US09986836B2
A two-piece chair frame assembly comprises a back piece and a front piece joined together to form a chair frame. The back and front pieces are separate and discrete pieces until joined together. The back piece comprises a pair of rear legs, a backrest frame, and a back seat frame portion. The front piece comprises a pair of front legs and a front seat frame portion. The front and back seat frame portions join together to form a seat frame. The back and front pieces have different surface characteristics.
US09986832B2
A furniture member may include a base frame, a seat assembly, a drive rod, a legrest mechanism, and a wall-proximity mechanism. The seat assembly is supported by the base frame and includes a seat frame, a seat bottom, a seatback and a legrest. The legrest is movable relative to the base frame and seat frame between a retracted position and an extended position. The seatback is movable relative to the base frame and seat frame between an upright position and a reclined position. The drive rod is rotatably mounted to the seat frame. The legrest mechanism is attached to the legrest and the seat frame and is driven by the drive rod. The wall-proximity mechanism is connected to the base frame and to the seat assembly and tilts the seat frame rearward relative to the base frame and translates the seat frame forward relative to the base frame.
US09986831B2
The protector is generally elongate and includes a mouth that is able to open to accommodate the structure. The mouth is biased towards a closed position so that the mouth grips the structure to hold it in place. The mouth is provided by a pair of opposed jaws and an inner plate provided to act as a stop for the mouth. A bumper is provided that extends spaced from the inner plate. The protector further includes at least one angled linear web that extends between the inner plate and bumper at a front of the protector. Advantageously, it has been found that as the bumper crushes, the angled linear web and the side connection of the bumper combine to cause the bumper to spread outwardly and around the structure thereby acting to deflect the force of the impact around the structure. Such deflection reduces the damage to the structure.
US09986828B2
A slide rail assembly includes a rail, a first bracket, a second bracket, an elastic member, and a hook. The second bracket is movably mounted to the rail and has a first contact portion. The hook is movably connected to the second bracket and has a second contact portion. The hook remains at a locked position in response to the elastic force of the elastic member. The first contact portion is pressed against the second contact portion in response to displacement of the second bracket such that the hook is moved relative to the second bracket and away from the locked position.
US09986813B2
A wearable assembly is disclosed including a decorative ornament having a coupling surface substantially opposite a decorative surface thereof; and a coupling member coupled to the coupling surface. The coupling member is adapted to selectively, removably couple to a wearable item such that the decorative surface is visible in an assembled configuration of the wearable assembly.
US09986811B2
A container for liquid cosmetics may include a container unit having which includes a container which is filled with a liquid cosmetic product and combined with cup-shaped packing in which an accepting pit, through which discharging holes penetrate, is formed and a liquid cosmetic product applying unit which includes a cap combined with the container, is assembled so that a sponge, which is assembled to the front end of an inner cylinder elastically supported with elasticity of a compression spring assembled inside the cap, tightly comes in contact with the accepting pit of the packing to assume the shape of the accepting pit and protrudes, when the cap is removed, the inner cylinder to a predetermined distance to restore the sponge to its original state.
US09986804B2
A device for carrying eyewear comprising a hollow body having an upwardly protruding feature located inside the cavity protruding upward from a bottom section. A front section and top section are configured to open away from a back to provide access to the cavity from above the hollow body. A spring biased hinged clip is configured to couple the hollow body to a waist belt. A second spring biased hinged clip is configured for retaining against an inside surface of the hollow body a piece of material configured for cleaning an eyewear lens. A pocket is configured to hold to a communication tag configured for wireless communication with a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is configured for sending an alert message for display on a user interface of a remote computing device if the monitoring device determines that a proximity is greater than a threshold proximity.
US09986796B2
A clasp for a watch bracelet or for a garment belt includes at least two unfolding arms articulated to each other, a first unfolding arm includes a first end attached to a bracelet strand and a second end pivotally articulated to a first end of a second unfolding arm, a second end of the second unfolding arm is traversed by an arbour about which there is articulated a cover with first and second flaps and to which another bracelet strand is attached. The clasp includes a push button fastening system, including at least one push button that controls a bolt pivotally mounted on the cover, the bolt includes a first hook cooperating with a second hook fitted to the first unfolding arm and keeping the second hook locked when the push button is not manually activated, the first hook being kept engaged with the second hook by an elastic structure.
US09986791B2
A closure device is provided. The closure device includes a first closure element, a second closure element, which can be arranged on the first closure element in a fixing direction and which is connected to the first closure element in a closed state, and at least one actuating element, which is movably arranged on the second closure element. The at least one of the closure elements has a receptacle into which the other closure element can be shoved at least partially. The second closure element in the closed state is held on the first closure element via the actuating element and for this the second closure element interacts with the actuating element, while in an unloaded state the second closure element can be loosened from the first closure element by activating of the actuating element.
US09986790B2
Buckles for use in exercise assemblies employing force restorative exercise straps. A looped component and a hooked component of the buckle hold the exercise strap. The looped component and the hooked component can be pivotally mounted to each other. The buckle can hold the strap in two orientations, on an end of a looped strap, or at an adjustable position of the looped strap.
US09986789B2
A strap-securing device is configured to be able to be used to ignite a fire. The strap-securing device may include at least one strap-retaining body configured to retain at least one strap, and at least one fire-starting component configured to be used to ignite a fire. For example, the at least one strap-retaining body may include a first buckle member, and a second buckle member configured to be removably connected to the first buckle member. Alternatively, the at least one strap-retaining body may include a slider, cord lock, shackle, and/or the like.
US09986783B2
A sound and light shoe includes a shoe body including a sole and a sound and light device located in the shoe body. The sound and light device includes a controlling box received in the sole, a sound and light member, and a battery located in the controlling box to supply power to the sound and light member. The sound and light member includes a controlling circuit received in the controlling box including a main PCB having a MPU, a first controlling circuit connected to the main PCB, and a second controlling circuit connected to the main PCB and the first controlling circuit, a light-emitting body connected to the controlling circuit, a first controlling switch connected to the main PCB, a sound-phonating body connected to the controlling circuit, a trigger switch connected to the main PCB, and a second controlling switch connected to the main PCB.
US09986775B2
A garment designed to convert back and forth between a cover mode for nursing an infant and a carrier mode for carrying an infant or other animate or inanimate object has a first layer designed to loosely cover an attached inner layer or separate garment covering an upper torso of a wearer in the cover mode. The first layer has a neck opening, a back, a front, opposite sides, left and right arm openings, and a faux pocket slit on each side spaced below the respective arm opening and configured for insertion of a wearer's arm through the faux pocket slit and between the first layer and inner layer or garment. After inserting an arm, the wearer can turn a lower portion of the first layer inside out while moving the slit along the arm and over the shoulder to form a sling-like carrier in the carry mode.
US09986773B2
A pair of convertible pants comprising an upper pants portion, a lower pants portion, an opening extending longitudinally from a hem end of the lower pants portion to a section that turns and continuously extending substantially circumferentially around the leg opening and ends at a terminus, and a closure being operable to extend along the entire length of the opening to selectively open and close the opening.
US09986771B2
Methods of forming garments having one or more stretchable conductive ink patterns. Described herein are method of making garments (including compression garments) having one or more highly stretchable conductive ink pattern formed of a composite of an insulative adhesive, a conductive ink, and an intermediate gradient zone between the adhesive and conductive ink. The conductive ink typically includes between about 40-60% conductive particles, between about 30-50% binder; between about 3-7% solvent; and between about 3-7% thickener. The stretchable conductive ink patterns may be stretched more than twice their length without breaking or rupturing.
US09986765B2
A container for use in an electrically heated aerosol-generating device is provided, the container including a piercing area, wherein the electrically heated aerosol-generating device has a piercing element configured to pierce the piercing area; a casing; and a cap including the piercing area and a heater, the heater defining a boundary of the piercing area. An electrically heated aerosol-generating device is also provided, including a power supply; a cavity configured to receive a container; electrical contacts connected to the power supply and configured to couple the power supply to the heater of the container through electrical contacts of the container; means for piercing the piercing area of the container when the container is received in the cavity. A method of manufacturing a container including an aerosol-generating substrate is also provided.
US09986762B2
A device for storing and vaporizing liquid media can comprise an annular liquid media storage tank and a heater configured to vaporize liquid stored in the annular liquid media storage tank.
US09986751B2
This invention relates to the use of the Aspergillus niger aspergilloglutamic peptidase in a feed composition containing cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and/or tubers to improve animal performance, reduce nitrogen excretion and/or reduce intestinal inflammation. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a feed composition or a feed additive comprising the Aspergillus niger aspergilloglutamic peptidase. The present invention relates to the discovery that the Aspergillus niger aspergilloglutamic peptidase is capable of efficiently hydrolyzing alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors that are present in wheat, barley and related cereal species, as well as hydrolyzing trypsin inhibitors that are present in pulses, oilseeds, and tubers. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of improving animal performance comprising improving feed conversion ratio, and/or improving daily weight gain, and/or reducing intestinal inflammation, and/or reducing nitrogen excretion in an animal fed a feed stuff containing alpha-amylase and/or trypsin inhibitors, comprising orally administering a sufficient amount of the Aspergillus niger aspergilloglutamic peptidase. It also relates to the pretreatment of feedstuff with the Aspergillus niger aspergilloglutamic peptidase.
US09986737B2
A method of sterilizing a material, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a sterilizing composition comprising (i) peracetic acid and (ii) a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of citric acid, isocitric acid, aconitic acid and propane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid; b) introducing such sterilizing composition into a hot gaseous stream to produce a peracetic acid vapor; and c) contacting such peracetic acid vapor with the material to be sterilized. The use of such an organic acid stabilizer results in an unexpected reduction in the amount of residue deposited on the heating surface employed to vaporize the sterilizing composition.
US09986733B2
The present invention provides peptoid polymers capable of reducing or inhibiting the formation of ice crystals at sub 0° C. temperatures. Also provided are peptoid-peptide hybrids comprising the peptoid polymers provided herein. The peptoid polymers and peptoid-peptide hybrids provided herein are useful for making cryoprotectant solutions. The peptoid polymers, peptoid-peptide hybrids, and cryoprotectant solutions provided herein are useful for making antifreeze solutions, frozen food products, and cosmetic care products. Also provided herein are methods for preserving a tissue, an organ, a cell, or a biological macromolecule using the compositions described herein.
US09986730B2
A portable electronic animal call device comprising a housing, a memory, a plurality of user inputs, a speaker, an amplifier, a power source, a status indicator, and a controller for controlling the electronic components. The housing encloses the electronic components and includes a plurality of sound openings near the speaker. The housing also includes a plurality of ridges and recesses for gripping the device. The memory stores animal sound files therein. The inputs include a power button, a plurality of animal sound selection buttons, and one or more volume inputs. The user holds or presses the power button to turn on and off the device and to resume and pause an animal sound. The user presses one of the animal sound selection buttons to select and play a desired animal sound. The status indicator communicates a power or animal sound status via LED light or similar alert.
US09986726B2
A yarn which contains a composite yarn composed of a core part containing a short fiber and a sheath part containing a synthetic fiber filament yarn, the core part and the sheath part being integrated via fluff of the short fiber getting between or entangled with the long fibers, the specific gravity of the yarn being adjustable in the range of 1.0 or more, a fishing line containing the yarn, and a method for producing the fishing line. The present invention provides an ideal fishing line which has a strong core-sheath structure, does not allow separation or detachment of the core part and the sheath part, is easy to handle, and also is excellent in strength, weatherability, and water resistance.
US09986725B2
A combination paddle and fishing rod device is disclosed. The device may incorporate a single ended paddle or double ended paddle. In any embodiment, the device allows a fishing reel to be mounted to the shaft of the paddle. The shaft forms a portion of the fishing rod supporting one or more eyelets for guiding fishing line from a fishing reel mounted to the shaft. In one embodiment, the eyelets are connected to the shaft and or an oar blade. In another embodiment, a short fishing rod section having one or more eyelets is connected to the shaft. The device is configured to permit fishing while a user propels a watercraft.
US09986719B1
A pet door with groomer and vacuum is a pet door with a swinging, flexible door but the framework around the door has an interior vacuum channel that connects an attachable vacuum with orifices located on the inner periphery of the framework. Bristles attached to the inner periphery act as a grooming brush to brush the hair of a pet passing through and to help remove any loose foreign material and hair clinging to the hair of the pet. The attached vacuum suctions up any loose material and collects it in a trap that is removable for emptying.
US09986717B1
A pet bed having a substructure including a square or rectangular-shaped planar base and four sidewalls extending orthogonally from it. The sidewalls are affixed to the planar base proximate its edges and to each other to establish a volume. The substructure is introduced to an outer shell fabric, said outer shell fabric having a top cover selectively joined thereto for providing selective access to the volume. A cushion is shaped and sized for snugly fitting within the volume and being frictionally retained therein, the top cover providing for selective access thereto.
US09986700B2
The invention relates to the field of Allium in particular to a new variety of hybrid onion designated NUN 17210 ONL as well as plants, seeds and bulbs thereof.
US09986698B2
The improved process and apparatus for the restoration of seagrass includes a biodegradable bag or sack, referred to as a sediment tube, that is filled with sand and placed in a prop scar or blow hole. The sediment tube corrects many issues created a prop scar or blowhole: (1) the trench or hole is filled, restoring the elevation of the scar to the surround grade of the seagrass; (2) the sediment tubes stabilize the scar, preventing further erosion of the sand by the flow of water; (3) the sediment tube optionally includes fine-grained sediments that promote seagrass growth and recovery; and (4) the sediment tube includes fertilizer and/or other chemical or minerals that encourage growth.
US09986697B1
The present invention is a highly automated vertical farm, grown hydroponically or aeroponically, generally within a closed container, such as a standard shipping container. The present invention utilizes superomniphobic and/or super hydrophobic coatings to decrease drag on NFT water flow and prevent biologic organism growth.
US09986687B2
A stone trap assembly including an entrance and an exit. The entrance receives objects from a crop flow path for accumulation into the assembly during a harvesting operation, and the exit allows evacuation of the accumulated foreign objects out of the assembly during an evacuation operation. The assembly further includes a door configured to be rotatable around a first rotation axis, substantially transverse to the crop flow path, for movement along a door movement trajectory between a closed position and an evacuation position, and an impeller for forcing the accumulated foreign objects towards the exit. The impeller is configured to be rotatable around a second rotation axis, substantially transverse to the crop flow path, for movement along an impeller movement trajectory between a retracted position and an extended position closer towards the exit. The door and impeller are separately movable during at least a part of the trajectories.
US09986682B2
A fixed-line trimmer head for a rotary trimmer device includes the upper portion having a periphery, wherein the upper portion has a plurality of openings spaced from the periphery; and a plurality of mechanisms. Each mechanism can hold a strip of line and includes a post portion disposed through one of the openings in the upper portion, and a flange disposed at one end of the post portion and sandwiched between the upper portion and lower portion of the trimmer head to prevent vertical movement of the mechanism. The post portion includes two line channels, each line channel defining a passageway to receive the same strip of line, wherein at least one of the line channels is curved such that any portion of the strip of line being received through the passageway of that line channel is bent at that portion of the strip of line away from the second line channel while passing through that at least one line channel that is curved.
US09986673B2
A zeroing adjustment for a depth control system of an agricultural seed planting implement has an adjustable link to compensate for the variable effects of tolerance stack-up and wear, so that all planting units of the implement can be adjusted to a common zero ground penetration setting from which depth settings can be made.
US09992917B2
A method of manufacturing an electromagnetic shield for electromagnetic radiation shielding. The electromagnetic shield is formed via the additive fabrication of a compound comprised of at least 90 percent tungsten by weight or alternatively 40 to 60 percent tungsten by volume.
US09992912B1
The present invention provides a heat dissipating device combined structure, which consists of a heat sink and a clasp member. At least one expanded portion extends from the heat sink, and a side extends from each of the two sides of a base of the clasp member to form a conduit. The heat sink and a circuit board are disposed inside the conduit, and at least one ledge portion is formed on the sides. Moreover, a slanting portion extends from and is provided on air foils configured on the sides, and the ends of the slanting portions respectively clasp the expanded portions. Accordingly, the circuit board is mounted on the ledge portions, and electronic components on the circuit board are attached to the bottom portion of the aforementioned heat sink.
US09992903B1
A 1U rack-mountable computing device includes a storage component configured to include one or more storage devices. A second component is configured to be releasably coupleable to the storage component. A coupling system is configured to releasably couple the storage component to the second component.
US09992897B2
A display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a first display unit including a first display area, a first left pad area outside a first left end portion of the first display area, and a first right pad area outside a first right end portion of the first display area. The first right end portion is opposite to the first left end portion. The first display unit is bent at a first portion between the first display area and the first left pad area and bent at a second portion between the first display area and the first right pad area. The first display area is bent such that the first left and right end portions are adjacent to each other, and the first left and right pad areas are located inside the first display unit. The display device also includes a first printed circuit board corresponding to both the first left and right pad areas.
US09992893B2
An electronic device including a waterproof structure is provided. The electronic device includes a housing that includes a first face, a second face that faces in a direction substantially opposite to the first face, and a side surface that at least partially encloses a space between the first face and the second face, a middle plate arranged between the first face and the second face inside the housing to be substantially parallel to the first face, extending from the side surface, and including at least one opening, a printed circuit board arranged between the middle plate and the second face, a display arranged between the middle plate and the first face, and including a face directed toward the second face, and a seal member configured to hermetically seal the at least one opening of the middle plate, and arranged between the face of the display and the middle plate.
US09992888B2
A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device includes a first housing including a first surface and a second surface a second housing including a third surface and a fourth surface, and a hinge. The hinge includes a hinge shaft, a sliding device including a portion configured to slide to an inside or an outside of the second housing to be introduced, or slide from the inside or the outside of the second housing in a specific direction to be extracted in correspondence to a hinge operation of the second housing, and a multi-bar disposed between the first surface and the fourth surface and including multi-bar units to be spread or bent in correspondence to a hinge operation of the second housing.
US09992886B2
A circuit board is sealed and housed in a casing including a base and a cover, a connector housing including a partition wall is mounted on the circuit board, and an electrical connection between the interior and the exterior of the casing is established. A water-repellent filter is fixed to an inner surface of the partition wall, an outer surface portion of the water-repellent filter is opened to atmosphere via the breath ventilation hole, and an atmospheric opening surface thereof is formed such that the atmospheric opening surface being wetted directly with water is avoided by a poured water blocking wall and water barrier walls. A position where the poured water blocking wall is provided is changed by an insert mold in response to the direction of the mounting surface of the base.
US09992884B2
A case for a portable electronic device includes a substantially hollow housing formed of a first section and a second section. The first section is dimensioned and configured to tightly retain the portable electronic device. A hinged connector secures a first portion of the first section to a first portion of the second section and allows access to the portable electronic device when the second section is in an open position. One or more locking mechanisms removably connect a second portion of the first section to a second portion of the second section and prevents access to the portable electronic device when the second section is in a closed and locked position. A locating device is disposed within or attached to the first section.
US09992880B2
A printed circuit board (PCB) has multiple layers, where select portions of one or more conductive layers, referred to as core circuitry, form a semi-flexible PCB portion that is protected by an exposed prepreg layer. The semi-flexible PCB portion having an exposed prepreg layer is formed using a dummy core process that leaves the exposed prepreg layer smooth and undamaged. The core circuitry is part of a core structure. The semi-flexible PCB portion is an extension of the remaining adjacent multiple layer PCB. The remaining portion of the multiple layer PCB is rigid. The core structure is common to both the semi-flexible PCB portion and the remaining rigid PCB portion.
US09992875B2
The present invention relates to an electrical assembly which has a conformal coating, wherein said conformal coating is obtainable by a method which comprises: (a) plasma polymerization of a compound of formula (I) and a fluorohydrocarbon, wherein the molar ratio of the compound of formula (I) to the fluorohydrocarbon is from 5:95 to 50:50, and deposition of the resulting polymer onto at least one surface of the electrical assembly: wherein: R1 represents C1-C3 alkyl or C2-C3 alkenyl; R2 represents hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl or C2-C3 alkenyl; R3 represents hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl or C2-C3 alkenyl; R4 represents hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl or C2-C3 alkenyl; R5 represents hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl or C2-C3 alkenyl; and R6 represents hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl or C2-C3 alkenyl, and (b) plasma polymerization of a compound of formula (I) and deposition of the resulting polymer onto the polymer formed in step (a).
US09992873B2
A circuit board includes a dielectric layer, a first circuit layer, a second circuit layer and at least an electrically conductive pole. The dielectric layer includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The first circuit layer is located at the first side of the dielectric layer, and includes a plurality of spaced first circuit patterns embedded into the dielectric layer. The second circuit layer is located at the second side of the dielectric layer, and includes a plurality of spaced second circuit patterns located outsides the dielectric layer. The electrically conductive pole electrically couples the first circuit layer to the second circuit layer. Each of the first circuit patterns has an extension direction from the first side toward the second side, and has widths thereof gradually decreasing along the extension direction. A method for manufacturing the circuit board is also provided.
US09992865B2
A circuit board and an assembly including the circuit board are provided. The circuit board includes a first insulation layer, a first conductive pattern disposed on the first insulation layer, an insulation film disposed on the first conductive pattern, and a second conductive pattern disposed on the insulation film. The insulation film includes an insulation thin film contacting the first conductive pattern, and a function film disposed on the insulation thin film and contacting the second conductive pattern.
US09992864B2
The present invention relates to a composition for forming a conductive pattern capable of forming a fine conductive pattern reducing degradation of mechanical physical properties and having excellent adhesion strength, on a polymeric resin product or resin layer, a method for forming a conductive pattern using the same, and a resin component having the conductive pattern. The composition for forming a conductive pattern includes: a polycarbonate-based resin; and particles of a non-conductive metal compound including a first metal and a second metal and having a spinel structure, wherein the particles have a particle diameter of 0.1 to 6 μm; wherein a metal nuclei including the first metal, the second metal, or an ion thereof is formed from the particles of the non-conductive metal compound by electromagnetic wave irradiation. The non-conductive metal compound may have an average specific surface area of about 0.5 to 10 m2/g, preferably about 0.5 to 8 m2/g, more preferably about 0.7 to about 3 m2/g.
US09992856B2
The present disclosure relates to a photolithography radiation source having an angled primary laser, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the photolithography radiation source has a fuel droplet generator that provides fuel droplets to a source vessel along a first trajectory. A primary laser is configured to generate a primary laser beam along a second trajectory that intersects the first trajectory. The primary laser beam is configured to ignite a plasma from the plurality of fuel droplets that emits radiation. A collector mirror is configured to focus the radiation to an exit aperture of the source vessel. The primary laser beam does not intersect the exit aperture.
US09992849B1
A dimmer circuit configured for detecting an overvoltage event comprising a controller, a plurality of dimming transistors, a current sensor, and an overvoltage protection device coupled across at least one of the plurality of dimming transistors. The dimmer circuit generates a transistor drive signal to drive the plurality of dimming transistors at a reverse phase dimming mode and provides a dimmed hot output signal to a load. After driving at least one of the dimming transistors to turn off, the dimmer circuit receives from the current sensor a detected current level (I) of the dimmed hot output signal at a turn off time threshold (Tth) and compares the detected current level (I) to a current threshold (Ith). The dimmer circuit detects an overvoltage event when the detected current level (I) is above the current threshold (Ith) because this indicates that the overvoltage protection has tripped.
US09992845B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) driver circuit and a light apparatus including the LED driver circuit are provided. The light apparatus includes an LED array, an input unit, a rectifier, and a control circuit. The LED array includes LED devices connected to one another in series. The input unit receives an alternating current (AC) power source. The rectifier circuit full-wave rectifies the received AC power source signal and supplies the full-wave rectified AC power source signal to the LED array. The control circuit selectively lights the LED devices according to a voltage level of the full-wave rectified AC power source signal. The control circuit includes switching elements and comparators. The switching elements selectively force nodes between the LED devices to be grounded. The comparators turn-on one of the switching elements according to the voltage level of the full-wave rectified AC power source signal.
US09992844B2
A power supply circuit has a first voltage converter and a second voltage converter. The first voltage converter generates a first power supply voltage having a first voltage level based on an input voltage. The first power supply voltage drives a first power node of a display in a first mode. The second voltage converter generates a second power supply voltage having a second voltage level based on the input voltage. The second power node is driven by the second power supply voltage in the first mode and is driven by a ground voltage in a second mode.
US09992842B2
An illumination system that includes a light source device and an algorithm unit is provided. The light source includes a color temperature adjustable light source. The algorithm unit is coupled to the light source device and outputs a control signal to the light source device according to a reflection spectrum of an object, a visual color matching function, a visual preference correction function, or a combination of the above. The light source device outputs an illumination beam according to the control signal, so as to develop target visual perception of the object while the object is being irradiated by the illumination beam. A method for developing target visual perception of an object is also provided.
US09992833B1
A system for driving a multi-stage LED with low distortion and with current proportional to rectified input voltage is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes LED groups connected in series to form an LED string having a first node, a last node, and intermediate nodes. The apparatus also includes current cells having inputs coupled to the nodes and outputs coupled to an output resistor. Each current cell selectively regulates current to flow between its respective input and the output resistor. The apparatus also includes a feedback circuit that generates a plurality of feedback voltages from a voltage level at the output resistor. When a selected current cell is enabled by a selected feedback voltage to regulate a selected current level from its respective input to the output resistor, upstream current cells are disabled by their respective feedback voltages.
US09992832B2
A light control unit that includes a housing sized and shaped as a standard electrical dimmer switch that can reside in an a standard electrical Handy Box and at least one integrated circuit that comprises a brightness dimming control adapted to reduce and increase brightness of one or more light sources, for example a series of light sources, electronically connected to the at least one integrated circuit and a correlated color temperature (CCT) control adapted to change color temperature of light emitted from the one or more light sources.
US09992831B1
A backlight device includes a number of light emitting strings, a number of switch units, a first control unit and a second control unit. Each of the light emitting strings includes a number of light emitting units connected in series. The light emitting strings are configured to be driven by electric power to emit light. One of the switch units serves as a reference switch unit. The first control unit is configured to adjust a voltage level of the control terminal of the reference switch unit according to a voltage level of the reference node. The second control unit is configured to instruct the first control unit to set the voltage levels of the control terminal of each of the switch units and the electric power according to pre-calibration data corresponding to the illumination type of the backlight device.
US09992824B2
An apparatus configured to apply electromagnetic energy to an object may include an energy application zone adapted to receive at least a portion of an object and a source configured to supply RF energy to the energy application zone. The apparatus may also include at least one processor configured to: cause the source to supply RF energy to the energy application zone; determine a value indicative of a rate of energy absorption by a load, including at least a portion of the object, during a first period of time; and determine, based on the value indicative of the rate of energy absorption by the load, an estimated amount of time to obtain a desired characteristic in at least a portion of the object.
US09992820B2
A vehicle glass removal system and method using a heating element and thermoplastic adhesive is disclosed, whereby a resistance heating element is deployed along the bond line between a vehicle glass member and its supporting vehicle frame. The system accepts user input and activates the heating element, causing the adhesive along the bond line to weaken, thereby reducing or completely eliminating the need for a cutting operation when separating the glass from the frame. Two embodiments are contemplated for the deployment of the heating element: embedded within the perimeter of the glass member, or preferably deployed along the vehicle window frame. The system includes safety precautions that prevent the heating element from operating while the vehicle is in operation, including authenticated access and communication with the vehicle electrical system to recognize the state of the vehicle.
US09992819B2
A method and a receiving device, the method receiving an indication of pending data from an access network, the pending data including a sequence number for every unit of the pending data; and sending transmission instructions to a first transmitter within the access network, the transmission instructions including a range of sequence numbers desired by the receiving device and an error correction and coding scheme to be used by the first transmitter. Further, a receiving device having a processor; and a communications subsystem, wherein the processor and communications subsystem cooperate to receive a first stream from a first transmitter; receive a second stream from a second transmitter; and soft combine the first stream and the second stream at the receiving device.
US09992813B2
Various methods for determining network entity timeout values to improve keep-alive signaling are provided. One example method may comprise providing for transmission of a request for a timeout value associated with a keep-alive timer. The method of this example embodiment may further comprise receiving a response to the request, wherein the response comprises an indication of the timeout value of the keep-alive timer. Additionally, the method may further comprise determining an expiration time of the keep-alive timer based at least in part on the timeout value. The example method may further comprise providing for transmission of a keep-alive data packet prior to the determined expiration time. Similar and related example methods, example apparatuses, and example computer program products are also provided.
US09992808B2
A node is operable to communicate in an ad hoc peer-to-peer network using a predefined communication protocol. The node includes a local area wireless communication circuit and one or more processors. The one or more processors can cause the local area wireless communication circuit to broadcast a local name of an electronic device using a discovery protocol of the predefined communication protocol. Upon receiving one or more responses from one or more remote devices, the one or more processors can change the local name to a new local name including at least one communication protocol parameter, and can cause the local area wireless communication circuit to rebroadcast the new local name using the discovery protocol to communicate the at least one communication protocol parameter to the one or more remote devices. This can continue until an ad hoc peer-to-peer network is established.
US09992805B2
A mobile terminal is communicable with an image display apparatus connected to a nearby access point and includes: an interface configured to receive, from the access point, a signal including information on a current connection channel, by which the image display apparatus is currently connected to the access point, to transmit a request for connection with the image display apparatus by a same channel as the current connection channel, and to receive a response on the request; an information checker configured to check information on the current connection channel from the received signal; and a controller configured to request for connection with the image display apparatus by the same channel based on the checked information, to connect to the image display apparatus according to an approving result of the response on the request, and to control the image display apparatus in response to being connected.
US09992800B2
Techniques are described for wireless communication. One method includes transmitting a sequence of deterministic variations of random access data on at least one interlace of non-contiguous frequency resources allocated to a physical random access channel (PRACH) in an unlicensed spectrum, beginning at a first time; repeating the transmitting of the sequence of deterministic variations of random access data at least once, beginning at a second time; generating at least one modification of the sequence of deterministic variations of random access data, in which the at least one modification is generated according to a modification sequence; and transmitting on the at least one interlace, beginning at a third time, the at least one modification of the sequence of deterministic variations of random access data.
US09992795B1
A wireless access point (WAP) including: antennas, shared and discrete components forming transmit and receive chains coupled to the antenna for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) WLAN communications with wireless stations. The station set identifier identifies any legacy stations that do not support multi-user (MU) MIMO concurrent downlinks from the WAP, and a number of WLAN subnets for concurrent downlinks communications thereto. The subnet controller generates the WLAN subnets each having a discrete beacon channel together with a discrete medium access control (MAC) for collision sense multiple access (CSMA) uplinks from associated stations to the WAP, and concurrent downlinks from the WAP including concurrent downlinks to legacy stations associated with different subnets; thereby enabling concurrent downlink communications with said legacy stations despite their lack of support for MU-MIMO.
US09992789B1
A sounding method utilized for a wireless communication system is disclosed. The sounding method comprises classifying a plurality of stations of the wireless communication system into a plurality of groups, and determining a plurality of initial sounding instants and a plurality of sounding periods corresponding to the plurality of groups; and performing sounding to at least one or all of the plurality of groups in a group by group fashion according to the plurality of initial sounding instants and the plurality of sounding periods.
