Document	Document Title
US09021041B2	System to provide integrated on-line support An on-line support system providing a persistent chat system and a database of knowledge articles organized in a tree-based hierarchy. The on-line support system merges the utility of a communication system with a knowledge navigation system. Knowledge can be accumulated through text, voice and image communications by a user in a common environment, and these communications are preserved and organized for future reference.
US09021031B1	Providing for selective availability on a messaging service A system and machine-implemented method for selectively setting the availability of a user with respect to one or more contacts within an messaging service, the method comprising receiving an indication of a user entering a selective availability mode while the user is logged into an messaging service, wherein the messaging service maintains a list of a plurality of contacts associated with the user and setting the availability status of the user to unavailable at the messaging service with respect to the plurality of contacts in response to the detection, such that the plurality of contacts are prohibited from communicating with the user through the messaging service, while the user remains logged into the messaging service.
US09021024B1	Method and apparatus for controlling access to information and applications between clients in a telecommunications network An information system that provides information exchange and application services based on the location and relationships between a landmark client and a service user client. The information service system first builds up direct referral link between a landmark client account and a declared landmark location. The landmark account stores information and applications associated to the landmark client. A service user connects to the information service system via a user client account that stores information and applications associated to the user client. The information service system determines a relationship between the landmark client and the user client using the location and navigation data of the clients as well as their identity and configuration information. The service next builds up information exchange and system control connections between the landmark client and the service user client according to their specified information access and usage rules under prescribed relationship situations.
US09021011B2	Computer or microchip including a network portion with RAM memory erasable by a firewall-protected master controller A computer or microchip including a master controlling device, network communication components, one or more microprocessors and RAM, an internal hardware firewall located between a protected portion that is protected by the internal hardware firewall and a network portion. The internal hardware firewall denies access to at least the protected portion of the computer or microchip from the network. The firewall permits unrestricted access by the network to the network portion so that processing operations other than network communications and firewall operations conducted with the network are executed by microprocessors and RAM in the network portion. The master controlling device has preemptive control of the microprocessors and RAM in the network portion including erasure of at least a part of the random access memory (RAM) prior to the use of the network portion of the computer or microchip by the user or the operating system.
US09021002B2	Phase-to-amplitude converter for direct digital synthesizer (DDS) with reduced AND and reconstructed ADD logic arrays A sine wave generator for a Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) converts a digital phase input into a digital sine wave output. Sine values and slopes are stored in read-only memory (ROM) for coarse upper phase bits in a first quadrant. A quadrant folder and phase splitter reflects and inverts values from the first quadrant to generate amplitudes for all four quadrants. Each sine value and slope is stored for a range of lower phase bits. A Delta bit separates upper and lower phase bits. Delta conditionally inverts the lower phase bits, the sine value, and the final polarity. A reduced AND logic array multiplies the slope by the conditionally inverted lower phase bits. A reconstructed ADD logic array then adds the conditionally inverted sine value. The conditionally inverted polarity is added to generate the final sine value. Sine generation logic is streamlined with conditional inversion based on the Delta bit.
US09020999B2	Computing device with automated conversion of units A method for computer-implemented unit-conversion method, the method comprising identifying a first numerical value in a first system of units displayed on a computing device, converting the first numerical value in the first system of units into a second numerical value, and displaying the second numerical value and the second system of units on the computing device.
US09020998B2	Efficient computation of driving signals for devices with non-linear response curves Apparatus comprising an input connected to receive an input signal, a lookup table comprising a plurality of input entries and first and second output entries for each input entry. The look up table receives the input signal and returns a lower input entry, an upper input entry, the second output entry for the lower input entry, and the first output entry for the upper input entry. A first subtractor subtracts the lower input entry from the input signal to produce a first difference. A second subtractor subtracts the input signal from the upper input entry to produce a second difference. First and second multipliers multiply the first and second differences by the first output entry for the upper input entry and the second output entry for the lower input entry, respectively, to produce first and second products. An adder adds the first and second products to produce an output signal.
US09020997B2	Customer statistics based on database lock use A method and service for establishing a web-based network that includes an enterprise locking service. The enterprise locking service is able to coordinate multiple, cooperating applications that need to ensure that one and only one user is modifying a database record at a given time. These database records may be stored in multiple databases having potentially different database record locking protocols. Through monitoring and tracking of requests for database locks, the enterprise locking service is also able to determine database usage trends under various metrics.
US09020995B2	Hybrid relational, directory, and content query facility A method of data storage and retrieval using a relational database can include defining a first table in a relational database including a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field. A second table in the relational database including a plurality of entries can be defined. Each of the plurality of entries in the second table can specify an additional value for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table. Responsive to a query, a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries in the first table can be presented.
US09020993B2	Download management of discardable files A request is received to store a file in a storage device, wherein the storage device deems the file discardable. The file is marked as a discardable file. A controller determines a download condition associated with the request to store the discardable file in the storage device and determines whether to delay a download to the storage device of the discardable file based on the determined download condition. The controller manages the download of the discardable file to the storage device based on the determination of whether to delay the download of the discardable file to the storage device. The controller manages the storage of the downloaded discardable file in the storage device based on the marking of the file as a discardable file.
US09020990B2	Stored data reverification management system and method A system and method are provided for verifying data copies and reverifying the copies over the life span of media according to a verification policy. Characteristics of media and use of media are tracked to provide metrics which may be used to dynamically reevaluate and reassign verification policies to optimize media usage. Copies that fail verification operations may be repaired by repeating a storage operation for recent copies or by substituting a close temporal copy of the failed copy.
US09020985B2	System and method for managing directories for a database system having an in-memory database A method and system for automatically and transparently managing a directory in a database system to preferentially use of objects in an in-memory database instead of copies of the objects in disk-based databases, in order to speed up application response times. The methods and systems selectively add or update LDAP entries to leverage advantage of the database objects in the in-memory database, so that the LDAP entries point to the in-memory database instead of disk-based databases.
US09020983B2	Address list system and method of implementing an address list The invention provides an address list system and a method for implementing an address list. The system includes at least one data input end and at least one inquiry end. The data input end includes a first input unit, a first data processing unit, a first storage unit and a transmitting unit. The inquiry unit includes a receiving unit, a second storage unit, a second data processing unit and an inquiry unit. The address list information of the inquiry end is displayed in a tree structure. In accordance with the address list implementation method, address list information is input at the data input end to form and store data files having uniform format. Data is prepared at the data input terminal. The data input terminal interacts with the inquiry terminal to update data files of a uniform data format in the inquiry terminal. A tree-like address list is formed at the inquiry terminal.
US09020956B1	Sentiment and topic based content determination methods and systems Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods of selecting content for presentation to a viewing user. In general, in some implementations, a data processing system identifies a topic for a document requested by a user, determines a confidence score for a correlation between the topic and the document, determines a sentiment score for a sentiment towards the topic, and determines, for a candidate content item, a predicted acceptance score based on the confidence score, the sentiment score, and acceptance history data for the candidate content item. The data processing system selects a candidate content item for presentation to the user based, at least in part, on the predicted acceptance score.
US09020952B2	Methods and systems for providing unique signatures Presented are systems and methods for creating a set of signatures including acquiring a data set and converting the data set into a plurality of data matrices. The system determines a prime number and determines a plurality of primitive roots to the prime number. The system calculates a template matrix using a first and second primitive root, of the plurality of primitive roots, and selects a data matrix property of interest. The system calculates a first hash function for each of the data matrices to create a first signature for each data matrix such that a main set of signatures is formed, wherein the first hash function is calculated using said property of interest, the prime number, and the template matrix. The system generates a main set of signatures based on the first hash functions, wherein the main set of signatures comprises a first signature for each data matrix.
US09020951B2	Methods for indexing and searching based on language locale In response to a search query having a search term received from a client, a current language locale is determined. A state machine is built based on the current language locale, where the state machine includes one or more nodes to represent variance of the search term having identical meaning of the search term. Each node of the state machine is traversed to identify one or more postings lists of an inverted index corresponding to each node of the state machine. One or more item identifiers obtained from the one or more postings list are returned to the client, where the item identifiers identify one or more files that contain the variance of the search term represented by the state machine.
US09020943B2	Methods, systems, and computer program product for automatically categorizing defects Disclosed are method(s), system(s), and computer program product(s) for automatically categorizing a defect into a category based at least on a keyword related to the defect. The method identifies information regarding the defect and identifies additional information related to categorizing the defect. The method identifies a keyword and determines whether the defect may be categorized into a category using the keyword. The method further comprises determining if the result of categorization is deterministic. In some embodiments, the method or the system further comprises associating a first score for categorizing the defect into the category based on the keyword and a second score for categorizing the defect into the category based on another keyword. In some embodiments, the method or the system further comprises identifying or determining a relationship between the first score and the second score with respect to the first category for the defect.
US09020938B2	Providing profile information using servers A method includes: generating profile data for users including a first user, the profile data related to contacts or persons used in messages to or from each user; generating, via a server platform, parameters corresponding to the profile data for ranking contacts or persons; and transmitting the parameters to client devices to allow each client device to determine ranks of contacts or persons in the profile data based on the parameters and a function that uses the parameters.
US09020936B2	Using categorical metadata to rank search results A system that facilitates ranking search results returned by a search engine in response to receipt of a query is described herein. The system includes a receiver component that receives categorical metadata pertaining to an item and categorical metadata pertaining to the query and a computation component that computes at least one of a document feature pertaining to the item, a query feature pertaining to the query, or a document-query feature pertaining to the item and the query based at least in part upon one or more of the categorical metadata pertaining to the item or the categorical metadata pertaining to the query. The system also includes a ranker component that selectively places the item in a particular location in a sequence of items based at least in part upon the at least one of the document feature, the query feature, or the document-query feature.
US09020925B2	Application certification and search system In one embodiment, a method searches a plurality of application marketplaces for applications where each application marketplace includes a plurality of applications available for download to a mobile device. The method then compares a set of applications in different marketplaces to determine certified instances of applications and uncertified instances of applications. Information is stored for the certified instances of the applications that are found in different marketplaces in a database. The method indexes the information for the certified instances of the applications in the database and stores an index based on the indexing. The index is used to provide a search result for a search query for an application.
US09020913B2	Real-time interactive authorization for enterprise search Techniques for providing at least one user access to one or more documents in a collaborative computing environment in accordance with a search engine are provided. The user is presented with search results, wherein the search results comprise at least one document comprising at least one portion to which the user has no access. A request from the user for access to the at least one document is received. A supervising entity is then notified of the user request to access the at least one document. An instruction from the supervising entity is then received. In accordance with the received instruction, the user is granted access to the at least one document.
US09020909B2	Active file Instant Cloning Techniques and mechanisms are provided to instantly clone active files including active optimized files. When a new instance of an active file is created, a new stub is generated in the user namespace and a block map file is cloned. The block map file includes the same offsets and location pointers that existed in the original block map file. No user file data needs to be copied. If the cloned file is later modified, the behavior can be same as what happens when a de-duplicated file is modified.
US09020908B2	Rewriting relational expressions for different type systems A computer determines that the type of one or more of a relational operator and operands of a relational expression originated in a first type system, and determines the sign of at least one of the operands. The computer rewrites the relational expression based on the sign of at least one of the operands, sends the rewritten relational expression for evaluation in a second type system, and receives the evaluated rewritten relational expression after evaluation in the second type system. The computer can rewrite the relational expression by generating a group of terms joined disjunctively, as well as by generating a group of conjunctive terms joined disjunctively.
US09020897B2	Clustered filesystem with data volume snapshot A computer system with read/write access to storage devices creates a snapshot of a data volume at a point in time while continuing to accept access requests to the mirrored data volume by copying before making changes to the base data volume. Multiple snapshots may be made of the same data volume at different points in time. Only data that is not stored in a previous snapshot volume or in the base data volume are stored in the most recent snapshot volume.
US09020896B1	Systems and methods for simplifying data restoration using resource types A computer-implemented method for simplifying data restoration using resource types. The method may include (1) receiving a request from a user to perform a data restoration operation, (2) providing a graphical user interface that presents to the user a plurality of resource types that can be restored by the user, (3) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a resource type that the user desires to restore, (4) presenting, to the user via the graphical user interface, at least one backup set associated with the identified resource type from which the user may restore data, (5) receiving, from the user via the graphical user interface, a selection that identifies a backup set that the user desires to restore, and (6) restoring data from the identified backup set. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09020890B2	Smart archiving and data previewing for mobile devices Techniques for providing data preview before recalling large data files are disclosed. In one aspect, a data file is made accessible while being offline by converting the data file from a native format to a preview format, storing the data file in the preview format in a primary storage that is locally available and moving, after the conversion to the preview format, the data file in the native format to a secondary storage. When a viewing request is received for the data file, the data file in the preview format is displayed to fulfill the viewing request.
US09020879B2	Intelligent data agent for a knowledge management system A system includes a memory operable to store one or more classification rules. The system also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to retrieve one or more data elements from a data source. The processor is further operable to identify a structured data element among the one or more data elements. The processor is further operable to parse the structured data element using one or more filter processes to produce a plurality of tokens. The processor is further operable to classify the plurality of tokens based at least in part on the one or more classification rules and an ontology, which includes a plurality of concepts and a plurality of relationships between the concepts. The processor is further operable to generate a knowledge assertion, which includes the plurality of classified tokens and one or more relationships between the classified tokens.
US09020867B2	Cortical simulator for object-oriented simulation of a neural network Embodiments of the invention relate to a function-level simulator for modeling a neurosynaptic chip. One embodiment comprises simulating a neural network using an object-oriented framework including a plurality of object-oriented classes. Each class corresponds to a component of a neural network. Running a simulation model of the neural network includes instantiating multiple simulation objects from the classes. Each simulation object is an instance of one of the classes.
US09020866B1	Combined online and offline ranking Approaches are described for ranking multiple products or other items, such as products obtained in response to a search request submitted to a server. The ranking system determines a ranking score for the products based on both data available online and item data that must be computed offline due to longer computation time or unavailability of data. The ranking score can be used to rank the products and determine which products are the most relevant to the user. A hybrid boosting method is used to first train an online ranking function to produce an online ranking score for the item. In the second phase, an offline ranking function is trained to produce a second ranking score for the item. The online rank score is combined with the offline rank score at query time to produce a combined rank for the items in the search results.
US09020863B2	Information processing device, information processing method, and program An information processing device includes: a clustering standard selection unit selecting a clustering standard, from clustering standards categorizing items into a plurality of clusters, including a first number or more known type clusters in which the probability that an item belonging to a cluster is known to a user is equal to or greater than a first threshold value and a second number or more unknown type clusters in which the probability is equal to or less than a second threshold value which is less than the first threshold value; and an exhibit control unit controlling the exhibit of a cluster or an item based on the selected clustering standard.
US09020862B2	Method and system for computer question-answering A method and system for computer question-answering. The method includes: receiving a plurality of the questions to be trained, and obtaining a candidate answer set for each question; determining part of the questions to which the candidate answer sets include correct answers, and using first feature sets of the candidate; obtaining a first mathematical model, which is used to compute a first confidence degree that the candidate answer is a correct answer; computing first confidence degrees of the candidate answers of all the questions to be trained, and for each question, extracting a second feature set related to the first confidence degrees and the first feature set; and obtaining a second mathematic model, which is used to compute a second confidence degree that the candidate answer is a correct answer based on the second feature set.
US09020861B2	Predictive model application programming interface Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for utilizing predictive models from an application scripting language.
US09020858B2	Presence-of-card code for offline payment processing system Preventing fraud during an offline transaction by encoding a randomly-generated card verification code onto a smart card. The verification code is transmitted to a contactless device during each transaction, wherein it is cross-referenced with the account number to ensure presence of the card. Also, every transaction record is signed by an access key resident on the contactless device and certified by a signing key resident on a remote system. Funds may be deposited onto the card when the contactless device creates a deposit request, signs the request using an access key and transmits it to the remote system, which in turn processes the request and certifies it with a signing key. Funds may be withdrawn when the contactless device creates a withdrawal record and signs it using an access key. The remote system verifies the signatures and certifies the records using a signing key when the records are later transmitted.
US09020854B2	Linked account system using personal digital key (PDK-LAS) One embodiment of the invention includes a system comprising: a personal digital key and a computer readable medium that is accessible when authenticated by the personal digital key.
US09020849B2	MRI system center and MRI system An MRI system center is connected to a plurality of MRI systems for visualizing the interior of a subject to be examined using a magnetic resonance phenomenon, through an electronic communication line. The MRI system center receives data of a log file on which a use state of the MRI systems is recorded or use-state data extracted from the log file, from the MRI systems through a communication control unit. A database unit stores the data of the log file or the use-state data. An analysis unit analyzes the data of the log file or the use-state data received within a given period of time.
US09020840B2	System and method for custom-fitting services to consumer requirements Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.
US09020839B1	Method, medium, and system for customizing content based on social network information Systems and methods are disclosed that use social networking profiles of users to generate personalized content of display pages. The personalized content may be generated using profile data retrieved via an application program interface of a social networking system, and may be presented on the display pages of a distinct system, such as a site that hosts an electronic catalog of items. The personalized content may include features that allow a user to indicate a like or preference for an item and that can be customized based on, e.g., the extent of the user's social network or the influence the user has over other potential users of the catalog system. Systems and methods are also disclosed that use the social networking profiles to generate personalized messages that can be posted to social network contacts of the user to provide information about items for which the contacts may be interested.
US09020832B2	Systems and methods for analytic data gathering from image providers at an event or geographic location The invention relates to a system and method of gathering and analyzing data from device operators aiming their image capture devices and thereby creating a line of sight to an object of interest, for example through the process of obtaining photographs, videos or other digital images of an event or geographical location, where the real-time or embedded location, compass heading, and time data from each of a plurality of image providers are communicated from the plurality of image-capture devices to one or more servers for statistical analysis of the proportionate amount of providers focusing on each image target or sub-target at the event or location.
US09020827B2	Peritoneal dialysis optimized using a patient hand-held scanning device A dialysis system includes: a portable device configured to be carried by a patient and to read a marking displayed on a dialysis fluid container, the device obtaining data concerning at least one of a dialysis fluid type and a dialysis fluid volume from the marking; the device defined dialysate dwell time, alert patients for the next exchange and further configured to transfer the data to a computer; and wherein the computer is configured to use the data to track therapy progress of the product.
US09020817B2	Using speech to text for detecting commercials and aligning edited episodes with transcripts Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for using speech to text for detecting commercials and aligning edited episodes with transcripts. A method includes, receiving an original video or audio having a transcript, receiving an edited video or audio of the original video or audio, applying a speech-to-text process to the received original video or audio having a transcript, applying a speech-to-text process to the received edited video or audio, and applying an alignment to determine locations of the edits.
US09020804B2	Method for aligning sentences at the word level enforcing selective contiguity constraints An alignment method includes, for a source sentence in a source language, identifying whether the sentence includes at least one candidate term comprising a contiguous subsequence of words of the source sentence. A target sentence in a target language is aligned with the source sentence. This includes developing a probabilistic model which models conditional probability distributions for alignments between words of the source sentence and words of the target sentence and generating an optimal alignment based on the probabilistic model, including, where the source sentence includes the at least one candidate term, enforcing a contiguity constraint which requires that all the words of the target sentence which are aligned with an identified candidate term form a contiguous subsequence of the target sentence.
US09020803B2	Confidence-rated transcription and translation A method, system, and computer program product for creating confidence-rated transcription and translation are provided in the illustrative embodiments. An input is provided in a first form to a set of transcription applications. A set of transcriptions is received. A first and a second set of confidence ratings are assigned to a first and a second transcription, respectively. The confidence-rated first transcription and the confidence-rated second transcription are combined and provided to a set of translation applications. A set of translations is received. A third and a fourth set of confidence ratings are assigned to a first and a second translation, respectively. The confidence-rated first and second translations are combined and presented.
US09020799B2	Analytic method of fuel consumption optimized hybrid concept for fuel cell systems A method a system and method for optimizing the power distribution between a fuel cell stack and a high voltage battery in a fuel cell vehicle. The method includes defining a virtual battery hydrogen power for the battery that is based on a relationship between a battery power request from the battery and an efficiency of the battery and defining a virtual stack hydrogen power for the fuel cell stack that is based on a relationship between a stack power request from the fuel cell stack and an efficiency of the fuel cell stack. The virtual battery hydrogen power and the virtual stack hydrogen power are converted into polynomial equations and added together to provide a combined power polynomial equation. The combined power polynomial equation is solved to determine a minimum of the fuel cell stack power request by setting a derivative of the virtual stack hydrogen power to zero.
US09020793B2	Method, system and program storage device for reservoir simulation utilizing heavy oil solution gas drive A method, a system and a program storage device for predicting a property of a fluid, such as fluid production from a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil entrained with gas is described. The method includes developing a baseline correlation of gas relative permeability krg versus gas saturation Sg. A capillary number dependent correlation is determined capturing the relationship between at least one of critical gas saturation Sgc and capillary number Nca and gas relative permeability krgro and capillary number Nca phased upon a plurality of depletion rates. Capillary numbers Nc are calculated for a plurality of cells in a reservoir model representative of the subterranean reservoir. The baseline correlation is then adjusted to comport with at least one of Sgc and krgro selected from the capillary number dependent correlation to produce a plurality of corresponding adjusted baseline, correlations. Gas relative permeabilities krg for the plurality of cells are selected from the corresponding adjusted baseline correlations. A reservoir simulation is then run utilizing the selected relative permeabilities krg to predict a property of at least one fluid in a subterranean reservoir containing heavy oil entrained with gas.
US09020783B2	Direct manipulation of composite terrain objects with intuitive user interaction A method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium provide the ability to manipulate a terrain in a drawing. A composite object of the terrain is obtained in a CAD BIM application. The composite object is a combination of sub-objects that each define a geometry that is part of the terrain. Each of the sub-objects is drawn on a separate corresponding drawable interface instance. A sub-object is selected and in response, the selected sub-object is displayed in its corresponding drawable interface instance. The selected sub-object is directly modified, in canvas, using the drawable interface instance. In response to the modification, the terrain is dynamically updated and displayed.
US09020775B2	Apparatus for measuring the shape and area of a ship block Provided is an apparatus for measuring a shape and area of a ship block, which may accurately recognize a piling location of a ship block by measuring a shape and area of the ship block piled up in a yard. The apparatus for measuring a shape and area of a ship block includes a direction angle sensor, a range finder, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and a block shape and area measuring system. The block shape and area measuring system includes a block shape and area measuring server, a vector calculating module, a coordinate calculating module, a shape and area extraction module and a memory module.
US09020767B2	Wireless fuel monitoring system A monitoring system includes a transducer coupled to an outer surface of a tank wall. The transducer is oriented to transmit a first signal through the tank wall. An intermediate reflective surface is positioned within the fuel storage tank. The intermediate reflective surface is oriented to produce a first reflected signal associated with the first signal. A controller is programmed to calculate a fuel level based on at least the first signal and the first reflected signal.
US09020766B2	Multi-modal fluid condition sensor platform and system therefor This invention encompasses embodiments for multi-modal integrated simultaneous measurement of various aspects of fluids contained in circulating systems such as automotive reciprocating engines and vehicle transmissions. These circulating systems perform constant internal lubrication, and heat and contaminant removal to protect the internal moving parts from the inherent friction and damage in normal operation. Most commonly this is achieved with fluids based on hydrocarbon and/or related synthetics, which, over time, can lose their protective properties, and vary in their performance or breakdown/decay due to internal and external events. Several components within the lubricant fluid can be measured and can provide insight into the efficacy of the system to perform its designed mission. Described herein is a real-time, simultaneous, integrated, multi-modal sensor system for early warning notification that can be further enhanced using specifically designed nanoparticles that can be introduced into the system, engineered to specifically bind with the contaminants and/or undergo an irreversible state change upon certain experienced conditions to both increase the detectability as well as provide for a framework to improve filter performance.
US09020764B2	Method and device for the detection and identification of gases in airplane interior spaces The concept underlying the invention is the development of a generic method for the detection and identification of gases in airplane interior spaces and an associated device, which is small and manageable, has a simple design, and allows the immediate and simultaneous detection and identification of the gases to be examined. This is achieved in that the supply air of the airplane interior space (20) is fed to a measuring device (1) and the measurement results of the measuring device (1) are analyzed by means of mathematical methods. Such methods and the associated devices for the detection and identification of gases in airplane interior spaces are used in order to spot and verify gases, particularly odors and explosive gases and/or gases harmful to people's health.
US09020761B2	Concepts for defining travel paths in parking areas Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas can be defined by connecting street networking connection points within the parking areas. In another embodiment, such defined travel paths can be merged with actual paths traveled by vehicles in the parking areas.
US09020759B2	Technique for screen-based route manipulation A technique for manipulating precalculated routes on a screen is described. One aspect of the method comprises the steps of detecting a selected screen position (P) and a time period (t) of a selection operation at the screen position (P), modifying weights of the road segments in dependence on the detected screen position (P) and the time period (t), and calculating a route, manipulated in relation to the precalculated route, on the basis of the modified weights.
