2

Threat detection instrumentation is simplified by providing and updating labels for computing objects in a context-sensitive manner. This may include simple labeling schemes to distinguish between objects, e.g., trusted/untrusted processes or corporate/private data. This may also include more granular labeling schemes such as a three-tiered scheme that identifies a category (e.g., financial, e-mail, game), static threat detection attributes (e.g., signatures, hashes, API calls), and explicit identification (e.g., what a file or process calls itself). By tracking such data for various computing objects and correlating these labels to malware occurrences, rules can be written for distribution to endpoints to facilitate threat detection based on, e.g., interactions of labeled objects, changes to object labels, and so forth. In this manner, threat detection based on complex interactions of computing objects can be characterized in a platform independent manner and pre-processed on endpoints without requiring significant communications overhead with a remote threat management facility.
US09965624B2

A log collection part of a log analysis server collects an application log from a WF server, collects an operation log from an ID control part which relays an access from an operator terminal to a business server, and which as well records access status to the business server as an operation record in the operation log, and collects an access log from the business server which records accessed status as an access record in the access log. A log analysis part determines, based on the application log, the operation log, and the access log collected by the log collection part, whether or not the accessed status recorded as the access record is an authorized access.
US09965623B2

Systems and techniques for securing accessible computer-executable program code and systems are provided. One or more base functions may be generated and blended with existing program code, such that it may be difficult or impossible for a potential attacker to distinguish the base functions from the existing code. The systems and code also may be protected using a variety of other blending and protection techniques, such as fractures, variable dependent coding, dynamic data mangling, and cross-linking, which may be used individually or in combination, and/or may be blended with the base functions.
US09965616B2

A method for determining a password strength is provided. The method may include receiving a user-entered password. The method may also include identifying a keyboard layout type associated with a keyboard utilized to enter the received user-entered password. The method may further include mapping each character within a plurality of characters in the received user-entered password to a corresponding location on a grid associated with the identified keyboard layout type. The method may also include determining a coordinate sequence associated with the received user-entered password based on the mapped plurality of characters. The method may further include applying a pattern recognition algorithm to the determined coordinate sequence. The method may also include determining a password strength based on the applied pattern recognition algorithm.
US09965612B2

A method for visual authentication with a monitoring system. The method includes pre-provisioning the monitoring system with a reference visual authentication element, obtaining an image of a user-presented visual authentication element and generating a validation result by validating the user-presented visual authentication element against the reference visual authentication element. The method further includes, based on the validation result, making a determination that the user-presented visual authentication element matches the reference visual authentication element, and taking an action affiliated with the reference visual authentication element.
US09965596B2

A glycemic control system includes a physician processor, remote processor, and a portable telephone having a data input mechanism, a display, and an internal processor for bi-directional communication with the physician's processor and the remote processor. A patient inputs data to the internal processor responsive to input from the physician's processor and then transmits the information to the remote processor where an optimized number of units to be administered is sent back and displayed on the portable telephone.
US09965594B2

A digital dispenser system including a cartridge for storing a supply of medicament, a mechanical dispenser for metering medicament out of the cartridge, and a communication system established between the cartridge and the dispenser for relaying information about the medicament stored and dispensed.
US09965589B2

This invention provides a data processing system located within a sterile field. The data processing system includes the elements of a computer with an image capture device configured to acquire information related to a unique device identifier positioned on a medical device located within a sterile field and a sterile enclosure configured to contain the computer with an imaging device. This invention, in one embodiment, provides a system for tracking, confirming and storing patient and procedure information using a unique device identifier hereinafter “a UDI”.
US09965584B2

A computer method of detecting interacting DNA loci by constructing a contingency table from samples of a first trait and samples of a second trait. The samples of the first and second trait are associated with one of a plurality of genotype calls, each relating to an interaction between multiple DNA loci. The contingency table includes frequencies of each genotype call in the samples. Based on the contingency table, measuring the association between the plurality of genotype calls and the first and second traits. Classifying the genotype calls into a first group that is statistically associated with the first trait and a second group that is statistically associated with the second trait.
US09965581B1

A method of circuit design may include synthesizing a circuit design using a processor and, for the synthesized circuit design, selectively reducing, using the processor, fanout of nets having a number of loads exceeding a first threshold number of loads and having a selected netlist connectivity. The method may include placing the circuit design using a processor and, for the placed circuit design, selectively reducing, using the processor, fanout of nets according to at least one of a number of loads or criticality.
US09965568B2

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for providing an enhanced media presentation. In one embodiment, an enhanced media presentation is provided. To provide the enhanced media presentation, one or more content items associated with subject matter associated with a segment of an enhanced media presentation are identified. Each content item may be associated with at least one uniform resource identifier. Then, a content object based at least in part on at least one content item is created. The content object is an abstract representation of the content item. The content object can be associated with the segment and provided for simultaneous displayed simultaneously with at least a portion of the segment.
US09965566B2

A system may include a network interface and a batch processor coupled to the network interface. The batch processor may be configured to obtain social network profiles corresponding to entities and to obtain a target criterion. The batch processor may be configured to identify at least some of the entities based on a relationship between the social network profiles and the target criterion and to transmit, via the network interface, a data file to a computing device of the at least some of the entities, wherein the data file contains information related, at least in part, to the target criterion.
US09965560B2

An apparatus, system and method for providing search results based on a social distance from a user are provided. The method includes receiving a search query from a user, setting a value representing a social distance from the user, the social distance including one or more levels, gathering results corresponding to the search query for each level of social distance, and providing the gathered results to the user.
US09965558B2