US09992788B2
It is presented a method for reducing interference between network nodes of a cellular network, the method being performed in an aggressor network node, being a network node risking to interfere with transmissions to a first wireless device by a victim network node. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a transmission avoidance request from the victim network node, the transmission avoidance request comprising a reference to at least one risk resource unit intended to be used for transmissions by the victim network node to the first wireless device; determining whether to avoid user data transmissions to a second wireless device using the at least one risk resource unit; and when it is determined to avoid user data transmissions using the at least one risk resource unit, avoiding user data transmission using the at least one risk resource unit.
US09992772B2
A network interface device generates a packet that includes a beacon frame for transmission in a superframe. The beacon frame is used to announce the presence of a network and also is formatted as a beamforming training (BFT) frame to permit other communication devices to perform beamforming training with the packet. The beacon frame is generated to include (i) a frame control field, (ii) a duration field, (iii) a timestamp field, (iv) information indicative of a time of a subsequent association beamforming training (A-BFT) time slot, and (v) beamforming training information, which includes a countdown field. The network interface device transmits the packet during a beacon timeslot of the superframe, which is separate from an association beamforming training (A-BFT) timeslot of the superframe.
US09992771B2
A wireless communication system, includes a first wireless base station; a second wireless base station that performs a coordinated transmission; and a wireless terminal, wherein the wireless terminal includes a reception control unit that identifies a physical downlink channel transmitted from any of the first and second wireless base station according to one or more reference signals; a data reception unit that is capable of receiving data transmitted by the first wireless base station using a resource indicated by a first control channel and receiving data coordinately transmitted by the second wireless base station using a resource indicated by the received first control channel, a control channel transmission unit that transmits a second control channel and the reception control unit further controls Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process for data coordinately transmitted by the first wireless base station and the second wireless base station based on the first control channel.
US09992767B2
Provided are a data transmission method and device, which relate to the field of communications. The method includes: when data is transmitted between an REC and one or more REs, arranging extended control words of the one or more REs in a plurality of superframes, wherein connotations of the extended control words at a same position in different superframes are different, and sending the plurality of superframes to an opposite end. By arranging extended control words of one or more REs in a plurality of superframes and different connotations of the extended control words at the same position in different superframes, the solution solves the problem that the requirements cannot be satisfied due to the limited number of control words in the protocol, and has the beneficial effect of increasing control words in the protocol.
US09992755B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a device for transmitting a power headroom reporting in the wireless communication system, the method comprising: generating a PHR MAC CE (Power Headroom Reporting MAC Control Element) for activated cells comprising a first cell and a second cell; and transmitting a power headroom reporting through the generated PHR MAC CE to a network in a subframe, wherein the generated PHR MAC CE includes a value of Type 2 PH (Power Headroom) information for the first cell followed by a value of a Type 2 PH information for the second cell, and the Type 2 PH information for the second cell followed by a value of Type 1 PH information for the first cell.
US09992753B2
A system, method and device for adjusting a communication parameter for a network communicating with a communication device are provided. The method comprises: monitoring for a condition relating to a first network that has been in communication with the communication device; and determining whether an adjustment is to be implemented on a communication parameter of a second communication network that has been in communication with the communication device based on the condition and if so, implementing the adjustment to the communication parameter for the second communication network.
US09992748B2
A communication device (device) includes a communication interface and a processor, among other possible circuitries, components, elements, etc. to support communications with other device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. The device receives a ranging instruction signal, which includes an initial power and at least one power step, from another device. The device processes the ranging instruction generates a first ranging signal based on the initial power. The device then transmits the first ranging signal to the another device. When a ranging response to the first ranging signal is received from the another device, the device determines that the device is successfully ranged to the another device. Alternatively, when no ranging response is received, the device generates a second ranging signal based on the initial power and the at least one power step and transmit the second ranging signal to the another device.
US09992747B2
Methods and corresponding systems for determining a transmit power in a wireless device include receiving, in the wireless device, a cell-wide power control parameter related to a target receive power at a serving base station. Thereafter, a transmit power is calculated in response to the cell-wide power control parameter and an implicit mobile-specific power control parameter. The wireless device then transmits using the transmit power. The cell-wide power control parameter can be a cell target signal to interference-plus-noise ratio, or a fractional power control exponent. The implicit mobile-specific power control parameter can be a modulation and coding level previously used by the wireless device, or a downlink SINR level measured by the wireless device.
US09992743B2
A wireless device that performs an operation based on setting information includes a wireless communicator configured to perform wireless communication over a wireless network, a near field communicator comprising a memory storing the setting information and configured to perform transmission and reception of the setting information stored in the memory by near field communication, and a controller configured to control at least the wireless communicator.
US09992736B2
A method performed by a wireless device (121) for receiving system information from a network node (110) in a wireless communications network (100) is provided. The wireless device first receives a first system information indicating one or more Public Land Mobile Networks, PLMNs, supported on a frequency carrier by the network node (110). Then, the wireless device determines if the one or more PLMNs indicated in the first system information exclude all PLMN(s) supported by the wireless device (121). When the one or more PLMNs indicated in the first system information does not exclude all PLMN(s) supported by the wireless device (121), then the wireless device receives a second system information comprising the one or more PLMNs supported on the frequency carrier by the network node (110). A wireless device (121) for receiving system information is also provided. Further, a network node and a method therein for transmitting system information are also provided.
US09992732B2
The invention relates to operating a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) device for communication with a cellular radio network. A transmission is made from the MTC device to the cellular radio network to register the MTC device with the cellular radio network. The transmission includes a message from the MTC device to the cellular radio network, identifying the MTC device as an MTC device to the cellular radio network. Also, the MTC device has an associated HPLMN. An instruction is received at the MTC device from the network not to make a transmission from the MTC device for accessing the network. The instruction specifies a criteria for the MTC device's HPLMN or preferred list of networks. The MTC Device compares the criteria with the HPLMN associated with the MTC device and avoids making a transmission to access the network for a period of time based on the result comparing step.
US09992730B2
A example method includes receiving, at a cell broadcast center (CBC) an alert request providing information for distribution to at least one user equipment, identifying a broadcast area based on the alert request, one or more cells within the broadcast area, determining a warning area list (WAL) for a message and transmitting the message with the WAL. The WAL may be a list of one or more Tracking Area Identity (TAIs) or a list of cell identifiers depending on various conditions.
US09992729B2
A computer-implemented method for modifying operation of a portable processing device configured to scan for wireless signals under a first scan rate. As wireless signals are received in the portable processing device, characteristics of the wireless signals are analyzed, and if the characteristics match one or more characteristics, the operation of the portable processing device is modified. Under one exemplary embodiment, the first scan rate is modified to a second scan rate, where the second scan rate being different from the first. Under another exemplary embodiment, monitoring capabilities in the portable processing device are activated or modified to collect research data on media data. The characteristics may include identification information or messages/commands that are transmitted wirelessly.
US09992723B2
Aspects of the present disclosure describe various techniques for handling data stall in wireless local area networks (WLANs). These techniques include, for example, a method in which wireless communications are switched at a wireless station from a first network device associated with a first radio access technology (RAT) (e.g., WLAN technology) to a second network device associated with a second RAT (e.g., wireless wide area network (WWAN) technology). The wireless station may then monitor network devices associated with the first RAT, including the first network device. The wireless station may filter results from the monitoring based at least in part on one or more threshold value and identify, based on the filtered results, one of the network devices as suitable for the wireless communications. The wireless communications may then be switched at the wireless station from the second network device to the one network device identified as suitable for the wireless communications.
US09992722B2
A transceiver with a spectrum sensing unit configured to detect, within a plurality of millimeter wave bands, one or more channels with tolerably low interference for selection. The transceiver has a transmitter configured to modulate a transmit signal to an output transmit signal using a transmit carrier frequency compatible with a transmit channel selected from the one or more channels, and using a transmit duplexing operating mode compatible with a transmit millimeter wave of the plurality of millimeter wave bands that correspond to the transmit channel. The transceiver has a receiver configured to demodulate a receive signal from an input receive signal using a receive carrier frequency compatible with a receive channel selected from the one or more channels, and using a receive duplexing operating mode compatible with a receive millimeter wave of the plurality of millimeter wave bands that correspond to the receive channel. The transceiver has a duplexer configured to route the output transmit signal from the transmitter based on the transmit duplexing operating mode and the transmit millimeter wave band, and the input receive signal to the receiver based on the receive duplexing operating mode and the receive millimeter wave band.
US09992715B2
An in-device coexistence interference report control method of a network for terminal to inform the network of interference among heterogeneous radio communication modules coexisting in the terminal is provided. The method includes determining, at a terminal when a terminal capability enquiry message is received from a base station, whether the base station supports an In-Device Coexistence (IDC) interference report, transmitting, when the IDC interference report is supported, a terminal capacity information message to the base station, receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection reconfiguration message including information on whether terminal's IDC interference indicator transmission is permitted from the base station; and transmitting an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message to the base station in response to the RRC connection reconfiguration message. The in-device coexistence interference indication control method is advantageous in preventing the UE from transmitting useless in-device coexistence interference indication messages, resulting in reduction of unnecessary signaling.
US09992712B2
A delta configuration is transmitted to a UE requesting a handover wherein the delta configuration details changes that are required for the current UE configuration in order to execute the handover. The handover is initiated via a measurement report transmitted to a currently serving source eNode B from the UE. The measurement report can comprise one or more of current radio conditions, current UE configuration or a preferred target eNode B if the handover is a inter eNode B handover. In a inter eNB handover, the current UE configuration is forwarded to the preferred target eNode B by the source eNode B. The target eNode B generates the delta configuration and transmits it to the source eNode B in a transparent container which is subsequently forwarded to the UE.
US09992711B2
The present invention provides a method for performing dual connectivity operation in a heterogeneous network.In the method, a first eNB transmits a first message to a second eNB for the dual connectivity operation, and receives a response for the first message from the second eNB.The response includes E-RAB (E-UTRAN Radio Access Bearer) related information.
US09992708B2
Disclosed are a system and method for moving a connection from a localized network, e.g., a personal area network (“PAN”), to a different or larger network, e.g., a wide area network (“WAN”). In one aspect, wherein two devices are in communication on a PAN, each device uses the PAN to query the IPv6 WAN prefix assigned to each other device to which it is communicating on the PAN. The querying device then creates a globally routable IPv6 address for the desired communication and uses it to continue the connection after the device detects that the PAN is out of range. In an embodiment, one of the endpoint devices may determine that it has changed its IPv6 prefix and may transmit the new prefix to the other device through an out-of-band method such as the Short Message Service.
US09992700B2
A wireless device receives a message comprising a transmit power control (TPC) radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), a primary TPC index for a primary PUCCH and a secondary TPC index for a secondary PUCCH. The wireless device searches a common search space of a primary cell for a downlink control information (DCI) associated with the TPC RNTI. The DCI comprises an array of TPC commands and the secondary TPC index determines a TPC command in the array. The wireless device adjusts uplink signal transmission power of the secondary PUCCH according to the TPC command.
US09992698B2
A communication control method is used in a mobile communication system that supports MDT (minimization of drive test). The communication control method has: a step (A) wherein a user terminal, which has established a connection with abase station, location information indicating the location of the user terminal to the base station based on an instruction from the base station; and a step (B) wherein the base station receiving the location information from the user terminal measures the throughput of communication with the user terminal.
US09992696B2
There is provided a method of estimating a bit error rate in a transport channel of a wireless communication system. The method comprises the receiving a signal from a remote transmitter of the wireless communication system via a physical channel, the signal comprising data and noise forming a plurality of soft bits. The method further comprises the counting, during a period of time, a number of erroneous bits being those soft bits which have an amplitude below −2A or above +2A with A being the average amplitude of the soft bits received. Next, the number of erroneous bits is divided by a number of total bits received during said period of time in order to obtain the bit error rate. This method provides a way to estimate the BER value without knowing the exact shape of the noise distribution. In an embodiment a selection is made between two estimation algorithms.
US09992690B2
A system determines wireless network performance. A wireless instrument is configured to send, receive and measure received wireless signals in a monitored area. A master controller connected with the wireless instrument forms a distributed wireless network testing solution. The master controller is configured to send and receive wireless signals with the wireless instrument, measure received wireless signals and perform an analysis of the wireless signals to determine a radio frequency environment performance of the distributed wireless network based on the wireless signals.
US09992685B2
A medical body area network (MBAN) system comprises network nodes intercommunicating via short range wireless communication. A primary user database contains information pertaining to usage of a restricted spectrum by primary users wherein the MBAN systems are secondary users of the restricted spectrum. An electronic key generation engine comprises a digital processing device configured to generate an electronic key (E-key) indicative of whether the MBAN system is allowed to use the restricted spectrum based on content of the primary users database. An MBAN application server is configured to distribute the E-key to the MBAN system. The MBAN system includes a spectrum control sub-module comprising a digital processor configured to select an operating channel or frequency for the short range wireless communication based at least in part on whether the E-key authorizes the MBAN system to use the restricted spectrum.
US09992683B2
Various embodiments described herein include systems and methods directed towards allowing a wearable device with one or more sensors to communicate with a third-party network or device. The wearable device's software may include user interfaces wherein a user may select a data set from a particular sensor and allocate a security level associated with that sensor's data and with a particular third-party network. Different security levels may be correlated to different protections, such as encryption or password-protection of data, or ensuring that an agreement has been signed, or ensuring that the third party is identified in a database before transmission. Before sending any sensor data or receiving any third party data, the wearable device may check this user-allocated security level, executes any required security precautions, and allows or denies the data transfer accordingly. Security levels may also govern receipt of data by the wearable device from the third party.
US09992679B1
User Equipment (UE) transfers a session request having a calling party identifier and a digital signature for the calling party identifier. An originating network receives the session request and digitally verifies the calling party digital signature for the calling party identifier. The originating network transfers the session request having the calling party identifier, a user code indicating that the calling party identifier was digitally verified by the originating network, and an originating network digital signature for the originating network. A tandem network receives the session request having the originating network digital signature and digitally verifies the originating network digital signature. The tandem network transfers the communication session request having the calling party identifier and a user/network code indicating that the calling party identifier was digitally verified by the originating communication network and that the originating network was digitally verified by the tandem communication network.
US09992678B2
A method and device for network/card locking of a mobile terminal, a terminal, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card and a storage medium are provided. The method for card locking of a mobile terminal includes that: encrypted data sent by a mobile terminal is received; it is authenticated, according to the encrypted data, whether the mobile terminal can initialize a SIM card, and an authentication result is obtained; and the authentication result indicating whether the mobile terminal can initialize the SIM card is returned to the mobile terminal.
US09992675B2
A method of authenticating a request to change IMS supplementary service data stored at an application server within an IMS network. The method comprises sending from a user equipment to the application server a request for current IMS supplementary service data, on receipt by the user equipment of a response containing the IMS supplementary data in an XML configuration document, and an indication that an access code is required to change the supplementary service data. The method further comprises constructing an amended XML configuration document, incorporating the amended XML document into an Extensible Mark-up Language, XML, Configuration Access Protocol, XCAP, message, incorporating an access code into the XCAP message at a location external to the XML document, and transmitting the XCAP message from the user equipment to the application server.
US09992674B2
A method of unlocking a locked device includes receiving a device identifier over a wireless communication protocol, determining if the device identifier is associated with a list of trusted devices, transmitting a request to generate an acoustic signal over the wireless communication protocol based on the determination, receiving the acoustic signal as an audio sound generated external to the locked device, estimating a distance between a source of the audio sound and the locked device, and unlocking the locked device based on the estimation.
US09992656B2
A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The method for transmitting broadcast signals includes encoding data of PLPs (Physical Layer Pips); building at least one signal frame by mapping the encoded data of the PLPs; and modulating data in the built signal frame by OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) method and transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data.
US09992651B2
A system and method for sharing a message and/or content using location information. The system for sharing a message and/or content includes at least one upload terminal that generates and transmits post metadata including a message/content prepared for uploading, location of the upload terminal, and location for uploading the prepared message/content thereto; a download terminal that transmits a connection message including current location, and downloads message/content posted within a predetermined distance from the current location to display the posted message/content; and a server that verifies the post metadata by receiving the prepared message/content and the post metadata corresponding to the prepared message/content from the upload terminal, stores a result of verification, searches for the prepared message/content to be provided to the download terminal when the connection message including the location is received from the download terminal, and provides information on the searched message/content and post location to the download terminal.
US09992639B1
A method including receiving a request for a visual object pertaining to a body portion of a first user from a second user is provided. The method includes sending a request to a messaging platform for a history of prior requests by the second user for any visual objects pertaining to at least one body portion of a body of another user. The method further includes displaying to the first user a modified history of any prior requests for visual objects by the second user that were flagged by any of the group of users as belonging to a community-specific category of requests for visual objects pertaining to body portions of respective bodies of other users. The method further includes sending a selected message from a set of pre-configured messages to the messaging platform for transmission of the selected message to the second user.
US09992624B2
Various examples of methods, systems, apparatus and devices are provided for accurately tracking of workers and assets. Aspects of the present disclosure include tracking the location and other information for workers and assets in locations where knowledge about such workers and assets is desirable. The disclosed worker and/or asset tracking is particularly suitable for locations where the structural components are added, modified or moved during a monitoring period. Such structural components can block all or part of GPS, WiFi and RFID signals, or where it may be otherwise impractical to utilize other forms of signal generation.
US09992615B2
Disclosed is a method for connecting, by a first device, with a second device using Bluetooth communication. The method includes transmitting a request message to request user information for identifying a user of the second device to the second device, receiving a response message including the user information from the second device, registering the second device to a first authority policy or a second authority policy based on the user information, and establishing a Bluetooth connection with the second device registered to the first authority policy or the second authority policy. The first authority policy indicates a first control authority for controlling an operation of the first device, the second authority policy indicates a second control authority for controlling an operation of the first device, the first control authority indicates a control authority capable of controlling an operation of the first device within a limited range, the second control authority indicates a control authority capable of controlling all of operations of the first device.
US09992609B2
There is provided a method and system for management of Machine Type Communication (MTC) events. The system and method enables the detection of a state of the MTC event, correlating the state of MTC event with a Virtual Network Function (VNF) state of a VNF configured to mitigate the MTC event and transitioning the VNF to the VNF state which correlates with the MTC state. In this manner, the VNF can be in a configured and active state in advance of the MTC event reaching a critical state, thereby enabling mitigation of the MTC event prior to reaching the critical state.
US09992606B2
Disclosed is a personal device container system. The personal device container system typically includes a processor, a memory, and an access management module stored in the memory. The personal device container system is typically configured to establish network communication between a personal computing device and a provisioning system that validates the identity of the personal computing device and provides a certificate to the personal computing device. Thereafter, the personal computing device requests access to a secured network segment and provides the certificate to the personal device container system. The personal device container system then authenticates the personal computing device's certificate before allowing the personal computing device to communicate with the secured network segment. User credentials associated with a user are authenticated before user-specific content associated with the user is provided to the personal computing device. Accordingly, a user-specific experience may be provided to different users of the personal computing device.
US09992604B2
An error model-based multi-zone sound reproduction method includes arranging a speaker array, and setting control points for a bright zone and a dark zone. The bright zone is a zone requiring the generation of an independent sound source. The dark zone is a zone not requiring the generation of an independent sound source. The method further includes conducting probability distribution modeling on the speaker frequency response errors. The method further includes, according to the error distribution model, respectively listing expected average sound energy expressions of the bright zone and the dark zone and a frequency response consistency constraint expression of the bright zone. The method further includes calculating a time-domain impulse response filter signal of each channel according to the time-domain sound energy contrast control criterion of the frequency response consistency constraint.
US09992601B2
A multi-channel decoder for generating a binaural signal from a downmix signal using upmix rule information on an energy-error introducing upmix rule for calculating a gain factor based on the upmix rule information and characteristics of head related transfer function based filters corresponding to upmix channels. The one or more gain factors are used by a filter processor for filtering the downmix signal so that an energy corrected binaural signal having a left binaural channel and a right binaural channel is obtained.
US09992593B2
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for an audio processing system which compensates for environment parameters to enhance audio inputs and outputs of an information handling system. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the audio processing system accounts for environmental characteristics including some or all of shape, size, materials, occupant, quantity, location and occlusions.
US09992588B2
An earbud that uniformly conforms to the ear canal and maintains a constant and comfortable radial pressure on the ear canal regardless of size. The earbud is designed to extrude distally when placed inside a small canal and yet still conforms to the canal while maintaining the aforementioned comfortable radial pressure. A wax bridge may be added to provide an added layer of wax protection to the earbud.
US09992585B1
A hearing assistance system comprises a left ear device and a right ear device respectively configured to be worn by a wearer. One or more microphones are provided at each of the left and right ear devices. One or more positional sensors are configured to determine a three-dimensional position of the hearing assistance system in response to the wearer looking at a sound source in space. A user interface is configured to receive an input directly from the wearer. A memory is configured to store the three-dimensional position of the hearing assistance system in response to the received input. A processor is configured to adjust a directional polar pattern of the one or more microphones provided at one or both of the left and right ear devices in response to the stored three-dimensional position.
US09992575B2
A speaker assembly comprises two separate and symmetrical speakers combining together in a reversed manner. Each speaker includes a base surface for seating said speaker and a sound emission surface provided at one front side thereof for an emission of sound derived from the speaker. Wherein each speaker defines a mating surface which the sound emission surface is located at and said two speakers can be secured to each other snugly into an integral unit by jointing two mating surfaces thereof via a magnetic force.
US09992555B2
This disclosure describes techniques relevant to HTTP streaming of media data. According to these techniques, a server device may signal an open decoding refresh (ODR) random access point (RAP) for a movie segmentation of a movie representation. At least one frame of the media segmentation following the ODR RAP frame in decoding order may not be correctly decoded, and wherein each frame of the media segmentation following the ODR RAP frame in display order can be correctly decoded without relying on content of frames prior to the ODR RAP in display order. According to the techniques of this disclosure, a client device may communicate a request to a server device for the streaming of media data based on signaling of the ODR RAP. Also according to the techniques of this disclosure, a client device may commence decoding and/or playback of the movie representation based on signaling of the ODR RAP.
US09992552B2
Embodiments herein provide systems and methods for sending broadband data to end-users over a DTTV broadcast transmission. Systems and methods for receiving such data are also described. A wireless overlay system is set up by an Internet Service Provider/Communications Provider (ISP/CP) 11 by means of receiving from end-user equipment 27 data requests over a DSL uplink together with identification of at least one DTTV transmitter 21 23. The ISP/CP 11 provides an overlay controller 26 which causes routing of the requested data over a selected DTTV transmitter 21. At the end-user equipment, the requested data can be received from the DTTV broadcast and extracted for output.
US09992550B2
A transmission method includes generating one or more frames for content transfer using IP (Internet Protocol) packets, and transmitting the one or more generated frames by broadcast. Each of the one or more frames contains a plurality of second transfer units, each of the plurality of second transfer units contains one or more first transfer units, and each of the one or more first transfer units contains at least one of the IP packets. An object IP packet of the IP packets which is stored in a first transfer unit positioned at a head in the one or more frames contains reference clock information that indicates time for reproduction of the content in data structure different from data structure of an MMT (MPEG Media Transport) packet, and header compression processing on the object IP packet is omitted.
US09992548B1
A content distribution system generates first metadata for an audio stream, generates second metadata indicative of audio content to be included in the audio stream within a predetermined period in the future relative to present time, generates an output stream including the audio stream, the first metadata, and the second metadata, and broadcasts the output stream to user devices. A user device receives the output stream, determines the audio content to be included within the predetermined period in the future based on the second metadata, determines when target pieces of audio content are scheduled to be included in the output stream during the predetermined period in the future, tunes to the output stream when the target pieces of audio are included in the output stream, and stores the target pieces of audio in memory of the user device.
US09992547B2
Provided are a method for adjusting backlight brightness of a television by a box and a box for adjusting backlight brightness of a television. The box includes a user interface controlling module and a command transmitting module. The method includes: triggering the user interface controlling module in response to a signal input from the outside; and the command transmitting module transmitting an adjusting command to the television. The method and the box according to embodiments of the present disclosure can adjust the backlight brightness of a television by interaction between a box and the television based on the user's need.
US09992543B2
Systems and methods for incorporating online user generated media content (e.g., videos) into an interactive video gaming environment are provided. Media assets that are associated with different measures of quality generated by users are stored on a remote server. A player action is received by the remote server. A determination is made as to which one of the plurality of levels of the interactive video gaming environment corresponds to the action. One of the videos associated with one of the measures of quality is selected based on the determination of the level corresponding to the action. The selected video is transmitted to the player.
US09992539B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying viewing characteristics of an audience of a content channel. In one implementation, a processing device receives an identification of a channel of interest, the channel of interest having associated videos, receives data for a plurality of watch sessions where multiple videos are watched during the watch sessions, identifies at least two watch sessions of the plurality of watch sessions, each identified watch session having a watched video that is associated with the channel of interest, and identifies a most watched channel in the at least two identified watch sessions, the most watched channel being a channel that is most watched by viewers of the channel of interest but that is not the same as the channel of interest.
US09992535B2
An encryption method for compressed video is provided. The encryption method includes the steps of confirming a partial bit stream included in a compressed video, and selectively using a lookup table—the lookup table storing encryption information, which is needed for each encryption of a plurality of bit streams, at addresses of patterns respective to the plurality of bit streams—based on a result of the confirmation and encrypting the partial bit stream.
US09992531B2
Methods and systems are disclosed herein for a media guidance application that presents information about a multiple media assets simultaneously by modifying graphical properties of a progress bar associated with each media asset. For example, based on one or more events in the respective media assets, the media guidance application may modify the dimensions of the progress bars to include textual descriptions, may modify a color, brightness, transparency, etc. of the progress bars, and/or may modify an animation of the progress bars or a graphic associated with the progress bars.
US09992528B2
A system is configured to display a video clip on a display of a user device. The system receives a request from the user device to display the video clip. The system then queries an advertiser server to identify the video clip. The system fetches the identified video clip. The system then extracts from the fetched video clip its video content. The video content is a plurality of frames. The system then determines a type of the user device. Then, the system determines a number of frames per second for the user device. The system generates a plurality of images from the plurality of frames. The system further generates a timing sequence for displaying each of the plurality of images of the imagized video clip on the display of the user device. The system then sends the imagized video clip and the timing sequence to the user device.
US09992526B2
Social media and recordation of programs scheduled to be broadcast is provided. Media content, including feedback data, is gathered and associated tags are extracted. A correlation of the extracted tags with digital content is performed to identify a scheduled broadcast that is related to the digital content. A time duration that a digital media content matching the digital content is present in the identified scheduled broadcast is measured. The time duration is compared to a defined value. A recording device identifier is registered with at least one social networking account. The identified schedule broadcast is matched with at least one device identifier based on a comparison of the time duration to a define value and the feedback data. A recording device associated with the matching identifier is automatically set to capture the scheduled broadcast in a data storage medium.
US09992525B1
A method and system for providing local content in a local network includes a plurality of terminals and a receiving unit in communication with the plurality of terminals receiving first program guide data and communicating the first program guide data to the plurality of terminals. The system also includes a local video source generating a video signal. The system also includes a local server in communication with the plurality of terminals and the local video source generating second program guide data corresponding to local content and communicating the second program guide data to the plurality of terminals. The plurality of terminals displays a grid guide comprising the first program guide data modified by the second program guide data.
US09992516B2
The present invention relates to an image processing device and method capable of suppressing deterioration in encoding efficiency.A decoded pixel classifying unit 152 and input pixel classifying unit 153 perform class classification of each of the macroblocks of a decoded image or input image, based on orthogonal transform sizes read out from an orthogonal transform size buffer 151. A 4×4 block coefficient calculating unit 154 and 8×8 block coefficient calculating unit 155 calculate filter coefficients in each orthogonal transform block such that residual is the smallest. A pixel classifying unit 161 of a loop filter 113 performs class classification of each of the macroblocks of the decoded image for each of the orthogonal transform block sizes. A filter unit (4×4) 162 and filter unit (8×8) 163 apply appropriate filter coefficients to their respectively corresponding orthogonal transform blocks, and perform filter processing. The present invention can be applied to, for example, an image processing device.
US09992513B2
The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and a method that enable efficient change of reference relationship of views in multi-view coding. In the present technology, as for inter-view reference images, a used_by_curr flag is also set to an image having a possibility of being referred, in a slice header or syntax of an SPS. Only an image with the used_by_curr flag of 1 is added to a temporal list used in generating a reference list. Therefore, the temporal list (RefPicListTemp0[rldx]) of L0 is generated in an order of a short-term (before) reference image of an index 0, a short-term (after) reference image of an index 1, and inter-view reference images of indexes 2 and 3. The present disclosure can be applied to an image processing apparatus, for example.
US09992511B2
A method and apparatus are provided for encoding and decoding image information. The encoding comprises receiving a block of pixels; creating a set of motion vector prediction candidates for the block of pixels; and examining the set to determine if a motion vector prediction candidate is a temporal motion vector prediction, or a spatial motion vector prediction. If the motion vector prediction candidate is a temporal motion vector prediction, the motion vector prediction candidate is kept in the set. If the motion vector prediction candidate is a spatial motion vector prediction, it is examined whether the set comprises a motion vector prediction candidate corresponding with the spatial motion vector prediction; and if so, the motion vector prediction candidate is removed from the set. Once the set is created, one of the candidates from the set is selected to represent a motion vector prediction for the block of pixels.
US09992509B2
Video decoding apparatus, video decoding method, video encoding apparatus, and video encoding method
While maintaining a high degree of freedom in choosing partition sizes and transformation sizes adapted for local characteristics of videos, the amount of metadata is decreased. A video encoding apparatus (10) divides an input video into blocks of a prescribed size and encodes the video block by block. The video encoding apparatus is provided with: a prediction parameter determining portion (102) that decides the block partition structure; a predictive image producing portion (103) that generates predictive images, partition by partition, as prescribed by the partition structure; a transform coefficient producing portion (107) which applies one of the frequency transformations included in a prescribed transformation preset to prediction residuals, i.e. the differences between predictive images and the input video; a transform restriction deriving portion (104) which generates the list of transform candidate, i.e. lists of frequency transformations that can be applied to each partition, on the basis of partition format information; and a variable-length-encoding portion (108) which, on the basis of the list of transform candidate and the transformation preset, performs variable-length encoding on transformation selection flags.
US09992508B2
An image encoding method includes: determining whether a current picture is a TSA picture or a trailing picture; and encoding a plurality of pictures according to whether the current picture is the TSA picture or a trailing picture. The determining includes: determining the current picture to be the TSA picture when the current picture does not belong to the highest layer and corresponds to a first field, and determining the current picture to be the trailing picture when the current picture belongs to the highest layer or corresponds to a second field.
US09992507B2
Methods for decoding a video bitstream. One of the methods includes receiving a respective buffer description for each of one or more decoded reference pictures from the video bitstream; wherein the respective buffer descriptions include a poc cycle parameter for one or more long term reference pictures in the one or more decoded reference pictures, and wherein the poc cycle parameter is used to calculate a picture order count (POC) for the decoded long term reference pictures; identifying one or more decoded reference pictures for a current picture from a decoded picture buffer, based on the POC for the decoded long term reference pictures; decoding the current picture using inter-frame prediction based on the identified one or more decoded reference pictures; and buffering the decoded picture in the decoded picture buffer.