US09020754B2	Vehicle arrival prediction A method and apparatus for predicting the arrival time of a transit vehicle at a transit stop of a transit route is presented. The arrival time is predicted using historical location information of a plurality of vehicles that have previously traveled the route, location information of several of the most recent vehicles that have arrived at the stop, and current location information of a particular vehicle currently traveling the route. Values such as average arrival times and arrival time errors or variances are determined from the historical and recent location data. These values are used with the current location information to predict the arrival time of the particular vehicle.
US09020749B2	Host-vehicle risk acquisition device and method A host-vehicle risk acquisition device includes a host-vehicle path acquisition portion that acquires a path of a host-vehicle, and an obstacle path acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of paths of an obstacle existing around the host-vehicle. A collision risk acquisition portion acquires an actual collision risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle when the host-vehicle is in a travel state based on the path of the host-vehicle and the plurality of paths of the obstacle. An offset risk acquisition portion acquires an offset risk, which is a collision risk between the host-vehicle and the obstacle in an offset travel state, which is offset from the travel state of the host-vehicle.
US09020746B2	Vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus and information processing method An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus capable of specifying the position of another vehicle with high accuracy using information related to the distance between another vehicle and an intersection point. The vehicle-mounted information processing apparatus includes: a map information storage unit (11) that stores map information including position information of a road and an intersection point; an inter-vehicle communication unit (4) that acquires various kinds of information using inter-vehicle communication with another vehicle; an another-vehicle GPS information acquiring unit (13) that acquires GPS information related to the position of another vehicle and acquires first reference intersection point distance information related to a distance between another vehicle and a first reference intersection point which is recognized by another vehicle as an intersection point that is in front of another vehicle and is closest to another vehicle, through the inter-vehicle communication unit (4); and an another-vehicle position specifying unit (16) that specifies the position of another vehicle on the basis of the GPS information, the map information, and the first reference intersection point distance information.
US09020740B2	Fluid pump speed control A system includes a sump, a pump having a steady-state speed, a fluid component that receives the fluid from the fluid pump, and a controller. The controller detects a soak condition of the system in which the pump load is low as fluid is moved into vacated fluid passages. The steady-state speed of the pump is temporarily increased by adding a calibrated overspeed value to the steady-state speed, for a calibrated duration. The controller reduces the pump speed to the steady-state speed after the calibrated duration has elapsed. A method includes detecting the soak condition and temporarily increasing the steady-state speed via the controller by adding the calibrated overspeed value to the steady-state speed, for a calibrated duration, when the soak condition is detected. A control system includes a processor and storage medium having instructions embodying the method, with detection of the soak condition provided via measurement of fluid temperature.
US09020714B2	Control device for automatic transmission For each engine operation state to which a variable cylinder engine can be switched, a fuel consumption amount to be consumed to generate a driving force required to maintain a current traveling state of a vehicle for each of a current gear and a new gear after a possible shift-up is calculated. An automatic shift control of shifting up to the new gear is performed in a condition that a calculated fuel consumption amount of the new gear after the possible shift-up is smaller than a calculated fuel consumption amount of the current gear. In this way, the fuel consumption amount can be optimally reduced and the shift control can be performed without degrading the traveling performance, even in the vehicle equipped with the variable cylinder engine.
US09020707B2	Construction machine having swing body Disclosed is a hybrid-type construction machine equipped with a swing hydraulic motor 27 and a swing electric motor 25 in combination to save energy, the construction machine ensuring high operability of a swing body 20 and providing high energy efficiency. In accordance with the amount of manipulation of a swing control lever 72, the construction machine changes a rate of a torque of the swing electric motor 25 with respect to that of the swing hydraulic motor 27. The construction machine also controls a relief pressure and the torque of the swing electric motor 25 in accordance with the amount of manipulation of a swing control lever 72, a pressure of the swing hydraulic motor 27, and a rotating speed of the swing electric motor 25.
US09020705B2	Biological signal measuring device and biological state analyzing system A configuration is adopted where elastic members made of expanded rein beads and having a size covering air cushions are disposed between a skin member and the air cushions of a human body supporting device. By arranging a plurality of elastic members made of expanded rein beads and in a stacking manner, preferably, arranging two elastic members made of expanded resin beads, spring constants of the elastic members obtained from load-deflection characteristics when they are pressed to a deflection amount of 1 mm by a pressing plate with a diameter of 30 mm being higher than that of the air cushion and being different from each other, a biological signal can be transmitted to the air cushions without damping the biological signal, though the elastic members made of expanded rein beads and are provided.
US09020694B2	Bicycle-use measuring apparatus and control method A bicycle-use measuring apparatus includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to be installed on a bicycle having a rotating part. The controller is operatively connected to the sensor. The controller adjusts a detection frequency of the sensor in accordance with changes in a rotational state of the rotating part.
US09020692B2	Diagnostic apparatus and diagnostic method of hybrid vehicle A diagnostic apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electricity storage device, a motor generating a driving force for a vehicle travel using at least electricity from the electricity storage device, a diagnostic unit diagnosing a vehicle state when an output of the internal combustion engine is zero, a state detection unit detecting a state of the electricity storage device, a remaining time acquisition unit acquiring a remaining time required until diagnostic completion, when the vehicle state is diagnosed by the diagnostic unit, a determination unit determining whether or not the diagnosis of the vehicle state is continued by the diagnostic unit, based on the state of the electricity storage device and the remaining time when the vehicle state is diagnosed by the diagnostic unit, and a control unit that controls continuation or stop of the vehicle state diagnosis according to the determination result.
US09020685B2	Method of measuring contact failure and contact failure measuring device In the disclosed method of measuring contact failure and contact failure measuring device, the magnitude of the excessive response fluctuation of the inductive magnetic field around a harness under measurement when an external force is applied to a terminal fitting part of the harness is detected by a magnetic sensor, and the result is displayed as an index of the quality of the contact state of the terminal fitting part.
US09020682B2	Autonomous mobile body An autonomous mobile body includes a laser range sensor and an electronic control device. The electronic control device includes a storage unit that stores a size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, a width identification unit that identifies a spatial size D1 in a width direction of a passage which is a region where the autonomous mobile body can move, a calculation unit that calculates a size D8 of an interfering obstacle in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a moving target direction on a road surface based on obstacle information, an action selection unit that selects a stopping action or a retreat action based on the spatial size D1, the size D2 of the autonomous mobile body, and the size D8 of the interfering obstacle, and a mobile control unit that controls the autonomous mobile body to stop when the stopping action is selected and control the autonomous mobile body to retreat when the retreat action is selected.
US09020677B2	Control apparatus for hybrid vehicle A control apparatus for a vehicle including a second clutch capable of switching between input and output shafts connecting state in which a motor-generation is connected. The control apparatus drives the wheels by the motor-generation so a torque transmitted to the wheels does not fluctuate in case the gear shift is executed to the transmission when is in the output shaft connecting state of the second clutch, and synchronizes the input and output shafts at the gear shift by the motor-generation in case the gear shift is executed to the transmission when the second clutch state is in the input shaft connecting state. The second clutch state is switched to the output shaft connecting state when a drive power to the vehicle is equal or less than a value. The second clutch state is switched to the input shaft connecting state when the drive power is greater than the value.
US09020676B2	Method and system for controlling drive torque of vehicle A method and a system that control a drive torque of a vehicle in which there is a change in a torque of a predetermined magnitude when drive power of the vehicle enters a zone in which a predetermined maximum output is generated to allow a driver to feel that the drive power of the vehicle enters the maximum output zone during traveling. The method may include calculating, by a controller, a drive request torque of a vehicle and calculating drive power displayed on a drive power gauge of an instrument cluster based on the calculated drive request torque. In addition, the method may include adding, by the controller, a predetermined additional torque to the drive request torque when the calculated drive power displayed on the drive power gauge enters a predetermined zone of the drive power gauge.
US09020674B2	Diversion of energy from regenerative braking A regenerative braking system for a vehicle utilizing diversion of energy for efficient use or maintaining consistent vehicle performance. The regenerative braking system includes a generator for producing regenerative energy during slowing and includes switches connected to a battery and a plurality of devices. A processor is connected with the battery and the switches for controlling the configuration of the switches based on a characteristic of the battery. If the battery has a state of charge exceeding a predetermined threshold, the processor controls the switches to route the regenerative energy to the other devices. The processor also controls the switches to provide regenerative energy to specific devices where it may most desirably be utilized. Heating and cooling units of the vehicle may be alternatively or simultaneously connected to receive the regenerative energy for providing consistent vehicle slowing performance when the battery state of charge exceeds the predetermined threshold.
US09020668B2	Apparatus and method for air conditioning vehicle interior using battery charge control of electric vehicle The present invention provides an apparatus and method for air conditioning a vehicle interior using a battery charge control of an electric vehicle, which can improve the cooling/heating performance by setting a start-up time of the electric vehicle and supplying heat generated from a battery during charge and its latent heat to the vehicle interior during initial start-up of the vehicle.
US09020667B2	Empty-load device feedback arrangement An empty-load device feedback arrangement for a train with the railcar having an air brake arrangement with an one air-operable braking assembly, the arrangement including: an empty-load device having: at least one sensor arrangement to sense a load associated with the railcar; a braking assembly input exhibiting a delivered air pressure; a regulation arrangement to regulate air pressure; and a braking assembly output exhibiting a regulated air pressure; and a pressure sensor to: sense the regulated air pressure of the air being delivered to the air-operable braking assembly; and generate a regulated air pressure signal. An air brake arrangement is also disclosed.
US09020661B2	Vehicle controller According to a vehicle controller, when a communication control unlit (13) of a vehicle controller (1) acquires a variable control parameter from a server (5) via the Internet (4), the variable control parameter is stored in a write-enabled storage unit (11), and the user can change to a desired vehicle driving state on the basis of the variable control parameter. A fixed control parameter set as a default value and adapted for initializing the vehicle driving state is stored in a non-write-enabled storage unit (12). If an emergency stop button (16) is pushed or a vehicle-information-acquiring unit (17) acquires driving error detection information when the vehicle is driving on the basis of the variable control parameter, the vehicle immediately switches to a safe driving state according to the fixed control parameter.
US09020659B2	Dynamometer vehicle operating mode control A vehicle and a method of controlling a dynamometer mode operation of a vehicle that includes requesting the dynamometer mode; monitoring for at least one non-dynamometer vehicle operating condition; if at least one of the non-dynamometer vehicle operating conditions is detected, prohibiting dynamometer mode; and if none of the non-dynamometer vehicle operating conditions is detected, operating the vehicle in dynamometer mode.
US09020658B2	System and method for monitoring vehicle mass tamper events A system for detecting a mass tamper event affecting a vehicle mass record for a vehicle being monitored includes a body bounce frequency estimator configured to estimate body bounce frequency for the vehicle and a mass estimator configured to estimate a vehicle mass, m, according to the equation (I), where k is a constant relating to a suspension system in the vehicle and ωb is the estimated body bounce frequency. A first comparator compares the estimated vehicle mass value with an alternative vehicle mass value and identifies a mass tamper event when the estimated vehicle mass value differs from the alternative vehicle mass value by more than a pre-determined amount. An interface communicates mass tamper event data to a remote device. A system and method for recording vehicle mass data are also provided. m = k ω b 2 ( I )
US09020656B2	Information handling system thermal control by energy conservation A thermal state within an information handling system enclosure is managed within predetermined constraints by estimating thermal energy introduced to the enclosure by power dissipation to electronic components and thermal energy removed from the enclosure by a cooling airflow generated by a fan. A desired bulk temperature of a cooling airflow is attained at a predetermined position in an enclosure by selecting a fan speed and power allocation to the components that conserves energy within the enclosure at a predetermined thermal state.
US09020651B2	Utilization start interval prediction device and utilization start interval prediction method A prediction device for predicting a prediction interval being a time interval predicted with a high possibility of appliance utilization starts includes: an evaluation unit calculating, using utilization interval history data, an evaluation value for determining a prediction scheme for each appliance; a determination unit, based on the evaluation value at least for each appliance, determining at least one of a first and a second prediction scheme as the scheme of the prediction interval for the appliance, the first prediction scheme using a property that the appliance is utilized in a predetermined cycle, and the second prediction scheme using a property that the utilization of a second appliance being the appliance is started in a period from a start or an end of utilization of a first appliance being another appliance to a passage of a predetermined time; a prediction unit predicting a prediction interval according to the determined scheme.
US09020647B2	System and method for climate control set-point optimization based on individual comfort A system and method for calibrating a set-point for climate control includes a sensor network having a plurality of sensors configured to report a climate condition. A database is configured to receive reports from the sensors and generate one or more profiles reflecting at least one of historic climate control information and occupant preferences. A controller is configured to receive information from the profiles to generate a set-point based upon an optimization program. The optimization program is implemented to balance competing goals to generate the set-point for controlling climate control equipment in accordance with the set-point.
US09020631B1	Opportunistically consolidated picking Disclosed are various embodiments for consolidating multiple pickings of an item to fulfill multiple shipments into a single picking of the multiple items. A determination is first made whether a metric representing a plurality of shipments exceeds a threshold, wherein individual ones of the plurality of shipments are mapped to corresponding ones of a plurality of item locations in a fulfillment center. The plurality of shipments are then remapped to an individual one of the plurality of item locations in response to a determination that the metric exceeds the threshold. Finally, a picking of the items is initiated.
US09020630B2	Servo transfer press system A servo transfer press system generates a press phase signal and a transfer phase signal that are synchronized with a master phase signal, performs a press operation according to a reference press motion based on the press phase signal, and performs a transfer operation according to a reference transfer motion based on the transfer phase signal. The servo transfer press system includes a reference interference diagram generation section, a reference interference diagram storage section, an operation interference diagram generation section, an interference presence/absence comparison-determination section, and a phase signal relative relationship adjustment section, and performs a transfer press operation while avoiding interference by performing an automatic phase signal adjustment when a motion has been changed.
US09020628B2	Method and system for eliminating external piercing in NC cutting of nested parts This invention pertains to machinery and methods for cutting a workpiece utilizing a cutting tool at least two parts having prescribed shapes from a metal plate comprising the steps of: identifying each of the parts by one or more contour lines; cutting a workpiece along one of the identifying contour lines into one of the parts; creating at least one path diversion, wherein the diversion has an associated bounded region or opportunity; cutting the workpiece along a contour line associated with the opportunity; resuming the cutting of the part along the identifying contour line with minimal damage to the part being cut; finishing the cutting of the part and then moving the cutting tool to the opportunity and hence to an associated adjacent identifying contour line and then repeating the process until all parts have been manufactured.
US09020623B2	Methods and apparatus to provide an infrared signal Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide an infrared signal are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an infrared provider to receive a first signal from a first device. The first signal is analog and representative of a command. The example infrared provider is to linearly manipulate the first signal in analog form, wherein the manipulated signal remains analog. The example infrared provider is to relay the manipulated signal to a second device. The relayed manipulated signal is representative of the command and is indistinguishable from the first signal.
US09020621B1	Network based media enhancement function based on an identifier A network based processing element for processing audio information improves the understanding of speech or music for intended listeners based on an identifier. The processing involves performing a media enhancement function, where a parameter affecting the utilization or performance aspects of the media enhancement function are dependent upon the identifier. A “media enhancement server” (MES) is included, whereby the audio of a telephone call, video call, multimedia program or other stream to be heard by a specific listener is processed using a personalized audio enhancement parameter to enhance the audio signal such that the listener will enjoy a benefit, such as better comprehension of the information, reduced listening effort, and more listening comfort during the call. The personalized parameters are stored and retrieved based upon the identifier, and used within the MES. The audio portion of the call or stream could be speech, music, or a combination.
US09020619B2	Method and apparatus for local or remote control of an instrument in a process system Example methods and apparatus to a controller of a local control loop having a field device and a sensor configured in a closed-loop control system are disclosed. The controller is wirelessly coupled to a control system wherein the controller and the control system execute complementary control over the field device.
US09020610B2	Electrode system with shunt electrode Electrode systems that may be used with implantable medical devices such as a pacemaker, in addition to one or more conventional electrodes, include a shunt electrode. Under ordinary conditions, the shunt electrode has very little effect upon the operation of the electrode system. When high frequency current is delivered to the electrode system, however, the electrode system shunts a large share of the high frequency current to the shunt electrode. The shunt electrode, which includes a conducting material surrounded by an insulating layer, dissipates heat that may be caused by the high frequency current.
US09020608B2	Implantable paddle lead comprising stretching electrical traces and method of fabrication In one embodiment, a paddle-style lead for implantation in the epidural space through an insertion tool, the paddle-style lead comprises: a paddle structure that comprises: (i) a frame of rigid material, the frame comprising a spring member adapted to bias the frame to assume a first width and a first length, the frame being adapted to elongate to assume a second width and a second length under application of a compressive force; and (ii) elastic material disposed across an interior surface area defined the frame, wherein a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of electrical traces are provided on the elastic material, wherein the plurality of electrical traces are electrically coupled to a plurality of lead conductors and the plurality of electrodes; wherein the plurality of electrical traces comprises a plurality of alternating curves that elongate when the elastic material is stretched.
US09020600B2	Magnetic control of eyelid position Methods, devices, and kits comprising a magnetic system for automation of blinking, or to provide temporary or permanent assistance with opening or closure of the eyelids to treat disorders of the eyelids, including lagophthalmos and ptosis.
US09020598B2	Methods and devices for treating primary headache Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation devices and magnetic stimulation devices are disclosed, along with methods of treating medical disorders using energy that is delivered noninvasively by such devices. The disorders comprise migraine and other primary headaches such as cluster headaches, including sinus symptoms that resemble an immune-mediated response (“sinus” headaches), irrespective of whether those symptoms arise from an allergy that is co-morbid with the headache. The disclosed methods may also be used to treat other disorders that may be co-morbid with migraine headaches, such as anxiety disorders. In preferred embodiments of the disclosed methods, one or both of the patient's vagus nerves are stimulated non-invasively. In other embodiments, parts of the sympathetic nervous system and/or the adrenal glands are stimulated.
US09020580B2	Systems and methods for monitoring time based photo active agent delivery or photo active marker presence Devices and approaches for monitoring time based photo active agent delivery or photo active marker presence in an eye. A monitoring system is provided for measuring the presence of a photo active marker by illuminating the eye so as to excite the photo-active marker and then observing characteristic emission from the photo active marker. Example systems incorporate Scheimpflug optical systems or slit lamp optical systems to observe cross sectional images of an eye to monitor instantaneous distribution, diffusion pattern, and rate of uptake of a photo active agent applied to an eye. Systems and methods further allow for utilizing the monitored distribution of photo active agent in the eye as feedback for a cross-linking system.
US09020577B2	Systems, devices and methods for cartilage and bone grafting Disclosed are systems, methods, devices and products to identify suitable donor sites for harvesting bone-cartilage grafts and to implant such bone-cartilage grafts. In some embodiments, a method includes providing a computer having access to a donor database, the donor database comprising information on each of a plurality of donor joint sites of the body, receiving first data relating to a defect of a joint of a patient, the defect comprising an area of bone, a portion of which includes at least one of, for example, missing and/or damaged cartilage, and identifying, based on the first data, at least one donor site from the donor database of joints for harvesting a graft of bone and cartilage to repair the defect.
US09020575B2	Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method A apparatus includes an acquisition unit to acquire magnetic resonance data in every data group, a unit to control the acquisition unit to collect the data for one or a plurality of data groups during a collection period which is set based on a starting time phase of a cardiac cycle of the subject, a unit to determine the data among the data acquired by the acquisition unit as ineffective data if at least a part of it is related to a data group acquired during an ineffective period, and as effective data if all of it is related to a data group acquired during a period other than the ineffective period, the ineffective period being set based on an ending time point of the cardiac cycle in which the data is acquired, and a unit to reconstruct an image regarding the subject by using the effective data.
US09020559B2	Method and control unit for direct sampling of a plurality of radio bands A method for direct sampling of a plurality of radio bands, including a step of receiving a first radio band via a first interface and at least one additional radio band via at least one additional interface, the first radio band and the at least one additional radio band each being associated with different frequency ranges, and the first radio band or the at least one additional radio band being a DAB band. Furthermore, a selection signal is received via an interface, the selection signal indicating whether further processing of the first radio band and/or the at least one additional radio band takes place. Depending on the selection signal, the first radio band is sampled at a common sampling frequency and/or the at least one additional radio band is sampled at the common sampling frequency.
US09020550B2	Methods and apparatuses for radio resource allocation and identification The present invention presents methods providing for system resource-efficient radio resource allocation of mobile terminals. The methods may include generating a first scheduling message including first scheduling information indicative of at least a first radio resource allocated to a first mobile terminal. The methods may also include generating a second scheduling message including second scheduling information, which, when combined with said first scheduling information, is indicative of a second radio resource allocated to a second mobile terminal. The methods may further include transmitting said first scheduling message to said first and second mobile terminals using a first robustness level, and transmitting said second scheduling message to said second mobile terminal using a second robustness level. Related network nodes and mobile terminals are also provided.
US09020538B1	System and method for displaying surf information to a user This disclosure relates to a system configured to display current surf information to a user on a device worn by the user, track physical surfing activity of the user across multiple surf sessions, and/or alert the user when current surf conditions match previously highly rated surf conditions and/or any user selected criteria based on surf/weather forecast data. The system may comprise a first device (a watch) worn by the user, a second device (the user's smartphone) associated with the user but physically separate and unconnected from the first device, external resources, and/or other components.
US09020530B2	Location tracking of mobile phone using GPS function A system, method, service and mobile device are disclosed for providing a location of the mobile device. The invention utilizes a mobile phone with a global positioning system (GPS) module which is located in a wireless network. A third party device is able to submit a location query to a mobile telephone service operator (MTSO). This location query includes the mobile phone's telephone number. Using the telephone number, the MTSO determines the base station with which the mobile phone is associated. The location query is then forwarded to the mobile phone via the base station. The mobile phone collects the GPS data from the GPS module and forwards the GPS data to the base station. The base station converts the GPS data to location information and forwards the location information to the third party device via the MTSO.
US09020520B2	Reducing interference in a radio access network A method and apparatus for reducing an effect of user interference on other users in an uplink of a radio access network using interference suppression. A user, for example, the user experiencing the highest interference, is selected from a plurality of users using the radio access cell. A perceived Rise over Thermal value for the user after interference suppression is predicted in the event that scheduling grants to an interfering user in the radio access network are altered. On the basis of the prediction, scheduling grants to the interfering user are altered, thereby reducing the interference for the selected user.
US09020518B2	Generalized codebook design method for limited feedback systems In a closed-loop wireless communication system, a codebook-based feedback mechanism is provided where each codeword indicates a particular profile to be used to provide a target performance measure (e.g., bit error rate or spectral efficiency) for the transmission channel. This may be accomplished by using a multi-stage quantization process to construct the codewords as a plurality of transmission parameters specifying a MIMO transmission scheme, precoding vector or matrix, power allocation in space/time/frequency, modulation and channel code.
US09020508B2	Mobile communication system, base station, higher-order apparatus, gateway apparatus, communication method, and program A mobile communication system including: a terminal, a movement-origin base station to which the terminal connects before movement of the terminal; a movement-destination base station to which the terminal connects after movement of the terminal; and a higher-order apparatus that has the movement-origin base station and the movement-destination base station under its control. Control information for voice encoding is set in advance in the movement-origin base station and the movement-destination base station, the movement-origin base station includes the control information of its own station in a first message and transmits the first message to the higher-order apparatus, and the higher-order apparatus includes the control information of the movement-origin base station in a second message and transmits the second message to the movement-destination base station.
US09020502B2	Proximity indication using out-of-band links Management of user equipment (UE) proximity indications to femto access points is provided using out-of-band (OOB) signals. To obtain OOB identification information on the femto access point, the UE determines the OOB identification information when in proximity to cells neighboring the femto access point. This OOB information is stored in a search information database (SID) of the UE and related to in-band information on the femto access point. To later determine proximity to the femto access point, in response to detecting its presence within a fingerprint area around the femto access point, a search for the femto access point is triggered using the OOB radio resources and OOB identification information associated with the femto access point in the SID. When the UE detects the femto access point using the OOB radio resources, the UE transmits a proximity indication to its serving base station over the in-band radio link.
US09020499B2	Fast cell selection in a mobile wireless device A method and apparatus for fast cell selection by a mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device detects when a first wireless cell fails a set of stored suitability criteria and searches for and locates a set of candidate wireless cells to associate with. The mobile wireless device measures at least one received signal metric for each candidate wireless cell in the set of candidate wireless cells. When a candidate cell in the set of candidate wireless cells is identically the first wireless cell, the mobile wireless device evaluates the suitability of the candidate wireless cell using the stored set of suitability criteria for the first wireless cell and the measured at least one received signal metric for the candidate wireless cell. The mobile wireless communication device associates with the candidate wireless cell when the candidate wireless cell meets the stored set of suitability criteria.
US09020496B2	System for testing mobile communication apparatus and test method therefor In a system for testing a mobile communication device under test, a calculation part calculates, before a control part starts processing according to a designated measurement sequence, a total value of a data amount to be acquired as an analysis target by a transmission/reception unit in the designated measurement sequence. A determination part determines whether the calculated total value of the data amount exceeds a permissible value which has been set in advance according to a predetermined capacity of a reception data memory. If the determination part determines that the calculated total value exceeds the permissible value, the control part displays the determination result on the display unit.