Search results are received that were generated by a search engine in response to a search query entered by a user. The search results include a first result which contains a first set of identifying data. The first result is matched with a first profile on a first social network which is merged with a second social network. The first profile contains a second set of identifying data which satisfies matching criteria for similarity with the first set of identifying data.
US09965545B2

An illustrative embodiment includes processing parse tree data. A parse tree data structure that is representative of a document object model (DOM) tree data structure is received. Concomitant to receiving the parse tree data structure, an assignment of index values for the DOM nodes consisting of distinct index values for each existing DOM node is received by the processor. Requests to manipulate the parse tree data structure that include node inserts and document order comparisons are also performed.
US09965540B1

The association of semantic labels with content may be facilitated. In particular, the content in the sentences, labels, headers, text, and/or other context that surround a fact may provide information descriptive for a semantic label that has been applied to the sentence and/or fact. By analyzing some of these implicit semantic associations between semantic labels and facts (numeric or otherwise), suggestions for semantic labels may be made for previously labeled or unlabeled facts. The labels that are suggested may include suggestions for concepts, members, and other structured constructs.
US09965539B2

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for dynamic sharding of a database comprising data identifiable by keys comprised within a global ordered range. When handling a request for data of at least one key: providing the request to a predetermined shard store; the predetermined shard store verifying, by means of its local subrange collection, whether the at least one key is present in a local subrange of a shard stored on the predetermined shard store; and when at least one key is not present in a local subrange of a shard stored on the predetermined shard store, returning a message comprising the local subrange collection of the predetermined shard store.
US09965536B2

A system, method and computer-readable mediums for replicating data, are provided. A replication logic description describing how data is replicated in a replication path and a resource description describing a replication environment are specified. The replication logic description is bound to at least one resource in the resource description. Once bound, an object representing a bound replication logic description and the resource description is generated and deployed in the replication environment. Once deployed the object replicates data in the replication path while ensuring transaction consistency and delivery during replication of the data.
US09965535B2

Transient duplicate key violations of unique key constraints are handled during row updates. Row changes are buffered until a point is reached that those changes are safe to execute. Row changes are effectively reordered to avoid constraint violations during execution of updates. In response to receiving a constraint key violation from a server after an attempted update, a client locally stores a record containing information regarding the failed update. Later, in response to the lack of receipt of an error in response to another update to the same column of the same table, the client uses the information in this record to instruct the server to attempt to repeat a failed update that previously attempted to change the value of a row to a value that was present in a uniqueness-constrained column at the time of the failure, but is no longer present due to the successful update.
US09965534B2

Techniques related to a domain-specific language for dataset transformations are disclosed. A server computer may process a table definition composed in a domain-specific language. The table definition may include a sequence of one or more dataset transformations to be performed on one or more source tables to generate a target table. The sequence may include a customized transformation. A source dataset may be provided as input to an implementation of the customized transformation. An output dataset may be generated as a result of executing the implementation. An intermediate table may be generated based on performing at least one dataset transformation on a particular source table. A supplemental portion for the intermediate table may be generated based on performing the at least one dataset transformation on an appended portion of the particular source table. The target table may be generated based on combining the supplemental portion with the intermediate table.
US09965521B1

Methods and apparatus related to determining a transition probability related to transition from one or more past activity indications to one or more subsequent activity indications. Some implementations of the specification are directed to methods and apparatus related to identifying a set of one or more activity indications of a user, identifying at least first and second transition probabilities from the set to a subsequent set of one or more activity indications, and determining a user transition probability from the set to the subsequent set based on the first and second transition probabilities.
US09965519B2

Keeping track of which communications are related, or linked, in a series of communications is an important feature in many electronic document systems. As communication chains grow and branch, however, these systems require meticulous use of unique document identifiers to maintain those links. Systems and methods to create or restore these links in the absence or misuse of unique document identifiers are therefore provided. Responsive communications from parties are linked with the initial communications whose requests are answered by the responsive communications. Additionally, any requests not answered by the responsive communications may be automatically configured into a secondary communication which will be linked with the responsive communication and the initial communication so that its responsive communication may be built into the chain of communication.
US09965517B2

A method for performing windowless real-time joins. The method can be implemented via execution of computer instructions configured to run at one or more processing modules and configured to be stored at one or more non-transitory memory storage modules. The method can include, prior to receiving data, initializing data structures. The method also can include, prior to receiving data, pre-computing steps to be performed upon receiving the data. The method additionally can include, upon receiving the data, performing windowless join updates. Other embodiments are provided.
US09965507B2

A method for securing content in a database includes identifying a challenge column associated with a database column referenced in an update query. A challenge value for the challenge column may be received and resolved for a match with a corresponding value stored in the challenge column. In case of a match, the update query may be certified for execution on the database, otherwise, the update query may be prevented from executing. Challenge columns may be determined by an analysis of the database on the basis of discriminating power, description complexity, and/or diversity.
US09965503B2

Disclosed are a computer-implemented method for generating a data cube from data, a system and a computer program product. The method comprises selecting a candidate granularity from a plurality of candidate granularities determined for a dimension of the data cube, where a data distribution obtained in the selected candidate granularity satisfies a predetermined condition; and generating the data cube based on the selected candidate granularity for the dimension.
US09965491B2

Provided are a method and device for recording a system log. The method includes: acquiring the sequence information of a virtual log file in a system, wherein the virtual log file is a preset file for the system, and the virtual log file includes the sequence information, and the sequence information is used for determining a position of a log file which is written last time by the system; and determining the log file which is written last time by the system according to the sequence information of the virtual log file, and writing the log in the determined log file. By the disclosure, the sequence of system log recording is not influenced by changes in the system time.
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