US09992503B2
Disclosed is a method comprising: (a) receiving a layer 0 bitstream, the layer 0 bitstream including coding information for the layer 0 bitstream; (b) receiving a layer 1 bitstream, the layer 1 bitstream including coding information for the layer 1 bitstream; and (c) reconstructing the layer 0 bitstream using previously received information for another layer 0 bitstream and previously received information for another layer 1 bitstream.
US09992493B2
In one implementation, an apparatus is provided for encoding or decoding video information. The apparatus comprises a memory unit configured to store reference layer pictures associated with a reference layer, an enhancement layer, or both. The apparatus further comprises a processor operationally coupled to the memory unit. In one embodiment, the processor is configured to restrict usage of at most one reference layer pictures that has been resampled as an inter-layer reference picture, and predict a current picture using inter-layer prediction and the inter-layer reference picture.
US09992484B2
A method for reproducing image information on an autostereoscopic screen that has a pixel matrix and an optical grid, wherein pixels are arranged to form rows arranged equidistantly next to one another, and the optical grid has strip-like structures parallel to the rows and arranged equidistantly next to one another. The method includes association of first and second coordinate values with each row, wherein the first coordinate value indicates a location on an axis that is oriented horizontally at the viewing interval in front of the screen and on which the propagation plane of the light exiting the row intersects the axis, and the second coordinate value indicates a position of the respective row or the strip-like structure, through which the light passes, in the lateral direction. For each row, an excerpt from an image is calculated by image synthesis, with the pixels being driven accordingly.
US09992483B2
An imaging architecture is described for a depth camera mode with mode switching. In one example, an imaging device has a primary camera to capture an image of a scene, a secondary camera to capture an image of the same scene, a third camera to capture an image of a second scene, a processor having a first port coupled to the primary camera to receive images from the primary camera and a second port to receive images, and a multiplexer coupled to the secondary camera and to the third camera to receive the captured images and to alternately couple the secondary camera or the third camera to the second port of the processor.
US09992479B2
An electronic device can include a first image sensor configured to capture a first image of a field of view and a second image sensor configured to capture a second image of the field of view. The electronic device can include a color filter adjacent to the second image sensor such that the field of view is viewable by the second image sensor through the color filter. The first image can have a first pixel resolution. The second image can have a second pixel resolution. The electronic device can include a controller configured to determine a third image based on luminance content of the first image and color content of the second image. The third image can have a third pixel resolution indicative of a spatial resolution of the first image and a spectral resolution of the second image.
US09992478B2
An image processing apparatus includes an image capturing condition acquirer (260) configured to acquire image capturing condition information of a plurality of images having angles of view different from each other, a distance information acquirer (230) configured to acquire distance information of an object included in the plurality of images, an angle of view information acquirer (240) configured to acquire angle of view information, and an image generator (224) configured to generate an image corresponding to the angle of view information from the plurality of images based on the image capturing condition information, the distance information, and the angle of view information, and the distance information is object distance information at each position in an image.
US09992473B2
A systematic approach to producing multi-dimensional photon images on a computer platform having applications to input image(s) from various sources, and applications to coordinate and adjust numerous variables which determine the quality of the image, such as the size of the imported images, the output image size, the resolving power of the viewing screen and the width of the resolving elements, the dots per inch of the output device (or pixels per inch), the desired nearest object, the desired furthest object and the determination of the central or the “key subject”, rules of interphasing, the number of frames or layers, the minimum parallax, and the maximum parallax, and, thus, provide a digital multi-dimensional image without jumping images or fuzzy features or other visual distortions by creating high quality output images both in the form of a printed hardcopy or as a viewed image on an appropriate viewing device.
US09992472B1
The disclosure describes optoelectronic devices for collecting three-dimensional data without determining disparity. The approach permits significant flexibility relative to state-of-the-art approaches for collecting three-dimensional data. For example, the illuminations (e.g., patterns) generated by the disclosed devices need not exhibit the same degree of complexity or randomness of illuminations generally required by structured-light approaches. Further, the devices described in the present disclosure exhibit, in some instances, optimal resolution over a wide distance range. An optoelectronic device described herein is operable to generate an illumination comprising a plurality of high-intensity features that exhibit a distance-dependent alteration when imaged by an imager incorporated into the optoelectronic device.
US09992464B1
A method, system, and a computer readable medium for screen correction is provided. The system includes a memory storage unit for storing model content, a screen having screen parameters, an input device for receiving the screen parameters, a correction engine, and a projector. The method involves storing model content on a memory storage unit, receiving screen parameters, generating screen content, and projection at least a portion of the screen content onto the screen. The computer readable medium encoded with codes for directing a processor to carry out the method.
US09992452B2
The present invention relates to an IPTV System for provisioning IPTV services to a subscriber of said IPTV system. The IPTV-system comprises an application server for provisioning IPTV services to the subscriber via a first client device that is associated to the subscriber and the first client device. The application Server is coupled to the first client device over a communications network.The IPTV system further comprises a location determination part that is adapted to determine an actual location of the subscriber and a service provisioning determination part that is adapted to determine alternative means for provisioning the IPTV services to the subscriber based on the location of the subscriber.
US09992445B1
Presently disclosed are systems and method for identifying a video aspect-ratio frame attribute of a current frame. One example embodiment takes the form of a frame-processing device including a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause a set of steps to be carried out, the set of steps including: (i) receiving a frame of video from a video source device; (ii) defining a region of the received frame, wherein the region is associated with a plurality of pixels of the received frame; (iii) using a plurality of luma values associated with the plurality of pixels as a basis to identify the received frame as having a particular video aspect-ratio attribute; and (iv) storing in a memory an indication that the received frame has the identified particular video aspect-ratio frame attribute.
US09992442B2
A decoder with reduced power consumption is provided. The decoder includes a first circuit and a second circuit for holding data. The second circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor include an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. The third transistor includes silicon in a channel formation region. A gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the first transistor and a gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the second transistor. The decoder is configured to provide or stop power supply to the semiconductor device depending on a packet ID of a header portion of the data and to perform data storing or restoring of data between the first circuit and the second circuit.
US09992441B2
Embodiments relate to customizing contents displayed at a sink device by converting received contents from a source device. The source device provides, to the sink device, the contents and display information of the source device. The display information of the source device may indicate spatial arrangements (e.g., locations and sizes) of the contents in the source device. The sink device may map sub-display regions of the source device to sub-display regions of the sink device. Moreover, the sink device generates output images for display in sub-display regions of the sink device according to the mapping. By mapping display regions at the sink device, images can be displayed in different arrangements at the sink device without the source device having any information on the configuration of sub-display regions of the sink device.
US09992434B2
An image pickup circuit including a plurality of circuit blocks. Each of the plurality of circuit blocks includes a plurality of comparing elements, a single counter, and a plurality of storage units. Each of the comparing elements compares a pixel signal supplied through a vertical signal line connected to vertically aligned pixels in a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and a slope signal whose voltage is changed from an initial voltage at a constant slope. The counter counts an elapsed time since a voltage of the slope signal starts to change from the initial voltage. Each of the storage units stores a count value obtained by the counter in accordance with a comparison result of the comparator, the count value corresponding to an elapsed time until the voltage of the slope signal is changed from the initial voltage to a voltage coinciding with the pixel signal.
US09992433B2
There are provided an image processing apparatus and a control method thereof. An image processing apparatus includes an image sensor for acquiring a target image, an image processing module for performing focusing on a specific area of the acquired target image and determining a focal surface of the target image on the basis of the performed focusing, and a drive control module for controlling the curvature of the image sensor, based on the determined focal surface.
US09992418B2
A method for generating a photograph image by using any of the preview images captured by multiple image sensors on the electronic device and displayed in a multi-preview mode on the device is provided. The method includes displaying a first preview image obtained from a first image sensor in a first preview area; displaying a second preview image obtained from a second image sensor in a second preview area; and upon detection of a predetermined first user input in the second preview area, generating a photograph image by using the second preview image.
US09992411B2
An electronic device with photographing function is provided. The electronic device includes a first image-capturing unit, a second image-capturing unit, a touch display screen and a processing unit. The first image-capturing unit includes a straight photosensitive unit. The second image-capturing unit includes a transverse photosensitive unit. The processing unit is coupled to the first image-capturing unit, the second image-capturing unit and the touch display screen. The processing unit determines, according to the user's operation of the electronic device, to use the straight photosensitive unit of the first image-capturing unit to capture a first image from a pickup target or to use the transverse photosensitive unit of the second image-capturing unit to capture a second image from the pickup target.
US09992407B2
An approach to configuring camera settings to reduce the intrusiveness of image capture on image subjects. A preliminary image is analyzed to determine an image context. The image context is compared to intrusiveness context cues, either known or discovered from analyzing historical images associated with the subjects identified in the preview image. If any intrusiveness context cues are found in the image context then configuration parameters associated with the intrusive context cues are changed to minimize the intrusive nature before the image is captured.
US09992403B2
In an embodiment, focusing an image-capture device such as, e.g., a camera including an optical system displaceable in opposite directions (A, B) via a focusing actuator, is controlled by evaluating a scale factor for the images acquired by the device. An accumulated value of the variations of the scale factor over a time interval (e.g., over a number of frames) is produced and the absolute value thereof is compared against a threshold. If the threshold is reached, which may be indicative of a zoom movement resulting in image de-focusing, a refocusing action is activated by displacing the optical system via the focusing actuator in the one or the other of the opposite focusing directions (A or B) as a function of whether the accumulated value exhibits an increase or a decrease (i.e., whether the accumulated value is positive or negative).
US09992397B2
A camera module and its molded circuit board assembly and manufacturing method are disclosed, wherein the molded circuit board assembly includes a circuit board and a molded base integrally formed with the circuit board through a molding process. The molded base forms a light window disposed corresponding to a photosensitive element of the camera module, wherein the light window is configured to have a trapezoidal or to multi-stair trapezoidal shape cross section which has diameters increasing from bottom to top to facilitate demolding, so as to prevent damage to the molded base, and to avoid stray light.
US09992392B2
A vehicular camera assembly for a vehicle vision system includes front and rear housing members, a lens assembly and a circuit board. An imaging element is disposed on a first side of the circuit board and a plurality of electrical connectors is disposed on a second side of the circuit board. The front housing member includes a lens assembly receiving portion and a circuit board attachment portion. With the circuit board attached at the front housing member and with the lens assembly received at the lens assembly receiving portion, the lens assembly and the imaging element are distanced from one another, and images are focused on the imaging element by the lens assembly. The front housing member and the rear housing member are configured to be attached together. With the front and rear housing members attached together, outer walls of the front and rear housing members enclose the circuit board.
US09992387B2
In techniques for video denoising using optical flow, image frames of video content include noise that corrupts the video content. A reference frame is selected, and matching patches to an image patch in the reference frame are determined from within the reference frame. A noise estimate is computed for previous and subsequent image frames relative to the reference frame. The noise estimate for an image frame is computed based on optical flow, and is usable to determine a contribution of similar motion patches to denoise the image patch in the reference frame. The similar motion patches from the previous and subsequent image frames that correspond to the image patch in the reference frame are determined based on the optical flow computations. The image patch is denoised based on an average of the matching patches from reference frame and the similar motion patches determined from the previous and subsequent image frames.
US09992386B2
The present disclosure relates generally to a video frame data receiver that is capable of image acquisition at low frame rates. Such video frame data receivers may be used to capture images from diagnostic tests or assays in which lower frame capture rates are sufficient including, for example, lateral flow test strips.
US09992385B2
An optical scanner includes a movable section, shaft sections configured to support the movable section to be capable of swinging, a supporting section configured to support the shaft sections, a holding section joined to the upper surface of the movable section, a light reflecting section provided in the holding section, a wire provided on the lower surface of the supporting section, and a projecting section provided on the lower surface of the movable section. The supporting section, the movable section, and the shaft sections are formed from the same substrate.
US09992384B2
A correction coefficient calculation unit includes: a reference image output unit that generates a reference image; a profile receiving unit that receives image information and printing information, the image information indicating a color characteristic related to an image to be displayed on a display unit, the printing information indicating a color characteristic related to a printing device; and a reference image division unit that creates printing characteristic data that associates the reference image with the reference image that has undergone color conversion based on the printing information and the image information.
US09992379B2
Example embodiments relate to partial snapshots for creating generalized snapshots. An example method may include, in response to an event, accessing a user interface screen or view associated with an application. The screen or view includes multiple pixels arranged over an area. The method may include sampling the multiple pixels by capturing a portion of the total pixels included in the screen or view. The sampling may include maintaining a dispersion of the captured pixels over the area of the screen or view and preventing clustering of captured pixels within sub-areas of the area. The method may include transmitting the captured portion as a partial snapshot to a system to create a generalized snapshot from the partial snapshot and other partial snapshots.
US09992365B2
Certain embodiments provide a document detecting device, including: a plate having an upper surface on which a document is placed; an imaging device that includes the upper surface in a photographing visual field range; and a controller that detects any one or more of a position, an angle, and a size of the document on the upper surface according to an image by the imaging device and fixed-size information of the document stored in advance.
US09992361B2
A push type key includes a base including a main body, a key portion having an operation surface, first and second elastic portions connecting between the main body and the key portion, and an electrical equipment substrate provided on a back side of the base. The substrate includes an operating portion acted on by the key portion when the key portion moves. The first and second elastic portions have symmetrical configurations with respect to a phantom line passing through a center of the key portion, as seen perpendicularly to the operation surface. The operating portion is disposed at a position closer to the first elastic portion than to the second elastic portion. The base is provided with a third elastic portion connecting the key portion with the main body or with the second elastic portion in a side of the second elastic portion with respect to the phantom line.
US09992360B2
An image processing apparatus includes at least one memory device that stores a set of instructions, and at least one processor that executes the instructions to generate an operation instruction object related to a workflow based a generation instruction for the operation instruction object, display the operation instruction object on a display unit, and perform control to not display the operation instruction object on the display unit based on a received deletion instruction far the operation instruction object.
US09992351B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a recharging method for a virtual identity module, and a device. A first recharge request that is sent by user equipment and carries user account information and recharge information is received; a to-be-recharged virtual identity module and a recharge amount are determined according to the recharge information; a second recharge request is sent to an operations support system of the to-be-recharged virtual identity module, where the second recharge request carries the recharge amount and the user account information, so that the operations support system of the to-be-recharged virtual identity module deducts the recharge amount from an account corresponding to the user account information, and recharges the to-be-recharged virtual identity module. Recharging manners are diversified, and a recharging process is more flexible and convenient.
US09992346B2
A system for temporary user association based on call state, comprising: a communication device; a call state engine; and a user association service. The communication device is a network-connected electronic device; the call state engine is a software application operating on the communication device and maintains a state model of the current operation of the communication device; the call state engine sends data to the user association service; and the user association service generates user association information based at least in part on data received from the call state engine.
US09992342B1
Expertise, such as foreign language interpretation, is delivered to requestors by an expertise-provisioning system that brokers requests between the requestors and experts affiliated with virtual call centers.
US09992330B1
A conference call management system and a method for operating the management system in a controlled environment are disclosed. The conference call management system includes a monitored conference device and a conference server. The monitored conference device receives authorization from the conference server to conduct conference calls within the controlled environment. The monitored conference device further receives a conference call application from the conference server that enables the monitored conference device to initiate and establish conference calls through the conference server. The conference call application allows a user of the monitored conference device to select outside parties to add to the conference call.
US09992327B1
A user of a mobile device selects data to be shared with other users and engages a lock button installed on the mobile device. As a result of engaging the lock button installed on the mobile device, one or more regions of a display unit installed on the mobile device may be disabled such that the other users cannot access other applications and data stored on the mobile device. If a user attempts to interact with the mobile device after the lock button has been engaged, the user is presented with a PIN input box. Accordingly, a user may input a PIN into the PIN input box that, if correct, causes the one or more regions of the display unit installed on the mobile device to be restored.
US09992324B2
A mobile electronic device (e.g., a mobile phone) includes a sensor and at least one controller. The controller performs a control base on a detection result that is detected by the sensor. For example, the controller is configured to determine a moving state by aircraft base on the detection result that is detected by the sensor. When the sensor is an atmospheric pressure sensor that is configured to detect atmospheric pressure, the controller is configured to determine the moving state by aircraft by a decrease in the atmospheric pressure, and after a determination of the moving state by aircraft, the at least one controller is further configured to keep the determination of the moving state by aircraft until the atmospheric pressure increases.
US09992322B2
The invention enables digital music content to be downloaded to and used on a portable wireless computing device. An application running on the wireless device has been automatically adapted to parameters associated with the wireless device without end-user input (e.g. the application has been configured in dependence on the device OS and firmware, related bugs, screen size, pixel number, security models, connection handling, memory etc. This application enables an end-user to browse and search music content on a remote server using a wireless network; to download music content from that remote server using the wireless network and to playback and manage that downloaded music content. The application also includes a digital rights management system that enables unlimited legal downloads of different music tracks to the device and also enables any of those tracks stored on the device to be played so long as a subscription service has not terminated.
US09992320B2
A method of operating a mobile device includes receiving, from a motion sensor, motion information indicative of mobile device motion, recognizing a motion pattern indicated by the motion information, identifying a particular function corresponding to the motion pattern, and determining whether the particular function comprises a function for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device. Responsive to determining the particular function is a function for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device, a remote control command corresponding to the particular function is wirelessly sent to the remotely controlled device. If the particular function is a function for remotely controlling a remotely controlled device, the particular function is executed via a wireless network.
US09992318B1
A computer-implemented method to store messages is disclosed. The method may include obtaining a minimum message length for stored messages. The minimum message length may be greater than zero. The method may further include determining an amount of available storage space allocated for storage of user messages on a computer-readable medium. The method may also include, in response to a communication session not being established between a user of a first communication device and a second communication device and in response to the amount of available storage space being greater than zero but being insufficient to store the minimum message length, not storing a user message and providing an indication that there is no available storage space.
US09992311B2
A mechanism is provided for correct port identification in a network host connection. A registry is created for a network host of a set of ports on the network host and services listening on each port of the set of ports, the registry including registered information capable of identifying each service provided by each port. The registered information is provided in a client connection request to the service. Client information is received from a client requiring identification of a correct port for connection to a service. The registry is searched for a match for the client information with the registered information registered at the registry for a service listening on one or more ports. The client is provided with details of the one or more ports.
US09992304B2
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for relocation of applications to optimize resource utilization. A processor executing a relocation management application can receive a request to relocate an application. The processor can identify a utilization associated with the application, identify prospective host resources capable of hosting the application, determine utilizations associated with the prospective host resources, and project prospective host resource utilizations based upon the utilization associated with the application and the utilizations associated with the prospective host resources. The processor can select a prospective host resource from the prospective host resources by selecting a resource that offers a most consistent projected utilization.
US09992301B2
Prioritization criteria can be applied to assign a priority ranking to server processes executed by a backend server, and a utilization of the backend server by server demands can be quantified. Upon determining that the quantified utilization of the backend server has reached or exceeded one or more determined limits on backend utilization, at least a lowest priority server process can be throttled based on one or more throttling parameters.
US09992299B2
Technologies for identifying a cache line of a network packet for eviction from an on-processor cache of a network device communicatively coupled to a network controller. The network device is configured to determine whether a cache line of the cache corresponding to the network packet is to be evicted from the cache based on a determination that the network packet is not needed subsequent to processing the network packet, and provide an indication that the cache line is to be evicted from the cache based on an eviction policy received from the network controller.
US09992296B2
A first server may receive, from a client device, an indication of a request for a content file via a network address; identify that the network address is a dynamic network address; establish a communication session with a second; receive a portion of the content file from the second server; determine an index parameter based on receiving the portion of the content file; determine whether the content file is being stored by the first server based on a cache index and based on the index parameter or based on information associated with the request for the content file; receive a remaining portion of the content file based on determining that the content file is not being stored by the first server; and provide the content file to the client device.
US09992292B2
A method of managing an online support group to increase the odds that users will attain their wellness goals is disclosed. A request from a user to join a support group is received. A preference of the user with respect to a type of the support group is received. The support group is selected from a plurality of support groups based on the preference of the user and a preference of a member of the support group. Based on an acceptance by the user of an option to join the support group, the plurality of support groups is reorganized.
US09992290B2
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing geolocation data indicating a first geolocation of a mobile computing device of a user of a social-networking system. The social-networking system including a graph that includes a number of nodes and edges connecting the nodes. A first node in the graph corresponds to the user. The method also includes identifying one or more second nodes in the graph connected to the first node. Each of the second nodes being associated with a second geolocation. Each of the second nodes being connected to the first node within a pre-determined threshold number of degrees of separation with at least one edge corresponding to the activity socially relevant to the user. Each edge in the graph represents a single degree of separation within the graph. The identifying being based on a determination that the second geolocation is within a pre-determined threshold distance of the first geolocation.
US09992287B2
In one embodiment, a method includes one or more computing devices of a proxy server, in response to receiving a message from a token reader, generating a federated session token in relation to the message and sending a request for federated access to social-networking information of a first user of a social-networking system, where the request contains the federated session token. The method also includes one or more computing devices of the social-networking system, in response to receiving the request for federated access, validating the request based at least in part on one or more configuration settings associated with the first user and establishing a federated access session with the proxy server. The method also includes one or more computing devices of the proxy server, retrieving, by the federated access session, the social-networking information of the first user from the social-networking system.
US09992281B2
A set of Content Store nodes of an information-centric network (ICN) can cache data, and can processes an Interest for this data based on a domain assigned to the requested data. During operation, a CS node can receive a Content Object that is to be cached, and processes the Content Object by determining a domain associated with the Content Object. The CS node selects a storage repository associated with the domain, and stores the Content Object in the selected repository. The CS node can also receive an Interest for a piece of content, and processes the Interest by performing a lookup operation for a rule associated with the Interest's name. The rule can include a set of commands for performing a programmatic operation. Then, if the CS node finds a matching rule, the CS node can execute the rule's commands to perform the programmatic operation.
US09992272B2
A cloud computing system retrieves routing entries associated with a particular tenant of the cloud computing system and are a subset of a routing table of the entire cloud computing system. The routing entries are loaded into a networking switch, which is configured to route network packets using the loaded subset of routing entries, using a general-purpose processor rather than a costly dedicated ASIC.
US09992269B1
A complex event query specification may be constructed that a complex event processing engine uses to analyze an event stream for an occurrence of a complex event. Event data stored in a distributed file system are mapped to respective instances of the complex event processing engine in respective distributed event streams. The distributed event streams are analyzed by the independently executing complex event processing engines in accordance with the complex event query specification. The occurrence of the complex event in any of the distributed event streams is indicated at the output of the complex event processing engines.
US09992268B2
In various aspects, a framework is provided for building rich, responsive, and mobile-enabled HTML 5 web applications. In one embodiment, the framework is based on a thin server architecture (TSA) that uses REST, SSE, and WebSocket to communicate with the server side. This framework, sometimes referred to herein as ‘Avatar’ is a modular, end-to-end web development framework for building enterprise mobile and desktop applications using JavaScript, HTML5 and a thin-server architecture.
US09992265B2
A method for updating an application program on a wireless terminal in a controlled manner is disclosed. When, a server receives an inquiry from a wireless terminal for updating an application program, the server determines whether there is an updated program available for updating the application program based on information included in the inquiry from the wireless terminal. The server also determines whether updating the application program of the wireless terminal which sent the inquiry is permitted or not at the time of receiving the inquiry based on the information included in the inquiry and criteria information stored in the server. When the server determines that updating the application for the wireless terminal is available and is permitted, the server sends information necessary for updating the application program to the wireless terminal. Then, the wireless terminal updates the application program.
US09992252B2
The present invention is a method and apparatus for adaptively compressing and transmitting streaming video, preferably implemented in hardware as part of a codec, that adaptively applies a variable rate of compression to images in a video stream to optimize the quality attainable for a given transport bandwidth. In one or more embodiments, image frames from the video stream are divided into blocks, and a variable compression ratio compression engine compresses the blocks for transmission over a network. Depending on their compressed sizes, one or more of the compressed blocks are packaged into fixed size data packets for transmission over a network. The data packets are fed into a packet buffer. A packet servo releases packets from the buffer to achieve a desired transport data rate. The amount of compression applied by the compression engine is controlled based on the number of packets in the buffer. In one or more embodiments, a plurality of indexed compression vectors are predefined for the compression engine that provide increasing amounts of compression. In one or more embodiments, the index of the compression vector used by the compression engine is incremented when the buffer level of the packet buffer increases, and decremented when the buffer level decreases. In this manner the compression applied by the compression engine automatically adapts to changing entropy within the images of the video stream to optimize the video quality for a given transport data rate.
US09992246B2
Methods, apparatus, and systems for instantly posting images or video clips to social media websites during recording of video content are provided. A video capture device is provided for recording video content. A social media integration application is associated with the video capture device. The selection of a still image or video clip during recording of video content is enabled via a one-touch process. The selected still image or video clip is then processed by the social media integration application such that the still image or video clip is at least one of directly forwarded to and posted on one or more pre-selected social media websites via a network or forwarded to and posted on the one or more pre-selected social media websites via a web browser interface.
US09992245B2
In a method for customization of contextual information during a web conference presentation, a computer system executes a presentation program during a conference presentation. The computer system receives a request to access presentation templates based on parameters of a presenter, wherein the presentation templates including parameters identifying one or more of template texture, template font, template name of the presenter or template photo of the presenter of the conference presentation. In addition, the computer system determines an identity of the presenter during the conference presentation and matching the identity of the presenter against the parameter of the presenter. Moreover, the computer system extracts the presentation templates in the repository based on the match. The computer system further applies the extracted presentation template to presentation contents of the presentation program. In one aspect, the extracted presentation template alters visual characteristics of the presentation content based on the applied presentation template.
US09992242B2
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing instant social image cobrowsing through the cloud, including, for example, means for loading an application at the client device, the application displaying a graphical interface at the client device; receiving input at the graphical interface of the client device to initiate an instant share session; generating an action at the client device to request an instant share session; communicating the action from the client device to a remote host organization via a public Internet; receiving, at the client device, a pointer to a dynamically created co-browse site at the host organization responsive to communicating the action from the client device to the remote host organization; following the pointer to the dynamically created co-browse site at the host organization communicably linking the client device with the host organization; and exchanging a video telephony stream between the client device and a remote party through the dynamically created co-browse site. Other related embodiments are disclosed.
US09992239B2
A method for assigning to a terminal device (UE) a service server (SS) carried out by an IS, by any of the SSs, and by the UDB in a cooperative/corresponding manner. A “first reallocation (IS/SS/UDB) procedure” and a “second reallocation (IS/SS/UDB) procedure” are correspondingly performed within the IS, the SS and the UDB. The first reallocation procedure allows, via IS/SS/UDB processing and interactions, storing by the UDB, in relationship with at least one of the user identifiers of a UE, a mark indicating that the UE has been assigned to a replacement SS to substitute another SS that has failed. The second reallocation procedure allows, also via IS/SS/UDB processing and interactions, utilization of the mark to trigger a new SS reallocation of the UE to a SS when the UE sends a subsequent registration message.
US09992237B1
Method and apparatus for determining feature unavailability are disclosed. In the method and apparatus a user device attempts to communicate with a second server over a second network path whereby the communication may be blocked. The user device receives data from a first server over a first network path whereby the data indicates that communication using the second network path may be blocked.
US09992233B2
A system and method are described for securing a network-connected device from a hacker having access to a network to which the network-connected device is communicatively connected. Such network-connected devices include a variety of electronics that when connected to the Internet are commonly referred to as the Internet of things (“IoT”). The systems and methods described herein include a transparent traffic control (TTC) device that is installed between an IoT device and a communications network to intercept data packets transmitted between the IoT device and the network and to allow or block the data packets based on rules for a group to which the IoT device or a remote destination are assigned.
US09992228B2
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.
US09992227B2
A remote, secure maintenance and support system, method, network entity and computer program product are provided. The system can include site terminal(s) and/or a site server (collectively “site device(s)”), a data center in communication with the site device(s) over a first secure tunnel, and at least one client terminal in communication with the data center over a second secure tunnel. The site device(s) can be configured to periodically transmit to the data center one or more error messages over the first secure tunnel. The data center can, in turn, be configured to make the error messages accessible to at least one authorized technician operating one of the client terminals. The client terminal can be configured to retrieve at least one of the error messages over the second secure tunnel and to take an action associated with resolving the error message.
US09992223B2
This disclosure describes an approach to detect replay attacks while having multiple cores in a multi-core processor manage an established tunneling session. The tunneling session includes a number of flows. One of the cores is assigned to manage one of the flows, and another core is assigned to manage another of the flows. A replay attack over the tunneling session is inhibited by maintaining a flow-based sequence context at each of the flows, and the flow-based sequence context is maintained by the core that is managing the respective flow.
US09992211B1
The disclosed computer-implemented method for improving the classification accuracy of trustworthiness classifiers may include (1) identifying a set of training data that is available for training trustworthiness classifiers used to classify computing resources as clean or malicious, (2) selecting, based at least in part on a characteristic of a specific organization, a subset of training data from the set of training data that is available for training trustworthiness classifiers, (3) training a trustworthiness classifier for the specific organization using the subset of training data selected based at least in part on the characteristic of the specific organization, and then (4) applying the trustworthiness classifier to at least one computing resource encountered by the specific organization to classify the computing resource as clean or malicious. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09992202B2
Certain aspects and features of the present disclosure relate to providing access control using groups that can be dynamically controlled by group owners, such access control hereinafter referred to as group access control. Group access control can be used to control the transmission of packets on a network layer, or for other access control. A network administrator can provide users with permissions, such as using user roles. Users can then establish groups to share permissions with other users. A group is established by a group owner, who can modify the member list of that group and modify what permissions will be passed on to group members all without the involvement of a network administrator. Members of a group can include users, devices, and network resources. Additionally, data path entities (e.g. routers and access points) can facilitate delivery of packets between group members across multiple logical networks.
US09992192B2
The longstanding problem of providing efficient and rapid online user services while maintaining user privacy is addressed. Disclosed is a system and method for providing unverified users an ability to act upon private records known to them while protecting user privacy by not reflecting private information back to the unverified user. As an unverified user inputs information related to their identity into an interface, the system searches an indexed database which may include both registered users and/or unregistered customers indexed from a single data source or from disparate data sources.
US09992190B2
Even when an intermediate server exists, a plurality of servers simultaneously authenticates a user securely. A user apparatus disperses a password. The user apparatus obtains a ciphertext, which is obtained by encrypting a dispersed value. The intermediate server transmits the ciphertext to an authentication server. The authentication server decrypts the ciphertext to obtain the dispersed value. The authentication server determines a verification value. The authentication server obtains a ciphertext. The intermediate server decrypts the ciphertext to obtain the verification value. The intermediate server verifies whether a sum total of the verification values is equal to 0 or not. The authentication server determines a verification value. The authentication server obtains a ciphertext. The authentication server decrypts the ciphertext to obtain the verification value. The authentication server verifies whether a sum total of the verification values is equal to 0 or not.
US09992187B2
In one embodiment, a method includes initiating at a client application at a client device, a single sign-on authentication with a security device, receiving at the client application, a session identifier and location of a web portal for the single sign-on authentication from the security device, and passing the session identifier and location of the web portal from the client application to a browser installed at the client device, for use by the browser in performing the single sign-on authentication at the client device. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.