US09020495B2	Method and arrangement in a communication system Method and arrangement in a base station, a user equipment and a positioning node, for sending, and obtaining, respectively, a value of a propagation delay of a signal. The signal is sent to the base station from a user equipment. The base station and the user equipment are comprised within a wireless communication system. Also, the base station and the user equipment are adapted to exchange wireless signals. The method is characterized by the step of receiving a signal sent from the user equipment. The method is further characterized by the step of measuring the value of the signal propagation delay of the received signal. Still further, the method is characterized by the step of sending the measured value to the equipment and/or to a positioning node comprised within the wireless communication system.
US09020483B1	Setting voice and data priority using a registration message Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for setting voice and data priority using a registration message. According to some embodiments, a processor that executes a voice and data priority application can determine a class of device associated with a communication device, a capability indicator that indicates if the communication device is capable of transmitting data communications and if the communication device is capable of transmitting voice communications, and a priority indicator that indicates if data communications are to be prioritized over voice communications for the communication device. The processor also can generate a voice and data priority indicator that indicates the class of device, the capability indicator, and the priority indicator, and save the voice and data priority indicator at a memory associated with the communication device. The communication device can be configured to generate a registration message that includes the voice and data indicator when registering with a network.
US09020480B2	Method, system and apparatus for configuring a mobile electronic device According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for configuring a mobile electronic device are provided. The method comprises storing, in a memory of a provisioning server, a plurality of service records and one of a plurality of operation type parameters in association with each service record; receiving, at the provisioning server, a registration request for the mobile electronic device, the registration request including one or more identifiers identifying ones of the service records that are maintained in the mobile electronic device; selecting, based on the received identifiers and the operation type parameters, at least one service record for transmission; and, transmitting the at least one selected service record.
US09020477B2	Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to mobile telephony devices Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device that is roaming outside of its native service area make use of a mobile roaming termination service. The mobile roaming termination service causes the native mobile telephony service provider that provides service to the mobile telephony device to forward incoming telephony communications directed the native telephone number of the mobile telephony device to a forwarding access number. The mobile roaming termination service receives telephony communications directed to the forwarding access number, and then terminates the telephony communication to the mobile telephony device via any one of multiple different methods.
US09020472B2	Social networking-based teleconferencing system and method A system and method for creating teleconferences that leverage social networking websites and messaging thereof. The system includes a teleconferencing website hosted on a server for scheduling a teleconference in response to user input, and for generating a message for display on a social networking website. The message includes information about the teleconference and a link to one or more invitees to the teleconference. The system further includes an interactive voice response system for hosting the teleconference to connect at least some of the one or more invitees to the teleconference. The system further includes a client application running on a mobile device associated with each of the at least some of the one or more invitees. The client application receives a notification of the teleconference from the social networking website, and includes a control interface to enable an associated invitee to join the teleconference.
US09020468B2	Masking phone numbers In one example of masking phone numbers, a roster of changeable phone numbers may be assigned to a target phone, a presence of the target phone may be registered to a local cell site, a request for one of the changeable phone numbers that is assigned to the target phone for a current time frame may be received, and a phone call that is intended for the target phone may be facilitated using an assigned one of the changeable phone numbers that is assigned to the target phone for the current time frame.
US09020467B2	Method of and system for extending the WISPr authentication procedure A method and system for completing the authentication process of a user device in a second communication network (such as Wi-Fi or WiMAX) utilizes the user credential (such as a SIM card, a USIM card, or a RUIM card) of a first communication network (such as GSM, CDMA, EDGE, or LTE). A client, such as a software module, executes on the wireless device. An authentication platform retrieves the SIM card credential information in the first communication network and passes the information to the authentication platform of the second communication network, thereby granting the client access to the second communication after the authentication platform validates with the first communication network.
US09020465B2	Sharing network capacity with another device There is provided a cause a reception of information from a second device, wherein the information indicates a need to utilize the network capacity of the apparatus by the second device; detect an identifier of the second device in order to enable identification of the second device; determine whether or not to allow the second device to utilize the network capacity on the basis of the identification; upon deciding to allow the second device to utilize the network capacity of the apparatus, cause transfer of data between the second device and an accessed network, wherein the network is accessible with a specific subscriber identity module, SIM, of the apparatus; determine predetermined at least one characteristic related to the data transfer of the second device; cause transmission of information indicating the at least one characteristic to an entity responsible of invoicing data transfers with respect to the specific SIM.
US09020464B2	Counter-based limitation of subscriber charging inaccuracy Disclosed techniques limit or reduce the amount of data for which a subscriber may be charged that may not actually be received at the subscriber's mobile device. A counter may be started when a node has data to be delivered to a mobile device. The node may send the data through a radio access network for delivery to the mobile device and record an amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes while running the counter, until the counter reaches a predetermined value. When the counter reaches the predetermined value, if no traffic channel has been set up with the mobile device, the node will stop recording the amount of the data sent for the mobile device through the radio access network for data usage billing purposes.
US09020462B2	Enhanced handling of duress situations A wireless communications device can be triggered by a user in a duress situation to provide to a predetermined recipient, or to a monitoring service, a duress message containing emergency-response information, such as GPS coordinates, a photograph and/or an audio clip to facilitate an emergency response to the duress situation. The wireless device can periodically send follow-up duress messages to provide updated GPS data, photos or other information. The wireless device monitoring can also reply to specific queries from the monitoring service to provide requested information that would be most useful to the recipient attempting to coordinate an emergency response. In the event that the device is outside data packet coverage, the duress message can be transmitted using an alternate mode of communication such as SMS or MMS. If no mode of communication is available, the device stores the duress message until communications are possible.
US09020456B2	Ultra-low-power radio for short-range communication A wake-up function is provided for a low power radio. The radio includes: an antenna, a rectifier, and a comparator. The rectifier is configured to receive an RF signal from the antenna and generates an output having a magnitude that decreases in the presence of the RF signal. The comparator compares the output from the rectifier to a reference signal and outputs an activation signal for another radio component. In response the activation signal, the radio component will transition from a low power consumption mode to a higher power consumption mode. In this way, the rectifier and comparator cooperatively operate to perform a wake-up function in the presence of an RF signal.
US09020453B2	RF amplifier architecture and related techniques A radio frequency (RF) power amplifier system or transmitter includes one or more power amplifiers and a controller that is configured to adjust amplitudes and phases of RF input signals of the one or more power amplifiers and supply voltages applied to the one or more power amplifiers. In embodiments where multiple power amplifiers are used, a combiner may be provided to combine outputs of the power amplifiers.
US09020450B2	Output stage for wireless transmitter In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first block configured to decompose an input signal into a positive component and a negative component. The apparatus further includes a second block configured to generate a mixer positive driver component from the positive component and a mixer negative driver component from the negative component and input the mixer positive driver component and the negative driver component into a mixer for a wireless transmitter.
US09020422B2	Directional communication technique for systems with stations having multiple antennas or multiple antenna subassemblies A system includes a plurality of stations capable of communicating with each other. A station of the system may comprise multiple antenna subassemblies and a receiver coupled to the subassemblies. The station is operable to activate one or more of the subassemblies to determine a direction of a first incoming signal, and to then activate another one or more of the subassemblies to receive a second incoming signal from substantially the same direction. Alternatively, the station may comprise multiple antenna subassemblies and a receiver coupled to the subassemblies and operable to activate each of the subassemblies for a respective interval to service at least one respective transmitting station covered by the activated subassembly during the interval.
US09020412B2	Curl correcting device and image forming apparatus with same A curl correcting device includes a first roller, a second roller and a supporting unit. The supporting unit includes a first conveyance path and a second conveyance path. The first roller is rotated about a first rotary shaft and elastically deformable. The second roller is rotated about a second rotary shaft and elastically deforms the first roller by being pressed against the first roller, thereby forming a curved nip portion between the first and second rollers. The supporting unit is rotatable about a third rotary shaft and rotatably supports the first and second rollers. The first conveyance path communicates with the sheet conveyance path by the supporting unit being arranged at a first position about the third rotary shaft. The second conveyance path communicates with the sheet conveyance path by the supporting unit being arranged at a second position about the third rotary shaft.
US09020411B2	Toner recovery device and image forming apparatus having the toner recovery device A toner recovery device includes a toner recovery container that recovers toner; and a toner conveying shaft member that is provided inside the toner recovery container and conveys toner in a axial direction of the toner conveying shaft member by the rotation around a rotational axis of the toner conveying shaft member and that has a spiral groove formed around the rotational axis and an outer peripheral surface whose distance from the rotational axis is variable.
US09020410B2	Image heating apparatus An image heating apparatus includes first and second rotatable members for forming a nip for heating therein a toner image on a sheet; an endless belt for contacting an outer surface of the first rotatable member and heat the first rotatable member; first and second rollers provided inside the endless belt and to rotatably support the endless belt; first and second bearings for rotatably supporting the first and second rollers; an elastic member contactable to the first bearing and to the second bearing and for urging the first roller and the second roller in directions away from each other; and a preventing member for preventing the elastic member from moving in directions of expansion and contraction thereof when the elastic member is out of contact with the first bearing and the second bearing.
US09020405B2	Bias member for the doctor blade of the developer unit in an imaging Device A doctor blade assembly for the developer unit of an electrophotographic imaging system. The doctor blade assembly includes a blade member having a first longitudinal edge for contacting a developer roll of an imaging system; a bracket member operatively connected to the blade member; and at least one bias member having a first end portion along a first longitudinal end portion of the bracket member and a second end portion contacting a distal portion of the blade member so as to present a force thereon. The force presented by the bias member serves as a counterforce to at least partly offset a force presented on the doctor blade and developer roll by a seal member of the developer unit.
US09020401B2	Apparatus, printers, and charge roller assemblies Apparatus, printers, and charge roller assemblies are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a roller to charge a printer surface when closer to the printer surface than an upper threshold, and a damper to reduce movement of the roller and to keep the roller closer to the printer surface than the upper threshold.
US09020398B2	Developing cartridge including developing gear cover A developing cartridge includes: a housing having first and second sidewalls through which respective end portions of a developing roller shaft are rotatably inserted; a developing gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which is fixed to the end portion of the developing roller shaft; a transmission gear, which is arranged outside of the first sidewall, and which transmits driving force to the developing gear; a first cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the transmission gear; and a second cover member, which is attached to the first sidewall, and which covers the developing gear from an outer side in the axis line direction. The second cover member is formed separately from the first cover member and is arranged side by side with the first cover member outside of the first sidewall.
US09020393B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus, comprising: a housing having an opening; a drawer member to support photosensitive drums disposed to have intervals therebetween to be parallel with each other and to be movable in an arrangement direction of the photosensitive drums such that the drawer member moves between an attached position where the drawer member is attached in the housing and a drawn position where the drawer member is drawn to an outside of the housing; and a presser member that is provided in the housing and is configured to press the drawer member toward one side in an axial direction each photosensitive drum, wherein the presser member presses a downstream end part of the drawer member defined in a moving direction of the drawer member, at a position overlapping with the photosensitive drums in the arrangement direction, in a state where the drawer member is at the attached position.
US09020388B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes a first process unit and a second process unit. The first process unit includes: a first photosensitive member configured to carry a first developer image to be transferred onto a transfer medium; and a blade member configured to scrape substances attached to a surface of the first photosensitive member off the surface of the first photosensitive member. The second process unit includes: a second photosensitive member configured to carry a second developer image to be transferred onto the transfer medium having the first developer image transferred thereon; and a holding member configured to remove substances attached to a surface of the second photosensitive member from the surface of the second photosensitive member, temporarily hold the substances and return the substances to the surface of the second photosensitive member.
US09020372B2	Image forming apparatus capable of reducing recovery printing time An image forming apparatus capable of properly reducing recovery printing time, while reducing abrasion and deterioration of image bearing members. As an image formation mode determining method, a first method is selected before a print job is interrupted e.g. a jam, whereas for recovery printing, one of the first method and a second method is selected. In the first method, if an image to be formed is a color image, an image formation mode is set to an all-contact mode having an intermediate transfer belt brought into contact with all of photosensitive members, and if the image is a monochrome image, the mode is set to a partial-contact mode having the belt brought into contact only with a photosensitive member for black toner. In the second method, the mode is set to the all-contact mode for all pages on which image formation is to be performed.
US09020370B2	Image forming apparatus capable of determining type of cartridge mounted therein based on detection of a detection portion of the cartridge An image forming apparatus includes: a cartridge; a drive source; a detection unit; and a control device. The cartridge includes a movable member provided with a detected portion and configured to move by a predetermined moving amount. The drive source generates a rotation as a drive force and transmits the drive force to the movable member. The drive source includes a rotation amount detection unit that detects a rotation amount of the drive source and outputs a first detection result. The detection unit detects the detected portion and outputs a second detection result. The control device executes: a calculation process configured to calculate the rotation amount of the drive source during a time period of detecting the detected portion based on the first detection result and the second detection result; and a cartridge type determination process configured to determine a type of the cartridge based on the calculated rotation amount.
US09020367B2	Optical chips and devices for optical communications Optical devices are disclosed consisting of optical chips (planar lightwave circuits) which have optically symmetric or matching designs and properties and optical components which create asymmetry in the optical devices. The devices find application in detection in coherent and non-coherent optical communications systems.
US09020366B2	Polarization multiplexing optical receiving device and polarization multiplexing optical receiving method Provided are a polarization multiplexing optical receiving device and a polarization multiplexing optical receiving method with which a mismatch of optical intensity between polarized signals accumulated in an optical transmission path of an optical receiving system can be compensated with high precision, and a high-quality polarized optical signal can be received.A polarization multiplexing optical receiving device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor optical element for adjusting the optical signal intensity of each of a TE mode and a TM mode of a polarization-multiplexed optical signal; a polarization beam splitter for spectrally separating the polarization-multiplexed optical signal into the TE mode optical signal and the TM mode optical signal; and a control circuit for calculating the optical intensity ratio between the TE mode optical signal and the TM mode optical signal, which have had the optical signal intensity thereof adjusted by the semiconductor optical element and which have been spectrally separated by the polarization beam splitter, and for performing feedback control of the semiconductor optical element so that the calculated optical intensity ratio reaches a desired value.
US09020362B2	Digital radio frequency transceiver system and method A transceiver architecture for wireless base stations wherein a broadband radio frequency signal is carried between at least one tower-mounted unit and a ground-based unit via optical fibers, or other non-distortive media, in either digital or analog format. Each tower-mounted unit (for both reception and transmission) has an antenna, analog amplifier and an electro-optical converter. The ground unit has ultrafast data converters and digital frequency translators, as well as signal linearizers, to compensate for nonlinear distortion in the amplifiers and optical links in both directions. In one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the digital data converters, frequency translators, and linearizers includes superconducting elements mounted on a cryocooler.
US09020360B2	Techniques for single sideband suppressed carrier (SSBSC) optical signals that scale to bandwidths over 20 gigahertz A method and apparatus includes an optical source for a single order single-sideband suppressed-carrier optical signal with a bandwidth that scales from over 1 gigaHertz to greater than 20 gigaHertz. In an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a stable laser source configured to output an optical carrier signal at a carrier frequency. The apparatus includes a radio frequency electrical source configured to output an electrical radio frequency signal with a radio frequency bandwidth less than one octave. The apparatus also includes an optical modulator configured to output an optical signal with the optical carrier signal modulated by the radio frequency signal in a plurality of orders of optical frequency sidebands. The apparatus further includes an optical filter configured to pass one single order optical frequency sideband of the optical signal.
US09020357B2	Compensation of modal dispersion of polarization by deterministic jamming of polarization A method of calculating a series of control parameters to be applied to a polarization controller arranged so as to compensate for the modal dispersion of polarization affecting an optical signal passing through an optical link by calculating a plurality of polarization states of which the respective representations on a Poincaré sphere are separated from one another by a distance greater than a minimum distance dependent on an acceptable threshold of bit error ratios and, for each state of polarization thus calculated, associating at least one control parameter to be applied to the polarization controller with the calculated state of polarization.
US09020331B2	Video image information playback method and video image information playback device A video image information playback method and a video image information playback device with which user convenience can be obtained at the start of resume playback. The video image information playback method is a method of playback of a recording medium on which virtual-machine-based content has been recorded. During normal playback of the virtual-machine-based content, a program running on a virtual machine and a decryption program that decrypts encrypted virtual-machine-based content perform decryption processing for the virtual-machine-based content while exchanging data. After suspension of playback of the virtual-machine-based content, at the start of resume playback, which is executed following an instruction to resume playback, a proxy program is launched in place of the program that runs on the virtual machine. The proxy program and the decryption program perform playback of the video image of the virtual-machine-based content while exchanging data.
US09020324B2	Recording apparatus A recording apparatus of the present invention, in accordance with a data write speed of an external storage device, switches a writing mode between a first mode in which the apparatus suspends reading out moving image data from a memory until a predetermined amount of moving image data relating to a storage capacity of the memory is stored in the memory, and starts reading the moving image data from the memory to write it into the external storage device, after the predetermined amount of moving image data is stored completely, and a second mode in which the apparatus starts reading the moving image data from the memory to write it into the external storage device, without waiting for the storage of the predetermined amount of the moving image data into the memory.
US09020321B2	Wall outlet having enclosed service connection The present disclosure relates to an access box including a pivotal mounting panel to which a fiber optic adapter is mounted. The access box also includes a removable faceplate and a cover panel pivotable relative to the faceplate such that when the cover panel is in a closed position, the cover panel is substantially parallel to the faceplate, and wherein when the cover panel is in an open position, the cover panel is at an angle to the faceplate. The access box further includes an access panel pivotably secured to the cover panel. The access panel is movable between a first access panel position where the access panel blocks access to the adapter, and a second access panel position where the access panel allows access to the adapter.
US09020320B2	High density and bandwidth fiber optic apparatuses and related equipment and methods High-connection density and bandwidth fiber optic apparatuses and related equipment and methods are disclosed. In certain embodiments, fiber optic apparatuses are provided and comprise a chassis defining one or more U space fiber optic equipment units. At least one of the one or more U space fiber optic equipment units may be configured to support particular fiber optic connection densities and bandwidths in a given 1-U space. The fiber optic connection densities and bandwidths may be supported by one or more fiber optic components, including but not limited to fiber optic adapters and fiber optic connectors, including but not limited to simplex, duplex, and other multi-fiber fiber optic components. The fiber optic components may also be disposed in fiber optic modules, fiber optic patch panels, or other types of fiber optic equipment.
US09020310B2	Optical waveguide and arrayed waveguide grating An optical waveguide provided with a slab waveguide, which has a plurality of phase gratings arranged at a distance from each other in a direction substantially parallel to a light propagation direction and diffracting propagated light and a plurality of interference regions arranged alternately to the plurality of phase gratings in the direction substantially parallel to the light propagation direction and interfering the light diffracted by the plurality of phase gratings, and an arrayed waveguide whose end is connected to an end of the slab waveguide at a position of a constructive interference portion of a self-image formed by the plurality of phase gratings as an integrated phase grating.
US09020299B2	Hybrid image format Hybrid image format techniques are described in which multiple resolution images are concatenated to a standard bitmap image to create a hybrid image file. The hybrid image file is created through combining a relatively low resolution image with the additional images in a multi-frame format having higher resolution. The hybrid image file may contain data detectable to signal that higher resolution images are available in the hybrid image file. A hybrid aware application may be configured to detect and output a higher resolution image from the hybrid image file based on detection of the data. A legacy application that is not configured to detect the data may be unaware of higher resolution images contained in the hybrid image file, and accordingly outputs the relatively low resolution image.
US09020296B2	Image conversion apparatus, method, and storage medium An image conversion apparatus calculates, based on a first value for obtaining first coordinate values in a second image before first conversion, which correspond to coordinate values of one pixel in a first image after first conversion, a second value for obtaining second coordinate values in the second image, which correspond to coordinate values of a pixel adjacent to the one pixel in the first image. The apparatus converts the second coordinate values into third coordinate values for second conversion of converting a third image into the second image and converts the third image into the first image. In the calculation of the second value, addition or subtraction using a constant and a result of the calculation is iteratively executed for sequentially outputting values corresponding to results of multiplication of coordinate values of each pixel in the first image and the constant.
US09020292B2	Method for correcting rolling shutter effect and image processing device using the same A method for correcting a rolling shutter effect is provided. The method includes: obtaining feature point pairs in images, wherein each of the feature point pairs corresponds to a motion vector; obtaining sampling points between two consecutive images in time; setting a moving velocity and an angular velocity of an image capturing unit at each of the sampling points as variables; obtaining estimating motion vectors according to the variables, a focal length of the image capturing unit, and row locations where the feature point pairs are located; executing an optimization algorithm according to a difference between the motion vectors and the estimating motion vectors, to calculate the moving velocity and the angular velocity corresponding to the variables; varying locations of pixels in an image according to the moving velocity and the angular velocity, to generate a first corrected image. Thereby, the rolling shutter effect in an image is removed.
US09020291B2	Resized image compression based on frequency content Examples disclosed herein relate to compressing an image by resizing an image and compressing the resized image based on frequency content. A processor may resize an image to a target size if the pixel area of the image is greater than the sum of the target pixel area plus a resizing tolerance. The processor may compress the image using a first data removal rule for a portion of the image of a first frequency range and using a second data removal rule for a portion of the image of a second frequency range.
US09020290B2	Reduce extrapolate A method for removing boundary distortion includes receiving a one-dimensional input signal and determining whether the one-dimensional input signal includes an even number of data elements. If the one-dimensional input signal includes an even number of data elements, an extrapolation operation is performed on one of a first or second boundary of the one-dimensional input signal. The extrapolation operation produces one additional data element. The method may further include performing a mirroring operation on the signal data resulting from the extrapolation operation to produce a mirrored signal, and performing a transform operation the mirrored signal.
US09020286B2	Apparatus for dividing image data and encoding and decoding image data in parallel, and operating method of the same An apparatus and a method for dividing image data into partition slices and encoding and decoding the image data based on a correlation between macroblocks are provided. The macroblocks may be decoded in parallel and thus, it is possible to improve an overall image quality and processing speed.
US09020276B2	Hardware coprocessor for stripe-based interest point detection A hardware coprocessor architecture calculates the Difference-of-Gaussian (DoG) pyramid of an input image and extracts from this the interest points to be used in several image detection algorithms. Advantages of the architecture include the possibility to process the image by stripes, namely by blocks having one dimension coincident with the input image width, in the absence of an input frame buffer and the possibility to avoid RAM memory. The coprocessor is suitable to be tightly coupled with raw image sources like sensors.
US09020275B2	Other viewpoint closed surface image pixel value correction device, method of correcting other viewpoint closed surface image pixel value, user position information output device, method of outputting user position information A technology for creating an arbitrary viewpoint image with high quality based on pixel value information as seen from a single viewpoint and real spatial positional information has not been known. A hidden point is extracted based on a relative positional relationship between a single viewpoint closed surface projection point for arbitrary measurement point and neighboring projection point, a relative positional relationship between other viewpoint closed surface projection point for arbitrary measurement point and neighboring projection point, distance from arbitrary measurement point to another viewpoint, and distance from measurement point projected onto neighboring projection point on the other viewpoint closed surface to another viewpoint. Furthermore, the projection point pixel value on the other viewpoint closed surface for the extracted hidden point is corrected using distance from measurement point projected onto neighboring projection point on the other viewpoint closed surface to the other viewpoint and the measurement point pixel value.
US09020270B2	Image processing device, image processing method, image processing control program, and recording medium An image processing device configured to detect a salient region from an image has a pixel small-region image generating unit that generates a pixel small-region image using, as a unit, a pixel small region made of pixels adjacent to one another and whose luminance values or chromaticity are similar, from the image, a prior probability calculator that calculates prior probability of likelihood of the salient region for each of the pixels of the image, a region generating unit that generates a salient-region-containing region having high possibility of containing a salient region on the basis of a corner point extracted from the image, and a likelihood calculator.
US09020268B2	Method and apparatus for annotating multimedia data in a computer-aided manner Annotation of a sequence of digitized images in multimedia data is aided by a computer analyzing the multimedia data to identify one or more objects and assigning each object to a respective role. The role assignment is determined by processing context information representing a model of the multimedia data.
US09020262B2	Symbol compression using conditional entropy estimation The present disclosure includes a system and method for symbol compression using conditional entropy estimation. One method for symbol compression using conditional entropy estimation includes approximating a quantity of symbol encoding bits for a number of symbols using a conditional entropy estimation. Dictionary entries are generated from the number of symbols so as to minimize a total bit-stream quantity. The total bit-stream quantity includes at least the approximated quantity of symbol encoding bits and a quantity of dictionary entries encoding bits. The symbols are encoded using the dictionary entries as a reference.
US09020261B2	Video segmentation using statistical pixel modeling A method for segmenting video data into foreground and background portions utilizes statistical modeling of the pixels. A statistical model of the background is built for each pixel, and each pixel in an incoming video frame is compared with the background statistical model for that pixel. Pixels are determined to be foreground or background based on the comparisons. The method for segmenting video data may be further incorporated into a method for implementing an intelligent video surveillance system. The method for segmenting video data may be implemented in hardware.