US09992186B1
In response to a request received from a client device, the user is authenticated based on user credentials extracted from the request. Upon having successfully authenticated the user, tenants and one or more roles of each of the tenants associated with the user are identified. In one embodiment, an authorization token having information identifying the plurality of tenants and their respective one or more roles of the user is generated. The information of each of the tenants and its respective roles are encrypted with a specific key corresponding to the tenant. The authorization token containing the encrypted tenants and the roles of the user is transmitted to the client device to allow the client device to determine whether the user is allowed to access a requested resource based on the authorization token.
US09992180B2
Systems and methods for protecting communications between at least two nodes protect the identity of a node requesting information, provide content of communications being sent and/or obscuring a type of communications being sent. Varying degrees of protection options including encryption, intermediate node termination and direct node communications are provided.
US09992179B2
A system includes a plurality of mail encryption gateways and a router. Each mail encryption gateway encrypts email according to an encryption policy of a customer. The router stores a plurality of sender policy framework (SPF) records. The router also receives an email and compares a source IP address of the email with the plurality of SPF records. The router determines that the source IP address corresponds to an SPF record of the plurality of SPF records and in response to that determination, determines that a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol From Field of the email comprises a domain of a cloud provider corresponding to the SPF record. In response to that determination, the router determines that a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension From Field of the email comprises a domain of a customer and in response to that determination, routes the email to a mail encryption gateway.
US09992149B2
Various embodiments support two-way message service and voice communication. In at least some embodiments, temporary numbers from a pool of numbers are automatically assigned to outgoing messages and grouped with the intended recipient's phone number. Recipients can reply to the message by replying to the assigned number and the reply will be sent back to the originator of the message. In at least some embodiments, the pool of numbers includes different types of numbers such as, by way of example and not limitation, shared numbers and dedicated numbers. Further, at least some embodiments can utilize various policies in order to determine how to automatically assign temporary numbers. Such policies can be driven by business rules, regulatory concerns, carrier-based considerations, and the like.
US09992144B2
A method for processing email for a multi-tenant database system is presented here. The system includes a plurality of data centers and a plurality of instances of a database system core. Each data center implements at least one instance of the database core. The method receives an incoming email at a first local mail transfer agent (MTA) of a first data center, wherein the incoming email is erroneously directed to a first instance of the database system core. The method continues by searching a private domain name service (DNS) database maintained at the first data center, based on an identifier of the first instance and an identifier of the first data center. The method then obtains an identifier associated with a second data center of the plurality of data centers, and routes the incoming email in accordance with the identifier of the second data center.
US09992134B2
Systems and methods are disclosed to forward packets not passed by criteria-based filters in packet forwarding systems. The disclosed embodiments include one or more Not Passed By Criteria (NPBC) filters that are defined for input ports along with one or more criteria-based filters, such as for example, Pass by Criteria (PBC) filters and/or Deny by Criteria filters (DBC), that forward packets not passed by these criteria-based filters. NPBC filters include, for example, Pass Unmatched PBC filters associated with PBC filters and configured to forward packets not passed by PBC filters and/or Pass Matched DBC filters associated with DBC filters and configured to forward packets not passed by DBC filters. Using one or more NPBC filters within the disclosed embodiments, packet data that is not being passed along to output ports by the criteria-based filters can be easily passed to one or more designated output ports.
US09992129B2
A method in a first network entity which is capable of communicating over a plurality of communication links with a second network entity. The first network entity determines a level of transmit traffic transmitted over the plurality of communication links to the second network entity. The first network entity further determines a level of receive traffic received over the plurality of communication links from the second network entity. The first network entity further determines if the level of transmit traffic and/or the level of receive traffic meet one or more requirements for changing a number of active links of the communication links. If so, the first network entity changes the number of active links independently of the second network entity.
US09992123B2
A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium provide receiving a plurality of voice call quality values and values for a plurality key performance indicators (KPIs) related to voice over Wi-Fi voice call quality; selecting a subset of the plurality of KPIs based on a correlation between each KPI and the voice call quality value; performing a plurality of discrete regression analyses based on the subsets of the plurality of KPIs and the voice call quality values to generate a plurality of regression results; determining an accuracy for each of the plurality of regression results; assigning weights to each of the plurality of regression results based on the determined accuracies; and combining the plurality of regression results using the assigned weights to generate a final combined estimated VoWiFi voice call quality algorithm that accurately predicts the voice call quality value based on values for the selected subset of the plurality of KPIs.
US09992117B2
A network apparatus includes a memory and one or more processors. The memory stores instructions. The one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to mark a traffic that exceeds a predetermined rate limit. The one or more processors are also configured to execute the instructions to measure an amount of the marked traffic by using one or more filters to detect information written in a data packet by the one or more processors. The one or more processors are further configured to execute the instructions to output the measured traffic amount in a period determined based on an expected time duration of an abnormal traffic. The abnormal traffic is a detection target of the network apparatus.
US09992114B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus for selective MAC address learning are disclosed. In one aspect, multiple different packets are received by a telecommunications device. The multiple different packets include different source MAC addresses. For each of the multiple different packets, a distribution type is determined. The distribution type is one of a one-to-one distribution type or a one-to-many distribution type. Based on the determined distribution type of the particular packet, a forwarding table of the telecommunications device is selectively updated. When the particular packet has the one-to-many distribution type, a source MAC address that is included in the particular packet is not stored in the forwarding table. When the particular packet has the one-to-one distribution type, the source MAC address that is included in the particular packet is stored in the forwarding table.
US09992108B2
In general, a capability for forwarding packets based on path encoding is presented. The capability for forwarding a packet based on path encoding may be configured to enable forwarding of a packet along a network path by determining a path encoding label for the network path, associating the path encoding label for the network path with the packet, and forwarding the packet along the network path based on the path encoding label associated with the packet. The network path for a packet may include an ordered sequence of node output interfaces of an ordered sequence of nodes. The path encoding label for the network path includes an ordered sequence of node interface labels corresponding to the ordered sequence of node output interfaces of the nodes of the network path. The nodes of the network path forward the packet along the network path based on the path encoding label.
US09992096B2
The present invention provides a method for fast protection switching in multicast, where the method includes: determining a primary path and a secondary path to a source node, where the secondary path and the primary path have minimum tail coincidence; receiving, by using both the primary path and the secondary path, multicast traffic replicated by an upstream neighboring node, and replicating multicast traffic received by the primary path to a downstream neighboring node; and if the primary path is faulty, replicating multicast traffic received by the secondary path to the downstream neighboring node. In the present invention, primary and secondary paths can have minimum tail coincidence, which overcomes a problem that fault protection switching in a multicast network requires that primary and secondary paths existing from a routing node to a multicast source are completely separate in physical topology.
US09992094B1
Disclosed are techniques for implementing a device with memory comprising a data table, the data table configured to store a plurality of elements in buckets, wherein each of the plurality of buckets contains a plurality of elements. The memory can further comprise an indirection table, the indirection table comprising a plurality of bucket reference storage locations and a plurality of hash reference storage locations. The device can include processing logic configured to generate a plurality of hash values using information to be inserted into the data table and locate a hash reference stored in one of the plurality of hash reference storage locations corresponding to one of the plurality of hash values. The processing logic can further locate a bucket of the plurality of buckets corresponding to the one of the plurality of hash values.
US09992093B2
A method and system for detecting slow page load is provided. An example system comprises a page request detector, a session state information detector, a throughput calculator, a response builder, and a communications module. The page request detector may be configured to receive a request for a web page. The session state information detector may be configured to determine that the request does not include session state information. The throughput calculator may be configured to calculate a throughput value associated with the network connection between the client system and the server. The response builder may be configured to build an updated data packet by including, in the data packet, the throughput value and an instruction to store the throughput value on the client as session state information. The communications module may be configured to communicate the updated data packet to the client system.
US09992085B1
A system and method for serving related content via a content sharing service are provided. The system includes a monitoring module to monitor content and shared content being served; an interaction detection module to detect an interaction with the shared content via the content sharing service; a related content analyzer to analyze the monitored shared content, the detected interaction, and based on the analysis, to determine whether additional related content items are added to a related content list; and a related content list generator to generate an updated related content list with the additional related content items and the related content list.
US09992082B2
Systems, methods, and computer program embodiments are disclosed for providing graphical visualization of a telecommunications network topology. In an embodiment, raw graph data may be received that that represents one or more communications paths in the telecommunications network. The raw graph data may contain a plurality of network nodes and connections between the nodes, and each node may be associated with an entity type. A graph classification may then be determined based on the received raw graph data, and the classification may be associated with a plurality of graph rendering rules. The raw graph data may be converted to rendered graph data by determining graphical positions for each of the plurality of network nodes according to the plurality of rendering rules. In an embodiment, the rendered graph data may include the plurality of network nodes, the determined position and associated entity type of each node, and connections between nodes.
US09992081B2
In one embodiment, a method includes: obtaining network flow information from devices in a network, where the network flow information from a respective device of the plurality of devices corresponds to one or more data flows that traverse the respective device; and producing network flow sub-files according to specified network flow characteristics that characterize a first key space using the network flow information, where the specified network flow characteristics satisfy one or more performance criteria. The method also includes: generating inter-autonomous system (inter-AS) traffic sub-files by converting the network flow sub-files to a second key space, where each of the inter-AS traffic sub-files includes one or more inter-AS flows that characterize data traffic between at least two external AS's that traverses the network; and generating an inter-AS traffic file based on the plurality of inter-AS-traffic sub-files in order to monitor traffic traversing network.
US09992078B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for deploying a disk image in a communication network, based on network topology. In use, a disk image to be distributed in association with a communication network is identified, the communication network including a plurality of datacenters. Additionally, one or more of the plurality of datacenters in which to distribute the disk image are identified, based on one or more network topology characteristics associated with the communication network. Further, the disk image is distributed to the identified one or more of the plurality of datacenters. Still yet, a list indicating all of the plurality of datacenters that contain the disk image is sent to the plurality of datacenters.
US09992070B2
Systems and methods for a reconfigurable order-constrained switch network are provided. In certain implementations, a reconfigurable switch network comprises a plurality of subtrees, wherein a subtree comprises a plurality of ports coupled to a single port, wherein a signal that passes through the single port is directed to a port in the plurality of ports as directed by at least one circulator, wherein at least two subtrees in the plurality of subtrees have a different number of ports in the respective plurality of ports, wherein the plurality of subtrees are combined such that at least one of the plurality of ports from each subtree is shared.
US09992066B2
A method for vehicle diagnosing apparatus comprises: providing a diagnosing apparatus terminal which receives the latest data edition information of one or more data packets pushed to the diagnosing apparatus terminal; the diagnosing apparatus terminal comparing the latest data edition information of the data packets with the current data edition information of the data packets respectively so as to determine whether the latest data edition of each data packet is superior to the current data edition of this data packet; if there is any data packet whose latest data edition is superior to the current data edition, the diagnosing apparatus terminal prompting that there is an update for the data edition; the diagnosing apparatus terminal downloading the data packet for which there is an update; and the diagnosing apparatus terminal installing this data packet and replacing the current data edition information with the latest data edition information.
US09992064B1
The following description is directed to configuring network devices. In one example, at a network device deployment pipeline, a request can be received from a non-integrated configuration tool to configure a network device of a network. The configuration of the network device can be scheduled so that both an integrated configuration tool of the network device deployment pipeline and the non-integrated configuration tool can configure the network.
US09992063B2
Based on a system configuration change (e.g., of a Decentralized, or Distributed, Agreement Protocol (DAP)) within a dispersed storage network (DSN) (e.g., from a first to a second system configuration of the DAP), a computing device directs a storage unit to be replaced (SUTBR) to transfer encoded data slices (EDSs) stored therein to a replacement storage unit (RSU). During transfer of the EDSs (e.g., from SUTBR to RSU), the computing device directs the SUTBR to service read and/or write requests for EDS(s) stored therein to operate based on a first system configuration of the DAP. When the EDSs have been successfully transferred from the SUTBR to the RSU, the computing device directs the RSU to service read and/or write requests for the EDS(s) stored therein to operate based on a second system configuration of the DAP.
US09992057B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a neurosynaptic network circuit comprising multiple neurosynaptic devices including a plurality of neurosynaptic core circuits for processing one or more data packets. The neurosynaptic devices further include a routing system for routing the data packets between the core circuits. At least one of the neurosynaptic devices is faulty. The routing system is configured for selectively bypassing each faulty neurosynaptic device when processing and routing the data packets.
US09992054B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting content items. In one aspect, a method includes identifying an opportunity to present a content item at a device and in a manner that precludes a user from accessing content of one or more applications executing on the device. Data relating to a status of each of the one or more applications are identified. A level of urgency for a user to access content of the one or more applications is determined based on the data. A response to the opportunity to present a content item is selected based on the level of urgency for the user to access content of the one or more applications. The response is selected from a first response that causes presentation of the content item and a second response that precludes presentation of the content item.
US09992049B1
A receiver for processing a data stream includes: a bursty phase detector having a first voltage-controlled oscillator configured to provide a first VCO phase, a signal stream detector configured to provide a data stream phase and a data stream detect signal, and a delay component configured to receive the data stream; a clocking circuit coupled to receive an output of the delay component, the data stream phase, and the data stream detect signal, the clocking circuit configured to provide a second VCO phase at an output of the clocking circuit, wherein the clocking circuit is configured to operate based on a fractional relationship between a reference clock frequency and an output frequency; and a data sample selector with a first input coupled to the output of the delay component, and a second input coupled to the output of the clocking circuit.
US09992036B2
A hub includes a main body including a communication circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate with another device and a cover housing coupled to a top portion of the main body, the cover housing including a sidewall that extends in a vertical direction and a partition extending from an inner surface of the sidewall to divide an inside of the sidewall into upper and lower regions. The hub further includes a display panel positioned in the cover housing, the display panel providing a visual output; and a display Printed Circuit Board (PCB) positioned on the partition, the display panel being positioned on an upper surface of the display PCB. The cover housing further includes a rib protruding upward from the partition, the rib extending through a gap between the display PCB and the sidewall to contact with a periphery of the display panel.
US09992034B2
A method includes transmitting, from a first component of an electronic device, a first transaction associated with a first sequence number to a second component of the electronic device based on a multicast protocol. The first transaction is independent of an Internet protocol. The method also includes receiving an acknowledgement message that corresponds to a positive acknowledgment message or a negative acknowledgement message. The method further includes in response to receiving the negative acknowledgement message, retransmitting the first transaction to the second component using the first sequence number based on the multicast protocol.
US09992033B2
Multi-channel communication is affected by system configured to access channel selection data for a participant in a conversation. The channel selection data is analyzed to select a particular secondary communication channel from among a plurality of secondary communication channels associated with the participant. A first message corresponding to the conversation is communicated via the selected secondary communication channel. A second message corresponding to the conversation is received via the selected secondary communication channel. Data representing the conversation is updated using at least a portion of the second message.
US09992030B2
Disclosed is a system and a method for authenticating the location of a user's smartphone using a central server to a third party. The method and the system is a secure way to calculate the GPS location on a centralized server which is operating the Time and Place Decryption software that has one of its inputs being a Smartphone transmitted encrypted prevailing code string which contains the original GPS coordinated representing the location and the Atomic time at which the encryption took place, as well as a combination of all or some other Knowledge, Ownership or Inheritance identification factors or tokens—FaktokIns. The more FaktokIns that are used in the encryption the harder it is to fake or replicate the GPSTOTP.
US09992022B1
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for digital identity management and permission controls within distributed network nodes. A network node may receive a request to generate a new digital identity record for an entity. The network node may retrieve a template based on an entity type; and receive information, reference documents, and biometric information for the new digital identity record. The network node may associate and store the received information to the data fields in the new digital identity record, generate respective one directional cryptographic hashes of the reference documents and the biometric information, and store the hashes in the new digital identity record while storing the reference documents and biometric information in a non-blockchain repository. The network node may generate a digital identity record block for the new digital identity record, encrypt the digital identity record block, and append the encrypted block to the latest valid blockchain.
US09992021B1
A hardware and software bundle that can enable computers and mobile phones to communicate small data packages without relying on the internet or the central cellular network infrastructure. The bundle enables users to send text messages and other data. For example, GPS coordinates, multimedia from the situation, accelerometer and other sensor data can all be sent over a decentralized network, enabling enhanced communication and situation response when the central grid is unavailable.
US09992010B2
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for a replicated fault-tolerant computer system. The system includes a triplet of network elements, which each maintain a clock signal, and a clock monitor at each network element for monitoring incoming clock signals. Each network interfaces with a fault containment region (FCR). The system provides the ability to transition from a duplex system to a triplex system if one of the previously offline FCRs can be brought back online. The network elements can determine or receive notification that the previously offline FCR can be brought back online, align their respective clock signals, and synchronize the memory state of the previously offline FCR. The system can then operate in a fault-tolerant, replicated triplex operating mode.
US09992006B2
A method and apparatus are described for a User Equipment (UE) to transmit in a control channel ACKnowledgement signals associated with a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest process (HARQ-ACK signals) in response to receiving Transport Blocks (TBs) transmitted from a base station. The UE conveys the HARQ-ACK information by selecting one resource from multiple resources in the control channel and by selecting a constellation point of the modulation scheme for the HARQ-ACK signal. Transmission diversity is supported using different control channel resources that are already available to the UE without configuring additional resources. Design principles are described to optimally map the HARQ-ACK information to control channel resources and modulation constellation points for a Time Division Duplex (TDD) system and for a Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system.
US09992003B2
A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The method for transmitting broadcast signals comprises encoding DP (data pipe) data carrying at least one service, mapping the encoded DP data onto constellations, time interleaving the mapped DP data, building at least one signal frame including the time interleaved DP data, modulating data in the built at least one signal frame by an OFDM scheme and transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data, wherein the at least one signal frame includes emergency alert information.
US09992000B2
An aspect of the disclosure provides a wireless frame transmission method. Such a method includes duplicating a preamble in the frequency domain to form at least one duplicate preamble, each preamble having multiple fields. The method further includes puncturing at least one of the preamble fields in the preamble with a first puncturing pattern and puncturing corresponding preamble fields in the at least one duplicate preamble with at least one additional puncturing pattern. The method further includes transmitting a frame including the preamble, the at least one duplicate preamble and a payload. In some embodiments the preamble and the duplicate preambles are each at different frequencies.
US09991999B2
A method is provided for uplink transmission in a wireless communication system. A user equipment (UE) determines whether to transmit both a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and a sounding reference signal (SRS), or drop the SRS and transmit only the PUSCH but dropping the SRS when the UE determines satisfaction of all of at least three conditions including: a first condition specifying that a plurality of timing advance groups (TAGs) including a first TAG and a second TAG are configured, a second condition specifying that at least one symbol of a subframe n which is used to transmit the SRS toward a first cell belonging to the first TAG is overlapped with a subframe n+1 on which the PUSCH is transmitted toward a second cell belonging to the second TAG and a third condition specifying that a total uplink transmission power exceeds a maximum value.
US09991997B2
A LTE system comprises a eNB 200-2 that is a eNB shared by a plurality of network operators, and that performs LTE communication with a UE in a specific frequency band of which primary use is not allowed by the plurality of network operators. The specific eNB 200-2 performs backhaul communication with a eNB 200-1 provided in each mobile LTE network 1 of the plurality of network operators, via an inter-eNB interface 600.
US09991983B2
Disclosed is a method for transmitting, by a terminal, a synchronization signal for direct communication between terminals in a wireless communication system. In detail, the method comprises the steps of: generating a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal for the direct communication between terminals; and transmitting the primary synchronization signal and the secondary synchronization signal, wherein the primary synchronization signal is generated on the basis of a synchronization reference cell identifier for the direct communication between terminals.
US09991982B2
A technique for cancelling inter-cell or intra-cell interference in a cellular communication network is described. A method implementation of that technique performed in an interfered terminal comprises receiving a signal, wherein the received signal comprises an interfering signal destined to at least one further terminal different from the interfered terminal. In a next step, control information pertaining to the at least one further terminal is determined and the interfering signal is decoded based on the control information so as to generate decoded information. Then, the interfering signal is re-generated from the decoded information and the control information. Based on the re-generated signal the interfering signal is cancelled from the received signal.
US09991979B2
A grouping method based on machine type communication (MTC), used in a communications system, including: broadcasting, by a base station, grouping requests to a plurality of user equipments (UEs) in an area; determining, by the base station, whether there is at least one group leader among the UEs; and receiving, by the base station, a grouping report from the group leader when determining that there is a group leader among the UEs, wherein the grouping report records UE identifiers of the UEs in a group corresponding to the group leader.
US09991965B2
A modulator driver circuit for providing a drive voltage to an electro-absorption modulator, such a Franz-Keldysh modulator, or to a micro-ring modulator, and an optical transmitter including such driver circuit, where said driver circuit includes a differential amplifier and at least one differential branch of the differential amplifier being provided with a voltage offset. This provides for a bias voltage being adjustable within the driver circuit itself. Preferably, the differential amplifier is arranged for supplying drive voltage to two complementary driver outputs providing a reverse bias relative to the modulator. In one embodiment, the differential amplifier includes a cascode in the differential branch not being provided with the voltage offset.
US09991954B2
Disclosed is a method for monitoring the wavelength of a tunable laser device of user by local OLT. The method is applied to a wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network framework. The framework comprises an ONU, a first athermal array waveguide grating, a transmission optical fiber, a second athermal array waveguide grating and the OLT, which are sequentially connected. ONU comprises tunable wavelength optical transmitters. The method comprises: starting handshaking is carried out between the OLT and the ONU; and the OLT carries out wavelength drifting monitoring during operation of the ONU. Wavelength adjustment can be carried out on the multi-channel tunable laser device in an external auxiliary monitoring environment, thus channel wavelengths of the multi-channel tunable laser device can be accurately controlled, and the requirement for calibration accuracy of channels of the tunable laser device at the ONU is greatly reduced.
US09991953B1
A self-calibration procedure for an optical transmitter is provided. During the self-calibration procedure, a phase bias of an optical modulator of the optical transmitter is set so that an in-phase path and a quadrature path of the optical modulator are in phase. Stimulus signals are supplied to the in-phase and quadrature paths of the optical modulator, over a frequency range. Detection, with a photodetector, is made of an optical output of the optical modulator at a plurality of frequency steps over the frequency range. A photodetector converts an optical output of the optical modulator to an electrical signal. First and second measurement values are generated from the electrical signal output from the photodetector. A frequency spectrum and/or time delay is computed from the first and second measurement values for each frequency step value over the frequency range.
US09991942B2
Methods and apparatuses for CSI reporting mechanisms are provided. A user equipment (UE) includes a transceiver and a processor operably connected to the transceiver. The transceiver is configured to receive information indicating a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource configuration, uplink-related downlink control information (DCI), and a CSI-RS associated with a selected CSI-RS resource in a same subframe as the uplink-related DCI. The processor configured to determine, in response to a CSI request included in the uplink-related DCI, an aperiodic CSI in reference to the CSI-RS. The transceiver is further configured to report the aperiodic CSI by transmitting the aperiodic CSI on an uplink channel.
US09991938B2
A wireless cellular base station includes M antennas and one or more processing devices. For each antenna, the antenna transmits a calibration pilot symbol over the air and the other M−1 antennas receive the calibration pilot symbol over the air. The processing devices select one of the M antennas as a reference antenna and for each antenna of the M antennas, the processing devices calculate channel reciprocity calibration coefficients of the antenna with respect to the reference antenna based on the received calibration pilot symbols.
US09991937B2
A detection device is provided. The detection device includes a transmitter and a detector. The transmitter supplies an induced current to an antenna and to adjust a strength of an induced voltage generated in the antenna by adjusting the induced current. The detector monitors the strength of the induced voltage of the antenna and generates a control signal for controlling the induced current to the antenna based on the monitored strength of the induced voltage of the antenna.
US09991934B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system for transmitting first electromagnetic waves that propagate on a surface of a component of a transit system, and receiving second electromagnetic waves that propagate on the surface of the component of the transit system. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09991923B2
A bracket-type wireless charger, including a box body having a charging circuit and a transmitting plate having a transmitting coil. An adapter plate is arranged between the transmitting plate and the box body. An upper end of the adapter plate is hinged through interference fit to a lower part of a back surface of the transmitting plate. A lower end is hinged through interference fit to a middle part of a top surface of the box body. The box body has a groove for accommodating the adapter plate. The two ends of the adapter plate are hinged through interference fit to the box body and the transmitting plate respectively, and the position and an inclination angle of the transmitting plate relative to the box body can be adjusted through rotation of the adapter plate, so as to adapt to the positions of wireless charging receiving coils of different electronic equipment.
US09991918B2
In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first transmit path, a second transmit path, and a switch element. The first transmit path can provide a first radio frequency (RF) signal in accordance with a nominal specification. The second transmit path can provide a second RF signal in accordance with an intermittent specification, in which the first and second RF signals are within the same transmit band. The switch element can provide the first RF signal as a transmit mode output in a first state and provide the second RF signal as the transmit mode output in a second state.
US09991900B1
A digital to analog converter convert digital data in binary format to thermometer bit vectors. A first set of the thermometer bit vectors corresponds to most significant bits of the digital data and a second set of the thermometer bit vectors corresponds to least significant bits of the digital data. Connections of first current sources corresponding to the first set of the thermometer bit vectors and second current sources corresponding to the second set of the thermometer bit vectors are dynamically and randomly alternated to a first output line and a second output line. Calibration current is applied to the second current sources so a total current of the second current sources and the calibration current is within a predetermined range of an average current of the first current sources.
US09991894B2
A layout arrangement for a resistive random access memory cell includes an active area, a polysilicon row address line over the active region, a metal column address line running orthogonal to the row address line and having an active region contact portion extending over the active region and having a contact to the active region. A metal output line runs parallel to the column address line over the active region. A first cell contact region intersects with the output line and has a contact to the active region. A first metal cell contact region forms an intersection with the first cell contact region. A first resistive random access memory device is formed at the intersection of the first cell contact region and the output line. A second resistive random access memory device is formed at the intersection of the first cell contact region and the first cell contact region.
US09991887B2
To reduce power consumption, a semiconductor device includes a power source circuit for generating a power source potential, and a power supply control switch for controlling supply of the power source potential from the power source circuit to a back gate of a transistor, and the power supply control switch includes a control transistor for controlling conduction between the power source circuit and the back gate of the transistor by being turned on or off in accordance with a pulse signal that is input into a control terminal of the control transistor. The power source potential is intermittently supplied from the power source circuit to the back gate of the transistor, using the power supply control switch.
US09991881B2
A switching circuit includes a wiring into which a parallel circuit of a first IGBT and a second IGBT is inserted, and a gate control circuit. The gate control circuit has a first switching element configured to control a gate potential of the first IGBT according to a potential of a second principal electrode, and a second switching element configured to control a gate potential of the second IGBT according to a potential of a fourth principal electrode. An output terminal of the control device is connected to the first switching element through a first switch and is connected to the second switching element through a second switch. The control device applies a control signal to the output terminal in a state where the first switch and the second switch are turned on when switching both of the first IGBT and the second IGBT.
US09991877B2
A current break circuit includes a current break control circuit suitable for sequentially outputting a first enable signal and a second enable signal with a time difference in response to at least one control signal, and a current break switch circuit suitable for outputting or blocking a second voltage in response to a first voltage, wherein the current break switch circuit forms a first current path in response to the first enable signal and a second current path in response to the second enable signal when blocking the second voltage.
US09991866B2
Disclosed herein is a common mode filter including: at least four coil layers, each layer having a primary coil and a secondary coil; and discontinuous parts made of an insulating material each extending between starting points of each of the primary coil and the secondary coil positioned on the lowest layer among the coil layers to ending points of each of the primary coil and the secondary coil positioned on the highest layer among the coil layers. The primary coils are connected in series from the lowest layer to the highest layer, and the secondary coils are connected in series from the lowest layer to the highest layer. The common mode filter is able to be miniaturized and has improved impedance characteristics.
US09991864B2
A phase shifter, including two superconducting circuits, is provided. Each of the superconducting circuits includes at least one capacitor coupled in parallel to at least a Josephson junction and at least one inductor, where a respective inductance of each of the Josephson junctions (e.g., a first Josephson junction and a second Josephson junction) is a function of at least a current flow through each of the respective inductors. An effect of any or both of: (1) at least the inductance of the at least the first Josephson junction and (2) at least the inductance of the at least the second Josephson junction causes a phase change of a radio frequency signal received at a first terminal of the phase shifter to generate a phase-shifted radio frequency signal at a second terminal of the phase shifter.
US09991863B1
A piezoelectric quartz shear-mode resonator includes plasma etched quartz tethers, each including a mount. The tethers are for mounting the resonator to a semiconductor substrate for the purpose of isolating the thermally-induced stress from the mounts from the active resonating region, wherein the quartz tethers have rounded corners.
US09991859B2
Provided is a power amplification module that supports a plurality of communication systems. The power amplification module includes: two power amplifiers that can be selectively connected in parallel with each other; a switch that, in accordance with one communication system selected from among the plurality of communication systems, selects one power amplifier that is to operate by itself from among the two power amplifiers or selects the two power amplifiers and connects the two power amplifiers in parallel with each other; and a phase correction circuit that, when the two power amplifiers are both selected, corrects a phase difference by being selectively connected between the outputs of the two selected power amplifiers such that a phase difference is not generated between the output signals of the two selected power amplifiers.
US09991853B2
A dual operation mode power amplifier is disclosed. In the power amplifier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a bias circuit part can be converted to decrease power consumption. Different from the prior art, performance of the present invention is not reduced in a high power mode, and no additional passive components like inductors or transformers with a large area are necessary to be further added. Furthermore, a tunable impedance matching circuit provides impedances respectively matching impedances of a fully differential amplifier and a single-ended amplifier, thereby improving the performance of the power amplifier.
US09991839B2
A maximum spectrum peak reduction unit sets a PWM count generated by a PWM duty ratio calculation unit for a specific current control period as PWM counts for respective PWM periods within the current control period, and changes the set PWM counts for the respective PWM periods within the current control period so that a frequency component having a frequency obtained by dividing a carrier frequency in half or less is included in a PWM signal waveform within the current control period without changing a total value of the PWM counts for the respective PWM periods.
US09991836B2
Systems and methods for operating linear motors, and for determining whether a linear motor has reached the end of its power and return strokes. In one embodiment, an electric drive controller of an ESP system monitors position signals received from the system's linear motor and determines transition time differentials, transition counts from the beginning of a stroke, elapsed stroke times and related parameters. If predetermined conditions relating to these parameters are met, the controller determines that the linear motor's mover has reached the end of its stroke. The controller therefore reverses the phase order of the drive's output power and thereby reverses the direction of the mover.
US09991832B2
In some examples, a detection circuit is configured to detect a brushfire in a power system based on an electrical signal from the power system. The detection circuit is further configured to set a bit in response to detecting the brushfire.
US09991831B2
A DC motor control device includes a communication circuit configured to receive a control command specifying a target rotation amount for a DC motor, a sensor interface configured to receive a detection signal from a rotational angle sensor that outputs the detection signal every time the DC motor rotates by a certain rotational angle, a step counter that outputs a count signal every time the detection signal has been received a certain number of times, a controller that, based on the number of times the count signal received, determines a step count representing the total amount of rotation, and generates a control signal that controls the DC motor in accordance with the step count and the target rotation amount, and a drive signal generation circuit that generates a drive signal that rotates the DC motor in accordance with the control signal.
US09991827B1
A method includes: outputting high side driver gate signals to a plurality of high side driver devices and outputting low side driver gate signals to a plurality of low side driver devices configured to control current supplied to a motor having coils coupled to receive the current at a plurality of phase nodes; at a time approximately prior to an expected zero crossing of a voltage at a selected one of the plurality of phase nodes, disabling the high side driver gate signal and the low side driver gate signal; measuring a back electromotive force (BEMF) voltage and observing a zero crossing time; estimating a next zero crossing time; prior to the next zero crossing time, disabling the high side driver gate signal and the low side driver gate signal and observing the selected one of the phase nodes to form a first sample; and following the next zero crossing time, observing a second voltage at the selected one of the phase nodes to form a second sample.
US09991825B1
A power equipment system with a plurality of power equipment units each including a working tool. Each of the power equipment units may include provisions permitting independent connection with both a battery and an electric motor, wherein the battery and electric motor may be moved between different power equipment units as needed. In some embodiments, a first power equipment unit may provide an identity information signal of the associated working tool to a controller of either or both of the motor and the battery. The identity information may limit or control one or more operating parameters of the motor when the motor is installed on the first power equipment unit.
US09991822B2
The invention proposes a MEMS component having a crystalline base body (GK), a recess (AN) and a structured assembly (A) which closes said recess, in which an opening (OG) is structured in a first functional layer (MN), the effective opening cross section thereof varying as a function of the pressure difference on the two sides of the first functional layer (MN).
US09991802B2
Systems and methods are provided for regulating a power conversion system. An example system controller includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The first controller terminal is configured to receive a first signal associated with an input signal for a primary winding of a power conversation system. The second controller terminal is configured to output a drive signal to a switch to affect a first current flowing through the primary winding of the power conversion system, the drive signal being associated with an on-time period, the switch being closed during the on-time period. The system controller is configured to adjust a duration of the on-time period based on at least information associated with the first signal.
US09991794B2
An inverting buck voltage converter constructed of a switched-mode hybrid topology, with a capacitive input stage and an inductive output stage. The input stage operates as a charge pump to charge a flying capacitor connected in series with an inductor in the output stage. Clock circuitry generates first and second non-overlapping clock phases. In the second clock phase, the flying capacitor is charged to the input voltage, with a flying node between the flying capacitor and the output inductor connected at ground through a rectifier, while in the first clock phase, the flying capacitor supports the inductor current. The arrangement of the flying capacitor and inductor is such that the voltage appearing at the output terminal is inverted from the input voltage. Continuous output current is provided. Current limiting techniques protect the flying capacitor from overcurrent conditions.
US09991791B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of operating a switched-mode power converter includes measuring an input voltage of the switched-mode power converter; determining an on-time of a switch of the switched-mode power converter; determining an off-time of the switch of the switched-mode power converter; and determining an output voltage of the switched-mode power converter based on the measured input voltage, the determined on-time and the determined off-time. The output voltage includes a voltage at a first node having a DC path to a load path of the switch.
US09991785B2
The objective of the present invention is to provide an electric power converting device with which can executes a ground fault detection in a short time with its inexpensive configuration. In one step, the electric power converting device performs level comparison of a difference between output values of low pass filters, with a threshold value −E. If a W-phase is shorted to ground at a time when the U-phase and V-phase lower arm IGBTs are ON and W-phase upper IGBT is ON, the difference between the output values of the low pass filters and becomes small. In another step, a level comparison is made between the absolute value of a difference between the U-phase current value iu and U-phase current command value iu′, and a threshold value F. If the absolute value is lower than the threshold value, the result is determined to be normal, and if the absolute value is greater than the threshold value, the result is determined to be abnormal, because the U-phase is shorted to ground. In another step, a level comparison is made between the absolute value of a difference between the V-phase current iv and the V-phase current command value iv′, and a threshold value F. If the absolute value is lower than the threshold value, the result is determined to be normal, and if the absolute value is greater than the threshold value, the result is determined to be abnormal, because the V-phase is shorted to ground.
US09991779B2
A device comprises a switch network coupled to a power source, wherein the switch network comprises a plurality of power switches, a transmitter resonant tank coupled to the plurality of power switches, wherein the transmitter resonant tank comprises a primary resonant capacitor, a transmitter coil coupled to the transmitter resonant tank and a harmonic reduction apparatus coupled between the switch network and the transmitter coil, wherein the harmonic reduction apparatus is configured to attenuate at least one undesired frequency component.
US09991773B2
A limited rotation electromechanical rotary actuator includes a stator having an aperture sized to accept a rotor assembly and a rectangular coil. A rotor assembly is bidirectionally operable with the stator over a limited range of rotation. The rotor assembly includes an output shaft and a two-pole magnet and a position sensor shaft, wherein the output shaft and position sensor shaft are each rigidly attached to only a portion of the magnet. The rotor assembly includes apertures for allowing an electrical coil to pass through. The electrical coil extends around the magnet on four sides and is excitable for providing bidirectional torque to the rotor.
US09991772B2
A rotor or stator hub for an electric machine includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a predetermined same pattern on a plurality of uniformly sized carrier plates. A plurality of permanent magnets are uniformly mounted on each of the carrier plates proximate a first edge of the carrier plate and spaced away from a second edge of the carrier plate. The carrier plates may be mounted on a rotor or stator hub in a predetermined configuration to create a plurality of axial array groups.
US09991769B2
The motor according to the present disclosure comprises a rotary unit, a stationary unit disposed around the rotary unit, and a bearing mechanism which rotatably supports the rotary unit relative to the stationary unit. The rotary unit comprises a plurality of magnets. The stationary unit comprises a stator disposed around the rotary unit, and a cover which is electrically conductive and covers a top surface of the stator, and the stator comprises a stator core which includes a plurality of teeth and a core back, and a coil which is wound around the stator core via an insulator. The cover has openings on at least one area of a circumferential interval between neighboring teeth when seen in a top view, and the cover is connected to a ground potential.
US09991762B2
In at least one illustrative embodiment, a power tool may comprise an electric motor comprising a rotor configured to rotate about an axis, a stator assembly including at least three windings arranged around the rotor, and at least three lugs affixed to the stator assembly, where each of the lugs is electrically coupled to one or more of the windings. The lugs may all be arranged to one side of a plane that passes through the axis. The power tool may further comprise at least three electrical wires, where each of the electrical wires is removably coupled to one of the lugs, and a control circuit configured to supply electrical power to the windings, via the electrical wires and the lugs, to drive rotation of the rotor about the axis.
US09991755B2
A motor unit having an insulation member is provided. The motor unit includes rotor cores formed in a radial direction on an exterior circumference of a motor shaft and a slot formed therebetween. Shoes are formed in a rotation direction and an opposite rotation direction of the motor shaft at an outer end portion of each rotor core, and an exposure passage is formed therebetween. A bottom surface is formed proximate to the motor shaft within the slot. Further first and second interior surfaces are connected to the bottom surface and are formed at the rotation direction side and the opposite rotation direction side of the motor shaft within the slot. An insulation member contacts the first and second interior circumferences of the shoes adjacent to the bottom surface and is disposed proximate to at least one portion of the exposure passage.
US09991754B2
A permanent magnet 21 is housed in a magnet housing aperture 20, an adhesive is disposed only between an outside wall surface 20a that is positioned on a radially outer side of an inner wall surface of the magnet housing aperture 20 and an outside surface 21a that is positioned on a radially outer side of a surface of the permanent magnet 21 such that the permanent magnet 21 is fixed so as to be closer to the outside wall surface 20a, and a cooling flow channel 23 through which a coolant is made to flow is formed by an inside surface 21b that is positioned on a radially inner side of the surface of the permanent magnet 21 and an inside wall surface 20b that is positioned on a radially inner side of the inner wall surface of the magnet housing aperture 20.
US09991751B2
An apparatus can have a power supply circuit configured to receive, from an antenna, a first signal at a frequency exceeding a GHz, and including a rectifier circuit that is impedance matched to the antenna at the first frequency and that is configured to generate a supply voltage by rectifying the first signal at the first frequency. A signal generation circuit can be configured to use the supply voltage to generate a second signal at as higher frequency and to operate in two different power modes in response to a data signal. A transmitter circuit can be configured to use the supply voltage to create pulse at the higher frequency of the signal and in response to the data signal, and that includes an amplifier circuit configured to receive the data signal and provide an amplification of the data signal to the antenna.
US09991748B2
A power transmission device includes: an oscillator including first through fourth switching devices, and converting DC power into AC power by pulses supplied thereto; a power transmission antenna delivering the AC power to a load of a power receiving device; memory holding a predetermined value indicating at least one of required voltage, current, and power; a receiving circuit receiving information of at least one of voltage, current, and power, supplied to the load; and a control circuitry changing a phase difference Δθ between pulses supplied to the first and fourth switching devices, and between pulses supplied to the second and third switching devices, thereby changing voltage of the AC power, deciding frequency of AC power where efficiency is greatest, converging the at least one of voltage, current, and power, of which information has been received, to the predetermined value range, and outputting AC power where the efficiency is the greatest.
US09991746B2
A vehicular system mounted to a vehicle includes: a power-feeding device that wirelessly feeds power to a power-feeding object device; a communication device that performs wireless communication with a predetermined portable device; and a control device that controls to stop a power-feeding operation of the power-feeding device when the communication device performs wireless communication with the portable device.
US09991736B2
An apparatus for operating an external manual battery charger having a first AC power input and a DC charging output. The apparatus includes an AC controller configured to adjust at least one power parameter supplied to the AC power input of the external manual battery charger. The power parameter(s) may be any one or more of AC current, AC voltage and AC power. The apparatus further includes a feedback converter configured to monitor at least one charging parameter and to control the AC controller to adjust the one or more power parameters in accordance with the monitored charging parameter or parameters.
US09991726B2
A method and battery charger for charging two or more batteries includes a pulse generator, a detector and a processor communicably coupled to the pulse generator and the detector. A charging series time period, a charging time period and a rest time period are determined based on one or more battery parameters using the processor and the detector. The charging time period is approximately equal to the charging series time period divided by the number of batteries and the rest time period is approximately equal to the charging series time period minus the charging time period. A charging pulse group having a positive pulse for the charging time period and a rest period for the rest time period is generated using the pulse generator, and sequentially applied to each of the batteries. The battery parameters are monitored and the charging pulse group may be adjusted.
US09991721B2
A transformer includes first and second semiconductor substrates. The first semiconductor substrate includes a first circuit, a first coil providing a first impedance, and a first capacitor coupled in parallel with the first coil. The second semiconductor substrate includes a second circuit, a second coil providing a second impedance and inductively coupled with the first coil, and a second capacitor coupled in parallel with the second coil.
US09991701B2
A direct current (DC) power distribution system is provided. The system includes a plurality of DC power sources, a ring bus, and a plurality of power converters. Each DC power source of the plurality of DC power sources is coupled to the ring bus by a respective power converter of the plurality of power converters.
US09991699B2
An electronic device is configured with sub-assemblies including a main logic board, flexible printed circuit, and dual battery packs that are assembled together with electrical connectors to enable power from the battery packs to flow over a power bus that is distributed along the flexible printed circuit and main logic board. A protection circuit module (PCM) in each battery pack is configured to determine a state of each of the connections among the sub-assemblies (i.e., whether or not properly assembled to provide electrical continuity through the connector) so that power from the battery packs is switched on to the power bus only when electrical continuity is verified at each of the connectors. In the event that any connection is faulty, for example due to a misalignment of a connector during assembly that prevents electrical continuity to be established through a connector, neither PCM will switch power on to the power bus.
US09991698B2
This electrostatic protection circuit makes it possible for a discharge operation to be started only in the case where a rise in an applied voltage is steep, and for static electricity to be sufficiently released. This electrostatic protection circuit includes a discharge circuit that is connected between a first node and a second node and discharges charge produced by static electricity, a latch circuit that is connected between the first node and the second node and outputs a signal that controls operation of the discharge circuit to the discharge circuit, a switch circuit that is connected to the latch circuit and changes the signal that controls operation of the discharge circuit, and a control circuit that is connected between the first node and the second node and outputs a signal that controls operation of the switch circuit to the switch circuit.
US09991696B2
A memory module is disclosed. The memory module may have an enclosure and a device disposed within the enclosure. The memory module may also have an orifice in a wall of the enclosure and a wire passing through the orifice. One end of the wire may be attached to the device. The memory module may further have a stopper attached to the wire. The stopper may be located abutting an outer surface of the enclosure. The memory module may also have a filler disposed within the enclosure. The filler may be configured to expand and be ejected out of the orifice when subjected to a threshold temperature. The filler may also be configured to push the stopper away from the outer surface and disconnect the wire from the device.
US09991692B2
A wire insulator apparatus includes an insulator/separator member, a cap portion, a tube and potting material. The insulator/separator member has apertures formed therein for receiving a plurality of wires. By threading the wires through the insulator/separator member, the wires are spaced apart so that a potting material can be molded to provide a complete seal from the environment, particularly conductive liquids such as ammonia, which may cause short-circuiting between the wires. Individual wires are terminated in the cap portion, and the cap portion, the insulator/separator member and the wire ends are positioned within a tube or a mold portion depending on the application, and a potting epoxy is fluidly inserted within the tube. The epoxy surrounds or encases the wire ends within the tube or mold to insulate the wire ends in an airtight seal.
US09991690B2
The present invention relates to an accessory for high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) energy cables comprising: at least one element made from a crosslinked elastomeric polymer material, and at least one scavenging layer comprising zeolite particles. The zeolite particles are able to scavenge, very efficiently and irreversibly, the by-products deriving from the cross-linking reaction, so as to avoid space charge accumulation in the element during the accessory lifespan. Moreover, the zeolite particles can prevent the crosslinking by-products present in the element of a non-degassed accessory from migrating towards the insulating layer of the energy cable on which the accessory is mounted.
US09991688B2
An opening aid for an energy guide chain with chain links. At least some of the chain links at their top side have a respective transverse leg which is arranged pivotably on a side plate and which can be fixed to the other side plate. The opening aid for guidance of the transverse legs upon opening thereof has a body extending in a working direction and a lateral extension having an inclined sliding deflection surface for the transverse legs. To simplify handling and structure of the opening aid it is proposed that the extension is mounted to the body movably relative thereto and is reciprocatingly movable between a working position in which the extension is arranged extending laterally from the body in operative guiding relationship for the transverse legs and a rest position in which the extension is arranged in inoperative guiding relationship of being moved away from the working position.
US09991682B2
Electrical power and/or data are distributed to one or more electrical devices, preferably mounted on a structure. A first source module is electrically connected to an electrical power and/or data source. Additional source modules are connected in a daisy chain to the first source module. A plurality of system modules is mounted on the source modules. Each system module is electrically connectable to, and disconnectable from, a module connector of a respective source module. Each system module is removable from the respective source module for replacement without powering down the power and/or data source, and without affecting the data distribution.
US09991681B2
A corona ignition system for maintaining a drive frequency approximately equal to the resonant frequency of a corona igniter is provided. The system includes a current sensor, at least two cascaded timers which are electrically independent of a controller, and at least two switches. During operation, the current sensor measures the current at an input of the corona igniter. A conditioned current signal including information related to the zero crossings of the current ultimately activates a pair of the timers which in turn control and drive one of the switches. The conditioned current signal is not processed by the controller before driving the switch.
US09991680B2
To provide an ignition plug having low power loss even though iron is a main component of a center electrode thereof, to which a high frequency power such as a microwave is electrically supplied. A low impedance layer 6 composed of a material having magnetic permeability lower than iron is provided between an outer peripheral surface of a center electrode 2 and an inner peripheral surface of an axial hole 30 of an insulator 3. The low impedance layer 6 is in contact with at least the outer peripheral surface (surface) of the center electrode 2, thereby reducing power loss of an electromagnetic wave flowing on the surface of the center electrode 2. More particularly, the low impedance layer 6 is made of silver, copper, gold, aluminum, tungsten, molybdenum, titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, bismuth, palladium, lead, tin, an alloy composed mainly of these metals, or a composite material of these metals.
US09991679B2
A spark plug, including a housing, an insulator situated in the housing, a center electrode situated in the insulator and a ground electrode situated on the housing, the ground electrode and the center electrode being situated relative to one another in such a way that the ground electrode and the center electrode form a spark gap, and the ground electrode including a core and a sheath surrounding the core, the core being made of a material which has a higher thermal conductivity than the material of the sheath, and a cross sectional area of the ground electrode being not greater than 2.76 mm2, the sheath having a wall thickness c of not greater than 0.4 mm in a first region of the ground electrode.
US09991674B2
An optical transmitter with a heat dissipation structure is provided. The heat dissipation structure comprises a substrate and an optical transmitter unit. The substrate comprises a base body, a heat dissipation well disposed on the base body, and a thermal conductive block inserted into and fixed to the heat dissipation well. The thermal conductive block has on one side thereof a heat guiding plane. The optical transmitter unit comprises a heat dissipating substrate directly disposed on the heat guiding plane, and a laser diode directly disposed on the heat dissipating substrate. The laser diode features an active region whose height is lowered to shorten a heat conduction path wherein heat is transferred from the active region through the heat dissipating substrate to the heat guiding plane. The heat already transferred to the heat guiding plane is transferred horizontally by the thermal conductive block to the base body which encloses the heat dissipation well.
US09991668B2
A laser diode device includes a semiconductor laser element, a transmissive member, and phosphor-containing members. The transmissive member is disposed separately from the semiconductor laser element and includes a plurality of recessed portions on a side opposite to a side in which light from the semiconductor laser element enters and within a region that is irradiated with the light from the semiconductor laser element. The phosphor-containing members are disposed in the plurality of recessed portions. A portion of light enters and passes through the transmissive member between the phosphor-containing members and exits the transmissive member without passing through the phosphor-containing members.
US09991665B2
The laser system may include a delay circuit unit, first and second trigger-correction units, and a clock generator. The delay circuit unit may receive a trigger signal, output a first delay signal obtained by delaying the trigger signal by a first delay time, and output a second delay signal obtained by delaying the trigger signal by a second delay time. The first trigger-correction unit may receive the first delay signal and output a first switch signal obtained by delaying the first delay signal by a first correction time. The second trigger-correction unit may receive the second delay signal and output a second switch signal obtained by delaying the second delay signal by a second correction time. The clock generator may generate a clock signal that is common to the delay circuit unit and the first and second trigger-correction units.
US09991659B2
A tool for mounting a terminal onto a stud contact is disclosed. The tool has a receptacle, a stud detector, and an indicator. The receptacle is open in a mounting direction and receives the terminal. The stud detector detects a final installation position of the stud contact within the receptacle. The indicator is visible from an exterior of the tool and is connected to the stud detector. The indicator has a first visual appearance and a second visual appearance different from the first visual appearance, and automatically switches between the first visual appearance and the second visual appearance based on whether the stud contact is in the final installation position.
US09991645B2
In order to provide a cell contact-making system for an electrochemical device which includes a plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein the cell contact-making system includes a current conductor system having one or more cell connectors, for electrically conductively connecting cell terminals of different electrochemical cells, a signal conductor system having one or more signal conductors for electrically conductively connecting a respective signal source to a signal conductor terminal connector of the cell contact-making system, and a monitoring unit for monitoring signals from the signal sources, which is of compact construction and is assemblable from a relatively small number of parts, it is proposed that the monitoring unit should include a plug contact terminal connector which is directly connectable by a plug connection to the signal conductor terminal connector of the signal conductor system.
US09991642B1
A wafer assembly for an electrical connector that has a first and second wafers configured to interlock with one another. Each of the wafers has at least one contact that has a body portion with a mating end for coupling to a mating contact and a tail end opposite the mating end for engaging a printed circuit board and an overmold covering the body portion such that the mating and tail ends extend from opposite sides of the overmold. A conductive elongated spring member is sandwiched between the first and second wafers. The wafer assembly can include one or more filter components.
US09991640B2
Connector receptacles that are able to withstand insertion and other forces, are reliable, and are easy to manufacture. In various examples, the connector receptacle tongue or other portions may be reinforced such that they may withstand the insertion forces exerted through a connector insert.
US09991636B2
An electrical box, switch and plug-in device, that facilitates the prompt and safe installation and maintenance of the components within an electrical box. The box includes a wiring connector, molded or affixed to an internal wall of the electrical box, for receiving external incoming power, and connects with a movable male electrical wiring connector, that can be plugged into the back of an installed electrical switch or electrical plug-in device. The mail electrical wiring connector, mounted upon its wiring, can be shifted within the box, to align it for plug-in with the identified electrical devices. The wiring connector incorporates a series of slots, such that when the various electrical wiring is connected therewith, the bare wires are concealed and secured therein, to assure safety.
US09991634B2
A wire cover (70) is arranged to cover a rear surface of a housing (10) and includes a back plate (73) in a rear part. A pull-out port (77) for wires (30) is provided in an end part of the back plate (73) and an opening (74) is provided separately from the pull-out port (77). A U-shaped lever (90) is arranged to straddle the back plate (73) and connects the housing (10) and a mating housing at a connection position by being rotated with an operating portion (91) gripped. The operating portion (91) of the lever (90) enters the opening (74) at the connection position and is arranged in contact with or in proximity to an edge of the opening (74).
US09991632B2
A lock mechanism used for a connector mechanism of a wire harness includes a flange portion projecting from a connector housing in an intersection direction intersecting with an axial direction, an arm portion supported by the connector housing at a base end, extended from the connector housing to the flange portion side along the axial direction, having a free front end, and being bendable along the intersection direction, and a lock beak portion projecting from the arm portion to a side opposite to the connector housing side along the intersection direction and being lockable to a mounting panel disposed between the lock beak portion and the flange portion in the axial direction. The lock beak portion includes a plurality of lock beak portions provided along the axial direction at certain intervals.
US09991626B2
A connector includes a female terminal; a female housing; a shield shell which is formed in a tubular conductive material in which both ends are opened, the shield shell being integrated with the female housing in a state in which at least one of an outer circumferential side and an inner circumferential side of an end portion on an insertion direction side to the male connector is exposed as an annular exposed surface, and the female terminal and/or the electric wire being disposed inside the shield shell; and a sealing member which has a tubular sealing portion interposed between the male housing of the fitted male connector or the shield shell and the exposed surface as a seal side exposed surface opposed to the male housing or the shield shell, and suppresses entry of liquid therebetween by the sealing member.
US09991620B1
An electrical connector assembly is presented herein. The electrical connector includes a pair of connector blocks each defining a groove in an end surface that is configured to have an electrical conductor of an electrical cable partially disposed within it, e.g. a carbon nanotube conductor. The electrical connector also includes a housing configured to receive connector blocks, align the groove of one connector block with the groove of the other connector block, and hold the connector blocks together such that the electrical conductors within the grooves are in direct physical and electrical contact with the one another and are compressed. An electrical cable assembly incorporating such as connector and an method of manufacturing a cable assembly using such a connector is also presented.
US09991618B2
The present invention relates to a contact element for an electrical connection, and to a circuit arrangement having at least one said contact element. A contact element for an electrical connection may include a first contact region of a first copper material for electrically connecting to a first circuit component and a second contact region of a second copper material for electrically connecting to a second circuit component. The first contact region and the second contact region each have a different material hardness, and the two contact regions are interconnected by a materially bonded connection.
US09991616B2
The described embodiments relate generally to methods and apparatus for securely and efficiently joining components together. In some embodiments, a flexible printed circuit board and a rigid printed circuit board can be electrically coupled together by soldering electrical contacts distributed on the flexible printed circuit board to electrical contacts distributed on the rigid printed circuit board. The electrical contacts can be arranged and sized as desired to provide a desired amount of data and power transfer bandwidth.
US09991607B1
An antenna horn includes an upper waveguide ridge and a lower waveguide ridge shaped to provide impedance matching. The antenna horn operates unimodally within a 6:1 instantaneous bandwidth. A circular array of antenna horns produces an enhanced radiation pattern in a horizontal plane with reduced radiating in the direction orthogonal to the horizontal plane. Furthermore, two circular arrays of half-height antenna horns may be arranged on a collinear axis, offset by one half of a sector width as defined by each horn aperture to reduce coupling.
US09991603B2
A device, intended to be fixed on a wall, for absorbing electromagnetic waves. The absorption device comprises a metal plate intended to be fixed on the wall, a dielectric panel at a distance from the metal plate and delimiting, with the metal plate, a volume between the metal plate and the dielectric panel, an array of resistive dipoles, all the resistive dipoles being fixed on the same face of the dielectric panel, and each comprising two metal platelets at a distance from one another and a resistor arranged between the opposing edges of two neighboring metal platelets.
US09991602B2
A frequency reflecting unit is provided. The frequency reflecting unit is used as a portion of a frequency reflector. The frequency reflecting unit with a three-dimensional structure includes a metal pattern and at least one via. The metal pattern is disposed on a metal layout layer defined on one side of the frequency reflecting unit. One end of the via is disposed corresponding to the metal pattern. The via forms a non-zero angle with the metal layout layer. The other end of the via is an open circuit.
US09991598B2
A wireless communication device includes an antenna unit including an antenna pattern; a magnetic member arranged over the antenna unit; and a device that acts as a non-contact type integrated circuit, wherein a ratio of an area of the magnetic member to an area of a region including an outermost periphery of the antenna pattern is 90% or more, and wherein a resonant frequency of the wireless communication device has a deviation from a target resonant frequency falls within a range of −1.720% to +4.334%.
US09991590B2
Antenna apparatus and methods of use and tuning. In one exemplary embodiment, the solution of the present disclosure is particularly adapted for small form-factor, metal-encased applications such as smartphones or tablets (and “phablets”) utilizing near field communication (NFC) interfaces. The solution increases the effective size of the antenna without requiring any significant additional space or other structural modifications to the host device (such as changes to the device's metal case or size), while still maintaining a high degree of electrical performance (including a high Q factor).
US09991589B2
The invention discloses an antenna comprising a plurality of laminated layers of radiating elements, wherein each layer of radiating elements is arranged in a zigzag pattern; a feed point connected to one of the plurality laminated layers of the radiating elements and is configured to receive a radio frequency signal; and a plated via configured to couple the plurality of laminated layers of radiating elements; wherein the radiating elements are configured to radiate the radio frequency signal.
US09991588B2
A highly conductive fiber reinforced tubular antenna is composed of metal coated reinforcing fibers in a composite structure. The conductive fibers may be disposed in a tubular or cylindrical fashion unidirectionally parallel to or at an angle to the axis of the tube or cylinder, thus providing multifunctional properties of strength and conductivity. Alternatively, the conductive fibers may be non-woven in configuration and disposed on one or more wrapped layers to form the antenna. The fiber reinforced composites disclosed are both lighter and stronger than their metal counterparts, while the highly increased conductive surface area in the composite creates enhanced electrical or electromagnetic performance than tubular or cylindrical antennas made of metal or nonmetal composite structures.
US09991585B2
An antenna apparatus and a terminal. The antenna apparatus includes an antenna body and at least one stub. The antenna body includes a first branch used to radiate a high-frequency signal and a second branch used to radiate a low-frequency signal. One end of the stub is connected to a connection point of the second branch, and the other end of the stub is a free end. The connection point is a position with a maximum value of current distribution on the second branch of an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength. The wavelength corresponds to a specified high frequency at which the antenna apparatus works. The length of the stub is determined according to the wavelength corresponding to the specified high frequency.
US09991581B2
An improved antenna ball joint mount is provided that includes a hollow socket mechanically coupled to a spherical member with a locking part. The hollow socket and the spherical member are fully detachable to simplify the installation of an antenna. A user is able to set a position of the antenna to any point on a spherical sector surface within a range of motion allowed by a shape of joint components and rotate the antenna around own axis to adjust a polarization plane and then lock the mount in a predetermined position.
US09991575B2
Disclosed is a power storage unit which can safely operate over a wide temperature range. The power storage unit includes: a power storage device; a heater for heating the power storage device; a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the power storage device; and a control circuit configured to inhibit charge of the power storage device when its temperature is lower than a first temperature or higher than a second temperature. The first temperature is exemplified by a temperature which allows the formation of a dendrite over a negative electrode of the power storage device, whereas the second temperature is exemplified by a temperature which causes decomposition of a passivating film formed over a surface of a negative electrode active material.
US09991574B2
An onboard battery for a vehicle includes battery modules each including battery cells, an auxiliary device for charging, and a housing case housing the battery modules and auxiliary device. Cooling air is taken from air intake holes into the battery modules to cool the battery cells. A middle of a transversal direction of the battery modules is shifted to either left or right of a center of a transversal direction of a vehicle. The auxiliary device is disposed at an other end portion in the transversal direction. Each air intake hole is between a left and right end of each battery module and in a back of each battery module. A side opposite to a side of the auxiliary device has an air introducing port 55a that takes cooling air into the housing case.
US09991569B2
Provided is a battery module, wherein heat-radiating plates are coupled to a plurality of battery cells stacked and arranged in the battery module so as to be closely adhered to both surfaces of each of the battery cells, curved parts are formed on both sides of each of the heat-radiating plates, adjacent heat-radiating plates are formed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, such that a volume change caused by expansion of the battery cell and a dimensional tolerance of the battery cell itself may be absorbed, and cooling performance may be improved.
US09991566B2
Provided herein is an electrode active material comprising a lithium metal oxide and an overcharge protection additive having an operating voltage higher than the operating voltage of the lithium metal oxide.
US09991558B2
A rechargeable electrochemical metal ion cell includes negative and positive electrodes, and an electrolyte system between them. The negative electrode includes a metal capable of releasing and accepting metal ions. The positive electrode includes at least one compound capable of releasing and accepting metal ions different from those of the negative electrode. The electrolyte system includes: a glycol-based electrolyte solution containing a salt of a metal included in the negative electrode and a salt of a metal included in the positive electrode; a matrix adapted to retain the electrolyte solution, where two reversible reactions take place simultaneously in the cell: a reversible deposition and dissolution process of ions of a metal included in the negative electrode takes place in the negative electrode and a reversible ion exchange process of a metal included in the positive electrode takes place in the positive electrode. The metals are different from one another.
US09991555B2
A solid electrolyte including a layer of LixPOy, free from nitrogen, with 3.6≤x≤6.3 and 1.5≤y≤4, and the ionic conductivity of which is greater than or equal to 10−5 S/cm. A microbattery including a layer of solid electrolyte.
US09991554B2
A method for producing sulfide-based glass ceramics including crystallizing a glass solid electrolyte, wherein the glass solid electrolyte includes: sulfide-based glass comprising at least a sulfur element and a lithium element; and a nitrile compound incorporated into the sulfide-based glass.
US09991549B2
The present invention relates to an anode for a cable-type secondary battery, more specifically an anode for a cable-type secondary battery, comprising a spiral electrode consisting of at least two wire-type electrodes which are spirally twisted with each other, each of the wire-type electrodes comprising a wire-type current collector, an anode active material layer formed by coating on the outer surface of the wire-type current collector, and a polymer resin layer formed by coating on the outer surface of the anode active material layer; and a cable-type secondary battery comprising the anode. The anode for a cable-type secondary battery according to the present invention comprises a polymer resin layer formed by coating on the outer surface of an anode active material layer, thereby preventing the release of the anode active material layer from a wire-type current collector and eventually preventing the deterioration of battery performances.