US09020258B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing system configured to convert color tone in image An image processing apparatus includes a first image output device and a second image output device outputting first and second output data from original image data, a color space fixing device for determining a color space for color tone conversion, a color space conversion device, a color component mapping device for generating color component mapping data containing correspondences between pixels in the image data, a color tone conversion parameter fixing device for generating color tone conversion parameters from corresponding pixels in the image data, and a color tone conversion device for converting the image data using the conversion parameters.
US09020256B2	System and method for combining color information with spatial information in multispectral images An image processing system combines higher-resolution panchromatic images and lower resolution multispectral images using a hyperspherical color space pan-sharpening technique. By converting the multispectral images into a hyperspherical color space, the intensities of the multispectral images can be intensity matched to the intensities of the panchromatic image and then retransformed back to the original color space. The intensity matching can utilize a number of techniques, including, but not limited to, direct substitution of the intensities of the panchromatic image for the intensities of the multispectral images, modification of the intensities of the multispectral images based on predefined statistical models and modification of the intensities of the multispectral images based on dynamically generated statistical models and a selected sharpening parameter β.
US09020254B2	Dynamic image quality checker for use in image transcoding Described is a technology by which an image is transcoded to a desired quality measure (e.g., PSNR). A quality measure of transcoded image data is checked against a desired quality measure, and if a desired quality measure is not achieved, a different quality level is iteratively provided to attempt to re-transcode the image until the desired quality measure is achieved.
US09020248B2	Window dependent feature regions and strict spatial layout for object detection Systems and methods for object detection by receiving an image; segmenting the image and identifying candidate bounding boxes which may contain an object; for each candidate bounding box, dividing the box into overlapped small patches, and extracting dense features from the patches; during a training phase, applying a learning process to learn one or more discriminative classification models to classify negative boxes and positive boxes; and during an operational phase, for a new box generated from the image, applying the learned classification model to classify whether the box contains an object.
US09020245B2	Training device, training system and method A training device comprises a first regenerating unit regenerates at least one of an image and a voice for training during the training courses which lead the user to train the operation of an input device, an operation accepting unit accepts the user operation for at least one of the image and the voice for training from a simulated user interface which simulates a user interface of the input device during training, a second regenerating unit regenerates at least one of the image and the voice for training when the training is ended, and a normal operation instructing unit instructs a normal operation to the user by outputting at least one of the image and the voice of the normal operation of the user, which show at least one of the image and the voice for training, which is synchronous with the regeneration of the second regenerating unit.
US09020240B2	Method and surveying system for noncontact coordinate measurement on an object surface Noncontact coordinate measurement. With a 3D image recording unit, a first three-dimensional image of a first area section of the object surface is electronically recorded in a first position and first orientation, the first three-dimensional image being composed of a multiplicity of first pixels, with which in each case a piece of depth information is coordinated. First 3D image coordinates in an image coordinate system are coordinated with the first pixels. The first position and first orientation of the 3D image recording unit in the object coordinate system are determined by a measuring apparatus coupled to the object coordinate system by means of an optical reference stereocamera measuring system. First 3D object coordinates in the object coordinate system are coordinated with the first pixels from the knowledge of the first 3D image coordinates and of the first position and first orientation of the 3D image recording unit.
US09020231B2	Method and apparatus for measuring captured object using brightness information and magnified image of captured image Method and apparatus for measuring an object in a captured image. The method includes: receiving a captured image from a photographing apparatus; selecting a predetermined region on the received image based on a user input; magnifying an image with respect to the selected, predetermined region; obtaining brightness information of the received image; displaying at least one of the magnified image and the obtained brightness information; and selecting the object on the magnified image based on the obtained brightness information. The method may further include: obtaining pixel information of the received image; and measuring the selected object based on the pixel information.
US09020225B2	Medical image processing system A medical image processing system in which the generation of a non-steady load is made predictable based on the reservation of image processes, includes a reservation manager to manage the process commencement time and the process termination time of the reserved image processing and the amount of medical image data, which is the subject of image processing, a throughput calculating unit to calculate the throughput processed for each predetermined time width in the image processing regarding each image process carried out in the first server, and an analyzing unit to calculate the total throughput of the image processing carried out in parallel for each time width. When the calculated total is more than the predetermined throughput, the analyzing unit specifies at least one from among all image processes carried out in the time width such that the total throughput of a first server becomes less than the predetermined throughput.
US09020222B2	Method and arrangement for the computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data An arrangement for computer-assisted structuring of medical examination data is provided. The arrangement has a device for receiving at least one medical examination data record including at least one image data record created with a radiological imaging device, a device for receiving medical video data from external video sources, a device for converting the medical video data into a medical standard format in which a time stamp of the video data generation is stored, a device for storing the converted video data and the at least one examination data record, and a device for outputting the video data and examination data record. The video data and the at least one image data record can be arranged according to their time stamp.
US09020218B2	Methods and apparatus for generating a modified intensity projection image In a method or apparatus for generating, from medical image data of a subject from a functional imaging modality, a modified intensity projection image for display. An intensity projection image data set is obtained from the image data. A segmentation for the image data is obtained. Based on information from the segmentation, a modified display property is calculated for at least one voxel of the intensity projection image data set.
US09020214B2	Striped pattern image examination support device, striped pattern image examination support method and program Provided are a striped pattern image examination support device, method, and program. The device includes: image transformation element for transforming at least one of two striped pattern images so as to cause coordinates of charting points, which are points that correspond across the two striped pattern images, to match in a plurality of pairs of the charting points which are included in the two striped pattern images; intersecting point extraction element for calculating coordinates of intersecting points of stripes in the striped pattern images and line segments each of which connects two of the charting points in the striped pattern images; charting diagram display element for displaying the two striped pattern images after transformation by the image transformation element, and displaying figures representing charting points at positions corresponding to coordinates after the transformations of each of the charting points on the two striped pattern images.
US09020213B1	Methods and systems for detecting biometric characteristics in an image A method for detecting biometric characteristics in a captured biometric data image is provided that includes determining, by a processor, an approximate location for a biometric characteristic in a frame included in captured biometric data, and determining region of interest positions over the frame. Moreover, the method includes calculating a set of feature values for each position, generating a displacement for each set of feature values and generating a median displacement, and adjusting the biometric characteristic location by the median displacement.
US09020212B2	Automatically determining a name of a person appearing in an image A computer-implemented method of automatically determining a name of a person appearing in an image includes receiving a collection of web pages containing a plurality of images. For each of the images, a set of names associated with the image is identified based on a text analysis of at least one of the web pages. Face detection and clustering is performed on the plurality of images to generate a plurality of face clusters. For each of the face clusters, a label for the face cluster is identified based on the set of names associated with each image in the face cluster. A name of a first person appearing in at least one of the images is determined based on the identified label for one of the face clusters associated with the first person.
US09020208B2	System and method for anonymous biometrics analysis A system receives an identification number from a subject. The system retrieves a biometric measurement from a database using the identification number. The database includes biometric measurements of a plurality of subjects. Each biometric measurement is determined from a location of a particular subject's body, each biometric measurement is associated with a particular identification number, and each particular identification number is associated with a particular subject. When the use of the identification number results in a retrieval of a biometric measurement from the biometric database, the system searches a plurality of locations on the subject and takes biometric measurements at the locations, compares the retrieved biometric measurement from the biometric database with the biometric measurements of the subject, and indicates that the retrieved biometric measurement from the biometric database matches one or more of the biometric measurements from the subject or that the retrieved biometric measurement from the biometric database does not match any of the biometric measurements from the subject. In an embodiment, the system is used for verification purposes, not identification purposes.
US09020200B2	Geometric pre-correction for automatic license plate recognition A method for adjusting a license plate that is detected in a captured image includes automatically determining at least one set of correction parameters corresponding to a slant-oriented license plate. The method further includes receiving an input image representing a detected license plate. In response to receiving the input image, the method includes automatically adjusting the input image to obtain a corrected image using the at least one set of correction parameters.
US09020195B2	Object tracking device, object tracking method, and control program An object tracking device which tracks a target object in a time-series image including a plurality of frames has a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of a target object in a first frame, the target object being a tracked target, a detailed contour model generation unit that generates a detailed contour model in the first frame, on the basis of the location information, the detailed contour model being formed with a plurality of contour points representing a contour of the target object, and a search location setting unit that sets a plurality of different search locations in a second frame, the second frame being any one of frames following the first frame.
US09020192B2	Human submental profile measurement An imaging system captures images of a human submental profile in a dimension controlled environment and utilizes image analysis algorithms for detecting submental changes. Instead of implementing a strict posture control of a subject, the imaging system allows the subject to freely move his/her head in an up-and-down direction and a high speed camera captures this movement through a series of images at varying head-to-shoulder angles. The image analysis algorithms may accurately compare before and after images at similar head-to-shoulder angles to identify changes in a human submental profile using a series of measurements and checkpoints.
US09020189B2	Methods and apparatus to monitor environments Methods and apparatus to monitor environments are disclosed. An example method includes analyzing a plurality of three-dimensional data points having respective depth values representative of distances between a sensor and respective objects of an environment; when a first set of the three-dimensional data points has a first depth value less than a threshold, executing a first type of recognition analysis on a first area of the environment corresponding to the first set of the three-dimensional data points; and when a second set of the three-dimensional data points has a second depth value greater than the threshold, executing a second type of recognition analysis different than the first type of recognition analysis on a second area of the environment corresponding to the second set of the three-dimensional data points.
US09020185B2	Systems and methods for non-contact heart rate sensing An embodiment generally relates to systems and methods for estimating heart rates of individuals using non-contact imaging. A processing module can process multi-spectral video images of individuals and detect skin blobs within different images of the multi-spectral video images. The skin blobs can be converted into time series signals and processed with a band pass filter. Further, the time series signals can be processed to separate pulse signals from unnecessary signals. The heart rate of the individual can be estimated according to the resulting time series signal processing.
US09020183B2	Tagging images with labels An image to be shared with other users based on input from a first user is received. A second user is identified from a tag of the image, and information is provided, based at least in part on the tag, to one or both of the first user and the second user. Additionally, after editing of an image a determination can be made as to whether a region of the image having an associated tag has been affected by the editing. The tag associated with the region is altered if the region has been affected by the editing, otherwise the tag associated with the region is left unaltered. Furthermore, the tag can include a first portion storing data identifying a region of the image to which the tag corresponds, and a second portion storing data identifying a person shown in the region.
US09020179B2	Unidirectional condenser microphone and directionality varying member for the same A unidirectional condenser microphone includes a front acoustic terminal disposed on a forward portion of a microphone case, a rear acoustic terminal disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case, and a directionality varying member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case. The directionality varying member switches between a first position and a second position. The directionality varying member covers the rear acoustic terminal at the first position while the rear acoustic terminal is opened at the second position. The front acoustic terminal is displaced ahead of the front surface of the microphone case, and the directionality varying member is in close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the microphone case.
US09020176B2	Apparatus for vented hearing assistance systems An apparatus related to earmolds with venting configurations designed to relieve the occlusion effect. Various designs provide multiple vents allow residual ear canal air volume to vent to and from air outside the ear and the earmold. In various designs, the earmold includes one vent between the residual ear canal air volume and a volume of air internal to the earmold. A second vent provides passage of air internal to the earmold and air external to the ear and the inserted earmold when worn by a user.
US09020169B2	Adaptive data rate for a bilateral hearing prosthesis system Methods, systems, and devices for determining a data rate for a communication between bilateral hearing prostheses are disclosed. A first hearing prosthesis transmits a first signal to a second hearing prosthesis during a first transmission interval. The second hearing prosthesis transmits a second signal to the first hearing prosthesis during a second transmission interval. The first signal includes an indication of a data rate for the second signal.
US09020156B2	Method for reducing the noise emission of a transformer A method for reducing the noise emission of a transformer, the transformer tank of which is filled with liquid and the tank wall of which vibrates during operation, is provided. The method is characterized by the sequence of the following method steps: detecting natural frequency values of the tank wall for at least one excitation frequency; determining at least one eigenmode for which the vibration of the tank wall is composed at an excitation frequency, from the natural frequency values, wherein areas of large curvature are determined on the tank wall; arranging at least one vibration loading device in at least one of said areas; and controlling the at least one vibration loading device by means of a control device in order to counteract the vibration of the tank wall.
US09020144B1	Cross-domain processing for noise and echo suppression An audio-based system may perform noise and echo suppression by initially processing an audio signal that is subject to acoustic echo or echo resulting from other system characteristics. The audio signal is processed in the time domain using an adaptive echo-cancellation filter. The audio is then further processed in the frequency domain to simultaneously reduce background noise and residual echo.
US09020134B1	System and method for automated assignment of monitoring in a contact center A system for automated assignment of monitoring customer-agent interactions is provided. A metadata extraction module configured to extract metadata related to each of a plurality of customer-agent interactions is disclosed. Further, a resource attribute collection module configured to collect attributes about each of a plurality of supervisor resources in the communication system is disclosed. Additionally, an assignment module configured to assign one of the plurality of supervisor resources to monitor one of the plurality of customer-agent interactions based on the extracted metadata and the collected attributes is disclosed.
US09020133B2	Call occupancy management A device may receive a history of call volumes and statistics for a call queue. The device may also receive, for each of a number of agents that are associated with the call queue, a work schedule. The device may determine a projected call occupancy for the call queue based on the history of call volumes for the call queue and the work schedules; select a subset of agents, among the number of agents that are associated with the call queue, that are not needed to handle calls in the call queue during a time for which projected call occupancy is below a first threshold; and assign tasks, for the time, to the subset of agents.
US09020132B2	Contact center agent filtering and relevancy ranking Methods and systems for supporting the monitoring and control of an automatic call distribution system are provided. In particular, a ranked list of candidate agents that can be assigned to handle contacts for a selected queue associated with an automatic call distribution system is presented to a supervisor. The supervisor can make agent assignments from the ranked list at the discretion of the supervisor. The assignment or reassignment can be effected by the supervisor through control inputs entered through the user interface. These control inputs can include reconfiguring agent and/or queue attributes. In addition, assignments can be effected through communications to agents made by the supervisor that are initiated through the user interface.
US09020130B2	Automatic integrated escalation in a unified messaging system A user is identified based at least in part on a user identification designation associated with an incoming communication. A message recipient is then determined based at least in part on the identified user and one or more address books associated with message recipients by comparing the user identification designation to one or more entries in the one or more recipient databases. The incoming communication is routed to the determined message recipient. Escalation procedures are implemented up to a configured level in the recipient organization based on various criteria. As messages are escalated and deposited in mailboxes associated with the determined message recipients, the determined message recipients are notified of the deposited messages.
US09020129B2	Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing human-assisted natural language call routing Techniques for routing a telephone call are provided. A call interface device of an interactive voice response system is configured to receive the telephone call from a caller. A level one agent processing module routes the telephone all to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller when level three and level two agents are not available. A level two agent processing module handles the telephone call when the level three agent is not available. A level three agent processing module facilitates the handling of the telephone call when the level three agent is available.
US09020128B1	System and method for cost-based automatic call distribution with statistically predictable wait time System and method to select a contact handling mode in a contact center, the method including: receiving, by a communication interface, a contact from a customer; calculating, by a processor of the contact center, an expected wait time by the customer based upon historical contact information stored in a memory of the contact center; calculating an expected cost of queueing the customer for the expected wait time; and selecting the contact handling mode based upon the expected cost of queueing the customer.
US09020125B1	Recording invocation of communication sessions Systems and methods for recording a communication session between a customer and an agent of a customer center communication system are provided. In this regard, a representative method comprises: configuring a communication component of the customer center communication system to enable recording of a media stream associated with the communication session; transmitting the media stream over a network based on the configuration of the communication component; receiving the media stream over the network; and recording the received media stream.
US09020124B2	System and method for implementing do-not-disturb during playback of media content The disclosed embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product for implementing do-not-disturb feature during media content. For example, in one embodiment, a determination is made on whether to implement the do-not-disturb feature is implemented on at least one of a plurality of devices associated with a user during the playback of the media content based on user preferences, wherein the user preferences specify a type of media content that triggers the do-not-disturb feature. In response to the do-not-disturb feature being implemented, notification of an incoming communication is suspended during playback of the media content.
US09020121B1	Method and apparatus for sharing data between devices A method, apparatus, and system are provided for sharing data between devices. As an example, a method for exchanging information between a phone and at least one other device includes: obtaining from a remote server a unique identifier that uniquely identifies the phone; establishing a session ID (identifier) between the phone and the other device via first communication channel; and communicating data from the phone to the remote server via a second communication channel along with the session ID, wherein the other device is configured to access the data from the remote server using the session ID.
US09020120B2	Timeline interface for multi-modal collaboration A system, method, and computer readable medium are provided to manage a conference. The start of a conference is identified. For example, the start of the conference is identified when a host dials into a conference bridge. A timeline is created for the conference based on a first event that occurs at the start of the conference. The timeline includes the first event. The timeline is updated in real-time with a second event, as a second event occurs during the conference. This process is repeated throughout the conference. The timeline is rendered for display to one or more participants in the conference. The conference is then displayed to the conference participants, thus providing the conference participants with a real-time timeline of the conference.
US09020119B2	Moderation control method for participants in a heterogeneous conference call Presented are systems and methods for providing moderator control in a heterogeneous conference including acquiring a merge control to merge a first conference with a second conference to create a single heterogeneous conference, wherein the first conference and the second conference utilize different types of conference hosting systems. The system sends the merge control to a server, wherein the server is configured to establish conference connections with the first conference and the second conference. The system then merges the first conference with the second conference to create the heterogeneous conference and determines a moderator for the heterogeneous conference. The system automatically transfers one or more moderator controls to the moderator of the heterogeneous conference.
US09020109B2	Location aware conferencing system and method In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first request to join a conference from a first user device. The location of the first user device is determined. Based on the location of the first user device, the proximity of the first user device relative to endpoints configured to facilitate the conference is identified. A first one of the endpoints that is more proximate to the first user device than other endpoints is selected for handling the conferences.
US09020097B2	Radiographic imaging system There is provided a radiographic imaging system that has: a radiographic imaging device at which fluoroscopic imaging, that carries out capturing of radiographic images continuously, is possible; a radiation irradiating device that irradiates radiation in a pulse form with respect to the radiographic imaging device at a time of fluoroscopic imaging; and a controller that controls the radiation irradiating device such that radiation is pulse-irradiated at the radiographic imaging device with a proportion of an irradiation time period of radiation being set within a range of 12.5% to 80% with respect to each frame time period for capturing respective frame images according to a frame rate of fluoroscopic imaging, while capturing of radiographic images is carried out at the radiographic imaging device synchronously with the pulse irradiation.
US09020095B2	X-ray scanners The present application discloses an X-ray scanner having an X-ray source arranged to emit X-rays from source points through an imaging volume. The scanner may further include an array of X-ray detectors which may be arranged around the imaging volume and may be arranged to output detector signals in response to the detection of X-rays. The scanner may further include a conveyor arranged to convey an object through the imaging volume in a scan direction, and may also include at least one processor arranged to process the detector signals to produce an image data set defining an image of the object. The image may have a resolution in the scan direction that is at least 90% as high as in one direction, and in some cases two directions, orthogonal to the scan direction.
US09020093B2	Two-dimensional collimator module, X-ray detector, X-ray CT apparatus, and method for assembling two-dimensional collimator module A two-dimensional collimator module is provided. The two-dimensional collimator module includes first collimator plates arranged in a channel direction, second collimator plates arranged in a slice direction and combined with the first collimator plates to form a lattice, and a first block and a second block that hold the first collimator plates, wherein each of the first collimator plates is formed with slits, each of the second collimator plates is inserted through an associated row of the slits, first plate surfaces of the second collimator plates in the slice direction abut only first wall surfaces of first and second wall surfaces of the slits in the slice direction in a first set of the first collimator plates, and second plate surfaces of the second collimator plates opposite to the first plate surfaces abut only the second wall surfaces of the slits in a second set of first collimator plates.
US09020091B2	Nuclear fuel assembly with a lock-support spacer grid An improved grid for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly that has an egg-crate base grid as the primary support structure with each support cell of the base grid that supports a fuel rod having a lock-support sleeve that is rotatable within the support cell between a first and second orientation. In the first orientation the lock-support sleeve fits loosely within the support cell of the base grid and respectively, loosely receives the fuel rods that are loaded therein. The lock-support sleeves are then rotated to a second orientation that locks the fuel rods axially within the support cells.
US09020085B1	Method and apparatus for sampling point optimization A method and apparatus for timing optimization are disclosed, which rely on information gathered from a timing detection circuit to find the optimal sampling point of a data recovery system. In an implementation, a timing shift is optimized based on Gardner detector data. In an example, a Gardner detector, or an early and late extraction portion thereof, is added to the data path, and the data path clock is shifted so that it is centered on the data transition mean. In an implementation, the sampling point of the data path is optimized for better horizontal eye opening using a Gardner detector's output for centering the average crossing point of different paths. In an example embodiment, an apparatus is provided with a second clock recovery that is not completely independent of a first clock recovery.
US09020084B2	High frequency synchronizer Techniques for resolving a metastable state in a synchronizer are described herein. In one embodiment, a circuit for resolving a metastable state in a synchronizer comprises a signal delay circuit coupled to a node of the synchronizer, wherein the signal delay circuit is configured to delay a data signal at the node to produce a delayed data signal, and a transmission circuit coupled to the signal delay circuit, wherein the transmission circuit is configured to couple the delayed data signal to the node after a delay from a first edge of a clock signal.
US09020083B2	Optical communication interface utilizing n-dimensional double square quadrature amplitude modulation The present invention is directed to data communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using nDSQ format(s) over optical communication networks. In certain embodiments, the communication interface is used by various devices, such as spine switches and leaf switches, within a spine-leaf network architecture, which allows large amount of data to be shared among servers.
US09020077B2	Correction of imbalances in a complex intermediate frequency mixer A complex intermediate frequency mixer (IFM) for frequency translating a received complex intermediate frequency, IF, signal, wherein the received complex IF signal comprises at least two frequency bands located at upper-side and lower-side of 0 Hz, is provided. The complex intermediate frequency mixer comprises a first, second, third and fourth mixer (M1, M2, M3, M4). The complex intermediate frequency mixer further comprises a first, second, third and fourth gain adjusting component (α1, α2, δ2, δ1), connected to a first, second, third and fourth mixer output (M1-out, M2-out, M3-out, M4-out), respectively. Moreover, a first summing unit (S1), connected to a first gain output (α1-out), a fourth gain output (δ1-out) and a third mixer output (M3-out) negated, and second summing unit (S2), connected to the second gain output (α2-out), the third gain output (δ2-out) and the fourth mixer output (M4-out), are configured to output a first baseband complex signal of the received complex IF signal.
US09020076B2	Communication apparatus, method and system A communication apparatus, method, and system are provided. The communication apparatus receives through a transmission path a combined signal in which modulated signals are combined. The communication apparatus converts a channel matrix indicating transmission characteristics of the transmission path using a basis conversion matrix which converts column vectors forming the channel matrix to cross at right angles, estimates a transmission symbol using the converted channel matrix, and calculates a likelihood of each bit of the estimated transmission symbol being a “1” and a “0”, respectively, using an inverse matrix of the basis conversion matrix. The method includes converting a channel matrix; estimating a transmission symbol; and calculating a likelihood of each bit being a “1” and a “0”, respectively, of the estimated transmission symbol using a basis conversion matrix. The system includes a transmitter and receiver for transmitting and receiving, respectively, a combined signal according to the method.
US09020075B2	Data signal improvement using signal peak detectors in a receiver Methods and systems are described for improving a data at a receiver using one or more signal peak detectors. A signal is received having an initial signal level from the transmitter, the signal having a long bit and a short bit. The initial signal voltage of the signal is measured using a signal peak detector. A pre-emphasis value is determined using the signal voltage and is communicated to the transmitter, causing the transmitter to transmit the signal using an adjusted signal level. A second signal voltage of the initial signal is measured using a second signal peak detector, the second signal voltage being used to determine the pre-emphasis value. In another embodiment, a state machine having data relating to appropriate pre-emphasis is used in determining the pre-emphasis value. In another embodiment, one peak detector is used to measure the long bit and another peak detector is used to measure the short bit. In another embodiment, the signal does not have associated link training data.
US09020073B2	Low intermediate frequency receiver One embodiment relates to a low intermediate frequency (IF) receiver. The low-IF receiver includes an analog front end that is configured to receive a modulated IQ data signal and provide an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal, where the in-phase signal is phase shifted by approximately 90° relative to the quadrature signal. The low-IF receiver further includes a digital processing block, and a single path that provides only one of the in-phase signal and the quadrature signal to the digital processing block. Other receivers and methods are also disclosed.
US09020072B2	Method for modulating navigation signal The present invention provides a method for modulating a navigation signal, comprising: multiplying a data channel difference signal between upper and lower sidebands by a sine binary subcarrier to obtain an odd timeslot baseband signal of a branch Q, and multiplying a data channel sum signal of the upper and lower sidebands by a cosine binary subcarrier to obtain an odd timeslot baseband signal of a branch I of the data channel; multiplying a pilot channel difference signal between the upper and lower sidebands by the sine binary subcarrier to obtain an even timeslot baseband signal of the branch Q, and multiplying a pilot channel sum signal of the upper and lower sidebands by the cosine binary subcarrier to obtain an even timeslot baseband signal of the branch I; and performing QPSK modulation on the baseband signals of the branch I and branch Q to obtain a TD-AltBOC modulation signal. The present invention can implement transmission of different navigation services at two adjacent frequency bands, and each navigation service comprises a data channel and a pilot channel. The navigation signal of each sub-band may be received independently, or signals of the upper and lower sidebands may be jointly received to obtain high-precision navigation performance.
US09020067B2	Distortion and aliasing reduction for digital to analog conversion Distortion and aliasing reduction for digital to analog conversion. Synthesis of one or more distortion terms made based on a digital signal (e.g., one or more digital codewords) is performed in accordance with digital to analog conversion. The one or more distortion terms may correspond to aliased higher-order harmonics, distortion, nonlinearities, clipping, etc. Such distortion terms may be known a priori, such as based upon particular characteristics of a given device, operational history, etc. Alternatively, such distortion terms may be determined based upon operation of a device and/or based upon an analog signal generated from the analog to conversion process. For example, frequency selective measurements made based on an analog signal generated from the digital to analog conversion may be used for determination of and/or adaptation of the one or more distortion terms. One or more DACs may be employed within various architectures operative to perform digital to analog conversion.
US09020057B2	Precoding for wireless signals A system for determining precoding for a wireless signal may include a derivation module and a selection module. The derivation module may be configured to determine precoding information for a composite channel. The composite channel may represent characterizations of multiple wireless paths established between multiple receiving antennas and multiple transmitting antennas. The transmitting antennas may be distributed among multiple transmission points. The selection module may further be configured to select a codeword for each transmission point from a subset of predefined codewords based on the precoding information. The codeword for each transmission point may be used to manipulate data signals sent over the wireless paths established between the receiving antennas and the transmitting antennas of the respective transmission point.
US09020054B2	Apparatus and methods for symbol timing error detection, tracking and correction Systems and methods for adjusting timing in a communication system, such as an OFDM system are described. In one implementation an error signal is generated to adjust the timing of a variable rate interpolator so as to adjust FFT timing. The error signal may be based on detection of significant peaks in an estimate of the impulse response of the channel, with the peak locations being tracked over subsequent symbols and the system timing adjusted in response to changes in the peaks.
US09020044B2	Method and apparatus for writing video data in raster order and reading video data in macroblock order A method and apparatus are described for processing video data. In one embodiment, a processor is provided with a video compression engine (VCE) that has a memory having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of addresses. Video data, (luma data or chroma data), is written in row (i.e., raster) order into the addresses of the memory, and then the data is read out of the addresses in column order. Data is written into the addresses of the columns of the memory as they are read out, which is subsequently read out in row order. This process of switching back and forth between reading and writing data in row and column order continues as the data is read and processed by an encoder to generate a compressed video stream.
US09020027B2	Integrated circuit, communication unit and method for improved amplitude resolution of an RF-DAC An integrated circuit includes: a digitally-controlled power generation stage for converting an input signal to a radio frequency (RF) carrier, the digitally-controlled power generation stage including a plurality of selectable switching devices capable of adjusting an envelope of the RF carrier; and a pulse width modulator (PWM) generator arranged to generate a PWM control signal according to a fractional word and operably coupleable to the plurality of selectable switching devices of the digitally-controlled power generation stage; wherein the PWM generator inputs the PWM control signal to a subset of the plurality of the selectable switching devices such that a PWM signal adjusts the envelope of the RF carrier output from the digitally-controlled power generation stage.
US09020021B2	Precoding loss reduction An apparatus for encoding data signals includes a transmitter configured to encode and transmit a data signal over a communication channel, the transmitter including a precoder; a signal shaper configured to adjust the data signal by applying an equalization setting to the data signal, the equalization setting including an amplitude and offset and transmit the adjusted data signal to the precoder; and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to perform: receiving channel coefficients associated with the communication channel; for each of a plurality of amplitude settings and a plurality of offset settings, calculating whether a modulo amplitude level would occur at a receiver using a modulo operation; selecting the equalization setting from the plurality of amplitude settings and the plurality of offset settings based on the calculation; and transmitting a control signal specifying the equalization setting to the signal shaper.
US09020011B1	Enabling RX signal path synchronization and alignment signals in a highly integrated TX RFIC A transmit (TX) signal path circuit in a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transceiver responsive to a digital front end (DFE) for generating receive (RX) path phase alignment signals is disclosed. A digital up-conversion block uses a first numerically-controlled oscillator (NCO) for generating digital intermediate frequency (IF) signals for ordinary TX signal generation, and a different, second NCO for generating digital IF signals for RX phase alignment signal generation. An RF up-conversion block uses a TX local oscillator (LO) for generating analog RF signals for ordinary TX signal generation, and a different feedback (FB) LO for generating analog RF signals for RX phase alignment signal generation. Thus, phase alignment of the circuitry used for ordinary TX signal generation is left undisturbed by RX phase alignment signal generation.
US09020005B2	Multicolor photonic crystal laser array A multicolor photonic crystal laser array comprises pixels of monolithically grown gain sections each with a different emission center wavelength. As an example, two-dimensional surface-emitting photonic crystal lasers comprising broad gain-bandwidth III-nitride multiple quantum well axial heterostructures were fabricated using a novel top-down nanowire fabrication method. Single-mode lasing was obtained in the blue-violet spectral region with 60 nm of tuning (or 16% of the nominal center wavelength) that was determined purely by the photonic crystal geometry. This approach can be extended to cover the entire visible spectrum.
US09020004B2	External resonator-type semiconductor laser element and optical element A ring resonator is connected to an optical amplifier. The ring resonator and optical amplifier are contained within the optical path of an optical resonator formed by a first and second reflector. The optical coupler branches part of the light conducting from the optical amplifier to the ring resonator within the optical resonator off to an output optical waveguide.
US09020001B2	Tunable laser using III-V gain materials Disclosed herein are techniques, methods, structures and apparatus that provide a laser monolithically integrated in a silicon photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that is suitable for high-performance coherent fiber-optic telecommunications and other applications. Among the features of a laser according to the present disclosure, and in particular a hybrid InGaAsP/Si laser, is an integrated Si isolator to protect the laser from back reflections; optical, rather than electrical pumping; and coupling the optical pump using an InGaAsP grating coupler that acts simultaneously as a WDM coupler and laser mirror.
US09019988B2	Communication system and apparatus for providing supplementary service in femto cell When a femto cell base station used for a communication system provided with a function of providing a predetermined supplementary service receives first information indicating supplementary service control from a radio terminal, the femto cell base station converts the received information to a SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) message including the first information and transmits the SIP message to a higher apparatus in the communication system.
US09019977B2	Configuration management of distributed virtual switch A method, non-transitory storage medium, and apparatus are presented for configuration management of a distributed virtual switch including components distributed on different entities in a computing system is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a snapshot of a configuration of the distributed virtual switch is received from a management plane configured to manage the distributed virtual switch. The snapshot may include settings for the configuration at a time of taking the snapshot. A persistent storage location independent from the management plane is designated for storing the received snapshot of the configuration. After the snapshot is taken, the configuration may be retrieved from the persistent storage location and the settings of the configuration may be applied to the distributed virtual switch, a new distributed virtual switch, or an existing distributed virtual switch.
US09019974B2	Multiple access point name and IP service connectivity A mobile device may communicate through multiple access point names (APNs) through wireless local area network (WLAN) protocols. The APNs are data routes that may be accessible to a device through other non-WLAN networks (e.g. cellular), but can be accessed with a WLAN device through WLAN protocols. A sub network access protocol (SNAP) header may be modified and used for routing traffic.
US09019966B2	Method for formatting signal in mobile communication system A method for formatting a signal in a mobile communication system by appending a plurality of medium access control headers to a plurality of medium access control-service data units for data transfer between a mobile station and network in the mobile communication system. If the service data units have the same characteristics, a medium access control-protocol data unit is formed by successively coupling the service data units to any one of the medium access control headers. If the service data units have different characteristics, the protocol data unit is formed by sequentially coupling each of the service data units and each of the medium access control headers. The formed protocol data unit is then transformed into a transport block with a predetermined size. A medium access control sublayer formats medium access control-protocol data units according to transport channel characteristics in peer-to-peer communication in such a manner that the protocol data units can have different formats with respect to different transport channels. This makes it possible to provide more efficient functions.
US09019962B1	Tunneling from a provider edge routing device to a remote customer edge network device Selection of proper virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) tables is based on a logical interface that is not associated with a physical interface. The selected VRF table is used to perform an output interface lookup for outgoing packets. In one example, a router includes a plurality of network interfaces, and a processing unit configured to select a logical interface not associated with any of the plurality of network interfaces based on an association with a received packet of a virtual private network, select one of a plurality of VRF tables in which to perform an output interface lookup for the packet that corresponds to the selected logical interface, and determine one of the plurality of network interfaces from the one of the plurality of VRF tables based on a destination of the packet, wherein the determined one of the plurality of network interfaces is configured to forward the packet.
US09019958B2	Outbound communication session establishment on a telecommunications network Disclosed are techniques for establishing a communication session in a call server between communication devices. A call server receives a communication session establishment message from a communication device that has an associated VoIP telephone number. The message is indicative of the communication device wanting to place a call to a target communication device. The communication session establishment message includes the VoIP telephone number and a target communication device identifier. The call server establishes a first communication link with the device depending on the quality of a connection with an IP access point. The call server then establishes a second communication link with the target communication device. The call server may then join the first and second communication links to establish a communication session between the communication devices.
US09019957B2	Network telephony system The present invention includes a network telephone having a microphone coupled to provide voice data to a network, a speaker coupled to facilitate listening to voice data from the network, a dialing device coupled to facilitate routing of voice data upon the network, a first port configured to facilitate communication with a first network device, a second port configured to facilitate communication with a second network device and a prioritization circuit coupled to apply prioritization to voice data provided by the microphone.
US09019953B2	Network node, method, and mobile terminal for providing voice calls to a mobile terminal in a packet-switched-only network A network node, method, and mobile terminal for providing circuit-switched (CS) voice calls to a mobile terminal operating in a packet-switched (PS)-only network. A control node such as an EPC node in an SAE/LTE PS-only network is modified to mimic the messaging functionality of a Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN). The EPC node is connected to an MSC/VLR in a CS network through a Gs interface. The EPC node registers the terminal with the MSC/VLR and provides a VLR TMSI to the terminal. When the MSC/VLR receives an incoming CS voice call for the terminal, the MSC/VLR notifies the EPC node, which sends a paging message to the terminal. To set up the CS voice call, the terminal sends a paging response directly to the MSC/VLR.
US09019945B2	Service-assisted network access point selection Embodiments enable prioritization and selection of network access points (NAP) by a computing device using NAP attribute values. The computing device obtains the attribute values based on a location of the computing device and/or proximate NAPs detected by the computing device. The obtained attribute values are compared to a state of the computing device (e.g., sensor values), user preferences, or other criteria to select at least one of the NAPs for connection with the computing device. In some embodiments, a user of the computing device is presented with a list of Wi-Fi access points ranked according to relevance to the computing device and/or user.
US09019940B2	Method for using a base station to selectively utilize channels to support a plurality of communications A method for using a wireless digital base station to receive, process and transmit a plurality of communications having independent data rates establishing a first communication channel having a first data communication rate to support a first communication; determining the data rate required to support the first communication; selecting one or more transmission channels, from a plurality of available transmission channels, required to support said required data rate; and transmitting the first communication using one or more selected transmission channels. The plurality of available transmission channels includes at least one B or D channel.
US09019935B2	Radio network control In connection with a mobile wireless subnetwork having multiple radio network controllers and multiple radio nodes, a session established for an access terminal is associated with a serving radio network controller. The association is maintained as the access terminal moves from the coverage area of one radio node to the coverage area of another radio node within the same subnetwork. Access channel packets are routed from an access terminal having an existing session to the serving radio network controller by determining the IP address of the serving radio network controller using a session identifier.
US09019934B2	Systems and networks for half and full duplex wireless communication using multiple radios Provided herein is a wireless communication system comprising a first device and a second device. The first device comprises a first radio type and a second radio type. The second device comprises a first radio type and a second radio type. The first device is adaptable to form a communication link with the second device using the first radio or the second radio. The first device can be adaptable to transmit data to the second device through the first radio type or the second radio type. The second device can be adaptable to form a communication link with the first device through dynamic switching between the first radio type and second radio type of the second device. The second device can be adaptable to receive data from the first device through the first radio type or the second radio type. The second device can be adaptable to transmit data to the first device using the first radio type or the second radio type. The second device can be adaptable to be in communication with the first device through dynamic switching between the first radio type and the second radio type and the second device can be adaptable to transmit data to the first device through the first radio type or the second radio type. Further provided herein is a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of devices comprising at least two devices, wherein at least two devices of the plurality of device are adaptable to form a communication link using a radio type selected from a plurality of radio types, wherein the network is adaptable to dynamically select the radio type used to form the communication link. The network can monitor the quality of the communication link between the at least two devices and is further adaptable to dynamically switch between the plurality of radio types in response to the quality of the communication link.
US09019933B2	Method, and associated apparatus, for communicating data at reduced transmission latency in radio communication system having slotted interface Method and associated apparatus for communicating data at reduced transmission latency in a radio communication system having a slotted interface are described. An example network device includes an assignor to receive an indication of an amount of data to be communicated by a first communication station, and assign communication resources to convey all of the indicated data amount, the assigned communication resources comprising a plurality of time slots within one time frame and one radio carrier and a data scheduler to receive an indication of assigned communication resources, and to schedule communication of the data block in conformity with the assigned communication resources and in response to a communication station minimum tuning latency period, wherein the schedule of the communication of the data block provides for completion of the communication of the data block and acknowledgement of successful delivery of the data block within the one time frame.
US09019929B2	Distributed antenna system for MIMO technologies The invention is directed to a method and system for supporting MIMO technologies which can require the transport of multiple spatial streams on a traditional Distributed Antenna System (DAS). According to the invention, at one end of the DAS, each spatial stream is shifted in frequency to a pre-assigned band (such as a band at a frequency lower than the native frequency) that does not overlap the band assigned to other spatial streams (or the band of any other services being carried by the DAS). Each of the spatial streams can be combined and transmitted as a combined signal over a common coaxial cable. At the other “end” of the DAS, the different streams are shifted back to their original (overlapping) frequencies but retain their individual “identities” by being radiated through physically separate antenna elements.
US09019927B2	Optimization of the presence information refresh for a wireless device The various embodiments include methods implemented by a first mobile device for updating presence information for a second mobile device stored in memory of the first mobile device when the first mobile device determines that a calculated update quantification exceeds a particular threshold value. In an embodiment, the first mobile device may select one channel from a plurality of available communication channels in response to determining that the update quantification exceeds a threshold value. In a further embodiment, the first mobile device may update the presence information of the second mobile device via that selected channel.
US09019922B2	Base station, terminal, transmission method and reception method In the base station (100), a search space setting unit (103) sets a search space on the basis of a search space setting rule in accordance with R-PDCCH range of a setting target slot, and an allocating unit (108) places DCI in one of a plurality of candidates of to-be-decoded unit range included in the set search space. The search space setting rules are associated with respective numbers of candidates of to-be-decoded unit range corresponding to the respective ones of a plurality of numbers of connections for R-CCE, and a first search space setting rule of a slot 0 and a second search space setting rule of a slot 1 are different from each other in terms of the patterns related to the numbers of candidates of to-be-decoded unit range corresponding to the plurality of numbers of connections for R-CCE.
US09019920B2	Integrated circuit for communication resource allocation Provided is a base station capable of suppressing increase of overhead of allocation result report in frequency scheduling in multi-carrier communication and obtaining a sufficient frequency diversity effect. In the base station, encoding units (101-1 to 101-n) encode data (#1 to #n) to mobile stations (#1 to #n), modulation units (102-1 to 102-n) modulate the encoded data so as to generate a data symbol, a scheduler (103) performs frequency scheduling according to a CQI from each mobile station so as to uniformly allocate data to the respective mobile stations for a part of RB extracted from a plurality of RB, and an SCCH generation unit (105) generates control information (SCCH information) to report the allocation result in the scheduler (103) to the respective mobile stations.
US09019911B2	System and method for centralized station management A wireless network is adapted with a wireless network switch in communication with a plurality of access points, which are in communication with one or more stations. Specifically, a network device may receive a plurality of request messages on a plurality of wireless communication channels through a plurality of access points. The request messages are originated from a single station. Furthermore, the network can extract a plurality of channel identifiers from the request messages, and generates a filtered radio frequency neighborhood list dynamically based on the extracted channel identifiers.
US09019901B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving packet data unit in mobile communication system The present invention relates to a mobile communication system, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a PDU including an Extension Bit field and a Length Indicator field in a UE or a Node B. A method for transmitting a PDU generated with more than two SDUs and a header having information on each SDU in a transmitter of a mobile communication system is provided. The method includes generating, in the header, a Length Indicator (LI) indicating an end point of each of remaining SDUs except for the last SDU and an Extension Bit indicating the presence/absence of another LI after each LI, and generating the header so that the LI succeeds the Extension Bit associated therewith; generating the PDU with the generated header and the SDUs; and transmitting the PDU.
US09019899B2	Method and apparatus for synchronous communication of frames of digital information A method and apparatus for synchronous communication of frames of serial data is provided. A framing pattern and data payloads are communicated over a first communication path. A clock signal is communicated over a second communication path. The clock signal is synchronous to the data to allow easy data recovery at the receiver. The framing pattern is communicated between each data payload. The framing pattern has a length greater than the length of each data payload. The framing pattern includes one or more bits of a first logic level followed contiguously by one or more bits of a second logic level. Since the framing pattern is longer than each data payload, a data payload can never contain sufficient information to mimic a framing pattern. A transmitter and a receiver are provided that avoid the need for complex circuitry while readily identifying any communication path failures so as to prevent propagation of erroneous data.
US09019888B2	Method and system for communicating a plurality of packets in multicast broadcast service (MBS) communication network A method and system for communicating a plurality of packets in the MBS communication network is provided. The method includes determining if one or more packets in the plurality of packets received at one or more controllers are MBS packets. The method further includes encoding one or more MBS frames using one or more packets, if each packet in one or more packets is a MBS packet. Thereafter, one or more MBS frames are transmitted from each BTS to a plurality of Mobile Stations (MS) at a predetermined Take Off Time (TOT) based on a predetermined criterion.
US09019886B2	Unicast to multicast conversion A method for unicast packet conversion whereby a unicast packet is received at a receiving node followed by a determination as to whether the destination address is identified in the packet. If the address is identified, then the unicast packets are converted to a multicast packet and forwarded to a connected station. If a destination network address is not identified, then the packet is forwarded to the connected station.
US09019865B2	Advertising traffic engineering information with the border gateway protocol In general, techniques are described for distributing traffic engineering (TE) link information across network routing protocol domain boundaries using a routing protocol. In one example, a network device logically located within a first routing protocol domain includes a routing protocol module executing on a control unit to execute an exterior gateway routing protocol. The routing protocol module of the network device receives an exterior gateway routing protocol advertisement from a router logically located within a second routing protocol domain and decodes traffic engineering information for a traffic engineering link from the exterior gateway routing protocol advertisement. A path computation module of the network device computes a traffic engineered path by selecting the traffic engineering link for inclusion in the traffic engineered path based on the traffic engineering information.
US09019864B2	System and method of wireless enabled device configuration over an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) Described herein are embodiments of methods and systems for configuring a wireless-enabled device over an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) network. In accordance with one aspect, a method is provided comprising receiving, from a first device via a first network, information about one or more wireless access points accessible by the first device. The method further comprises receiving, from a second device via a second network, configuration information for the first device for configuring the first device to connect to a wireless network through one of the one or more wireless access points; and configuring the first device using the configuration information. In one aspect, configuring the first device includes sending at least a portion of the configuration information to the first device via the first network.
US09019859B2	Method for calibrating listen duration and listen interval and control module thereof A method for calibrating a listen duration and a listen interval and a control module thereof are provided. The method is suitable for being applied in a wireless device and monitoring beacons transmitted by a wireless access point (AP) within a wireless transmission range to calibrate the listen duration and the listen interval. The method includes: calculating an average beacon-receiving time and an RMS beacon-receiving time according to a beacon-receiving interval obtained within a first specific time frame when the listen duration and the listen interval are determined to be calibrated; setting the average beacon-receiving time and the RMS beacon-receiving time as an optimal listen interval and an optimal listen duration, respectively; monitoring beacons in X optimal listen durations according to the optimal listen interval and the optimal listen duration; if at least Y beacons are received, determining the calibration is successful, wherein X and Y are positive integers.
US09019855B2	Cable communication systems and methods employing TDMA/ATDMA QAM upstream channels below 20 MHz for increased upstream capacity to support voice and/or data services Cable communication systems and methods to provide voice and/or data services to subscriber premises via a cable plant that conveys upstream information over an upstream path bandwidth, and a cable modem system including one or more demodulation tuners to receive and demodulate one or more upstream radio frequency (RF) signals. An RF signal includes an encoded carrier wave having a carrier frequency of between 5 MHz and 19.6 MHz that is modulated using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) protocol or an Advanced Time Division Multiple Access (ATDMA) protocol and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) with voice and/or data information constituting at least some of the upstream information. A modulation order of the QAM for the first upstream RF signal is at least 32, and at least one demodulation tuner of the cable modem system is configured to receive and demodulate the first upstream RF signal.
US09019854B2	Method for setting and adjusting a parameter dependent on a round trip time An arrangement (17) is provided for setting and adjusting at least one parameter in a radio communication network (11), which is used in control of communication in the radio communication network and which is dependent on a round trip time for a signal travelling from a radio network controller (13) to a user equipment (16) and back to the radio network controller. The arrangement comprises a module (17a) for initially estimating a maximum value of the round trip time; a setting module (17b) for initially setting the parameter depending on the initially estimated maximum value of the round trip time; a module (17c) for measuring the round trip time; and a module (17d) for adjusting the parameter depending on the measured round trip time, wherein the measured round trip time is expected to be shorter than the initially estimated maximum value of the round trip time.
US09019852B2	Method and device for adjusting service processing resources of a multi-mode base station system A method and a device for adjusting service processing resources of a multi-mode base station system are provided, which relate to the wireless communication technology, so as to reduce the operation difficulty and the maintenance cost of the multi-mode base station system. The method includes: periodically acquiring traffic model data of each wireless access standard of the multi-mode base station system; determining service processing resources required by each wireless access standard according to the traffic model data; and adjusting service processing resources of each wireless access standard according to the determined service processing resources required by each wireless access standard. The device and method are mainly used in the multi-mode base station system.
US09019850B2	CSI reporting for multiple carriers with different system configurations Techniques to support periodic reporting of channel state information (CSI) for multiple component carriers (CCs) with different system configurations are disclosed. A user equipment (UE) is configured with multiple CCs for carrier aggregation. Each CC is associated with a particular system configuration, which indicates whether FDD or TDD is utilized and, if TDD is utilized, a particular uplink-downlink configuration for the CC. Each CC is associated with a set of subframes available to send CSI on that CC, which is determined based on the system configuration of the CC. The multiple CCs configured for the UE include at least two CCs associated with different system configurations and different sets of subframes available to send CSI. The UE sends CSI for a first CC on a second CC based on a set of subframes available to send CSI on the second CC.
US09019847B2	Method for transmitting effective channel status information in wireless communication system supporting multiple carriers A method and apparatus for transmitting effective channel status information (CSI) in a wireless communication system supporting multiple carriers are disclosed. The method for indicating CSI transmission in a wireless communication system supporting multiple carriers includes transmitting downlink control information (DCI) including a channel quality information (CQI) request field to a user equipment (UE) over a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and receiving CSI reporting of a single downlink carrier or multiple downlink carriers from the UE over a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) without receiving uplink data. If the CSI for the single downlink carrier is reported, the number (NPRB) of resource blocks (RBs) established for the CSI reporting is identical to or less than X (NPRB≦X), and if the CSI for the multiple downlink carriers is reported, NPRB is identical to or less than M (where M>X).
US09019845B2	Method and apparatus for codebook exchange in a multiple access wireless communication system Methods and apparatus are disclosed for generating and exchanging codebooks in a multiple access wireless communication system. The codebooks include a plurality of preferred precoding matrices.
US09019840B2	CFM for conflicting MAC address notification In one embodiment, an aggregation device is configured to aggregate traffic of a plurality of customer edge (CE) devices into a single bridge-domain. The aggregation device receives connectivity fault management (CFM) packets of a CFM protocol from the plurality of CE devices. Each received CFM packet includes a media access control (MAC) address of an access port of the CE device from which the CFM packet was transmitted. The aggregation device detects conflicting MAC addresses between access ports of CE devices by comparing MAC addresses of the received CFM packets. The aggregation device notifies one or more of the plurality of CE devices of the conflict.