US09991546B2
A fuel cell stack assembly device is provided. The assembly device includes a stack guide apparatus that arranges and stacks fuel cells using a plurality of guide bars and a press unit that repeatedly moves vertically based on the stack guide apparatus and presses the fuel cells stacked on the stack guide apparatus. A roller structure includes a roller in rolling contact with the guide bar and is installed at the press unit. A weight detection portion detects weight that is applied to the roller by the guide bar. Additionally, a controller determines whether the guide bar is at the home position based on a detection signal of the weight detection portion and operates the press unit.
US09991539B2
The present specification provides a polymer electrolyte membrane, a membrane electrode assembly including the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a fuel cell including the membrane electrode assembly.
US09991522B2
A catalyst particle (1) for a fuel cell according to the present invention includes: a metal particle (2) composed of either one of metal other than noble metal and an alloy of the metal other than the noble metal and the noble metal; and a noble metal layer (3) that is provided on a surface of the metal particle and has a thickness of 1 nm to 3.2 nm. By the fact that the catalyst particle for a fuel cell has such a configuration, the catalyst particle can enhance catalytic activity while reducing an amount of the noble metal. The catalyst particle (1) for a fuel cell according to the present invention can enhance the catalytic activity while reducing the amount of the noble metal.
US09991517B2
Provided is a carbonaceous material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery anode having high discharge capacity per unit volume and excellent storage characteristics.The carbonaceous material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery anode of the present invention has a true density (ρBt) determined by a pycnometer method using butanol of not less than 1.55 g/cm3 and less than 1.75 g/cm3 and a discharge capacity of an anode at 0.05 V to 1.5 V in terms of a lithium reference electrode standard of not less than 180 mAh/g. Furthermore, the slope 0.9/X (Vg/Ah) of a discharge curve calculated from a discharge capacity X (Ah/g) and a potential difference of 0.9 (V) corresponding to 0.2 V to 1.1 V in terms of a lithium reference electrode standard is not greater than 0.75 (Vg/Ah), and an absorbed moisture quantity after storage for 100 hours in a 25° C. 50% RH air atmosphere is not greater than 1.5 wt %.
US09991511B2
A composite cathode active material includes: a core including a material capable of intercalation and deintercalation of lithium; and a first coating layer on at least one portion of the core, where the first coating layer includes zirconium oxide. A lithium battery includes a cathode including the composite cathode active material. Methods of preparing the composite cathode active material are also disclosed.
US09991509B2
Provided are an anode active material including a porous silicon oxide-carbon material composite which includes a porous silicon oxide including pores and a line-type carbon material coated on a surface, in the pores, or on the surface and in the pores of the porous silicon oxide, and a method of preparing the anode active material.Since the silicon oxide of the anode active material according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the plurality of pores, resistance to the mechanical stress due to a volume change may be improved. Also, since the line-type carbon material is bonded to the inside of the pores, conductivity may not be decreased even in the case in which internal cracks occur in the porous silicon oxide and lifetime characteristics may be improved.
US09991506B2
Provided are an electrode binder for lithium secondary batteries, which is suppressed in deterioration in adhesive power, strength and stretchability caused by decomposition of imide groups by hydrolysis, said imide groups being contained in a polyamide-imide that is used as a binder for an electrode active material, and which is capable of prolonging the service life of a lithium secondary battery by suppressing deterioration of an electrode even in cases where water is generated due to repeated charging and discharging; a negative electrode for lithium secondary batteries; a lithium secondary battery; a method for manufacturing a lithium secondary battery having long service life, said lithium secondary battery being suppressed in deterioration of an electrode even in cases where water is generated due to repeated charging and discharging; a method for producing an electrode binder for lithium secondary batteries; and an automobile. This electrode binder for lithium secondary batteries contains a polyamideimide and a carbodiimide. A lithium secondary battery is manufactured by forming an electrode layer using a coating liquid that contains an electrode active material, a polyamideimide, a carbodiimide and a solvent.
US09991505B2
Provided is a positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, the positive-electrode material being capable of achieving both high capacity and high output when used for a positive electrode for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries. Also, provided is a method for manufacturing the positive-electrode material for nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary batteries, wherein a lithium metal composite oxide powder is mixed with lithium tungstate, the lithium metal composite oxide powder being represented by a general formula LizNi1-x-yCoxMyO2 (wherein 0.10≤x≤0.35, 0≤y≤0.35, 0.97≤z≤1.20, and M is an addition element and at least one element selected from Mn, V, Mg, Mo, Nb, Ti, and Al) and comprising primary particles and secondary particles composed of aggregation of the primary particles.
US09991494B2
The present invention relates to a composite nano microporous diaphragm for use in lithium ion cells using polyolefin modified with post-crosslinked rubber and manufacturing method thereof. The microporous diaphragm at least comprises a nano microporous diaphragm A layer with a chemical gel content of more than 20%, the microscopic structure thereof is designed to be the rubber material that has been evenly dispersed and has subjected to a post-crosslinking treatment in polyolefin nano microfiber matrix, forming a nano microporous diaphragm of rubber-plastic composite. The nano microporous diaphragm with high strength, thermal cutoff, high temperature resistance, as well as good liquid absorption and swelling and compression elasticity can be applied to lithium ion power cells with high safety and long cycling life.
US09991492B2
The disclosure provides electrochemical cells including a separator enclosure which encloses at least a portion of a positive or negative electrode. In an embodiment, the separator generates a contact force or pressure on at least a portion of the electrode which can improve the performance of the cell. The disclosure also provides methods for charging an electrochemical cell.
US09991488B2
A method for producing a polyolefin-based porous film includes an (A) step: a raw fabric forming step for forming a non-porous raw fabric from a polyolefin-based resin composition, a (B) step: an MD cold stretching step for cold stretching the non-porous raw fabric obtained in the (A) step at a temperature of −20° C. to (Tm−30)° C. (Tm is a melting point (° C.) of the non-porous raw fabric) in an extruding direction (MD) of the raw fabric to make the raw fabric porous; a (D) step: a TD cold stretching step for cold stretching a film processed in the (B) step in a direction (TD) perpendicular to the MD, and an (H) step: a thermal fixing step, in the above order. A thermal fixing temperature T2 (° C.) in the (H) step satisfies expressions (1) and (2) below; T2>T1 (1), (Tm−3)≥T2≥(Tm−40) (2) (in the expressions, T1 represents a stretching temperature (° C.) in the (D) step, and Tm represents the melting point (° C.) of the non-porous raw fabric). A polyolefin-based porous film made of a polyolefin-based resin composition has a pore surface area of 35.0 to 42.0 m2/g and birefringence of 2.0×10−2 to 4.0×10−2.
US09991483B2
A battery pack including a plurality of battery cells; a protective circuit module electrically connected to the plurality of battery cells, the protective circuit module being for establishing an electrical connection with an external electronic device; a case accommodating the plurality of battery cells and the protective circuit module, the case including a first case and a second case coupled to the first case; an adhesive sheet attached to at least a portion of an outer surface of the case, the adhesive sheet including a base sheet and a bubble prevention part on the base sheet; and a protective cover interposed between the protective circuit module and the adhesive sheet.
US09991479B2
A sealed battery 10 is provided, which has a seam 45 between a case main body 21 and a lid 22 on an outer surface 22A side of the lid 22, and in which this seam 25 is laser welded. A terminal 40 connected to an electrode assembly in the battery 10 is led to the outside from a through hole in the lid 22 and is separated from the lid outer surface 22A by an outside resin member 60. The outside resin member 60 is constituted of a resin matrix 62, which is formed of a nonaromatic resin composition, and inorganic fibers 64 present dispersed in the resin matrix 62. At least 50% by mass of the inorganic fibers 64 in the outside resin member 60 is disposed such that the fiber axial direction of the inorganic fibers 64 is parallel to the outer surface of the lid 22.
US09991477B2
A mask frame assembly including a frame and a mask having a first surface that contacts the frame. The mask includes an active area and pattern holes formed in the active area, the pattern holes being configured to allow a deposition material to pass through the mask. The mask also includes a rib portion disposed outside the active area and configured to block the deposition material from passing through the mask and a non-magnetic reinforcing member disposed on a part of the rib portion.
US09991473B2
An organic light display device includes a first substrate, light emitting structures, a second substrate and a reflective member. The first substrate includes a plurality of pixel regions, each pixel region including a plurality of sub-pixel regions, and a reflective region which surrounds the sub-pixel regions. The reflective region excludes the sub-pixel regions. The light emitting structures are respectively disposed in the sub-pixel regions on the first substrate. The second substrate is opposite to the first substrate. The reflective member is disposed in the reflective region on the lower surface of the second substrate. First openings exposing the sub-pixel regions and a second opening exposing at least a portion the reflective region are located in the reflective member.
US09991460B2
Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode device including an anode and a cathode facing each other, an emission layer interposed between the anode and the cathode, and a first hole auxiliary layer interposed between the anode and the emission layer. The first hole auxiliary layer has a higher triplet energy (T1) than the emission layer.
US09991458B2
A method of fabricating a nanoshell is disclosed. The method comprises coating a nanometric core made of a first material by a second material, to form a core-shell nanostructure and applying non-chemical treatment to the core-shell nanostructure so as to at least partially remove the nanometric core, thereby fabricating a nanoshell. The disclosed nanoshell can be used in the fabrication of transistors, optical devices (such as CCD and CMOS sensors), memory devices and energy storage devices.
US09991450B2
A spiro[cyclopenta[def]triphenylene-4,9′-fluorene] compound having a high triplet energy level and a high glass transition temperature further providing an excellent organic light-emitting device including the compound to achieve a high luminous efficiency and a low driving voltage.
US09991446B2
An organic light emitting device including a first electrode, a hole transport region on the first electrode, a light emission layer on the hole transport region, a buffer layer on the light emission layer, an electron transport region on the buffer layer, and a second electrode on the electron transport region. The buffer layer includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a carbazole derivative, a phenanthroline derivative, a triazole derivative, and a quinolinolato-based metal complex.
US09991445B2
A heterocyclic compound wherein three five-membered rings are fused to one benzene ring and a saturated or unsaturated ring is fused to each five-membered ring. An organic electroluminescence device includes one or more organic thin film layers between an anode and a cathode. The one or more organic thin film layers include a light emitting layer. At least one layer of the one or more organic thin film layers includes the heterocyclic compound.
US09991438B2
The present invention provides a magnetostrictive member with high performance, high reliability and high versatility. The magnetostrictive member is used in the vibration power generation as a power source for extracting electric energy from various vibrations. The member made of the single crystal is manufactured cheaper than the conventional manufacturing method. The magnetostrictive member is formed by cutting a single crystal of Fe—Ga alloy by using electric discharge machining in a state that <100> orientation of the crystal of the Fe—Ga alloy is aligned in a direction in which magnetostriction of the magnetostrictive member is required.
US09991437B2
A method for forming superconducting connection structure between at least two superconducting wires is disclosed, where each wire includes at least one superconducting filament. An end piece of each superconducting wire may be positioned inside a cavity of a pressing tool. A contacting material including MgB2 and/or a precursor material for MgB2 may also be positioned inside the cavity. Pressure may be applied to the contacting material through the pressing tool, and the contacting material may be heated inside the cavity. Pressure and heat may be applied simultaneously, at least during part of the process. A superconducting connection structure including at least two superconducting wires, each wire including at least one superconducting filament, and a superconducting connection between the end pieces of the two wires is also disclosed. The connection may be formed of heated and compressed contacting material including MgB2.
US09991436B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost thermoelectric converter element having high productivity and excellent conversion efficiency. A thermoelectric converter element according to the present invention includes a substrate 4, a magnetic film 2 provided on the substrate 4 with a certain magnetization direction A and formed of a polycrystalline magnetically insulating material, and an electrode 3 provided on the magnetic film 2 with a material exhibiting a spin-orbit interaction. When a temperature gradient is applied to the magnetic film 2, a spin current is generated so as to flow from the magnetic film 2 toward the electrode 3. A current I is generated in a direction perpendicular to the magnetization direction A of the magnetic film 2 by the inverse spin Hall effect in the electrode 3.
US09991426B2
A light-emitting device package includes a supporting substrate, a light-emitting device on the supporting substrate, an adhesive layer on at least a portion of a side surface or lower surface of the light-emitting device, the adhesive layer connecting the light-emitting device to the supporting substrate, and an air layer in a space defined by the supporting substrate, the light-emitting device, and the adhesive layer.
US09991421B2
According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing an LED device includes forming a laminated semiconductor layer including a GaN layer of a first conductivity type, a GaN-based luminous layer, and a GaN layer of a second conductivity type stacked in this order on a surface of a substrate, forming a resist pattern on the laminated semiconductor layer, subjecting the laminated semiconductor layer to reactive ion etching using the resist pattern as a mask to selectively remove the laminated semiconductor layer to form an LED element structure part and an electrode connection region, removing the resist pattern, and treating the substrate including the LED element structure part and the electrode connection region with a first etching residue removing aqueous solution.
US09991418B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting element includes a light emitting layer, a current spreading layer of a first conductivity type, and a pad electrode. The light emitting layer is capable of emitting light. The current spreading layer has a first surface and a second surface. The light emitting layer is disposed on a side of the first surface. A light extraction surface having convex structures of triangle cross-sectional shape and a flat surface which is a crystal growth plane are included in the second surface. The pad electrode is provided on the flat surface. One base angle of the convex structure is 90 degrees or more.
US09991413B2
The disclosed technology relates generally to a method and system for micro assembling GaN materials and devices to form displays and lighting components that use arrays of small LEDs and high-power, high-voltage, and or high frequency transistors and diodes. GaN materials and devices can be formed from epitaxy on sapphire, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, aluminum nitride, or silicon substrates. The disclosed technology provides systems and methods for preparing GaN materials and devices at least partially formed on several of those native substrates for micro assembly.
US09991406B2
The invention relates to curable polyorganosiloxane compositions for the use as an encapsulant for a solar cell module, in particular, for the encapsulation of photovoltaic modules, cured polyorganosiloxane composition made therefrom and photovoltaic modules comprising the same as encapsulant.
US09991401B2
A solar cell is discussed. A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate, a conductive type region on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an electrode connected to the conductive type region. The electrode includes an electrode layer on the conductive type region and a printed electrode layer on the electrode layer.
US09991395B2
When an oxide semiconductor film is microfabricated, with the use of a hard mask, unevenness of a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film can be suppressed. Specifically, a semiconductor device comprises an oxide semiconductor film over an insulating surface; a first hard mask and a second hard mask over the oxide semiconductor film; a source electrode over the oxide semiconductor film and the first hard mask; a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor film and the second hard mask; a gate insulating film over the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a gate electrode overlapping with the gate insulating film and the oxide semiconductor film, and the first and second hard masks have conductivity.
US09991391B2
Disclosed are dispersed graphene sheets, ribbons, graphene molecules and the like which are pristine in the plane, i.e., free of significant defects and chemical modifications such as oxidation. The materials could be functionalized at the edges. These materials are dispersed in solutions rather than in aggregated or insoluble forms as their parent starting materials. Also disclosed is a method comprising the steps of intercalating an insoluble graphitic material. The method may comprise exfoliating graphite and re-intercalating the resultant material with an acid composition, such as oleum, and a strong organic base such as tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in a solvent solution to form a homogenous suspension, which is then agitated to form dispersed graphene materials. The materials may be solubilized with a hydrophilic polymer and can be further manipulated by transfer into different solvents, formation of films, application to optical and electronic devices, and other applications. The materials are solubilized by functional groups mostly at the edges.
US09991382B1
A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a vertical transport field effect transistor located on sidewall surfaces of a semiconductor fin. The semiconductor structure further includes an abrupt junction that is located between a bottom source/drain extension region and a sidewall surface of a lower portion of the semiconductor fin. The bottom source/drain extension region is present in a gap that is located adjacent the lower portion of the semiconductor fin and atop a mesa portion of a base semiconductor substrate.
US09991372B2
A semiconductor device including a device channel with a gate-drain region having a carrier concentration that varies laterally along a direction from the gate contact to the drain contact is provided. Lateral variation of the carrier concentration can be implemented by laterally varying one or more attributes of one or more layers located in the gate-drain region of the device.
US09991364B2
A transistor device includes a gate structure disposed over a channel region of a semiconductor substrate. A source/drain recess is arranged in the semiconductor substrate alongside the gate structure. A doped silicon-germanium (SiGe) region is disposed within the source/drain recess and has a doping type which is opposite to that of the channel. An un-doped SiGe region is also disposed within the source/drain recess. The un-doped SiGe region underlies the doped SiGe region and comprises different germanium concentrations at different locations within the source/drain recess.
US09991359B1
After forming a trench extending through a sacrificial gate layer to expose a surface of a doped bottom semiconductor layer, a diode including a first doped semiconductor segment and a second doped semiconductor segment having a different conductivity type than the first doped semiconductor segment is formed within the trench. The sacrificial gate layer that laterally surrounds the first doped semiconductor segment and the second doped semiconductor segment is subsequently replaced with a gate structure to form a gated diode.
US09991354B2
Systems and methods are provided that enable the production of semiconductor devices having a metal nitride layer in direct contact with a semiconductor layer to form a Schottky diode, such as a TiN gate on an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). Metal nitrides offer exceptional thermal stability and a lower diffusion coefficient. Technology enabled by embodiments of the present disclosure improves the reliability of GaN-based microwave power transistors.
US09991342B2
The electronic device comprises a substrate (1), at least one semiconductor nanowire (2) and a buffer layer (3) interposed between the substrate (1) and said nanowire (2). The buffer layer (3) is at least partly formed by a transition metal nitride layer (9) from which extends the nanowire (2), said transition metal nitride being chosen from: vanadium nitride, chromium nitride, zirconium nitride, niobium nitride, molybdenum nitride, hafnium nitride or tantalum nitride.
US09991330B1
The present application provides planar and stacked resistor structures that are embedded within an interconnect dielectric material in which the resistivity of an electrical conducting resistive material or electrical conducting resistive materials of the resistor structure can be tuned to a desired resistivity during the manufacturing of the resistor structure. Notably, a doped metallic insulator layer is formed atop a substrate. A controlled surface treatment process is then performed to an upper portion of the doped metallic insulator layer to convert the upper portion of the doped metallic insulator layer into an electrical conducting resistive material layer. The remaining doped metallic insulator layer and the electrical conducting resistive material layer are then patterned to provide the resistor structure.
US09991329B2
An integrated circuit includes a higher sheet resistance resistor and a lower sheet resistance resistor, disposed in a same level of dielectric layers of the integrated circuit. The higher sheet resistor has a body region and head regions in a higher sheet resistance layer. The lower sheet resistor has a body region and head regions in a lower sheet resistance layer, which is thicker than the higher sheet layer. The higher sheet resistor has an upper head layer contacting the higher sheet layer at each head region of the higher sheet layer. Each upper head layer has a same composition and thickness as the lower sheet layer of the lower sheet resistor. The lower sheet resistor is free of head layers over the lower sheet resistance layer.
US09991317B2
An organic light emitting display device includes: a display panel configured to display an image; and a window panel on the display panel, the window panel having a display area for transmitting an image displayed on the display panel and a non-display area surrounding the display area. The window panel may include: a window substrate; a light absorption layer on the window substrate; a touch sensor in the display area; and an edge layer in the non-display area.
US09991316B2
A phase-change memory cell, comprising: a substrate housing a transistor, for selection of the memory cell, that includes a first conduction electrode; a first electrical-insulation layer on the selection transistor; a first conductive through via through the electrical-insulation layer electrically coupled to the first conduction electrode; a heater element including a first portion in electrical contact with the first conductive through via and a second portion that extends in electrical continuity with, and orthogonal to, the first portion; a first protection element extending on the first and second portions of the heater element; a second protection element extending in direct lateral contact with the first portion of the heater element and with the first protection element; and a phase-change region extending over the heater element in electrical and thermal contact therewith.
US09991313B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and an underlying layer provided on an opposite side of the first magnetic layer with respect to the intermediate layer, and the underlying layer contains AlN of a hcp structure.
US09991308B2
An image sensor includes a first semiconductor layer having a first semiconductor region and a first insulating region, and a second semiconductor layer under the first semiconductor layer including a second semiconductor region and a second insulating region. The first semiconductor layer includes a first transistor having first source or drain regions in the first semiconductor region and a first gate electrode in the first insulating region, a contact wiring, a first wiring layer electrically connecting the contact wiring and the first transistor, and a first junction region electrically connected to the first wiring layer. The second semiconductor layer includes a second transistor having second source or drain regions in the second semiconductor region and a second gate electrode in the second insulating region, a second wiring layer electrically connecting the contact wiring and the second transistor, and a second junction region electrically connected to the second wiring layer.
US09991300B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating such devices are provided. The devices include source and drain regions on one conductivity type separated by a channel length and a gate structure. The devices also include a channel region of the one conductivity type formed in the device region between the source and drain regions and a screening region of another conductivity type formed below the channel region and between the source and drain regions. In operation, the channel region forms, in response to a bias voltage at the gate structure, a surface depletion region below the gate structure, a buried depletion region at an interface of the channel region and the screening region, and a buried channel region between the surface depletion region and the buried depletion region, where the buried depletion region is substantially located in channel region.
US09991290B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for preventing a breaking and poor contact, without increasing the number of steps, thereby forming an integrated circuit with high driving performance and reliability. The present invention applies a photo mask or a reticle each of which is provided with a diffraction grating pattern or with an auxiliary pattern formed of a semi-translucent film having a light intensity reducing function to a photolithography step for forming wires in an overlapping portion of wires. And a conductive film to serve as a lower wire of a two-layer structure is formed, and then, a resist pattern is formed so that a first layer of the lower wire and a second layer narrower than the first layer are formed for relieving a steep step.
US09991286B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a highly reliably display device in which a high mobility is achieved in an oxide semiconductor. A first oxide component is formed over a base component. Crystal growth proceeds from a surface toward an inside of the first oxide component by a first heat treatment, so that a first oxide crystal component is formed in contact with at least part of the base component. A second oxide component is formed over the first oxide crystal component. Crystal growth is performed by a second heat treatment using the first oxide crystal component as a seed, so that a second oxide crystal component is formed. Thus, a stacked oxide material is formed. A transistor with a high mobility is formed using the stacked oxide material and a driver circuit is formed using the transistor.
US09991284B2
Layers on a resin substrate in a peripheral area include wires extending in a wiring direction, and an inorganic insulating layer. The inorganic insulating layer is formed on first regions under the plurality of respective wires and on second regions each positioned between the adjacent first regions. The inorganic insulating layer includes a first portion on each first region. The inorganic insulating layer includes a second portion on each second region. The first portion is continuous in the wiring direction. The second portion is formed in at least either one of the manners such that the second portion is formed while avoiding a part of the second region on which the second portion is disposed or that the second portion is formed thinner than the first portion, and is continuous to the first portion adjacent to the second portion.
US09991271B2
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a stack of alternating interlayer insulating layers and conductive layers on a substrate. Each of the conductive layers extends in a first direction less than a previous one of the conductive layers to define a landing portion of the previous one of the conductive layers. An insulating plug is in one of the conductive layers under one of the landing portions, and a contact plug extends from an upper surface of the one of the landing portions.
US09991266B2
A semiconductor array, the semiconductor memory array includes bit lines, word lines and memory cells. The bit lines are arranged in parallel in a first direction, and the word lines are arranged in parallel in a second direction which is different from the first direction. The memory cells are arranged in an array and electrically connected to corresponding bit lines and word lines respectively, and any two memory cells adjacent to each other share a same oxide semiconductor layer as a channel layer. The present invention also relates to a semiconductor memory device including two memory cells sharing a same oxide semiconductor layer as a channel layer.
US09991265B2
An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure in which stored data can be stored even when power is not supplied in a data storing time and there is no limitation on the number of times of writing. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor which includes a first channel formation region using a semiconductor material other than an oxide semiconductor, a second transistor which includes a second channel formation region using an oxide semiconductor material, and a capacitor. One of a second source electrode and a second drain electrode of the second transistor is electrically connected to one electrode of the capacitor.
US09991257B2
A semiconductor device may include fin active regions extending parallel to each other on a substrate, an isolation region between the fin active regions, gate patterns intersecting the fin active regions and extending parallel to each other, source/drain areas on the fin active regions between the gate patterns and fin active region spacers contacting side surfaces of the fin active regions and formed over a surface of the isolation region between the fin active regions. Uppermost levels of the fin active region spacers may be higher than interfaces between the fin active regions and the source/drain areas. The upper surface of the isolation region may be lower than bottom surfaces of the source/drain areas.
US09991256B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a plurality of dummy semiconductor fins on a substrate. The dummy semiconductor fins are adjacent to each other and are grouped into a plurality of fin groups. The dummy semiconductor fins of the fin groups are recessed one group at a time.
US09991255B2
Semiconductor devices having non-merged fin extensions. A semiconductor device includes fins formed in trenches in an insulator layer, each of the fins having a uniform crystal orientation and a fin cap in a source and drain region that extends vertically and laterally beyond the trench. The fin caps of the respective fins are separate from one another.
US09991254B1
A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a field effect transistor (FET) arranged on the substrate. The FET includes a gate positioned on the substrate. The gate includes a nanosheet extending through a channel region of the gate. The FET includes a pair of source/drains arranged on opposing sides of the gate. The semiconductor device further includes a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) arranged adjacent to the FET on the substrate. The BJT includes an emitter and a collector. The BJT includes a nanosheet including a semiconductor material extending from the emitter to the collector, with a doped semiconductor material arranged above and below the nanosheet.
US09991251B2
A variable capacitance device that includes a semiconductor substrate, a redistribution layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of terminal electrodes including first and second input/output terminals, a ground terminal and a control voltage application terminal. Moreover, a variable capacitance element section is formed in the redistribution layer from a pair of capacitor electrodes connected to the first and second input/output terminals, respectively, and a ferroelectric thin film disposed between the capacitor electrodes. Further, an ESD protection element is connected between the one of the input/output terminals and the ground terminal is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09991248B2
A first semiconductor package of a POP structure has a first body and a plurality of first solder balls. A second semiconductor package of the POP structure has a second body and a plurality of second solder balls. A stand-off mechanism is utilized to maintain a minimum gap between the first body and the second body while a reflow soldering process is performed. By performing the reflow soldering process, the first solder balls and the second solder balls are heated and engaging with one another so as to solder the first solder balls and the second solder balls to form a plurality of interposer solder balls. Each interposer solder ball has a height substantially equal to the minimum gap and a cross sectional width less than a pitch between two adjacent interposer solder balls. Thereby, the POP structure would be a fine pitch package.
US09991245B2
Semiconductor packages with heat dissipation layers and pillars and methods for fabricating the same
A semiconductor package comprising: a semiconductor chip; a connection pillar that is disposed adjacent to the semiconductor chip; a first heat dissipation layer disposed on the semiconductor chip; and a second heat dissipation layer disposed on the first heat dissipation layer, the second heat dissipation layer including a first protrusion extending beyond a perimeter of the semiconductor chip and extending towards the connection pillar.
US09991243B2
An integrated circuit assembly that includes a substrate; a member formed on the substrate; a first die mounted to the substrate within an opening in the member such that there is space between the first die and the member and the member surrounds the first die, and wherein the first die does not extend above an upper surface of the member; an underfill between the first the die and the substrate, wherein the underfill at least partially fills the space between the die and member; and a second die mounted to the first die and the member, wherein the second die is mounted to the member on all sides of the opening.
US09991235B2
Package-on-package (“PoP”) devices with upper RDLs of WLP (“WLP”) components and methods therefor are disclosed. In a PoP device, a first IC die is surface mount coupled to an upper surface of the package substrate. Conductive lines are coupled to the upper surface of the package substrate in a fan-out region with reference to the first IC. A molding layer is formed over the upper surface of the package substrate. A first and a second WLP microelectronic component is located at a same level above an upper surface of the molding layer respectively surface mount coupled to sets of upper portions of the conductive lines. Each of the first and the second WLP microelectronic components have a second IC die located below a first RDL respectively thereof. A third and a fourth IC die are respectively surface mount coupled over the first and the second WLP microelectronic components.
US09991223B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe package alignment frames for a local reflow process to attach a semiconductor package to an interposer. The frame may comprise a two frame system. The interposer may be on a mounting table or on a circuit board. The frame may include a body with a rectangular opening dimensioned to receive a semiconductor package to be coupled to the interposer. The frame may be to align a ball grid array of the semiconductor package with pads of the interposer. A second frame may be to receive the first frame and may be to align a ball grid array of the interposer with pads of the circuit board. A single frame may be used to couple a semiconductor package to an interposer and to couple the interposer to a circuit board. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09991218B2
A die includes a substrate, a metal pad over the substrate, and a passivation layer covering edge portions of the metal pad. A metal pillar is formed over the metal pad. A portion of the metal pillar overlaps a portion of the metal pad. A center of the metal pillar is misaligned with a center of the metal pad.
US09991211B2
Semiconductor packages and methods of forming semiconductor packages are described. In an example, a semiconductor package includes a shielding layer containing metal particles, e.g., conductive particles or magnetic particles, in a resin matrix to attenuate electromagnetic interference. In an example, the shielding layer is transferred from a molding chase to the semiconductor package during a polymer molding operation.
US09991207B2
Test key structures, integrated circuit packages and methods of forming the same are disclosed. One of the test key structures includes a first pattern over a polymer layer, and at least one second pattern covering the first pattern. Besides, the second pattern and the first pattern have substantially the same outer profile, one of the first pattern and the second pattern includes a dielectric material and the other of the first pattern and the second pattern includes a metal material.
US09991204B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a dielectric structure, a barrier layer, a glue layer, a copper seed layer and a copper layer. The dielectric structure is disposed over the substrate. The dielectric structure has a through via hole passing through the dielectric structure, and a sidewall of the through via hole includes at least one indentation. The barrier layer conformally covers the sidewall and a bottom of the through via hole. The glue layer conformally covers the barrier layer. The copper seed layer conformally covers the glue layer. The copper layer covers the copper seed layer and fills the through via hole.
US09991202B2
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a first insulating layer containing a first metal layer embedded therein and on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. The method further includes forming an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer on the first insulating layer, and forming at least one via trench structure including a first metallization trench and a via in the ILD layer. In addition, the method also includes depositing a metal material to form a first metallization layer in the first metallization trench, a via contact in the via, and a second metal layer on top of at least a portion of the first metal layer in the opening of the first insulating layer. The first metal layer and the second metal layer constitute a multilayer metal contact located in the opening of the first insulating layer.
US09991200B2
A device comprises a first protection layer over sidewalls and a bottom of a first trench in a first dielectric layer, a first barrier layer over the first protection layer, a first metal line in the first trench, a second protection layer over sidewalls and a bottom of a second trench in the first dielectric layer, a second barrier layer over the second protection layer, a second metal line in the first trench, an air gap between the first trench and the second trench and a third protection layer over sidewalls of a third trench in the first dielectric layer, wherein the first protection layer, the second protection layer and the third protection are formed of a same material.