US09019839B2	Device, system, and method of monitoring fax relay Device, system, and method of monitoring fax relay. An apparatus for measuring Quality of Service (QoS) of Fax over Internet Protocol (FoIP) calls includes: a FoIP packet monitoring module to monitor in real-time Internet Protocol (IP) network streams exchanged between a FoIP emitter device and a FoIP receiver device; a FoIP equipment evaluator to evaluate real-time performance of at least one of: the FoIP emitter device, and the FoIP receiver device; and a FoIP call QoS evaluator to evaluate in real time a FoIP call QoS quality of a FoIP communication between said FoIP emitter device and said FoIP receiver device.
US09019837B2	Packet modification to facilitate use of network tags A technique for accommodating network tagging technology includes receiving a packet that includes a network tag at a modifying node capable of modifying the packet in relation to the network tag; determining whether the packet is to be forwarded to a non-recognizing node in a network, the non-recognizing node not being capable of processing packets with network tags at a desired speed or at all; and in response to determining that the packet is to be forwarded to the non-recognizing node, modifying the packet to obtain a modified packet and sending the modified packet to the non-recognizing node, wherein the modified packet is capable of being processed by the non-recognizing node at the desired speed. After being processed by the non-recognizing node, the modified packet is received by a restoring node, where the cached information is used to restore the network tag of the packet.
US09019836B2	Downlink data transfer flow control during carrier aggregation Techniques are provided for controlling downlink data transfer during carrier aggregation. For example, a method may control a secondary component carrier downlink (DL) in a wireless communication network using carrier aggregation. The method may include detecting, by a mobile entity, an event indicating a resource constraint at the mobile entity related to a data transmission from a base station to the mobile entity on a secondary component carrier of a carrier aggregation enabled connection. The method may include, in response to detecting the event, controlling the data transmission by signaling a status of the secondary component carrier DL to the base station.
US09019830B2	Content-based routing of information content A system to route media information content may include a router that analyzes predetermined content of a plurality of data packets of the media information content and prioritizes forwarding the plurality of data packets from the router based on applying at least one rule to the predetermined content.
US09019817B2	Autonomic network management system The present invention relates to an autonomic network management system which includes: an active measurement unit that measures and analyzes a network state in an active measurement scheme; a passive measurement unit that measures and analyzes the network state in a passive measurement scheme; an autonomic management control unit that respectively receives the measured and analyzed results of the network from the active measurement unit and the passive measurement unit to determine the network state; and a transmission path control unit that receives a transmission path message from the autonomic management control unit to control a transmission path according to the transmission path message.
US09019816B2	Communication system, communication method, and communication apparatus Provided is a relay system having a first node and a second node, and a third node and a fourth node provided opposing thereto with connected by VLAN paths, in which the first node notifies, via a second VLAN path, the fourth node of the APS packet in which a state of a first group is stored. The third node notifies, via a third VLAN path, the second node of the APS packet in which a state of a second group is stored. The second node and the fourth node use a fourth VLAN path and exchange the state of the first group and the state of the second group, and, when the states of the first group and the second group are SF-W of a first VLAN path and the self apparatus is master, switch the first VLAN path to the second VLAN path or the third VLAN path.
US09019813B2	Active IP forwarding in an event driven virtual link aggregation (VLAG) system In one embodiment, a networking system includes a first networking switch positioned at a boundary between Layer-2 (L2) and Layer-3 (L3), the first networking switch including a first virtual router redundancy protocol (VRRP) module, a second networking switch connected to the first networking switch via an interswitch link (ISL), the second networking switch being positioned at the boundary between L2 and L3 and including a second VRRP module, and an access switch positioned in L2, the access switch being configured to be connected to the first and second networking switches in a virtual link aggregation (vLAG), the first VRRP module being configured to perform active internet protocol (IP) forwarding when the second networking switch is not performing active IP forwarding, and the second VRRP module being configured to perform active IP forwarding when the first networking switch is not performing active IP forwarding.
US09019809B2	Noise power estimation method A method for estimating noise power in a received signal that was transmitted using an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) modulation scheme in which pilot symbols are transmitted during OFDM symbol periods of the transmitted signal, the method comprising: interleaving a de-patterned pilot symbol that was transmitted in an OFDM symbol period of the transmitted signal with a de-patterned pilot symbol that was transmitted in a previous OFDM symbol period of the transmitted signal to generate an interleaved de-patterned pilot symbol; filtering the de-patterned interleaved pilot symbol to remove a signal component of the interleaved pilot symbol to leave a noise component of the interleaved de-patterned pilot symbol; and processing the noise component generated by the filtering to generate an estimate of the noise power in the interleaved de-patterned pilot symbol.
US09019804B1	Timing loop with large pull-in range Aspects of the disclosure provide a sync mark detector. The sync mark detector includes a first unit configured to decay over time a value indicating a length of a bit format, a second unit configured to compare the decayed value with a detected length of the bit format to determine a new length, and a third unit configured to detect a sync mark based on the detected length and the new length.
US09019803B1	Laminated plasmon generator with cavity process A plasmon generator (PG) is disclosed with a laminated structure of non-planar X and Y layers formed between a waveguide and write pole. Each X layer is made of a noble metal such as Au while each Y layer is a non-noble metal or dielectric material to improve durability. As a result, the PG has a peg portion at an air bearing surface with improved reliability compared with pegs made entirely of a noble metal. Non-planarity of X and Y layers improves diffusion of Y material between X grains thereby minimizing X grain growth to enhance thermal stability. The laminated PG is formed by a process sequence that involves forming and filling a cavity, and concludes with a chemical mechanical polish process to form a planar top PG surface that faces a write pole leading side.
US09019800B2	Sealing device for a minute-repeater A sealing device for a minute-repeater mechanism, comprising a striking work control bolt which can move in an aperture of a case between a rest position and a pulled-out position. The case includes a seat for receiving in sealed abutment, in the rest position of the bolt, a first sealing gasket mounted in a sealed manner on the bolt and moveable therewith, and which is at a distance from the seat when the bolt is in a pulled-out position for operating the striking work. The case includes a chamber, one wall of which comprises the aperture, which limits the travel of a second sliding sealing gasket in which the bolt slides in a sealed manner, and which is in sealed abutment on an inner surface of the chamber.
US09019797B2	Deghosting using measurement data from seismic sensors Measurement data is received from first and second seismic sensors, where the first and second seismic sensors are oriented in opposite directions. Each of the first and second seismic sensors has a sensing element responsive to pressure and particle motion. The signals can be combined to remove the particle motion component of the measurement data and obtain pressure-only data. Alternatively, the signals can be combined to deghost the received measurement data.
US09019796B2	Streamer spread with reduced drag A method and a marine front-end gear for connecting a set of streamers to a towing vessel. The front-end gear includes ropes for connecting a first sub-set of streamers to the vessel; lead-ins for connecting a second sub-set of streamers to the vessel; and a back loop cable electrically connected between tails of first and second adjacent streamers. The first streamer belongs to the first sub-set of streamers and the second streamer belongs to the second sub-set of streamers, and streamers of the first sub-set are interspersed with streamers of the second sub-set.
US09019789B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit having differential signal transmission structure and method for driving the same A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an input data line pair, a sense amplifier configured to sense and amplify data loaded in the input data line pair and transmit the amplified data to an output data line pair, in response to a control signal, and a sense amplification controller configured to sense an amplification level of the output data line pair, limit an activation period of a sense amplification enable signal, and output the limited signal as the control signal.
US09019785B2	Data shifting via a number of isolation devices The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods related to data shifting. An example apparatus comprises a first memory cell coupled to a first sense line of an array, a first isolation device located between the first memory cell and first sensing circuitry corresponding thereto, and a second isolation device located between the first memory cell and second sensing circuitry corresponding to a second sense line. The first and the second isolation devices are operated to shift data in the array without transferring the data via an input/output line of the array.
US09019773B2	Nonvolatile memory device and method of operating the same A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array and control logic. The memory cell array includes multiple memory blocks, each memory block including memory cells connected to word lines and bit lines. The control logic is configured to perform an erase operation in which an erase voltage is applied to a memory block of the multiple memory blocks to erase the memory cells of the memory block, and in which an erase verification voltage is applied a selected word line of the memory block to verify respective erase states of memory cells connected to the selected word line. The control logic is further configured to apply a read voltage to the selected word line to extract erase state information of the memory cells, and to control a level of the erase verification voltage based on the erase state information.
US09019772B1	IAS voltage generator for reference cell and bias voltage providing method therefor A bias voltage generator and generating method for a reference cell are provided. The bias voltage generator includes a data read detector, a cut-off signal generator and an output stage circuit. The data read detector generates a detection signal according to transition points of a sense amplifier enable signal and a sense amplifier latch signal. The cut-off signal generator delays the detection signal a delay time to generate a cut-off signal, wherein a start-up time of the cut-off signal is decided by the detection signal and the delay time. The output stage circuit starts or stops to provide a bias-voltage providing signal according to the cut-off signal.
US09019763B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device This nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a transistor string formed on a substrate and including a plurality of first transistors connected in series with each other. A first bit line is connected to a first end of the transistor string. A source line is connected to a second end of the transistor string. A memory string extends in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and comprises a plurality of nonvolatile memory transistors and a select transistor connected in series. Moreover, a part of the memory string is connected to a gate of the first transistor.
US09019757B2	Spin wave element A spin wave element includes a substrate, a multilayer, a detecting portion, and two or more input portions. The multilayer having a lamination direction thereof is formed on the substrate and includes a first ferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer has magnetization whose direction is in the lamination direction. The detecting portion and the input portions are formed on the multilayer and separated from each other by a first nonmagnetic layer. In addition, a portion of an outer edge of the multilayer viewed from the lamination direction makes a portion of one ellipsoid. The detecting portion and one of the input portions are located on the long axis of the one ellipsoid. The portion of the one ellipsoid is located on a side of one of the input portions.
US09019756B2	Architecture for device having cantilever electrode In one embodiment, a non-volatile memory bitcell includes a program electrode, an erase electrode, a cantilever electrode connected to a bi-stable cantilever positioned between the program electrode and the erase electrode, and switching means connected to the program electrode arranged to apply a voltage potential onto the program electrode, or to detect or to prevent the flow of current from the cantilever to the program electrode. The switching means may comprise a switch having a first node, a second node, and a control node, wherein voltage is applied to the control node to activate the switch to provide a connection between the first node and the second node. The switching means may comprise a pass-gate. The switching means may comprise an NMOS transistor. The switching means may comprise a PMOS transistor. The switching means may comprise a MEMS switch.
US09019748B2	Semiconductor memory device and operation method thereof This semiconductor memory device comprises: a memory cell array including plural bit lines, plural word lines intersecting the plurality of bit lines, and memory cells provided at intersections of the plural bit lines and the plural word lines; and a control unit operative to control a voltage applied to the bit line and the word line. The control unit, when performing a certain operation consecutively on a plurality of the memory cells, selects a first bit line selected from among the plural bit lines and a first word line selected from among the plural word lines to perform a first operation on a first memory cell. Then, in a subsequent second operation following this first operation, selects a second bit line different from the first bit line and a second word line different from the first word line to select a second memory cell.
US09019744B2	Barrier design for steering elements Steering elements suitable for memory device applications can have low leakage currents at low voltages to reduce sneak current paths for non selected devices, and high leakage currents at high voltages to minimize voltage drops during device switching. In some embodiments, the steering element can include a first electrode, a second electrode, and a graded dielectric layer sandwiched between the two electrodes. The graded dielectric layer can include a varied composition from the first electrode to the second electrode. Graded energy level at the top and/or at the bottom of the band gap, which can be a result of the graded dielectric layer composition, and/or the work function of the electrodes can be configured to suppress tunneling and thermionic current in an off-state of the steering element and/or to maximize a ratio of the tunneling and thermionic currents in an on-state and in an off-state of the steering element.
US09019732B2	High voltage DC/DC converter It is presented a high voltage DC/DC converter for converting between a first DC connection and a second DC connection. The high voltage DC/DC converter comprises: a first set of DC terminals; a second set of DC terminals); a multiphase transformer device comprising a plurality of primary windings and a corresponding plurality of secondary windings; a first converter arranged to convert DC to AC, comprising a plurality of phase legs serially connected between the first set of DC terminals, wherein each phase leg is connected to an AC connection of a respective primary winding; and a second converter arranged to convert AC from the secondary windings to DC on the second set of DC terminals.
US09019728B2	Power converter output voltage clamp and supply terminal A secondary control circuit includes a voltage regulator circuit to be coupled to an output of a power converter to provide a regulated power supply. One or more switched loads is coupled between a first terminal to be coupled to the output of the power converter and an output ground terminal. One or more comparator circuits is coupled to a second terminal coupled to receive an output sense signal. Each one of the one or more comparator circuits is coupled to receive a respective one of one or more reference signals. Each respective one of the one or more reference signals is a scaled representation of a first one of the one or more reference signals. Each one of the one or more switched loads is coupled to be switched in response to an output of a respective one of the one or more comparator circuits.
US09019719B2	Electrical devices module for an avionics bay A module in the form of a pallet or a closed container includes a grouping together of the electrical devices in an avionics bay, in which the electrical devices are interconnected and attached so as to facilitate the mounting and thus limit the time it takes to mount the electrical devices in the avionics bay.
US09019707B2	Server system A server system includes a rack, at least one server, a power supply, a network switch device and a power cable and. The rack has a front side and a rear side disposed oppositely. The rack defines an upper area, a middle area and a lower area. The middle area is disposed between the upper and the lower area. The servers are detachably disposed in the upper or the lower area. Each server having a power input port. The power supply is disposed in the middle area and adjacent to the front side. The network switch device is disposed in the middle area and stacked with the power supply. A gap is disposed between the network switch device and the power supply. The power cable penetrates through the gap to the front side. The power supply converts an external alternating current from the power cable to the server.
US09019697B2	Electronic device An electronic device includes a case, a board disposed inside the case and including a board main body section, a plurality of internal devices that are disposed inside the case at different positions to the board in plan view of the board and that are thicker than the board, a board extension portion that extends out from the board main body section between the plurality of internal devices, a board-side connection terminal that is provided to the board extension portion and is employed to connect to one of the internal devices or to an external device external to the case; and an internal device-side connection terminal that is provided to the internal device and is connected to the board-side connection terminal.
US09019692B2	Electronic apparatus Provided is an electronic apparatus equipped with a strap attaching member. The strap attaching member includes a first portion in which a fixing portion for the electronic apparatus, an upper surface, and first areas located at both sides of the upper surface are provided; a second portion in which a bottom surface and second areas located at both sides of the bottom surface are provided; and a joint portion that joins the first portion and the second portion together. The strap attaching member is formed by folding the joint portion so that the back of the upper surface and the bottom surface face each other and the first areas and the second areas lie on top of one another.
US09019691B1	Combined bezel and bumper In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, a device may include a base and a display. The base may include a base enclosure formed to include internal circuitry, and the display may include a display enclosure formed to include an electronic visual display panel. The display enclosure may be pivotally coupled to the base and configured for movement between open and closed positions. The display enclosure may include a bezel coupled to a periphery of the display enclosure so as to overlap at least a portion of the electronic visual display panel. The bezel may be configured to cover the periphery of the display enclosure with the overlapped portion of the electronic visual display panel interposed between the display enclosure and the bezel. The bezel may include at least one bumper feature including a malleable coating that contacts the base enclosure when the display enclosure is in the closed position.
US09019690B2	Conductive resin composition, multilayer ceramic capacitor having the same, and method of manufacturing the multilayer ceramic capacitor There is provided a conductive resin composition including 10 to 50 wt % of a gel type silicon rubber such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and 50 to 90 wt % of conductive metal powder particles.
US09019689B2	Power factor correction capacitors An apparatus includes a case capable of receiving a plurality of capacitive elements, each capacitor element having at least two capacitors, and each capacitor having a capacitive value. The apparatus also includes a cover assembly with a peripheral edge secured to the case. The cover assembly includes, for each of the plurality of capacitive elements, a cover terminal that extends upwardly from the cover assembly generally at a central region of the cover assembly. Each cover terminal is connected to one of the at least two capacitors of the respective one of the plurality of capacitive elements. The cover assembly also includes, for each of the plurality of capacitive elements, a cover terminal that extends upwardly from the cover assembly at a position spaced apart from the cover terminal generally at the central region of the cover assembly.
US09019687B2	Systems and methods for current density optimization in CMOS-integrated MEMS capacitive devices The present subject matter relates to the use of current splitting and routing techniques to distribute current uniformly among the various layers of a device to achieve a high Q-factor. Such current splitting can allow the use of relatively narrow interconnects and feeds while maintaining a high Q. Specifically, for example a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device can comprise a metal layer comprising a first portion and a second portion that is electrically separated from the first portion. A first terminus can be independently connected to each of the first portion and the second portion of the metal layer, wherein the first portion defines a first path between the metal layer and the first terminus, and the second portion defines a second path between the metal layer and the first terminus.
US09019686B2	Variable capacitor tuned using laser micromachining A variable capacitor device is disclosed in which the capacitive tuning ratio and quality factor are increased to very high levels, and in which the capacitance value of the device is tuned and held to a desired value with a high level of accuracy and precision using a laser micromachining tuning process on suitably designed and fabricated capacitor devices. The tuning of the variable capacitor devices can be performed open-loop or closed-loop, depending on the precision of the eventual capacitor value needed or desired. Furthermore, the tuning to a pre-determined value can be performed before the variable capacitor device is connected to a circuit, or alternatively, the tuning to a desired value can be performed after the variable capacitor device has been connected into a circuit.
US09019684B2	Electrostatic chuck and method for manufacturing electrostatic chuck An electrostatic chuck plate is connected to a base plate, which includes a cooling mechanism, by an adhesive layer. The electrostatic chuck plate includes a substrate setting surface on which a processed substrate is set, an electrostatic electrode capable of attracting the processed substrate, and a resistance heat generation body capable of heating the processed substrate. The electrostatic electrode and the resistance heat generation body are incorporated in the electrostatic chuck plate. An adjustment portion is arranged at a position according to a temperature distribution of the substrate setting surface in at least one of the upper surface of the base plate and a lower surface of the electrostatic chuck plate that faces the upper surface through the adhesive layer. The adjustment portion is filled with a resin having a heat conductivity according to the temperature distribution.
US09019672B2	Chip with electrostatic discharge protection function A chip with electrostatic discharge protection function includes two power rails, a pin, a P-type FinFET, an N-type FinFET, two Fin-resistors, two diodes and an ESD unit. The pin is electrically connected to one power rail sequentially through one Fin-resistor and the P-type FinFET and electrically connected to the other power rail sequentially through the other Fin-resistor and the N-type FinFET. The two FinFETs are configured to have the control terminals thereof for receiving a transmission signal. The pin is further electrically connected to the two power rails through the two diodes, respectively. The ESD unit, electrically connected between the first and second power rails, is configured to provide an ESD path between the first and second power rails.
US09019667B2	Protection device and related fabrication methods Protection device structures and related fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary protection device includes a first bipolar junction transistor, a second bipolar junction transistor, a first zener diode, and a second zener diode. The collectors of the first bipolar junction transistors are electrically coupled. A cathode of the first zener diode is coupled to the collector of the first bipolar transistor and an anode of the first zener diode is coupled to the base of the first bipolar transistor. A cathode of the second zener diode is coupled to the collector of the second bipolar transistor and an anode of the second zener diode is coupled to the base of the second bipolar transistor. In exemplary embodiments, the base and emitter of the first bipolar transistor are coupled at a first interface and the base and emitter of the second bipolar transistor are coupled at a second interface.
US09019665B2	Reader sensor, magnetic head, head gimbal assembly and disk drive unit with the same A reader sensor comprises a first shielding layer, a second shielding layer, a read element formed therebetween, and a pair of permanent magnet layer respectively placed on two sides of the read element; and it further comprises a magnetic field generating means formed beside the read element and arranged for providing a magnetic field with a direction perpendicular to the first shielding layer and the second shielding layer, thereby stabilizing the reading performance of the reader sensor. The invention can stabilize the reading performance, ameliorate the unstable defective reader sensor, and decrease the waste and the manufacturing cost. The present invention also discloses a magnetic head, a HGA and a disk drive unit.
US09019664B2	Magnetoresistive sensor with variable shield permeability Implementations disclosed herein allow a signal detected by a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor to be improved by providing for one or more regions of reduced anisotropy proximal to a sensor stack within a shielding structure.
US09019658B1	Magnetic head with magnetic field closure for media storage devices Systems and methods that serve to limit the generation of stray magnetic fields by moving domain walls of magnetic shields of a magnetic head that would otherwise be received and interpreted as noise at the read sensor of the magnetic head. The utilities disclose use of first and second magnetic “closure” layers (e.g., soft magnetic layers) disposed about but spaced (i.e., magnetically isolated) from the first and second magnetic shields of the read portion of a magnetic head by first and second respective “closure” gaps (e.g., provided by any appropriate non-magnetic, high magnetic permeability material(s)). The closure layers create a magnetic environment for the shield edges that more closely resembles the interior of the shield, thereby minimizing or at least reducing the number of unstable edge domains and limiting subsequent domain wall movement.
US09019652B1	Head position demodulating method and magnetic disk device According to one embodiment, a head position demodulating method and a magnetic disk device switch a demodulation window such that an amplitude of a fundamental wave component of a null-type burst pattern transitions from a decreasing direction to an increasing direction along with an increase in seek speed during demodulation of the null-type burst pattern recorded on a magnetic disk.
US09019647B2	Systems and methods for conditional positive feedback data decoding The present inventions are related to systems and methods for information data processing included selective decoder message determination. In one example, a data processing system is disclosed that includes a data decoder circuit operable to apply a conditional data decoding algorithm to a data set to yield a decoded output. The conditional decoding algorithm is operable to calculate node messages using an approach selected from a group consisting of: a first message determination mechanism, and a second message determination mechanism; where one of the first message determination mechanism and the second message determination mechanism is selected based upon a condition that includes a global iteration count applied to the data set.
US09019640B2	Read channel throughput management An implementation of a system disclosed herein provides a method of deferring decoding of a data sector received at a read channel of a storage device, in response to determining that a data sector cannot be decoded by a first decoder and storing the data sector for further processing by a second decoder.
US09019632B2	Negatively-refractive focusing and sensing apparatus, methods, and systems Apparatus, methods, and systems provide negatively-refractive focusing and sensing of electromagnetic energy. In some approaches the negatively-refractive focusing includes providing an interior focusing region with an axial magnification substantially greater than one. In some approaches the negatively-refractive focusing includes negatively-refractive focusing with a transformation medium, where the transformation medium may include an artificially-structured material such as a metamaterial.
US09019625B2	Lens advancing device, imaging device equipped with lens advancing device, and portable electronic device A lens advancing device of the present invention includes an advancing ring holding the lens unit; a holder supporting the advancing ring; an operation unit; and a came surface formed on one of the advancing ring and the holder, and an abutting part formed on the other of the advancing ring and the holder and is engageable with the cam surface. The lens unit is disposed along an optical axis by rotating the advancing ring and thereby changing the engaging position between the cam surface and the abutting part. The lens advancing device further includes a pressing part retaining the elastic body be abutment to make the elastic body exert the elastic force upon the advancing ring and press the abutting part against the came surface. This reduces changes of resistance in rotational operation of the advancing ring between photographing modes, which makes the user feel less uncomfortable.
US09019624B2	Lens driving apparatus Disclosed is a lens driving apparatus. The lens driving apparatus includes a base formed at a center thereof with a first opening; a housing coupled with the base and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening; a yoke installed on the base and including a horizontal plate having a third opening corresponding to the first opening and a vertical plate protruding upward from the horizontal plate; a bobbin movably installed in the yoke and coupled with a lens module; a coil fixedly disposed around the bobbin; a plurality of magnets provided at the vertical plate of the yoke to face the coil; and a spring installed on at least one of upper and lower portions of the yoke to return the bobbin, which has moved up due to interaction between the magnet and the coil, to its initial position.
US09019621B2	Objective optical system and observation apparatus provided with the same An objective optical system of an embodiment according to the present invention is formed in such a way that: the objective optical system includes an immovable lens group which is arranged nearest to the object side, which is immovable in focusing, and which has negative power, and first and second movable lens groups at least one of which moves along the optical axis in focusing; and an amount of variation in magnification per movement of the first movable lens group is different from an amount of variation in magnification per movement of the second movable lens group.
US09019617B2	Plastic lens A plastic lens includes a first surface and a second surface. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. At least one of the first surface and the second surface includes an optically effective portion and an outer portion. The outer portion surrounds the optically effective portion. The outer portion includes a rugged region and an abutting region. The rugged region has a plurality of protrusions thereon. The abutting region is disposed farther from a center of the plastic lens than the rugged region.
US09019614B2	Display device with image depth simulation An optical system is provided with a transparent element having a proximal surface on one side and a distal surface on an opposite side. A plurality of light-scattering structures is formed in the distal surface. A positionally-corresponding plurality of surface lenses is provided on the proximal surface. The light-scattering structures and the surface lenses may be arranged in a slightly angled or offset square array relative to a side surface of the transparent element. A rastering, collimated light source, directs a beam of light roughly in the plane of the transparent element towards individual light-scattering structures. The light-scattering structures scatter at least a portion of the light towards the corresponding surface lenses, which may collect and collimate the light towards a viewing location. The optical system may be incorporated into a head-mounted display (HMD).