US09991198B2
A layout method for compound semiconductor integrated circuits, comprising following steps of: forming a first metal layer within a first circuit layout area which intersects with a second circuit layout area at an intersection area on a compound semiconductor substrate; defining an adjacent crossover area including said intersection area and a peripheral adjacent area thereof; a first dielectric area located within said adjacent crossover area and intersected with at least part of said intersection area; forming a first dielectric block within said first dielectric area or forming said first dielectric block within said first dielectric area and a second dielectric block outside said first dielectric area, the thickness of said second dielectric block is no greater than and the thickness of at least part of said second dielectric block is smaller than the thickness of said first dielectric block; forming a second metal layer within said second circuit layout area.
US09991193B2
A semiconductor device package includes a first conductive base, a first semiconductor die, a dielectric layer, a first patterned conductive layer, and a second patterned conductive layer. The first conductive base defines a first cavity. The first semiconductor die is on a bottom surface of the first cavity. The dielectric layer covers the first semiconductor die, the first surface and the second surface of the first conductive base and fills the first cavity. The first patterned conductive layer is on a first surface of the dielectric layer. The second patterned conductive layer is on a second surface of the dielectric layer.
US09991190B2
The mechanisms of using an interposer frame to package a semiconductor die enables fan-out structures and reduces form factor for the packaged semiconductor die. The mechanisms involve using a molding compound to attach the semiconductor die to the interposer frame and forming a redistribution layer on one or both sides of the semiconductor die. The redistribution layer(s) in the package enables fan-out connections and formation of external connection structures. Conductive columns in the interposer frame assist in thermal management.
US09991186B2
A method of manufacture for a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes providing a semiconductor stack structure that includes a device terminal of a semiconductor device, and having a first surface and a buried oxide (BOX) layer attached to a wafer handle. Another step includes disposing a polymeric layer that includes a polymer and an admixture that increases thermal conductivity of the polymer onto the first surface of the semiconductor stack structure. Another step involves removing the wafer handle from the BOX layer to expose a second surface of the semiconductor stack structure, and yet another step involves removing a portion of the semiconductor stack structure to expose the device terminal.
US09991184B2
An electronic module 1 includes an electronic module 10 that includes a substrate 11 and an electronic element 12, an electronic module 20 that includes a substrate 21 arranged such that the principal surface 21a faces the principal surface 11a, an electronic element 22 electrically connected to the electronic element 12 with a connecting member 18 therebetween, and an electronic element 23 electrically connected to the electronic element 12 with a connecting member 19 therebetween passing through the substrate 21 in a thickness direction, the electronic module 20 thermally connected to the electronic module 10 by the connecting members 18 and 19, and a heat sink 30 that includes a housing part 31a therein and houses the electronic modules 10 and 20 in the housing part 31a such that the principal surface 11b is in contact with an inner wall surface of the housing part 31a.
US09991169B2
A semiconductor device and methods of formation are provided. The semiconductor device includes a first active region having a first active region height and an active channel region having an active channel region height over a fin. The first active region height is greater than the active channel region height. The active channel region having the active channel region height has increased strain, such as increased tensile strain, as compared to an active channel region that has a height greater than the active channel region height. The increased strain increases or enhances at least one of hole mobility or electron mobility in at least one of the first active region or the active channel region. The active channel region having the active channel region height has decreased source drain leakage, as compared to an active channel region that has a height greater than the active channel region height.
US09991155B2
A trap-rich polysilicon layer is interposed between the active (SOI) layer and the underlying handle portion of a semiconductor substrate to prevent or minimize parasitic surface conduction effects within the active layer and promote device linearity. In various embodiments, the trap-rich layer extends vertically through a portion of an isolation layer and laterally therefrom between the isolation layer and the handle portion of the substrate to underlie a portion of the device active area.
US09991151B2
A chip spacing maintaining apparatus for maintaining the spacing between any adjacent ones of a plurality of chips obtained by dividing a workpiece attached to an expand sheet, the expand sheet being supported at its peripheral portion to an annular frame is provided. The chip spacing maintaining apparatus includes a far-infrared radiation applying unit for applying far-infrared radiation toward the expand sheet expanded in a target area between the outer circumference of the workpiece and the inner circumference of the annular frame, thereby shrinking the expand sheet in the target area, and an air layer forming unit provided adjacent to the far-infrared radiation applying unit, the air layer forming unit having a nozzle hole for discharging a gas toward the workpiece in applying the far-infrared radiation from the far-infrared radiation applying unit toward the expand sheet, thereby forming an air layer above the workpiece.
US09991149B2
A transfer substrate with a compliant resin is used to bond one or more chips to a target wafer. An implant region is formed in a transfer substrate. A portion of the transfer substrate is etched to form a riser. Compliant material is applied to the transfer substrate. A chip is secured to the compliant material, wherein the chip is secured to the compliant material above the riser. The chip is bonded to a target wafer while the chip is secured to the compliant material. The transfer substrate and compliant material are removed from the chip. The transfer substrate is opaque to UV light.
US09991140B2
A substrate heating device includes: heating modules each having a processing vessel within which a heating plate is disposed, an gas inlet port for introducing a purge gas into a processing atmosphere, and an exhaust port for exhausting the processing atmosphere; individual exhaust paths each connected to the exhaust port of the heating modules; a common exhaust path connected to downstream ends of the individual exhaust paths of the heating modules; a branch path branched from the individual exhaust paths and opened to the outside of the processing vessel; and an exhaust flow rate adjusting unit configured to adjust a flow rate ratio of an exhaust flow rate of a gas exhausted from the exhaust port into the common exhaust path and an introduction flow rate of a gas introduced from the outside of the processing vessel into the common exhaust path through the branch path.
US09991138B2
An etching method includes a step of etching a cobalt film formed on a surface of a target object by supplying an etching gas containing β-diketone and an oxidizing gas for oxidizing the cobalt film to the target object. The supply of the etching gas and the oxidizing gas is carried out such that a flow rate ratio of the oxidizing gas to the etching gas is ranging from 0.5% to 50% while heating the target object to a temperature lower than or equal to 250° C.
US09991136B2
The present invention discloses a leadframe in which two conductive pillars with a high aspect ratio and the corresponding two leads of the leadframe form a 3D space for accommodating at least one device. A first lead and a second lead are spaced apart from each other. A first conductive pillar is formed on the first lead by disposing a first via on the first lead, wherein at least one first conductive material is filled inside the first via to form the first conductive pillar. A second conductive pillar is formed on the second lead by disposing a second via on the second lead, wherein at least one second conductive material is filled inside the second via to form the second conductive pillar. The first lead, the second lead, the first conductive pillar, and the second conductive pillar form a 3D space for accommodating at least one device, wherein the at least one device is electrically connected to the first conductive pillar and the second conductive pillar.
US09991129B1
Systems and methods of etching a semiconductor substrate may include concurrent exposure of the semiconductor substrate to a chlorine-containing precursor and ultraviolet (UV) light. The semiconductor substrate may include exposed amorphous silicon. The semiconductor substrate may further include exposed crystalline silicon or underlying crystalline silicon. The methods may further include removing amorphous silicon faster than crystalline silicon.
US09991105B2
Disclosed are improved methods and structures for actively stabilizing the oscillation frequency of a trapped ion by noninvasively sampling and rectifying the high voltage RF potential at circuit locations between a step-up transformer and a vacuum feedthrough leading to the ion trap electrodes. We use this sampled/rectified signal in a feedback loop to regulate the RF input amplitude to the circuit. By employing techniques and structures according to the present disclosure we are advantageously able to stabilize a 1 MHz trapped ion oscillation frequency to <10 Hz after 200 s of integration, representing a 34 dB reduction in the level of trap frequency noise and drift, over a locking bandwidth of up to 30 kHz.
US09991102B2
A sputtering apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate holder, a cathode unit arranged at a position diagonally opposite to the substrate holder, a position sensor for detecting a rotational position of the substrate, and a holder rotation controller for adjusting a rotation speed of the substrate according to the detected rotational position. The holder rotation controller controls the rotation speed so that the rotation speed of the substrate when the cathode unit is located on a side in a first direction as an extending direction of a process target surface of the relief structure is lower than the rotation speed of the substrate when the cathode unit is located on a side in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction along the rotation of the substrate.
US09991100B2
The plasma processing apparatus includes a first electrode to which high frequency power is applied, a second electrode that functions as a counter electrode with respect to the first electrode, and a controller configured to control distribution of plasma generated between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is, for example, an upper electrode. The second electrode includes a lower electrode, and a peripheral portion disposed around the lower electrode. The peripheral portion includes a plurality of split electrodes divided in a peripheral direction. For each split electrode, the controller controls an impedance between the plasma and a ground via the split electrode.
US09991099B2
A chemical vapor deposition source that includes at least one plate to which first and second electrical connection posts are coupled. The chemical vapor deposition source also includes a filament having a first end and a second end. The first end of the filament is electrically connected to the first electrical connection post and the second end of the filament is electrically connected to the second electrical connection post. The chemical vapor deposition source further includes at least one filament holder electrically insulated from the at least one plate. The at least one filament holder holds a portion of the filament between the first end and the second end.
US09991092B2
A scanning electron microscope of the present invention performs scanning by changing a scanning line density in accordance with a sample when an image of a scanned region is formed by scanning a two-dimensional region on the sample with an electron beam or is provided with a GUI having sample information input means which inputs information relating to the sample and display means which displays a recommended scanning conditioHn according to the input and performs scanning with a scanning line density according to the sample by selecting the recommended scanning condition. As a result, in observation using a scanning electron microscope, a suitable scanning device which can improve contrast of a profile of a two-dimensional pattern and suppress shading by suppressing the influence of charging caused by primary charged particle radiation and by improving a detection rate of secondary electrons and a scanning method are provided.
US09991090B2
The present invention discloses an electron microscope and FIB system for processing and imaging of a variety of materials using two separate laser beams of different characteristics. The first laser beam is used for large bulk material removal and deep trench etching of a workpiece. The second laser beam is used for finer precision work, such as micromachining of the workpiece, small spot processing, or the production of small heat affected zones. The first laser beam and the second laser beam can come from the same laser source or come from separate laser sources. Having one laser source has the additional benefits of making the system cheaper and being able to create separate external and internal station such that the debris generated from bulk material removal from the first laser beam will not interfere with vacuum or components inside the particle beam chamber.
US09991088B2
An aberration corrector includes a mirror that corrects an aberration of a charged particle beam, a beam separator, and a bypass optical system in the beam separator. The beam separator includes an entrance of the charged particle beam and an exit from which the charged particle beam is emitted to an objective lens, and separates an incident trajectory from the entrance to the mirror and a reflection trajectory from the mirror to the exit from each other by deflecting the charged particle beam in an ON state. The bypass optical system is disposed at a position at which the trajectory of the charged particle beam bypasses when the beam separator is in the ON state, and the trajectory of the charged particle beam passes when the beam separator is in an OFF state, and controls the charged particle beam so that objective lens optical conditions in a trajectory via the mirror and a trajectory passing through the bypass optical system coincide with each other.
US09991086B2
In one embodiment, a multi charged particle beam writing method includes performing blanking deflection on each of multiple beams using a plurality of individual blankers, and collectively performing blanking deflection on the multiple beams using a common blanker. The beams controlled in the beam ON state by the individual blankers and the common blanker pass through a hole at central part of a liming aperture member. The beams deflected in the beam OFF state by the individual blankers or the common blanker are deviated from the hole and are interrupted by the limiting aperture member. When one of the common blanker and the individual blanker deflects one of the beams to the beam OFF state while the other of them deflects the beam in the beam OFF state, the beam moves on the limiting aperture member such that the beam is away from the hole.
US09991084B2
An x-ray device utilizes a band of material to exchange charge through tribocharging within a chamber maintained at low fluid pressure. The charge is utilized to generate x-rays within the housing, which may pass through a window of the housing. Various contact rods may be used as part of the tribocharging process.
US09991055B2
A capacitor assembly that is capable of exhibiting good properties under hot conditions. The ability to perform under such conditions is due in part to the use of an intrinsically conductive polymer in the solid electrolyte that contains repeating units having the following formula (I): wherein, R is (CH2)a—O—(CH2)b; a is from 0 to 10; b is from 1 to 18; Z is an anion; and X is a cation. The resulting capacitor assembly may exhibit excellent electrical properties even when exposed to high temperatures.
US09991052B2
Provided is a biaxially stretched polypropylene film for capacitors which has high withstand voltage characteristics when used as a dielectric for capacitors and which has highly suitable processability into elements. The biaxially stretched polypropylene film for capacitors has projections on both surfaces and has a thickness (t1, μm) of 4-20 μm. When one of the surfaces is expressed by surface A and the other by surface B, all of the following relationships are satisfied. 800≤SRzB≤1,300 (nm) 0.1≤SRzA/SRzB≤0.8 PBmin≥100 (nm) PBmax≤1,500 (nm) 0.4≤PB450-750/PB≤0.7.
US09991044B2
An electronic apparatus includes a base and an electronic module. The base includes first and second base walls, a separating wall connected between the first and second base walls, and two receiving spaces disposed at opposite sides of the separating wall. The electronic module includes a terminal unit, and two electronic units respectively received in the receiving spaces and connected to the terminal unit. The terminal unit includes two pairs of first terminals, each of which has a connecting section protruding from one of two opposite side surfaces of the second base wall, and two second terminals, each of which has two connecting sections respectively protruding from two opposite side surfaces of the first base wall.
US09991043B2
An integrated magnetic assembly includes a magnetic core, an input winding inductively coupled to the magnetic core, a first output winding inductively coupled to the magnetic core, and a second output winding inductively coupled to the magnetic core. The magnetic core includes first and second non-winding legs, and first and second winding legs. The first and second non-winding legs are spaced apart from one another, and the magnetic core defines an opening between the first and second non-winding legs. The input winding extends through the opening between the first and second non-winding legs, and is wound around each of the first and second winding legs. The first output winding is wound around the first winding leg. The second output winding is wound around the second winding leg.
US09991041B2
A variable coupled inductor includes a first core, two conducting wires, a second core and a magnetic structure. The first core includes two first protruding portions, a second protruding portion and two grooves, wherein the second protruding portion is located between the two first protruding portions and each of the grooves is located between one of the first protruding portions and the second protruding portion. Each of the conducting wires is disposed in one of the grooves. The second core is disposed on the first core. A first gap is formed between each of the first protruding portions and the second core and a second gap is formed between the second protruding portion and the second core. The magnetic structure is disposed between the second protruding portion and the second core and distributed symmetrically with respect to a centerline of the second protruding portion.
US09991040B2
Inductive elements comprising anisotropic media and biasing coils for magnetically biasing thereof and methods of manufacture and operation for use in applications such as microelectronics. Application of an electrical current through the bias coils generates a magnetic field that biases the magnetic material such that a desirable orientation of anisotropy is achieved throughout the magnetic core and enables modulation of the inductive response of the device. Electrical conductors coupled to interconnects are magnetically coupled to magnetic core layers to produce self and/or mutual inductors.
US09991039B2
A linear actuator (20, 20′, 20″) comprises a plunger receptacle (22); a coil (24); a magnetic plunger (26); a magnetic base (28); a return spring (30); and a lock spring (32, 32′). The coil (24) is wound about at least a portion of an exterior surface of the plunger receptacle (22). The magnetic plunger (26) is at least partially disposed within a cavity at least partially formed by an interior surface of the plunger receptacle (22) for linear motion along a plunger axis (34). The magnetic base (28) is radially disposed relative to the plunger (26). The return spring (30) is disposed to bias the plunger (26) to a plunger extended position. The lock spring (32, 32′) is configured and oriented to lock the plunger (26) in the plunger extended position when power is not applied to the coil (24) but to be attracted to the magnetic base (28) and thereby permit movement of the plunger (26) to a plunger retracted position when the power is applied to the coil (24).
US09991033B2
There are provided a rare-earth permanent magnet and a manufacturing method thereof capable of preventing deterioration of magnet properties. In the method, magnet material is milled into magnet powder. Next, a mixture is prepared by mixing the magnet powder and a binder made of long-chain hydrocarbon and/or of a polymer or a copolymer consisting of monomers having no oxygen atoms. Next, the mixture is formed into a sheet-like shape so as to obtain a green sheet. After that, the green sheet is held for a predetermined length of time at binder decomposition temperature in a non-oxidizing atmosphere so as to remove the binder by causing depolymerization reaction or the like to the binder, which turns into monomer. The green sheet from which the binder has been removed is sintered by raising temperature up to sintering temperature. Thereby a permanent magnet 1 is obtained.
US09991021B2
Polymer compositions containing a polyoxymethylene base polymer that is compounded with a conductive filler and pigment carbon black are disclosed that exhibit electrostatic dissipative (ESD) capabilities while also being laser weldable. The polymer composition can be formed into shaped or molded articles such as filters, flanges, connectors, etc. for use in fuel systems where conductivity, ductility, weldability, and resistance to aggressive fuels are required. The compositions can be compounded into a pellet product which can then be formed into a shaped article that complies with the ESD capabilities required by SAE J1645. At the same time, parts produced from the compositions can absorb laser energy sufficiently to form a high quality welded interface with parts produced from other compositions that are transparent to laser radiation and cannot absorb laser energy sufficiently.
US09991019B2
A conductive polymer composite includes: a π-conjugated polymer, and a dopant polymer which contains a repeating unit of general formula (1) and having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000-500,000. The conductive polymer composite which has excellent filterability and film-formability by spin coating, and can form a conductive film having high transparency and excellent flatness. R1 represents a hydrogen atom or methyl group; R2 represents any of a single bond, ester group, and linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbon group optionally containing any one or more of an ether group, ester group, and amide group; “Z” represents any of a single bond, phenylene group, naphthylene group, ether group, and ester group; R3 represents a hydrogen atom or alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and may be bonded to R2 to form a ring; and “a” is a number satisfying 0
US09991017B2
A method of forming an amorphous carbon monolayer (ACM) and an electronic device including the ACM are provided. The method includes forming the ACM on a surface of a germanium (Ge) substrate via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The CVD process includes injecting a reaction gas including carbon-containing gas and hydrogen (H2) gas in to a reaction chamber containing the Ge substrate, wherein a partial pressure of the H2 gas in the reaction chamber may range from 1 Torr to 30 Torr.
US09990995B2
Systems having a resistive memory device having control circuitry configured to build a data word from remapped data bits from a received data word such that pairs of data bits are mapped to adjacent locations in the built data word, the control circuitry further configured to program the built data word to memory cells coupled to a selected data line such that, during a same program operation, pairs of adjacent memory cells along the selected data line are programmed with the pairs of data.
US09990993B2
A ReRAM cell array has having at least one row and one column includes first and second complementary bit lines for each row, a word line, a p-word line, and an n-word line for each column. A ReRAM cell at each row and column of the array includes a first ReRAM device, its first end connected to the first complementary bit line of its row, a p-channel transistor, its source connected to a second end of the first ReRAM device, its drain connected to a switch node, its gate connected to the p-channel word line of its column, a second ReRAM device, its first end connected to the second complementary bit line of its row, an n-channel transistor, its source connected to a second end of the second ReRAM device, its drain connected to the switch node, its gate connected to the n-channel word line of its column.
US09990991B2
Resistive memory device and method relating to a read voltage in accordance with variable situations
A resistive memory device and a method may be provided. The resistive memory device may include a reset voltage-detecting circuit, a set voltage-detecting circuit, a control circuit and a read voltage-generating circuit. The reset voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary reset current to detect reference reset voltage information. The set voltage-detecting circuit may receive a variable preliminary set current to detect reference set voltage information. The control circuit may receive the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information to determine middle voltage information of the reference reset voltage information and the reference set voltage information. The read voltage-generating circuit may receive the middle voltage information to generate a read voltage.
US09990983B2
A memory control circuit unit, a memory storage device and a signal receiving method. In one exemplary embodiment, a memory interface circuit of the memory control circuit unit receives a first signal from a volatile memory and adjusts a voltage value of the first signal to a voltage range in response to an internal impedance of the memory interface circuit, where a central value of the voltage range is not equal to a default voltage value, and the default voltage value is one half a sum of a voltage value of a supply voltage of the memory interface circuit and a voltage value of a reference ground voltage. In addition, the memory interface circuit further generates an input signal according to a voltage correspondence between the first signal and an internal reference voltage.
US09990979B2
A semiconductor memory device is disclosed that can differentially control a driving ability and current consumption of the charge pump circuit according to operation state information of other memory die. The semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of charge pump circuits installed on a plurality of memory dies, and a pump managing circuit installed on each of the memory dies to control the charge pump circuits and receive operation state information with respect to other memory die to generate control signals for controlling the charge pump circuits on its own memory die.
US09990975B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a semiconductor substrate, a first substrate area in the semiconductor substrate, a first cell unit in the first substrate area, the first cell unit including a first memory cell and a first transistor, and the first transistor having a control terminal connected to a first word line, using the first substrate area as a channel and supplying a read current or a write current to the first memory cell, and a substrate potential setting circuit setting the first substrate area to a first substrate potential when the read current is supplied to the first memory cell, and setting the first substrate area to a second substrate potential different from the first substrate potential when the write current is supplied to the first memory cell.
US09990968B2
In an embodiment, a control circuit may include a command interface, a clock selection signal output circuit, and a clock generating circuit. The command interface may output a selection enable signal in response to a command. The clock selection signal output circuit may output, in response to the selection enable signal, a clock selection signal according to various sub-operations performed in a selected operation. The clock generating circuit may generate main clocks having different periods according the clock selection signal.
US09990967B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to performing corner turn operations using sensing circuitry. An example apparatus comprises a first group of memory cells coupled to an access line and a plurality of sense lines and a second group of memory cells coupled to a plurality of access lines and a sense line. The example apparatus comprises a controller configured to cause a corner turn operation using sensing circuitry on an element stored in the first group of memory cells resulting in the element being stored in the second group of memory cells.
US09990965B2
Noise attributed to signals of a word line, in first and second bit lines which are overlapped with the same word line in memory cells stacked in a three-dimensional manner is reduced in a storage device with a folded bit-line architecture. The storage device includes a driver circuit including a sense amplifier, and first and second memory cell arrays which are stacked each other. The first memory cell array includes a first memory cell electrically connected to the first bit line and a first word line, and the second memory cell array includes a second memory cell electrically connected to the second bit line and a second word line. The first and second bit lines are electrically connected to the sense amplifier in the folded bit-line architecture. The first word line, first bit line, second bit line, and second word line are disposed in this manner over the driver circuit.
US09990964B1
A storage device includes memories and a controller. The controller controls first and second program operations on the memory. When a temperature of the memory is lower than a reference value, the controller controls execution of the first program operation. When the temperature of the memory is equal to or higher than the reference value, the controller controls execution of the second program operation which consumes a smaller amount of power than the first program operation. The controller adjusts an operational condition of the memory such that bandwidth on the memory remains equivalent during the first and second program operations.
US09990962B2
A data sense amplifier may include: first and second external nodes, wherein a potential difference occurs between the first and second external nodes when a memory cell is selected; an amplification unit suitable for generating and amplifying a potential difference between first and second nodes in response to the potential difference between the first and second external nodes; and a switching unit suitable for electrically coupling the first and second external nodes to the first and second nodes, respectively, after a predetermined time elapses from when the memory cell is selected.
US09990956B2
In a recording system comprising a plurality of recording apparatuses connected in cascade to increase the number of audio channels, a desired audio signal can be monitored. In the recording apparatus, when a digital audio signal is input from a digital input terminal and an analog audio signal is input from an analog audio input terminal, the analog audio signal is converted to a digital signal, which is further embedded in the digital audio signal and output from an output terminal. When an operation unit designates a channel to be used for monitor output, among the digital audio signal input from a digital input terminal and a digital audio signal obtained by converting the analog audio signal to the digital signal, an audio signal of the channel which is designated is output for monitoring.
US09990952B2
There is provided an optical medium reproducing device configured to optically reproduce an optical medium including a plurality of tracks formed, the optical medium reproducing device including: an optical filter configured to receive an incident returned light beam from the optical medium, and to spatially and optically form a plurality of signals having different bands in a tangential direction and a radial direction; an arithmetic unit configured to operate the plurality of first signals formed by the optical filter so as to form a plurality of channels of second signals; and an electrical filter configured to individually receive the second signals, and to perform processing to the second signals so as to acquire a reproduced signal.
US09990948B1
According to one embodiment, a stopper of a disk device includes a fixing member to be fixed to a supporter of the disk device, and a cushioning member formed of a fluorine rubber and attached to the fixing member. The cushioning member includes a contact surface which contacts the fixing member, a first contact surface which can contact the supporter of the disk device, and a second contact surface which can contact a movable member in the disk device, the first contact surface has a first surface adhesive force based on adhesion of the fluorine rubber, and the second contact surface is subjected to a non-adhesive surface treatment and has a second surface adhesive force which is less than or equal to 1/20 the first surface adhesive force.
US09990946B2
To control the resonance generated in the head assembly and improve property on the head location controlling. A head assembly includes: a slider having a head element; a slider supporting plate for holding the slider; a load beam for holding the slider supporting plate; a support projection which is arranged on the front end part of the load beam and on which the slider supporting plate is supported rotatably; a drive unit that rotates the slider supporting plate around the support projection; a dynamic vibration absorber arranged on the slider supporting plate, wherein the dynamic vibration absorber is disposed closer to the rear end side of the load beam than the support projection and has vibration freedom in the rotating direction of the slide supporting plate.
US09990944B1
An apparatus, according to one embodiment, includes: a tape head having: a write module, a read module, and a plurality of tunnel valve read transducers arranged in an array extending along the read module. Each of the tunnel valve read transducers includes: a sensor structure, an upper and lower magnetic shield, an upper conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the upper magnetic shield, a lower conducting spacer layer between the sensor structure and the lower magnetic shield, and electrically insulating layers opposite the sensor structure. The sensor structure includes a cap layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a reference layer and antiferromagnetic layer. A height of the free layer measured in a direction perpendicular to a media bearing surface of the read module is less than a width of the free layer measured in a cross-track direction perpendicular to an intended direction of media travel.
US09990937B1
A first speaker, comprising: a receiver configured to receive, from a second speaker, a second runtime and a second number of audio samples when the first speaker plays an audio file synchronized with the second speaker; a calculator configured to calculate a time interval value based on the second runtime; a generator configured to generate a revised second number of audio samples based on the time interval value; a comparator configured to compare a difference between the revised second number of audio samples and a first number of audio samples of the first speaker so as to determine the amount of latency of the first speaker; an adjustor configured to adjust a playing speed of the first speaker; and an output configured to output the audio file according to the adjusted playing speed.
US09990932B2
A method for processing an encoded audio signal in a binary stream by MICDA predictive coding. The method includes the following steps: determining a signal assessed from quantification indices of the binary stream; determining unencoded parameters representative of the audio signal from the assessed signal; and processing the encoded audio signal using the determined parameters. Also provided is a device implementing the method.
US09990929B2
The present invention proposes a new method for improving the performance of a real-valued filterbank based spectral envelope adjuster. By adaptively locking the gain values for adjacent channels dependent on the sign of the channels, as defined in the application, reduced aliasing is achieved. Furthermore, the grouping of the channels during gain-calculation, gives an improved energy estimate of the real valued subband signals in the filterbank.
US09990927B2
A method of encoding a multi-channel 3-dimensional (3D) audio signal mixed with a multi-channel 3D object signal is provided. The method includes: obtaining a location parameter indicating a virtual location of the multi-channel 3D object signal on a multi-channel speaker layout based on a gain value of the multi-channel 3D object signal for each channel; and encoding the multi-channel 3D audio signal and the location parameter.
US09990926B1
Techniques for passive enrollment of a user in a speaker identification (ID) device are provided. One technique includes: parsing, by a processor of the speaker ID device, a speech sample, spoken by the user, into a keyword phrase sample and a command phrase sample; identifying, by a text-dependent speaker ID circuit of the speaker ID device, the user as the speaker of the keyword phrase sample; associating the command phrase sample with the identified user; determining if the command phrase sample in conjunction with one or more earlier command phrase samples associated with the user is sufficient command phrase sampling to enroll the user in a text-independent speaker ID circuit of the speaker ID device; and enrolling the user in the text-independent speaker ID circuit using the command phrase samples associated with the user after determining there is sufficient command phrase sampling to enroll the user.
US09990919B2
Methods and apparatus for speech recognition on user dictated words to generate a dictation and using a discriminative statistical model derived from a deterministic formatting grammar module and user formatted documents to extract features and estimate scores from the formatting graph. The processed dictation can be output as formatted text based on a formatting selection to provide an integrated stochastic and deterministic formatting of the dictation.
US09990910B2
An automatically actuating strap lock mechanism for use on instruments is disclosed. The multiple embodiments disclosed herein use an automatically actuating retaining mechanism to allow a user to attach the end of a strap to a strap button on an instrument without having to manipulate a lever or knob. The retaining mechanism is capable of being moved into the open position using the head of a strap button, allowing a user to slide the mechanism over a strap button. Once a strap button is seated in the strap lock mechanism, the retaining mechanism is automatically released, locking the strap button in place.
US09990896B2
The present invention relates to a 6 bit/8 bit gamma common driving circuit and a method for driving the same, in which a gamma voltage is changed selectively according to a number of received bits by using an R-string for using gamma in common. The 6 bit/8 bit gamma common driving circuit includes a gamma selection unit having an 8 bit receiving terminal for receiving a 6 bit or 8 bit digital data, and the gamma selection unit by passing the 8 bit data received at the receiving terminal, or adding “00” to least significant two bits of the 6 bit data received at the receiving terminal to change the 6 bit data to an 8 bit data and forwarding the 8 bit data, according to an external bit selection BSEL signal; a summing unit for summing most significant 6 bit data of the 8 bit data from the gamma selection unit and forwarding a carry signal “0 or 1”, or summing the 8 bit data from the gamma selection unit and forwarding a carry signal “0 or 1”, according to the bit selection BSEL signal; and a digital-to-analog converter for forwarding an analog signal corresponding to a R-string relevant to the data from the gamma selection unit if the carry signal from the summing unit is “0”, or forwarding an analog signal corresponding to R225 of the R-string if the carry signal from the summing unit is “1”.
US09990893B2
A pixel circuit includes a first capacitor whose two terminals are coupled to a first node and a ground end respectively, a first switch whose two terminals are coupled to a second node and a fourth node respectively, a liquid crystal, a second switch, a pull-up circuit, a pull-down circuit, a second capacitor and a third switch. The first switch is coupled to the first node and a first data input end. The liquid crystal is coupled to the second and a third node. The second switch is coupled to the second node and a second data input end. The pull-up circuit is coupled to the first node and the second node and a node of a high voltage. The pull-down circuit is coupled to the second node, the fourth node and the ground end. The third switch is coupled to the fourth node and the ground end.
US09990891B2
A control device that controls the driving of a display device which changes display states by a writing operation of applying a driving voltage several times, wherein the control device includes a determining portion that determines whether or not the writing operation is performed for each pixel; and a control portion that starts the writing operation in the pixel in which the writing operation is determined to be performed by the determining portion, the writing operation including applying, wherein, in a case where a previous writing operation is not performed on the pixel in which the writing operation is determined to be performed by the determining portion, the control portion starts the writing operation, and in a case where the previous writing operation is performed on the pixel, the control portion starts the next writing operation after the previous writing operation is finished.