US09019612B2	WSS using multiple technology switching elements A wavelength selective switch for selectively switching optical wavelength components of an optical signal uses both LCoS and MEMs switching technologies to improve device performance. Specific performance improvements may include more ports, better spectral performance and isolation, improved dynamic crosstalk, more flexible attenuation options, integrated channel monitoring and compressed switch heights.
US09019611B2	Optical module and electronic apparatus An optical module (colorimetry sensor) includes an interference filter, and a transparent substrate to which a first substrate of the interference filter is fixed, having a second thermal expansion coefficient which has a value different from a first thermal expansion coefficient. The interference filter is fixed to the transparent substrate through an adhesive layer made of gel-like resin, and the adhesive layer alleviates stress generated due to a difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between the interference filter and the transparent substrate.
US09019607B2	Multilayer optical films suitable for bi-level internal patterning A reflective film includes a first optical stack that provides a first reflective characteristic and a second optical stack that provides a second reflective characteristic. The optical stacks also have first and second absorptive characteristics that are suitable to absorptively heat the respective stacks upon exposure to light including a write wavelength while maintaining the structural integrity of the stacks. The absorptive heating can change the first and second reflective characteristics to third and fourth reflective characteristics, respectively. A blocking layer that at least partially blocks light of the write wavelength may also be provided between the optical stacks to permit absorptive heating of any selected one of the optical stacks. The reflective characteristics of the optical stacks can thus be independently modified in any desired patterns by appropriate delivery of light beams that include the write wavelength.
US09019604B2	Stereoscopic image viewing device A stereoscopic image viewing device to be attached for stereoscopic image viewing to eyeglasses, which includes: a pair of light shutters for right and left eyes; a driver circuit for the light shutters; a power source unit for driving the light shutters; a support for supporting the light shutters; and a first binding portion for removably binding the stereoscopic image viewing device to the eyeglasses, the first binding portion being integrally formed with the support. The power source unit and the driver circuit are connected to the support by a flexible connecting member without being fixed to the light shutters.
US09019600B2	Microscope system A microscope system includes a microscope body having a base portion forming a foundation, an arm portion extending substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the base portion, and a frame portion connecting ends of the base portion and the arm portion, having substantially a C shape in side view and holding an illumination optical system ejecting illumination light from a light source to a specimen. A light source unit is connected with the microscope body and radiates illumination light to the illumination optical system. A focusing unit supports a stage for placing the specimen and at least holding an objective lens focusing the specimen by collecting observation light from the specimen on the stage. The microscope body and the focusing unit do not contact each other in a state where an optical axis of the objective lens coincides with an optical axis of the illumination light.
US09019599B2	Localized surface plasmon resonance based super resolved total internal reflection fluorescence imaging apparatus, and detection module therefor A total internal reflection fluorescence imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a metal nanostructure layer, which includes a metal thin film and a nanostructure formed over the metal thin film; a light source unit, which provides incident light such that the incident light is totally reflected off the metal nanostructure layer and an evanescent wave localized in a horizontal direction is created between the metal nanostructure layer and a specimen arranged over the metal nanostructure layer; and a fluorescence image extracting unit, which extracts and images a fluorescence signal generated by the specimen due to the evanescent wave localized in a horizontal direction.
US09019598B2	Light stimulus apparatus and observing apparatus with light controlling unit A proposition is to reduce a waiting time during a light stimulus observation. In order to achieve the proposition, a light stimulus apparatus is characterized in that it includes a light path controlling unit that controls an irradiating position of light for stimulus on a specimen, and a controlling unit that generates a selected position signal of a selected position and an executive instruction signal for irradiation of the light for stimulus onto the specimen in conjunction with a confirm operation regarding the selected position performed by a pointing device on an image of the specimen displayed on a displaying unit, controls the light path controlling unit based on the selected position signal, and controls a light source which emits the light for stimulus based on the executive instruction signal.
US09019597B2	Device for short-distance projection at a reasonably large angle with zoom and focusing The invention proposes a short-distance front projection system, that is to say with a wide angle, occupying a small volume and offering a possibility of focusing as well a zoom function. It makes it possible to obtain images with a diagonal greater than 2 meters, the whole of the optical system being at least 50 cm from the plane of the image. This projector is constructed on the basis of three optical elements: an ocular, an afocal lens system and a final group forming an objective intended to form the intermediate image in front of the mirror.
US09019594B2	Control method and measuring method of semiconductor optical amplifier, and semiconductor optical amplifier device A control method of a semiconductor optical amplifier includes: controlling a driving current of the semiconductor optical amplifier in a region where a light output intensity decreases in accordance with increasing of the driving current, a drive current in the region being higher than a drive current in a region where a light output intensity increases in accordance with increasing of the driving current.
US09019592B2	System and method for emitting optical pulses in view of a variable external trigger signal Method and system for emitting optical pulses in view of a desired output energy of the optical pulses and a variable external trigger signal, using a laser system having a seed laser oscillator optically coupled to one or more cascaded optical amplification stages. For each amplification stage, a plurality of sets of pump pulse parameters are provided, each associated with specific values of the output energy and the trigger period. Proper pumping parameters associated with the received desired value of the output energy and the trigger period of the received trigger signal are selected for each amplification stage, which is pumped accordingly before a seed optical pulse is launched through the system.
US09019590B2	Spatial light modulator with integrated optical compensation structure A spatial light modulator comprises an integrated optical compensation structure, e.g., an optical compensation structure arranged between a substrate and a plurality of individually addressable light-modulating elements, or an optical compensation structure located on the opposite side of the light-modulating elements from the substrate. The individually addressable light-modulating elements are configured to modulate light transmitted through or reflected from the transparent substrate. Methods for making such spatial light modulators involve fabricating an optical compensation structure over a substrate and fabricating a plurality of individually addressable light-modulating elements over the optical compensation structure. The optical compensation structure may be a passive optical compensation structure. The optical compensation structure may include one or more of a supplemental frontlighting source, a diffuser, a black mask, a diffractive optical element, a color filter, an anti-reflective layer, a structure that scatters light, a microlens array, and a holographic film.
US09019586B2	Device for generating optical vortex A device for generating optical vortex of desired topological charge is disclosed. The device comprises a circular mirror having hole at its centre and a radial slit. The mirror comprises a piezoelectric actuator. The actuator comprises a hollow tube having inner diameter equal to the diameter of the hole of the mirror, a through cut extending along the length of the tube from an inner till an outer diameter, and an inner and outer electrode being formed on inner and outer wall of the tube respectively, wherein the length of the electrode increases continuously in the azimuth direction across said outer wall. The Actuator is coaxially joined to the mirror such that the slit formed between the inner and outer diameter of the tube overlaps with the radial slit. Shape of the mirror undergoes azimuthal expansion upon applying excitation voltage across electrodes forming single turn helix to generate optical vortex.
US09019578B2	Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus An image reading apparatus having a conveyed document reading function and a placed document reading function includes: a moving mechanism for moving an imaging unit; a hinge mechanism for swingably connecting a document cover to a document platen; a conveyance mechanism provided to the document cover for conveying a document upon operation of the conveyed document reading function; a driving force transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting a driving force generated from a driving source to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism; a first gear rotatable by receiving the driving force from the driving force transmission mechanism; and a second gear rotatable with being meshed with the first gear for transmitting the driving force to the moving mechanism or the conveyance mechanism, a rotating center line of which coincides with a swinging center line of the hinge mechanism.
US09019576B2	Scanning apparatus with patterned probe light A 3D scanner for recording the 3D topography of an object, the 3D scanner includes an illumination unit configured for providing probe light for illuminating the object, where the probe light includes a pattern of light rays; an image sensor for acquiring one or more 2D images of light rays returning from the illuminated object; an optical system including an optical element arranged such that the patterned probe light passes through it when propagating towards the object from the illumination unit along an optical path; and a device for changing the configuration of the optical system between a first and a second configuration, where the change in configuration comprises a change in orientation of the optical element between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the optical path of the probe light.
US09019575B2	Image reading apparatus and multifunction printing apparatus An embodiment of this invention is directed to reading an original at a high resolution with high quality by an image reading apparatus using a 3-line CCD and white LED. The image reading apparatus according to the embodiment includes a 3-line CCD, a white LED, and a light guide configured to guide light from the LED to an original. A surface of the light guide from which light emerges toward the original is formed into a concave shape. Light from the light guide almost uniformly irradiates the reading region of an image placed on a platen glass.
US09019573B2	Image forming apparatus, reading apparatus, and control method of reading In an image forming system including: an image forming section configured to form an image on a sheet; a reading section configured to read the image formed on the sheet by the image forming section; and a control section configured to control image forming by the image forming section and reading by the reading section, the control section determines characteristics on reading of the image formed on the sheet by the reading section depending on an intended use of the image to be read by the reading section.
US09019567B2	Methods and apparatuses for creating authenticatable printed articles and subsequently verifying them A printer with integral scanner obtains a digital signature from an article as it is printed. The integral scanner has a coherent source which directs a light beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement to collect data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points. The digital signature derived from the data points is stored in a database with an image of what was printed on the article. The authenticity of an article purported to be the originally printed article can be verified by scanning the purported genuine article to obtain its digital signature. The database is then searched, to establish whether there is a match. If a match is found, the image is displayed with the matched digital signature to allow a further visual check that the article is genuine.
US09019566B2	Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable storage medium containing image processing program An image processing apparatus of the present invention uses a spatial filter section or an enlarging/reducing section to perform a blur process on image processing data to be supplied to an image display device, thus allowing the image display device to display a preview without deterioration in image quality.
US09019560B2	Image forming method An image forming method which is capable of preventing occurrence of moire and forming images having sufficient color saturation and a sufficient gloss is provided. The color toner image is formed in accordance with a color image signal obtained through screen processing using a screen pattern having a screen line count of 50 to 270 lpi on manuscript image data, and the clear toner image is formed in accordance with a clear image signal obtained through contone processing on the manuscript image data. The clear image signal is controlled so that, according to the amount of the color toner per unit area of the stacked toner image obtained by the color toner image being superimposed with the clear toner image, the less the amount of the color toner, the more the amount of the clear toner becomes.
US09019559B2	Recording data generation apparatus, recording system, program, recording data generation method and image data display method Included are a display portion that displays image data; a selection portion that allows selection of a partial pixel from amongst the pixels of image data; a color range setting portion that allows setting a color range on the basis of a color of the partial pixel; a determination portion that determines whether or not an image pixel constituting falls within the color range; a determination practice portion that sequentially performs this determination until the pixel adjacent to a determination-completed pixel becomes a pixel not falling within the color range; a pixel designation portion that designates at least one pixel as falling within the color range; a color conversion portion that converts a color of each pixel designated by the pixel designation portion; and a recording data generation portion that generates recording data on the basis of image data resulting from the color conversion.
US09019558B2	Image processing system, image recommendation method, information processing apparatus, and storage medium An image processing system includes a first determination unit configured to determine a relationship between a user and another person established through utilization of a predetermined service, a second determination unit configured to determine a relationship between a first image, which is of the user and has been subjected to image correction processing, and a second image, which is of the another person, and a recommendation unit configured to, based on a determination result of the first determination unit and a determination result of the second determination unit, recommend image correction processing performed on the second image to the user.
US09019557B2	Color processing method and color processing apparatus A gloss characteristic measurement unit obtains measurement values regarding the gloss characteristic of a plurality of patches formed based on patch data in which the amount of clear color material is changed with respect to an output value from a color separation table for color materials. A color separation table generation unit selects one measurement value for each color or gray level indicated by the patch data, and generates, based on the selected measurement value and the color separation table for color materials, a color separation table in a case where the color materials and the clear color material are used.
US09019554B2	Display apparatus and method, image forming apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium A display apparatus includes a display and a display controller. The display displays an image formed by an image forming apparatus. The display controller controls the display to reduce size of at least part of an image serving as a to-be-formed image formed by the image forming apparatus and to display the size-reduced image, in accordance with content of post-processing performed on a recording medium on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus.
US09019537B2	Systems and methods for providing status monitor capability to printing devices Methods and systems are described for providing status monitor capability to a networked printer. The methods and systems, upon receipt of a print job, embed status monitor instructions in print data of the print job, send the print data from an information server to the printer while monitoring the status of the printer, and return status monitor information regarding the printer.
US09019535B1	Secure mobile printing from a third-party device In some embodiments, an interface is provided that allows a user to view, identify, select, and/or contact one or more remote printing locations (e.g., in proximity to the user). In some embodiments, documents queued for remote and/or mobile printing may be released and/or printed based on proximity of a user to the printing device, or based on a release command provided by the user via the Internet and/or SMS, and/or based on other print-release triggers and/or rules.
US09019532B2	Device messaging An apparatus includes a messaging client and a server. The messaging client is configured to receive, utilizing a first protocol, a first communication, extract a request from the first communication, and send, utilizing a second protocol, the request to the server. The server is configured to receive the request, return, utilizing the second protocol, a response to the messaging client; and forward a job instruction included in the request, The messaging client is also configured to send, utilizing the first protocol, a second communication that includes the response to a source of the first communication.
US09019530B2	Storage medium having printing program stored therein and printing apparatus A printing program can be executed by a processing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus including a recording head transfer section for reciprocating, in a main scanning direction, a recording head for discharging ink, and a recording medium transfer section for moving the recording medium in a sub-scanning direction. The program determines total movement distances of an image at angles relative to an original position according to a first movement distance by which the recording head would move in the main scanning direction from a start of movement of the recording head to an end of discharging the ink medium if printing were performed and a second movement distance by which the recording medium would move in the sub-scanning direction if printing were performed. The program causes the printing apparatus to print the image at the angular position of the image corresponding to the smallest total movement distance.
US09019519B2	Recording apparatus An ink jet printer is a multifunctional recording apparatus in which a scanner unit is coupled to a recording unit in a rotationally movable manner. The scanner unit includes a protrusion. A carriage, the protrusion, and a rotational movement shaft of the scanner unit are arranged in this order from the unit front side to the unit rear side in the unit depth direction.
US09019518B2	Image forming apparatus generating overwriting image data An image forming apparatus including: a conveyance path through which a recording material is conveyed to form an image on the recording material; a reading unit that reads a document conveyed to the conveyance path; and a control unit that controls an image forming unit to overwrite a document image with an image according to a result of the reading in which the document image on the document, which is conveyed to the conveyance path, is read by reading unit.
US09019515B2	Display input device having a program function, image forming apparatus having a program function, and display method for display input device having a program function Provided is a display input device including a display portion for displaying a screen for setting a function, a storage portion for storing a program to be invoked and used, and an input portion for receiving inputs of selection of the function and setting of a setting value of the selected function and inputs of registration of the program and invocation of the program, and the display portion performs such security protected display as to inhibit a predefined part of contents of the registered program from being displayed as registered.
US09019512B2	Apparatus and method for in situ testing of microscale and nanoscale samples According to example embodiments of the invention, a microscale testing stage comprises a frame having first and second opposing ends and first and second side beams, at least one deformable force sensor beam, a first longitudinal beam having a free end, a second longitudinal beam having a facing free end, a support structure, and a pair of slots disposed at each of the free ends. In certain embodiments, a layer of a conductive material defines first and second conductive paths and an open circuit that can be closed by the specimen across the gap. In other embodiments, the stage is formed of a high melting temperature material.
US09019509B2	Chip-scale star tracker A chip scale star tracker that captures plane-wave starlight propagating in free space with a wafer-thin angle-sensitive broadband filter-aperture, and directs the light into a waveguide structure for readout. Angular information about the star source is determined from characteristics of the starlight propagating in the waveguide. Certain examples include internal propagation-constant-based baffling to elimination stray light from extreme angles.
US09019505B2	Temperature control system including sub-chiller The temperature control system includes: a susceptor which allows an object to be processed to be held on a top surface thereof and includes a flow path, through which a temperature adjusting medium flows, formed therein; a temperature measuring unit which measures a temperature of the object to be processed held on the top surface of the susceptor; a first temperature adjusting unit which adjusts a temperature of the temperature adjusting medium flowing through the flow path; and a second temperature adjusting unit which is disposed between the susceptor and the first temperature adjusting unit, and adjusts a temperature of the temperature adjusting medium based on a result of the measurement of the temperature measuring unit.
US09019500B2	Heat lamp test for identification of oil spots A system for differentiating between oil spots and non-oil spots in a wrapped article comprising a web and a wrapped material. The system includes a heat source that applies heat to a wrapped article for a predetermined amount of time when the wrapped article is placed in a sample area on a surface that is arranged at a predetermined distance away from a heating element of the heat source; and a light source that provides backlighting to the web of the wrapped article when the web has been separated from the wrapped material and placed on a viewing surface of the light source. A method for differentiating between oil spots and non-oil spots in wrapped articles and a field test kit are also provided.
US09019499B2	Tunable light source system and method having wavelength reference capability Tunable light source systems and methods with wavelength reference capability are disclosed. A method includes reference filtering a portion of a tunable light beam while the tunable center wavelength λC is tuned over a range by adjusting a wavelength tuning parameter x. The method also includes detecting the reference-filtered tunable light beam and generating therefrom at least one detected light spectrum as a function of the tunable center wavelength λC. The method further includes determining a reference wavelength tuning parameter xCR corresponding to a reference tunable center wavelength λCR based on a maximum value of the at least one detected light spectrum.
US09019497B2	Measurement of linear and circular diattenuation in optical elements A system for measuring linear or circular diattenuation in an optical element includes a sample rotation stage for securing an optical element sample; a light source module for generating a source light beam and a detector module. The light source module and detector module are arranged with the sample rotation stage between them, thereby permitting the source light beam to propagate through a sample that may be secured in the sample stage and to the detector module. Linear motion control of the light source module and the detector module, as well as tilt control of the light source module, the sample rotation stage and the detector module is provided, thereby to facilitate detection, by the detector module of the modulated light intensity information corresponding to a diattenuation characteristic of the optical sample secured in the sample stage.
US09019488B2	Wheel toe and camber measurement system A method for measuring wheel alignment of a test wheel rotating about a z-axis using at least one camera and a processor includes obtaining a calibration point from a calibration image of a zero-offset wheel that is the same size as the test wheel and that rotates about the z-axis, obtaining at least one test image of the test wheel with the camera and a non-structured light source, and locating a measurement point in the test image. The measurement point coincides with a radius that the calibration point is offset from the z-axis and the angular displacement of the calibration point from the vertical diameter of the zero-offset wheel. The measurement point is further located based on a change of reflectivity between other points in the test image adjacent the measurement point.
US09019483B2	Method to extend single wavelength ellipsometer to obtain spectra of refractive index Methods are provided to use data obtained from a single wavelength ellipsometer to determine the refractive index of materials as a function of wavelength for thin conductive films. The methods may be used to calculate the refractive index spectrum as a function of wavelength for thin films of metals, and conductive materials such as conductive metal nitrides or conductive metal oxides.
US09019474B2	Optical unit, illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method An illumination optical apparatus has an optical unit. The optical unit has a light splitter to split an incident beam into two beams; a first spatial light modulator which can be arranged in an optical path of a first beam; a second spatial light modulator which can be arranged in an optical path of a second beam; and a light combiner which combines a beam having passed via the first spatial light modulator, with a beam having passed via the second spatial light modulator; each of the first spatial light modulator and the second spatial light modulator has a plurality of optical elements arranged two-dimensionally and controlled individually.
US09019471B2	Maskless exposure apparatus and stitching exposure method using the same Disclosed herein are a maskless exposure apparatus configured to perform exposure by tilting a beam spot array with respect to a scan direction (Y-axis direction) thus preventing stitching stripes and a stitching method using the same. A step distance, in which exposure dose uniformity in a stitching area is within a tolerance range, is calculated using actual position data of beam spots constituting the beam spot array on an exposure plane, and if necessary, using beam power data and/or beam size data. As exposure is performed based on image data conforming to the step distance, the stitching area has a uniform exposure dose, enabling exposure without stitching stripes.
US09019464B2	Liquid crystal display device and method for repairing the same A liquid crystal display device including a cut portion at a position not overlapping the gate electrode such the pixel electrode is floating and does not receive a voltage from the source electrode via the active layer and the drain electrode; a second insulating layer above the first insulating layer; a plurality of common electrodes on the second insulating layer; and a welded portion at a region where a corresponding common electrode overlaps the drain electrode. Further, the drain electrode and the pixel electrode are electrically connected to each other via a connection pattern formed in a contact hole such that the welded portion floats the pixel electrode.
US09019451B2	Liquid-crystal display device A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a birefringent layer that satisfies the relationship nx>ny≧nz and may be considered a first-class birefringent layer, a birefringent layer that satisfies the relationship nx
US09019439B2	Liquid crystal display device According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a first gate line and a second gate line, a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode electrically connected to the first gate line, a source electrode which contacts the semiconductor layer and which is electrically connected to a first source line, and a drain electrode including a first electrode portion which contacts the semiconductor layer, a second electrode portion which is connected to the first gate line side of the first electrode portion, and a third electrode portion which is connected to the second gate line side of the first electrode portion, a second substrate including a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US09019430B2	Image pickup apparatus having tripod base An image pickup apparatus which is capable of protecting a flexible wiring plate during assembly of the image pickup apparatus, thus improving the ease of assembly and realizing cost reduction due to a decrease in the number of components. A cover member has an opening exposing an image display surface of the display which has a folded flexible wiring plate and covers the rear side of the image pickup apparatus main body. A tripod base member is disposed on a bottom and has an abutting portion and a guide portion. A folded portion of the flexible wiring plate comes into abutment with the abutting portion and covered with the tripod base member. The guide portion guides a leading end portion of the cover member on mounted on the image pickup apparatus main body, and hence the leading end portion of the cover member does not contact with the folded portion.
US09019423B2	Apparatus and method of controlling drive of camera module The present invention discloses a drive control apparatus of a camera module and a method of controlling camera module drive. The drive control apparatus of the camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a lens module movable along an optical axis; a first and a second stoppers defining maximum moving section of the lens module; and a controller for determining an available moving section by applying a first determined correction value to the maximum moving section so as to make the lens module to move between locations spaced from the first and second stoppers with a predetermined distance. According to the present invention, it is advantageously possible to reduce the electric current consumption when performing auto-focusing function.
US09019409B2	Image sensing device and method for operating the same An image sensing device includes, inter alia, a ramp signal generation unit generating a ramp signal that decreases during first and second periods for finding data values corresponding to a pixel signal and an offset value, respectively. The image sensing device also includes a comparison unit compares the pixel signal with the ramp signal during the first period, and compares the ramp signal with an internally generated offset value during the second period. A first counting unit is configured to perform a counting operation during the first period, and a second counting unit configured to latch a count value of the first counting unit as a data value in response to the result of the first comparison operation during the first period, perform a down-count operation from the latched data value in response to the result of the second comparison operation during the second period, and latch a counting result.
US09019403B2	Lens barrel A lens barrel includes a lens retaining member retaining a lens group and having a retaining-side cam follower, a moving member being movable in an optical axis direction with respect to the lens retaining member and having a moving-side cam follower, a rotary barrel having a retaining-side cam groove and a moving-side cam groove and being configured to rotate, thereby giving the lens retaining member and the moving member moving force; an elastic member giving the lens retaining member and the moving member relatively pushing force in the optical axis direction, and a rotating load restraining mechanism retaining rotating load of the rotary barrel generated by the pushing force. The rotating load restraining mechanism includes the moving-side cam groove provided such that the angle made by the part on which the moving-side cam follower abuts and the plane orthogonal to the optical axis becomes small, in a sharply inclined area.
US09019387B2	Imaging device and method of obtaining image An imaging device including an image sensor, includes an image obtaining control unit that obtains plural continuous images of an object taken by the image sensor; a size determining unit that determines an image size of reduced images based on photographing information of at least one of the images, and generates reduced images from the images obtained by the image obtaining control unit based on the determined image size; a motion vector detection unit that detects a motion vector of the reduced images; and an image synthesis unit that synthesizes the images obtained by the image obtaining control unit based on the motion vector detected by the motion vector detection unit to obtain a synthesized image.
US09019385B2	Information processing apparatus, control method, recording medium, and image sensing system An object is to efficiently set an image processing parameter for a connected image sensing apparatus. In this specification, the image processing parameter for a developed image is set while displaying the developed image received from the image sensing apparatus. The set image processing parameter is transmitted to the image sensing apparatus and also held in a storage region. Upon detecting that the communication connection with the image sensing apparatus was disconnected and then reconnected, the information processing apparatus transmits the image processing parameter held in the storage region to the image sensing apparatus.
US09019384B2	Information processing apparatus and control method thereof An information processing apparatus obtains image data included in an image file stored in a storage medium of the digital camera and the updated time of the image file stored in the storage medium of the digital camera, and reads out the shooting time of the image data included in the header of the image file stored in the storage medium of the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus displays a first view that displays the image data in an order based on the obtained updated time, and a second view that displays the image data included in the image file stored in the storage medium of the information processing apparatus in an order based on the read out shooting time.