US09990882B2
A system uses image data, representing images to be displayed in successive frames, to drive a display having pixels that include a drive transistor and an organic light emitting device by dividing each frame into at least first and second sub-frames, supplying the image data during one of the sub-frames, supplying compensation data during the other of the sub-frames, compensating image data based on the compensation data, and supplying each pixel with a drive current that is based on the compensated image data during each frame. The compensated image data may be supplied from a driver having a preselected data resolution, and the system determines whether the compensated image data is greater than the data resolution of the driver, and if the compensated image data is greater than the data resolution of the driver, transfers the excess compensated image data to a different sub-frame.
US09990875B2
The present disclosure provides a display panel, a method and a device for measuring screen flickering, and a display device. The display panel includes a substrate, data lines and gate lines arranged on the substrate and crossing each other, and subpixel units defined by the data lines and the gate lines. Each subpixel unit includes a TFT, a pixel electrode, a first common electrode and a second common electrode. The second common electrode is connected to an input end capable of providing an alternating voltage at a first frequency. An orthogonal projection of the second common electrode onto the substrate at least partially overlaps an orthogonal projection of the pixel electrode onto the substrate.
US09990872B1
A system configured for providing views of virtual content in an augmented reality environment may comprise one or more of a first display, a second display, an optical element, one or more processors, and/or other components. The first display and second display may be separated by a separation distance. The first display and second display may be arranged such that rays of light emitted from pixels of the first display may travel through the second display, then reflect off the optical element and into a user's eyes. A three-dimensional light field perceived with a user's field-of-view may be generated. Distances of the first display and/or second display to the optical element may impact a perceived range of the three-dimensional light field. The separation distance may impact a perceived depth of the three-dimensional light field and/or a resolution of virtual content perceived with the three-dimensional light field.
US09990862B2
An active colonoscopy training model (10) and method of using the same with a colonoscope (60) includes an abdominal model (12), a colorectal tube (16) configured to replicate a human colon, and at least one sensor operably coupled to the colorectal tube (16). The abdominal model (12) comprises an outer body (14) having a hollow interior portion (22), and the colorectal tube (16) is operably coupled to the abdominal model (12) within the interior portion (22). The colorectal tube (16) is configured to receive the colonoscope (60), and the at least one sensor measures one or more of a tension, a force, a pressure, a light, and a position of the colonoscope (60) when the colonoscope (60) is positioned and advanced through the colorectal tube (16).
US09990861B2
A method of providing artificial vision to a visually-impaired user implanted with a visual prosthesis. The method includes configuring, in response to selection information received from the user, a smart prosthesis to perform at least one function of a plurality of functions in order to facilitate performance of a visual task. The method further includes extracting, from an input image signal generated in response to optical input representative of a scene, item information relating to at least one item within the scene relevant to the visual task. The smart prosthesis then generates image data corresponding to an abstract representation of the scene wherein the abstract representation includes a representation of the at least one item. Pixel information based upon the image data is then provided to the visual prosthesis.
US09990856B2
Systems and methods for training an operator of a robotic surgery system are disclosed. One such method includes enabling the operator to perform a test procedure, recording vibrations of a surgical tool of the robotic surgery system during the test procedure, and generating a score for the operator based at least in part on the recorded vibrations of the surgical tool.
US09990854B1
A system and method are provided for implementing unmanned aircraft system (UAS) deconfliction schemes by accepting representations of UAS flight plans in disparate native forms, and to converting them into a common format in support of evaluating potential conflicts, and providing flight plan approval/disapproval, and/or flight plan execution restrictions or warnings regarding potentially conflicting manned and unmanned aerial vehicle operations. The disclosed UAS Traffic Management (UTM) scheme may validate a UAS flight plan based on the provided flight plan representation, approving or disapproving the flight plan, and may provide suggestions for modification of a submitted UAS flight plan to enhance operational deconfliction without completely rejecting, through disapproval, the flight plan. Different levels of alerts and/or warnings may be provided to alert the UAS platform operators and National Airspace System operators/controllers to potential conflicts and conflict avoidance.
US09990849B2
A method for ascertaining a parking position for a vehicle, including the following: ascertaining a vehicle geometry and a maneuverability parameter of the vehicle, and selecting a parking position for the vehicle from a plurality of parking positions of a parking lot as a function of the vehicle geometry and the maneuverability parameter. Also described is a corresponding device, a parking system, and a computer program.
US09990847B2
The present invention relates to a traffic accident occurrence notification system using LED display lamps, comprising: an emergency message generating unit provided in a mobile means so as to generate a wireless signal in an emergency situation; a plurality of LED display lamps provided together with street lamps provided on a road so as to receive the wireless signal from the emergency message generating unit and display a turned-on or flickering state from a position at which the wireless signal is received to a position at which a distance is set at a rear; and a street lamp control server for controlling the street lamps and the LED display lamps and determining the position at which the wireless signal is received so as to transmit information thereof to a rescue server. The present invention provides the emergency message generating unit in a vehicle so as to detect an accident or enable a driver to recognize an emergency situation and select propagation of the emergency situation, and enables a nearby street lamp to receive the wireless signal when the emergency message generating unit transmits the wireless signal so as to turn on or flicker the LED display lamps such that the LED display lamps located at the rear of a distance set at a corresponding position are turned on or flicker so as to make a driver in a rearward vehicle recognize the occurrence of the emergency situation ahead, thereby preventing the occurrence of a secondary collision accident.
US09990846B1
Devices, systems and methods for adaptive traffic signaling, including at least one signal output unit, at least one processor to receive a first input from a traffic signaling control system, and to receive at least one second input from at least one external source, and a wireless communication module to allow communication between the at least one external source and the processor, wherein the processor is to control operation of the signal output unit based on the first input and second input.
US09990829B2
According to another example, a wearable medical device controller is provided. The device controller includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to determine a correlation between a phenomenon identifiable by the wearable medical device controller and at least one response pattern associated with a patient and store, responsive to detecting the correlation, an adaptation path to address the at least one response pattern, the adaptation path specifying an adaptation of at least one characteristic of an alarm. The at least one response pattern may include a plurality of response patterns and the adaptation path may reflect adaptations made to address at least some of the plurality of response patterns.
US09990822B2
The disclosed teachings relate to intruder detection. Some of the subject matter described herein includes a computer-implemented method for detecting physical movement using a wireless mesh network that provides wireless data communication, the wireless mesh network having a plurality of mesh points, each mesh point having a wireless coverage, the method including compiling a database of known devices based on monitoring unique identifiers of known devices that have previously conducted communication with the wireless mesh network through the plurality of mesh points; upon detecting a physical presence of a subject device within a physical space of the wireless mesh network, determining, based on the database of known devices, whether the physical presence of the subject device belongs to an anomaly; and when the physical presence of the subject device is determined to be an anomaly, causing a security action to be performed.
US09990821B2
An apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, each of the plurality of PTZ cameras having a respective field of view that covers a respective portion of a secured geographic area, a memory that saves a plurality of surveillance scenarios, each of the plurality of surveillance scenarios including a respective pan, tilt, and a zoom position for each of the plurality of PTZ cameras, and a user interface that receives a selection of one of the plurality of surveillance scenarios from a human user and, in response, simultaneously displays respective real time video images from each of the plurality of PTZ cameras using the respective pan, tilt, and zoom positions of the one of the plurality of surveillance scenarios.
US09990820B2
This museum showcase comprises a display space visible to the public for receiving objects, at least a detection sensor of a parameter of the showcase and at least one of an alarm and an actuator for adjusting a parameter of the showcase. The museum showcase further comprises a processing unit and a showcase interface; the showcase interface is operatively connected between the sensor, the adjusting actuator and/or the alarm and the processing unit, in order to transmit information from the sensor to the processing unit and to transmit commands from the processing unit to the adjusting actuator and/or the alarm. The museum showcase is therefore completely controllable by means of the processing unit, which receives information from one or more dedicated sensors that is considered necessary for the specific showcase and which manages actuators and alarms so as to maintain the desired conditions and/or signal abnormal situations, according to the information received.
US09990818B2
A method includes reading a digital signal from a sensing device in an area of a structure, where the digital signal is configured to be present periodically. A trailing edge of the digital signal is determined. An analog signal from the sensing device is read, where the analog signal includes an output from a sensor included in the sensing device, and where the sensor is configured to detect an aspect of an environment. The analog signal is read after the trailing edge of the digital signal.
US09990809B2
A system and method for providing a card game is provided. Players are provided an option to enter one or more tournaments (for real monies or play monies). In an embodiment, a tournament lasts for a predetermined number of hands for a predetermined duration. As an example, a tournament duration may be defined by the number of players who bust out or complete a requisite number of hands by a predetermined date and time, or is defined by a specified number of players who bust out or complete the requisite number of hands. A tournament payout pool is determined based on the number of players who busted out or played in the tournament for a predetermined number of hands and duration.
US09990806B2
A method of providing or receiving value from or to a participant value in a game tournament wherein a plurality of participants play a casino-style game, includes calculating an expected value for the position of each participant in the tournament, the expected value based upon the number of wagering units held by the participant at the point in time, the number of wagering units held by each other participant in the tournament at the point in time and a payout table for the tournament.
US09990792B2
An apparatus for receiving and sorting disks includes a wheel having at least one well for receiving a disk, a motor coupled to the wheel, a collecting device positioned relative to the wheel, a disk sensor, an ejector, and a controller. The collecting device has at least a first collector and a second collector configured for receiving disks. The disk sensor is configured to detect a value of a parameter of a disk received in the well and generate a parameter value signal. The ejector is coupled to the wheel proximate the well and configured to eject a disk from the well in a plane parallel to a bottom surface of the wheel in response to an eject signal. The controller is operably coupled with the disk sensor and the ejector.
US09990788B2
An electronic device associated with a lock device detects a trigger event related to security of a smart home environment, determines a target state of the lock device based on the trigger event, and determines a current state of the lock device. A notification is sent to a user device including an indication of the trigger event and a prompt for an override input, and instructions to operate the lock device are either provided or not provided to the lock device based on a result of a comparison of the target state with the current state, and further based on a received override input or lack of a received override input.
US09990787B2
A method for controlling access to a secure area via an electronic door entry system includes the steps of: displaying a bar code associated with the door entry system which can be read by a smartphone, the bar code encoding instructions for establishing a communications channel between the smartphone and a remote authentication system where a passcode for the door entry system can be obtained by an authorized person; receiving authentication data for a person over the communications channel from the smartphone; authenticating a person based on the authentication data; communicating a passcode to the smartphone; receiving a passcode input at the door entry system; verifying the passcode; and, generating a door lock release signal for the door entry system if the passcode is verified.
US09990762B2
An image processing apparatus includes a calculator configured to calculate a first difference value between frames in terms of either one or both of a position and a direction of a direct light by comparing a current frame to at least one previous frame, and a determiner configured to determine that an indirect light of the current frame is to be sampled in response to the first difference value being greater than or equal to a threshold.
US09990759B2
A system and method for offloading augmented reality processing is described. A first sensor of a server generates a first set of sensor data corresponding to a location and an orientation of a display device. The server receives a request from the display device to offload a combination of at least one of a tracking process and a rendering process from the display device. The server generates offloaded processed data based on a combination of at least one of the first set of sensor data and a second set of sensor data. The second set of sensor data is generated by a second sensor at the display device. The server streams the offloaded processed data to the display device.
US09990758B2
A system rapidly builds bounding volume hierarchies for ray tracing using both the CPU cores and an integrated graphics processor. The hierarchy is built directly into shared memory (between the CPU and GPU). The method starts by sorting the triangles along a space-filling curve, and then quickly sets up a number of mini-trees with a small number of triangles in them, which includes computing the bounding boxes of the mini-trees. This makes it possible to build the mini-trees using a surface-area heuristic in parallel on the graphics processor, while at the same time, the trees above the mini-trees are built in a top-down fashion using the CPU cores.
US09990752B2
An image processing device includes: an image acquiring unit that acquires first and second image groups, each image sharing a common part of a subject with the other image in different first and second directions; a calculating unit that calculates, as a shading component, a ratio of luminance of an area in one or more images, the area sharing a common subject with another area including a flat area whose shading component is constant in a single image other than the one or more images, to luminance of the another area, for each of the first and second image groups; and a correcting unit that performs a shading correction on shading areas in the images using the shading component. The shading component includes a normalized shading component based on luminance of the flat area, and a non-normalized shading component based on luminance of an area other than the flat area.
US09990748B2
The adverse affects of using out-of-bounds texels for bilateral interpolation may be reduced by redefining the valid texel domain as having four corners defined at the centers of four corner texels. As a result, the texels around the periphery of the valid texture domain are partial texels, with the corner texels being one quarter of a texel and the edges being half of a texel.
US09990747B1
A system and method for selecting and highlighting elements of a graphical representation of data. A disclosed video display system is capable of providing, as part of a displayed image, i) a collection of data points in a first display area of a display and ii) a first graphical representation in a second display area, wherein the graphical elements in the first graphical representation are dependent on the collection of data points. The video display system can provide, for example, a scatter plot as the collection of data points and a pie chart as the first graphical representation, and can superimpose a selection window on the scatter plot, in order to enable a user to specify or select a subset of the data points. The pie chart graphically represents, for example, a breakdown of members by organization, wherein each slice in the pie chart corresponds to a different organization.
US09990743B2
Image processing techniques may include a methodology for normalizing medical image and/or voxel data captured under different acquisition protocols and a methodology for suppressing selected anatomical structures from medical image and/or voxel data, which may result in improved detection and/or improved rendering of other anatomical structures. The technology presented here may be used, e.g., for improved nodule detection within computed tomography (CT) scans. While presented here in the context of nodules within the lungs, these techniques may be applicable in other contexts with little modification, for example, the detection of masses and/or microcalcifications in full field mammography or breast tomosynthesis based on the suppression of glandular structures, parenchymal and vascular structures in the breast.
US09990735B2
An image generating apparatus includes: a diagnosis image generating section that generates, as a diagnosis image for every first time interval, at least one of a moving image in which a predetermined part of a human body or an animal is photographed and temporally continuous images based on the moving image; an image target setting section that acquires, for the diagnosis image, a first image at a predetermined time and a second image for every second time interval longer than the first time interval from the predetermined time; a pixel color converting portion that converts, of pixels of the first image and the second image, colors of pixels satisfying a predetermined condition to be distinguishable; and a display image generating section that generates an image for display using the first image and the second image whose colors of the pixels have been converted by the pixel color converting portion.
US09990734B2
A computer-implemented method and system are described for augmenting image data of an object in an image, the method comprising receiving captured image data from a camera, storing a plurality of augmentation image data defining a respective plurality of augmentation values to be applied to the captured image data, storing a plurality of augmentation representations, each representation identifying a respective portion of augmentation image data, selecting one of said augmentation image data and one of said augmentation representations based on at least one colorization parameter, determining a portion of the augmentation image data to be applied based on the selected augmentation representation, augmenting the captured image data by applying said determined portion of the augmentation image data to the corresponding portion of the captured image data, and outputting the augmented captured image data.
US09990729B2
A method of modeling a structure of a coronary artery of a subject may include: forming a learning-based shape model of the structure of the artery, based on positions of landmarks acquired from three-dimensional images; receiving a target image; and/or modeling the artery structure included in the target image, using the model. An apparatus for modeling a structure of a coronary artery may include: a memory configured to store a learning-based shape model of the artery, the learning-based shape model being formed based on positions of a plurality of landmarks acquired from three-dimensional images, the plurality of the landmarks corresponding to the artery; a communication circuit configured to receive a target image; and/or a processing circuit configured to model the artery structure included in the target image, using the model.
US09990725B2
A medical image registration method includes determining whether a reference point of registration is present in a first medical image and a second medical image of an object; in response to determining that the reference point is not present in one of the first medical image and the second medical image, estimating a virtual reference point corresponding to the reference point in one of the first medical image and the second medical image, in which the reference point is not present, by using anatomical information of the object; and registering the first medical image and the second medical image by using the estimated virtual reference point.
US09990708B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a pattern-measuring apparatus and a semiconductor-measuring system which are able to obtain an evaluation result for suitably selecting processing with respect to a semiconductor device. In the present invention for attaining the object described above, there is proposed a pattern-measuring apparatus including an arithmetic device which compares a circuit pattern of an electronic device with a reference pattern, in which the arithmetic device classifies the circuit pattern in processing unit of the circuit pattern on the basis of a comparison of a measurement result between the circuit pattern and the reference pattern with at least two threshold values.
US09990698B2
A control apparatus includes a storage circuit that stores first data containing a plurality of coefficient data obtained by approximating an optical transfer function of an optical system to an approximation function having a predetermined order. An input circuit inputs information of an image processing apparatus that is different from the control apparatus and performs image processing on an image captured by using the optical system. A determination circuit determines second data, that are coefficient data corresponding to an order lesser than the predetermined order of the approximation function, from the first data, based on the information of the image processing apparatus. An output circuit outputs the second data to the image processing apparatus.
US09990694B2
Certain embodiments of this disclosure include methods and devices for outputting a zoom sequence. According to one embodiment, a method is provided. The method may include: (i) determining first location information from first metadata associated with one or more images, wherein the first location information identifies a first location; and (ii) outputting, for display, a first zoom sequence based on the first location information, wherein the first zoom sequence may include a first plurality of mapped images of the first location from a first plurality of zoom levels and the plurality of mapped images are sequentially ordered by a magnitude of the zoom level.
US09990685B2
An automated guidance system for a coordinated movement machine includes a camera and a processor. The camera is mounted to a movable component of the coordinated movement machine. The processor is configured to visually recognize individual workpieces among a plurality of similarly shaped workpieces using a program running on the processor. The processor is further configured to determine x, y and z and Rx, Ry and Rz of the movable component with respect to each recognized workpiece among the plurality of recognized workpieces, and to move the movable component of the coordinated movement machine after determining x, y and z and Rx, Ry and Rz of the movable component.
US09990678B1
Computer-implemented methods, systems and articles of manufacture for assessing trustworthiness of electronic tax return data. Systems may include modular components including a confidence module that determines at least one attribute of a source of the electronic tax return data, determines a confidence score for the electronic tax return data based at least in part upon at least one source attribute, compares the confidence score and pre-determined criteria, and generates an output indicating whether the confidence score for the electronic tax return data satisfies the pre-determined criteria. When the confidence score does not satisfy the pre-determined criteria, the user can be presented with an alert or message. Confidence scores can be generated and may also be displayed for specific electronic tax return data or fields, a tax form or worksheet, an interview screen, a tax topic, or the tax return as a whole, e.g., for purposes of determining audit risk.
US09990677B1
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for facilitating treatment of a vehicle damaged in a crash utilizes near real-time monitoring of the market value of a vehicle type that includes the damaged vehicle, its vehicle parts, and/or one or more arranged vehicle treatments to approximate an extent of damage to the damaged vehicle and determine a prospective vehicle treatment facility for treating the damaged vehicle. In particular, the system continually monitors the market value of a vehicle, its vehicle parts, and/or a prescribed vehicle treatment to calculate a treatment complexity level, e.g., vehicle repair, total loss; for treating the damaged vehicle.
US09990669B2
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for leveraging a social network to search for local inventory includes communicating with a first mobile communication device over a network, the first mobile communication device associated with a user, and communicating with a second mobile communication device over the network, the second mobile communication device associated with a social network contact. The method further includes obtaining a geo-location of the second mobile communication device, processing a search request from the first mobile communication device, obtaining a radius of coverage for a merchant, determining whether the geo-location of the second mobile communication device is within the radius of coverage of the merchant, and providing a listing to the first mobile communication device of one or more items for sale by the merchant when the second mobile communication device is within the radius of coverage of the merchant.
US09990667B2
The present disclosure provides a system for providing a gift using a communication network. The system includes: a gift icon provision unit configured to provide a product list to at least one of an order terminal device and a reception terminal device, and transmit a gift icon to the reception terminal device; a product information provision unit configured to provide information about products to at least one of the order terminal device and the reception terminal device; a customer management unit configured to manage customer information; a payment processing unit configured to provide a webpage to the order terminal device, and identify a completion of a payment; a gift management unit linked with the customer management unit, and configured to provide information about a validity of the gift icon; and a control unit configured to control operations of the units included in the system.
US09990665B1
Searching for items, such as apparel items, can be performed using a set of category-specific outlines or contours from which a user can select. The outlines enable a user to quickly specify a relevant category, and provide guidance as to how to orient the camera in order to enable an item to be identified in an image without the need for an expensive object identification and segmentation process. The outline can specify a “swatch” region, indicating where the user should position a view of a pattern, texture, or color of the item in which the user is interested. The category selection and swatch region data can be used to determine matching items. If the user wants a different set of search results, the user can select a different outline, causing a new query to be executed with updated category information and swatch data to obtain new search results.
US09990659B2
A geo-fencing system includes a plurality of beacons defining zones within a venue. The system receives a first beacon identifier from a mobile device and registers the mobile device in a first zone corresponding to the first beacon. The system causes a first menu to be displayed on the mobile device, indicating options for the first zone. In response to selection of one of the options, the system registers the mobile device as being active in the first zone. The system then receives a second beacon identifier and registers the mobile device as being in the second zone. The system also suspends the activity of the mobile device in the first zone and causes options to be displayed to continue or terminate the activity in the first zone.
US09990655B2
A live media broadcast includes core content streamed to multiple users. While all consumers can be presented with the same core content, each individual consumer can be provided with individually customized content from various notification services during commercial breaks. For example, while one consumer can be provided with customized banking updates from her bank account during part of a commercial break, during that same commercial break another user might be provided with social media notifications or reminders from his calendar. Notifications or updates can be received in a text format and converted to an audio or other suitable format at an ad server, and delivered to a media automation system for insertion into a media stream in a way that integrates notifications into the listening or viewing experience without interrupting presentation of the core content.
US09990654B2
Systems, device and techniques are disclosed for dynamically retrieving and monitoring geo-fence activity. A meta geo-fence may be identified based on a user device geolocation. The meta geo-fence having a radius that is dynamically generated to include previously defined geo-fences within or touching the meta geo-fence. User device geolocation may be monitored in relation to the defined geo-fences included in the radius of the meta geo-fence. A communication may be sent to the user device when the user device reports that the user device has entered or exited one of the previously defined geo-fences within or touching the radius of the meta geo-fence.
US09990640B2
A method is proposed for detecting a disconnection of a main connector of an electronic payment terminal. The method includes detecting a break in a connection control loop between a central control unit, housed in the terminal, and the main connector. In the event of a positive detection of a break, configuring the terminal in a blocked state.
US09990636B1
Systems and methods for providing services to customers in response to customer requests received through one or more channels are disclosed. The present invention provides for a central fulfillment hub in which all requests from banking customers may be processed by applying a library of policies to systematically resolve the customer requests or engage resources necessary to resolve such requests. In addition, the system may provide security mechanisms to secure access to resources, including applications and data, based on applications, assigned user roles or user, activities, and access control configurations. Further, the system may dynamically allocate employees across teams based on system demand and provide secured access to the resources accordingly. In addition, the system includes an analytics engine that can dynamically modify the workflows, rules and other parameters of the system during operations in order to optimize system performance.
US09990630B2
A computer server platform application for analyzing a capability of a message oriented transaction system. The platform application includes a first server having a performance driver utility for sending a plurality of transactions through a queue manager as messages having a payload and a correlation identification. The performance driver utility calculates and records a completion time for each transaction sent. A backend utility within the first server is for receiving each transaction sent, converting each payload into a reply message, and sending the reply message to a reply queue destination. A graphing utility contained within the first server is for displaying the completion time for each transaction and an average number of transactions per unit of time for a total number of transactions tested. The performance driver utility is further for displaying categories of possible transaction delays and resolutions of the delays.
US09990623B2
Systems and methods are to provide information to facilitate online transactions via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store and associate personal information of a user with a telephone number of the user, and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of different controllers of mobile communications. The converters are configured to communicate with the common format processor in a common format and to communicate with the controllers in different formats. The interchange uses the converters to communicate with the mobile phone of a user to approve the providing of the personal information from the data storage facility to a website.
US09990610B2
A method for annotating a message executes at a computing device having one or more processors and memory. The memory stores one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors. A plurality of messages for a user is analyzed to determine whether a task reminder is derivable for any of the messages. In this way, task reminders are derived for at least a subset of the messages. A user interface for an electronic messaging application is provided. The interface includes a list of objects, one or more of which represents a collapsed state of a message in the message subset and comprises a summary, task reminder, and a dismissal affordance. Responsive dismissal affordance selection, the task reminder and the dismissal affordances are removed from the object.
US09990603B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for identifying, inventorying and managing physical possessions. Image data is captured including one or more images or video of physical possessions of a person that occupy a space. The captured image data is automatically analyzed to recognize physical products included in the image data and to determine a position of each recognized physical product in the space. The recognized physical products are automatically inventoried including preparing a list of products. Each entry in the list includes a product name or identifying information and location information for where the product is located in the space. A representation of the space is generated including respective physical products. A user interface is provided for presenting the inventory including providing the representation of the space and displaying a representation of respective physical products in the space.
US09990597B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments are disclosed that are configured to generate replenishment parameters for use by an external replenishment system. In one embodiment, sales statistics are generated for an item based at least in part on historical sales data for the item. A determination is made as to if demand forecast data is available for the item. If demand forecast data is not available, an order-point value for the item is generated based at least in part on the sales statistics. If demand forecast data is available, demand forecast statistics are generated and the order-point value is generated based at least in part on the sales statistics and the demand forecast statistics. An order-up-to-level is generated based at least in part on the order-point value.
US09990593B2
Systems and methods for fingerprint recognition-based event admission are provided. A user may use a user device to purchase a ticket for an event and provide a fingerprint scanned on the user device to a fingerprint validation system. The fingerprint validation system may associate the purchased ticket with the user and store the fingerprint template associated with the user as a reference template. When the user arrives at an entrance of the event, the user may scan a fingerprint at a fingerprint scan device at the entrance. Fingerprint validation system may compare the received fingerprint template with stored fingerprint reference templates, validate that the user is associated with a purchased ticket, and grant access to the event.
US09990582B2
A method, system and computer-usable medium for using cognitive graph vectors to refine cognitive insights comprising storing data from a plurality of data sources within a cognitive graph via a cognitive inference and learning system; associating a first set of the data within the cognitive graph with a first cognitive graph vector of a plurality of cognitive graph vectors via the cognitive inference and learning system; associating a second set of the data within the cognitive graph with a second cognitive graph vector of the plurality of cognitive graph vectors via the cognitive inference and learning system; processing the data from the plurality of data sources to provide cognitive insights via the cognitive inference and learning system; and refining the cognitive insights based upon a limitation relating to one of the plurality of cognitive graph vectors via the cognitive inference and learning system.
US09990580B2
Neuromorphic synapse apparatus 11 comprises a memelement 20 for storing a synaptic weight, and programming logic 21. The memelement 20 is adapted to exhibit a desired programming characteristic. The programming logic 21 is responsive to a stimulus prompting update of the synaptic weight for generating a programming signal for programming the memelement 20 to update said weight. The programming logic 21 may be responsive to an input signal indicating an input weight-change value ΔWi, and may be adapted to generate a programming signal dependent on the input weight-change value ΔWi. The programming logic 21 is adapted such that the programming signals exploit the programming characteristic of the memelement 20 to provide a desired weight-dependent synaptic update efficacy.
US09990577B2
Provided is a card with a built-in electronic component, which has a superior button click sensation. A card of the present invention into which is built-in a module substrate upon which an electronic component has been disposed is provided with: a front cover sheet stacked upon a side above the module substrate; an adhesion layer adhering between the module substrate and the front cover sheet; and a dome switch which is disposed upon the module substrate, and by way of the card upper surface being pressed, the switch's movable portion deforms to the module substrate side so that the electrical contact comes into tactile contact with the module substrate in order to operate the card; wherein the switch's movable portion is such that the upper surface does not adhere to the adhesion layer and the deformation to the module substrate side is unrestrained with respect to the adhesion layer.
US09990576B2
A component may be self-monitoring having a sensor assembly located on a surface of a substrate and covered by an encapsulating layer additively manufactured over the sensor assembly and thereby bonded to the substrate. The sensor may be wireless, self-powered, and embedded into the substrate such that it is unobtrusive and may not limit the performance or function of the component.
US09990573B2
An information processing apparatus, and a method of controlling the same, determine whether or not a second reader for authentication is connected, and, in a case where it is determined that the second reader for authentication is connected, control the information processing apparatus to use the second reader for authentication rather than a first reader for authentication.
US09990567B2
A method and apparatus for processing image data is provided. The method includes the steps of employing a main processing network for classifying one or more features of the image data, employing a monitor processing network for determining one or more confusing classifications of the image data, and spawning a specialist processing network to process image data associated with the one or more confusing classifications.
US09990563B2
An epidermis pattern detection unit detects epidermis patterns in an epidermis image captured from the epidermis of skin by an epidermis image capturing unit. An acquired element analysis unit analyzes uniformity of shapes of the epidermis patterns in the epidermis image. A texture evaluation unit evaluates a texture state of the skin based on the uniformity of shapes of the epidermis patterns. The present technology, for example, may be applied to systems that evaluate the texture state of the skin.
US09990562B2
There is provided an image processing device including a motion vector detection portion that performs comparison of a substantially spherical photographic subject such that, among a plurality of captured images including the photographic subject, an image as a processing target and another image as a comparison target are compared using each of the plurality of captured images as the processing target, and which detects a motion vector of a whole three-dimensional spherical model with respect to the processing target, a motion compensation portion that performs motion compensation on the processing target, based on the motion vector of each of the plurality of captured images that is detected by the motion vector detection portion, and a synthesis portion that synthesizes each of the captured images that are obtained as a result of the motion compensation performed by the motion compensation portion.
US09990561B2
Systems and methods identify consumer products in images. Known consumer products are captured as grayscale or color images. They are converted to binary at varying thresholds. Connected components in the binary images identify image features according to pixels of a predetermined size, shape, solidity, aspect ratio, and the like. The image features are stored and searched for amongst image features similarly extracted from unknown images of consumer products. Identifying correspondence between the features of the images lends itself to identifying or not known consumer products.
US09990558B2
Techniques for increasing robustness of a convolutional neural network based on training that uses multiple datasets and multiple tasks are described. For example, a computer system trains the convolutional neural network across multiple datasets and multiple tasks. The convolutional neural network is configured for learning features from images and accordingly generating feature vectors. By using multiple datasets and multiple tasks, the robustness of the convolutional neural network is increased. A feature vector of an image is used to apply an image-related operation to the image. For example, the image is classified, indexed, or objects in the image are tagged based on the feature vector. Because the robustness is increased, the accuracy of the generating feature vectors is also increased. Hence, the overall quality of an image service is enhanced, where the image service relies on the image-related operation.
US09990553B1
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for determining degrees of risk associated with a vehicle operator
Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for determining vehicle operator risk. More particularly, apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for determining degrees of vehicle operator risk. A degree of vehicle operator risk may be based on digital image data.
US09990552B2
A fatigue monitoring system is disclosed for use with a machine. The fatigue monitoring system may have an input device configured to generate a first signal indicative of an activity performed by a machine operator, a scanning device configured to generate a second signal indicative of a recognized characteristic of the machine operator, and a warning device. The fatigue monitoring system may also have a controller in communication with the input device, the scanning device, and the warning device. The controller may be configured to determine a time between generations of the first signal, to make a comparison of the recognized characteristic with a threshold characteristic, and to selectively activate the warning device based on the time or the comparison.