US09019378B2	Imaging apparatus including a lens barrel holding an optical element An imaging apparatus includes: a lens barrel which holds at least one optical element; an image sensor which converts an image of a photographic subject obtained by the optical element into an electrical signal; a circuit board on which the image sensor is mounted; and a fixing wall body which is a different body from the lens barrel, and where the lens barrel is mounted to an end part of the fixing wall body on a photographic subject side, and the circuit board is mounted to an end part of the fixing wall body on a side opposite to the photographic subject side by a bond structure by an adhesive agent.
US09019372B2	Remote controlled studio camera system A system for remotely controlling a camera is disclosed. The system includes five major subsystems; a first subsystem collocated with the camera; a second subsystem which serves as a gateway between the camera and the third subsystem; a third subsystem to remotely monitor the studio and control the camera; a fourth subsystem located at the destination of the video stream; and a fifth subsystem to receive and re-transmit a video control stream. This system allows the camera to be monitored and controlled by one location, while the primary video stream is transmitted to a different location. In some embodiments, the control video stream is a lower bandwidth signal than the primary video stream. Furthermore, the fifth subsystem is capable of receiving and re-transmitting control video streams from a plurality of cameras simultaneously. The second subsystem allows remote access to the first subsystem, based on approved credentials.
US09019370B2	ATM including enhanced privacy features A method for minimizing glare and/or increasing privacy for a user of a self-service device is provided. The method may include mechanical means such as a fixed visor and/or hood or a user operated hinged glare reducing overlay screen. The method may further include as using sensors that detect the user's eyes and other sensors to detect a source of light that produces glare. Information from these sensors may be sent to a computer controlled system that operates system of actuators. The actuators are operated by the computer in response to sensor inputs to adjust the screen angle relative the user to minimize glare for that user and/or increase privacy from surreptitiously observing eyes or cameras.
US09019355B2	Display apparatus and driving method of the same A display apparatus and a method of driving the same for performing local dimming that is suitable for displaying a three-dimensional (3D) image. The display apparatus receives a video signal containing a left-eye image and a right-eye image, processes the video signal, displays a three-dimensional (3D) image on the basis of the processed video signal, emits light to a display unit by local dimming, and controls the light source unit to be driven based on dimming information about at least one of the left-eye image and the right-eye image.
US09019353B2	2D/3D switchable image display apparatus and method of displaying 2D and 3D images In a two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) switchable image display apparatus and a method of displaying 2D and 3D images, the 2D/3D switchable image display apparatus may comprise: a data driver which outputs column data of an input image; a scan driver which controls a driving method of a plurality of odd scan lines and a plurality of even scan lines according to an input method and a display mode of the input image; a display panel which displays a 2D image or a 3D image by separately displaying the input image in odd lines and even lines; and a parallax device which generates binocular parallax between an image displayed in the odd lines and an image displayed in the even lines.
US09019331B2	Optical scanner and image forming device provided with the optical scanner An optical scanner includes a housing, a polygon mirror accommodated within the housing and configured to reflect light of a light source, a lens accommodated within the housing and arranged on an optical path of the light reflected by the polygon mirror, and a cover member. The cover member is mounted to the housing and is provided with an opening formed so as to expose at least a portion of the lens. The opening is closed by a seal member which is attached to a portion of the lens exposed from the opening and an outer wall surface of the cover member existing around the opening.
US09019329B2	Systems for dampening fluid removal, vapor control and recovery for ink-based digital printing A system for dampening fluid recovery in an ink-based digital printing system includes a seal manifold having a front seal portion, the front seal portion having an upper wall facing the imaging surface, the upper wall being configured to define an air flow channel with the imaging surface, the upper wall being contoured to form a distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at an evaporation location that is less than distance between the upper wall and the imaging surface at locations interposing the evaporation location and a vacuum inlet channel of the seal manifold.
US09019316B2	Identifying a point of interest from different stations A method for locating a point of interest in a plurality of images is provided where the plurality of images capture different views of a scene. At least portions of each of the views are displayed in separate windows on a display monitor. The method includes identifying the point of interest in a first view of the scene and identifying pixels of image data that correspond to the selected point on the display monitor. A line in each of the views is determined that extends along a ray that passes through the point of interest in the scene to pixels of an image sensor corresponding to the pixels of image data in the first view of the scene. The line is displayed in each of the views in which the line is visible.
US09019311B2	Method for displaying a two-sided two-dimensional object on a display in a motor vehicle and display device for a motor vehicle In a method for displaying information in a motor vehicle, at least one two-dimensional object is displayed graphically in a first representation which shows one side of the object, and in a second representation which shows the other side of the object, with the aid of a display mounted in the motor vehicle, different information being shown on the respective sides of the two-dimensional graphical object, and the graphical object extending substantially over the entire size of the display in at least one direction in the first and/or second representation. The representation of the graphical object is altered as a function of a control signal such that the graphical object rotates from one side to the other side in a perspective representation on the display, the two-dimensional graphical object always being fully displayed, at least perspectively, during the rotation. A corresponding display device for a motor vehicle is provided for performing the method.
US09019310B2	Methods and apparatus for applying complex continuous gradients to images Methods and apparatus for specifying complex continuous gradients. A field blur tool may provide a user interface through which users may apply instances of a field blur pattern. The field blur tool allows the user to place one, two, or more pins over the image and to specify the blur amount (blur radius) at each field blur pin. A blur algorithm distributes the blur values for the one or more instances of the field blur pattern over the entire image, applying the blur according to the locations of the pin(s) and blur parameters at the pin(s). If the input indicates the location and the value for the blur radius of each of two or more instances of the field blur pattern, the two or more instances of the field blur pattern are combined in a blur mask by multiplying normalized radius fields of each of the instances.
US09019309B2	Adaptive image manipulation Shadows, reflections, and other image effects for use with high-resolution display screens may be quickly and efficiently generated to maximize resources available for other applications and programs. These effects may be quickly and efficiently created by identifying a region surrounding an image, distorting the image in the region, applying a uniform blur and/or other effect to the distorted image, and then undoing the distortion. By selectively applying effects to distorted images, it is possible to create the appearance of a non-uniformly applied blur and other effects without using the computing resources required to actually calculate and apply a non-uniform blur on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Systems, methods, and media are provided.
US09019308B2	Display apparatus and computer-readable medium In a display apparatus, a processor performs an information storing process of storing the displayed information to be correlated with the locus of the handwriting recognized by the recognition process in the memory, when it is determined by the handwriting position determining process that the locus of the handwriting position is superposed on the information which is displayed on the display unit, and an information output process of reading and outputting the information, which is stored in the memory to be correlated with the handwritten locus recognized by the recognition process by the information storing process, when it is determined by the handwriting position determining process that the locus of the handwriting position is not superposed on the information which is displayed on the display unit.
US09019296B1	Customized color selection for a design project A customized design service enables a user to customize color selection for a design project. The service receives multiple inputs from the user for a set of preselected topics (e.g., color, style and mood) associated with the design project. Based on the user inputs, the service develops a user compatibility profile for the project. The service selects a palette of potential colors for the design project responsive to the user's compatibility profile using a regression-based analysis of the compatibility profile and an expert color palette. The service derives a user's signature color palette for the design project based on the palette of potential colors. The service further offers products to the user that are compatible with the user's compatibility profile and the signature color palette.
US09019292B2	Reordering graph execution for processing optimization Methods are provided for reordering operations in execution of an effect graph by graphics processing unit. Memory availability is evaluated for storing images rendered using the effect graph. Memory is allocated for multiple parallel intermediate textures that store images. Operations that write to these textures are executed. It is then determined that there is not sufficient memory to perform additional parallel operations. The memory currently allocated is flushed, and memory for an upper-level texture is allocated. The operations that write pixels to the upper-level texture are executed.
US09019287B2	Client-server visualization system with hybrid data processing The invention comprises a system of client-server visualization with hybrid data processing, having a server digital data processor, that allows for server side rendering and processing image data, and client digital data processors simultaneously connected to the server, which receives messages from the clients, creates rendered images of data sets or other data processing results and sends those rendered images and results to the clients for display or further processing. Performing certain image rendering operations on either the server or the client according to which is better suited for the tasks requested by the user at any point in time, and possibly adjusting this division of work dynamically, improves rendering speed and application responsiveness on the clients.
US09019279B1	Systems and method for navigating between a nadir view and an oblique view of a map System and method for rendering a sequence of orthographic approximation images corresponding to camera poses to generate an animation moving between an initial view and a final view of a target area are provided. An initial image corresponding to an initial camera pose directed at the target area is identified. A final image and an associated depthmap corresponding to a final camera pose directed at the target area is further identified. A plurality of intermediate images corresponding to a plurality of camera poses directed at the target area is produced by performing interpolation on the initial image, the final image, and the associated depthmap. Each intermediate image is associated with a point along a navigational path between the initial camera pose and the final camera pose. An animation of the plurality of intermediate images produces a transition of views between the initial camera pose and the final camera pose.
US09019269B1	Interactive rendering of building information model data A system, apparatus and method for interactively rendering building information modeling data.
US09019268B1	Modification of a three-dimensional (3D) object data model based on a comparison of images and statistical information System and methods for rendering three-dimensional (3D) object data models based on a comparison of images. A 3D object data model of an object can be characterized by parameters defining rendering features of the 3D object data model. A comparison can be made of a first rendering of the 3D object data model to one or more reference images related to the object and, based on the comparison, the parameters of the 3D object data model can be modified. Following the modification, the 3D object data model can be rendered to generate a second rendering. Based on the second rendered 3D object data model, statistical information can be obtained and based on the statistical information, the parameters of the 3D object data model can be modified again to further adjust the appearance of the second rendering of the 3D object data model.
US09019265B2	Storage medium having stored therein display control program, display control apparatus, display control system, and display control method A parallax with which a virtual world is stereoscopically displayed is set, and in accordance with the parallax, a level of blurring with which the virtual world is stereoscopically displayed is set. Then, a stereoscopic image in which the virtual world is stereoscopically displayed is generated on the basis of the parallax by blurring at least part of the virtual world in accordance with the level of blurring.
US09019253B2	Methods and systems for adjusting color gamut in response to ambient conditions Systems and methods for adjusting a color space of a display. In one embodiment, the method for adjusting the color space of the display may include receiving image data to be rendered on the display and receiving an indication of an amount of ambient light impinging on the display. The method may then include rendering the image data in a first color space when the amount of ambient light is less than a threshold. Alternatively, the method may include rendering the image data in an expanded color space when the amount of ambient light is not less than the threshold. As such, the expanded color space may compensate for one or more color shifts in the image data caused by the ambient light.
US09019250B2	Display panel, including a light blocking member and apertures disposed in a non-display area A display panel includes a display area including a plurality of pixels, and a peripheral area defining a non-display area. The display area includes a first light blocking member including a plurality of first openings, and the peripheral area includes a second light blocking member including a plurality of second openings.
US09019249B2	Display panel driving device and driving method thereof for saving electrical energy A display panel driving device and a driving method thereof are provided. The display panel driving device includes a host and a driving chip, in which the driving chip includes a store unit and a driving module. The host switches sources of image data received by the driving module according to content of the image data, so as to determine whether the driving module receives the image data from the store unit or not.
US09019243B2	Optical coordinate input device An optical coordinate input device is disclosed. The optical coordinate input device includes a frame, a first touch detection area, a second touch detection area, a first detection module, a second detection module, and a processing module. The second touch detection area overlap the first touch detection area. The first detection module is disposed on the frame and adjacent to the second touch detection area for detecting the first touch detection area to generate a first touch coordinate signal. The second detection module is disposed on the frame and adjacent to the first touch detection area for detecting the second touch detection area to generate a second touch coordinate signal, wherein the first and second detection module are disposed on different surface of the frame. The processing is used for executing a coordinate calculation procedure base on the first and the second touch coordinate signal.
US09019240B2	Optical touch device with pixilated light-turning features This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a touch screens configured to determine a position of a touch event by selectively redirecting light to correlated locations on a light sensor. In one aspect, the touch screen apparatus can include a light guide forming a touch interface, a light source for injecting light into the light guide, a light sensor for detecting the injected light, and a pixilated light-turning layer. The pixilated light-turning layer can include a plurality of light-turning features forming pixels. The pixels can receive incident light corresponding to the emitted light scattered by an object contacting the light guide. The pixels can redirect the incident scattered light towards the light sensor such that light selectively propagates to one or more correlated light receiving locations. A processor can map the light receiving location to an area contacted by the object, thereby determining a position of a touch event.
US09019235B2	Method of driving touch display and touch display capable of increasing signal-to-noise ratio A method of driving touch display includes a switching circuit driving each block of N blocks of a touch panel to display a corresponding image according to a driving signal generated by a liquid crystal driving unit during a first predetermined time within each horizontal synchronization signal period corresponding to the block between two vertical synchronization signals of the touch panel; the switching circuit executing touch scanning on M blocks of the N blocks only corresponding to the block according to touch scanning signals generated by a touch control unit during a second predetermined time within the horizontal synchronization signal period; and the touch control unit receiving and processing a touch scanning result corresponding to each block of the M blocks through the switching circuit during a third predetermined time within the horizontal synchronization signal period, where N and M are integers, and M is smaller than N.
US09019232B2	Touch screen panel A touch screen panel includes a substrate having first and second surfaces opposite to each other, a plurality of first sensing electrodes formed on the first surface of the substrate and connected in a first direction, a plurality of second sensing electrodes arranged between the first sensing electrodes and connected in a second direction intersecting the first direction, first connecting patterns connecting the first sensing electrodes in the first direction, a plurality of third sensing electrodes formed on the second surface of the substrate and overlapping the first sensing electrodes, a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes arranged between the third sensing electrodes and overlapping the second sensing electrodes, and second connecting patterns connecting the fourth sensing electrodes in the second direction. The sensing electrodes of the first surface and the sensing electrodes of the second surface overlap each other and are electrically connected to each other through vertical connecting units.
US09019231B2	Display device with touch detection function and electronic unit A display device with a touch detection function includes a display function layer, a plurality of touch detection electrodes arranged side by side to extend in a first direction, and a plurality of drive electrodes arranged side by side to extend in a second direction, electrostatic capacitance being formed at intersections of the touch detection electrodes and the drive electrodes. The plurality of drive electrodes extends to a first position or a second position outside of the first position, the first position being away from a center of an outermost touch detection electrode by a half length of an arrangement pitch of the touch detection electrodes, the outermost touch detection electrode being defined as outermost one of touch detection electrodes included in an effective display region of the display function layer, and an outer edge of the effective display region is located on or inside the first position.
US09019230B2	Capacitive touchscreen system with reduced power consumption using modal focused scanning Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a capacitive touchscreen system that is capable of sensing finger touches made on a capacitive touchscreen according to various scanning modes that reduce power consumption of the capacitive touchscreen system. The disclosed power saving scanning modes are modally focused, and can be used not only to reduce system power consumption, but also to enhance the user experience with the capacitive touchscreen system.
US09019224B2	Low-latency touch sensitive device Disclosed are a sensor and method that provide detection of touch events from human fingers on a two-dimensional manifold with the capability for multiple simultaneous touch events to be detected and distinguished from each other. In accordance with an embodiment, the touch events are detected, processed and supplied to downstream computational processes with very low latency, i.e. on the order of one millisecond or less. Disclosed is a projected capacitive method that has been enhanced for high update rate and low latency measurements of touch events. The technique can use parallel hardware and higher frequency waveforms to gain the above advantages. Also disclosed are methods to make the measurements sensitive and robust, allow the technique to be used on transparent display surfaces and permit economical manufacturing of products which employ the technique.
US09019223B2	Touch input layout configuration Touch input layout creation is described. In one or more implementations, a number of touch inputs is determined that were detected through proximity to a touchscreen device. A user interface is configured to have a number of cells based on the determined number of touch inputs, the cells configured to have a size along a first axis based at least in part on an available area along the first axis within the user interface to display the cells and a size along a second axis based at least in part on a location of one of more of the touch inputs.
US09019221B2	Display device integrated with touch screen panel In a display device integrated with a touch screen panel, light scattering patterns corresponding to regions between dummy patterns are formed in partial regions of first electrodes in order to prevent the first electrodes of the touch screen panel, formed on one surface of the top substrate of the display device, from being visible due to a difference in degrees of scattering light by external light between the first electrodes and the plurality of dummy patterns formed between the first electrodes.
US09019219B2	Touch screen panel Touch screen panels are provided. The touch screen panel may include a first hybrid electrode including first electrode cells arranged on a substrate in a first direction and first connection electrodes connecting the first electrode cells to each other in the first direction, and a second hybrid electrode spaced apart from the first hybrid electrode on the substrate. The second hybrid electrode may include second electrode cells arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction and second connection electrodes connecting the second electrode cells to each other in the second direction. The second electrode cells are disposed between the first connection electrodes. The first hybrid electrode may include a first lower transparent layer and a first metal layer which are sequentially stacked, and the second hybrid electrode may include a second lower transparent layer and a second metal layer which are sequentially stacked.
US09019201B2	Evolving universal gesture sets In a gesture-based system, gestures may control aspects of a computing environment or application, where the gestures may be derived from a user's position or movement in a physical space. Gesture recognition data, used to recognize gestures from captured data representative of a user's input gestures, may be evolved based on captured data from a plurality of users. A common set or default set of gesture recognition data may be evolved by selecting a plurality of users for tracking. Captured data of the plurality of users may be processed to identify input gesture data for the plurality of users, and the gesture recognition data may be evolved based on features of the input gesture data that is common to multiple users. The evolved gesture recognition data may be implemented not only for the users tracked, but for users not tracked. An identifier may identify when the evolved gesture recognition data applies and implement the evolved gesture recognition data when the identifier is present.
US09019200B2	Method for driving an electro-wetting display panel and electro-wetting display apparatus for performing the same A method of driving an electro-wetting display panel including a pixel part is provided. In the method, data voltages are applied to the electro-wetting display panel during a first time of a frame. The frame has the first time and a second time. The first time has a plurality of horizontal periods. The data voltages are generated based on reference gamma voltages. At least one of reference gamma voltages of one of the horizontal periods is different from another of the reference gamma voltages of another of the horizontal periods. A reset voltage is applied to the electro-wetting display panel during the second time of the frame.
US09019198B2	Driving method of passive display panel and display apparatus A driving method of a passive displayed panel and a display apparatus are provided. The passive display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged into an array. The driving method includes following steps. Whether to display a first color frame or a second color frame on the passive display panel is determined according to a display frame. Whether to display a first color at each row or each column of the pixels of the passive display panel is determined according to the display frame. Whether to display a second color at each row or each column of the pixels of the passive display panel is determined according to the display frame. The first color or the second color is displayed column by column or row by row on the passive display panel at those portions of the display frame that do not display the first color or the second color.
US09019196B2	Liquid crystal display device In a liquid crystal display device, a second substrate has detection electrodes of a touch panel, each of pixels has a pixel electrode and a counter electrode divided into a plurality of blocks. The counter electrodes of the respective blocks are commonly provided for the respective pixels of plural continuous display lines, the counter electrodes of the respective blocks double scanning electrodes of the touch panel, and a driver circuit that applies a counter voltage and a touch panel scanning voltage to the counter electrodes of the respective blocks is provided. The driver circuit sequentially applies the touch panel scanning voltage to the counter electrodes of the respective blocks in plural times, while a drive pulse for displaying an image on a liquid crystal display panel is not varied, and drive frequencies of the respective touch panel scanning voltages are different from each other.
US09019195B2	Apparatus and method for driving backlight using scanning backlight scheme, liquid crystal display device and its driving method using scanning backlight scheme A backlight driving apparatus and method, and an LCD device using the same and a driving method thereof are discussed. The backlight driving apparatus includes a backlight unit, a backlight driver, and a backlight controller. The backlight unit includes a plurality of light sources irradiating light on a liquid crystal display panel which displays an image according to a response of liquid crystal. The backlight driver sequentially turns on the light sources in units of a frame, according to a backlight dimming signal having a duty-on period and a duty-off period. The backlight controller generates the backlight dimming signal having a frequency equal to or higher than a frequency of a frame sync signal for the liquid crystal display panel by analyzing the image, according to external duty-on information.
US09019188B2	Display device for varying different scan ratios for displaying moving and still images and a driving method thereof A display device including a display panel displaying a still image and a moving image and a signal controller controlling signals to drive the display panel, wherein the signal controller includes a frame memory storing image data of the still image and providing the image data to the display panel, and the display panel is driven with a first scan ratio when displaying the moving image and is driven with a second scan ratio that is lower than the first scan ratio when displaying the still image.
US09019178B2	Pixel unit driving circuit, pixel unit and display device A pixel unit driving circuit, a pixel unit and a display device, wherein said pixel unit driving circuit of the pixel unit comprises a switching unit (201) having a first terminal connected to a high-voltage signal terminal (Vdd), a second terminal connected to a light-emitting device (OLED), a third terminal connected to a first control line (CN1), and a fourth terminal connected to a second control line (CN2); a driving transistor (T1) having a drain connected to the switching unit (201), and a source connected to a low-voltage signal terminal (Vss); and a capacitance storage unit (202) having a first terminal connected to the gate of the driving transistor (T1), a second terminal connected to the source of the driving transistor (T1), and a third terminal connected to the second control line (CN2). Amount and on-off of the driving current Ioled and data current Idata can be controlled via the switching unit (201) to make the current scaling ratio Idata/Ioled change inversely as Ioled changes, thus guaranteeing the data current Idata can quickly charge the first capacitor regardless of amount of the driving current Ioled.
US09019173B2	Method for generating manoeuvre graphics in a navigation device A technique for controlling a navigation device to generate a navigation maneuver graphics for a road junction maneuver is proposed. A device embodiment of this technique comprises a routing module adapted to provide routing information pertaining to a scheduled route, with the scheduled route comprising the road junction. Furthermore, an interface to a map database is provided, with the map database containing road data pertaining to the upcoming road junction. A processor of the navigation device analyzes the road data to determine one or more junction geometry parameters of the road junction and to compose, based on the junction geometry parameters and from a plurality of pre-defined graphical junction elements, junction graphics data representative of the road junction. The processor is further adapted to generate, from the routing information and the junction geometry parameters, maneuver indication graphics data representative of the junction maneuver. A display module may then render navigation maneuver graphics based on the junction graphics data and the maneuver indication graphics data.
US09019164B2	Low sidelobe reflector antenna with shield A front feed reflector antenna with a dish reflector has a wave guide is coupled to a proximal end of the dish reflector, projecting into the dish reflector along a longitudinal axis. A dielectric block may be coupled to a distal end of the waveguide and a sub-reflector coupled to a distal end of the dielectric block. A shield is coupled to the periphery of the dish reflector. A subtended angle between the longitudinal axis and a line between the focal point and a distal periphery of the shield is 50 degrees or less.
US09019163B2	Small antenna apparatus operable in multiple bands including low-band frequency and high-band frequency with ultra wide bandwidth A radiator includes a looped radiation conductor, a capacitor, an inductor, and a feed point on a radiation conductor. In a portion where the radiation conductor and a ground conductor are close to each other, a distance between the radiation conductor and the ground conductor gradually increases as a distance from the feed point along the looped radiation conductor increases. When the radiator is excited at a low-band resonance frequency, a current flows along a first path extending along an inner perimeter of the looped radiation conductor and including the inductor and the capacitor. When the radiator is excited at a high-band resonance frequency, a second current flows through a second path including a section extending along an outer perimeter of the looped radiation conductor, and the section including the capacitor but not including the inductor, and the section extending between the feed point and the inductor.
US09019153B1	Calibration of large phased arrays using fourier gauge Methods and apparatus for a calibration system including a support structure movable over an array, a super-element secured to the support structure to obtain information at selected locations in relation to the array, and a processor to compute a sum of voltages for determining a level of calibration for the array.
US09019150B2	System and method for sensing distance and/or movement A method (e.g., a method for measuring a separation distance to a target object) includes transmitting an electromagnetic first transmitted signal from a transmitting antenna toward a target object that is a separated from the transmitting antenna by a separation distance. The first transmitted signal includes a first transmit pattern representative of a first sequence of digital bits. The method also includes receiving a first echo of the first transmitted signal that is reflected off the target object, converting the first echo into a first digitized echo signal, and comparing a first receive pattern representative of a second sequence of digital bits to the first digitized echo signal to determine a time of flight of the first transmitted signal and the echo.
US09019146B1	Aviation display depiction of weather threats A method for indicating a weather threat to an aircraft is provided. The method includes inferring a weather threat to an aircraft and causing an image to be displayed on an aviation display in response to a determination by aircraft processing electronics that the inferred weather threat to the aircraft is greater than a measured weather threat to the aircraft.
US09019135B2	Efficient string hash computation A method for efficiently computing a hash value for a string is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving an original string comprising multiple characters. The method computes an original hash value for the original string. The method produces an updated string by performing at least one of the following updates on the original string: adding leading/trailing characters to the original string; removing leading/trailing characters from the original string, and modifying characters of the original string while preserving the length of the original string. The method then computes an updated hash value for the updated string by performing at least one operation on the original hash value, wherein the at least one operation takes into account the updates that were made to the original string. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09019132B2	Information processing apparatus and input-mode adjustment method An information processing apparatus, an input-mode adjustment method, and an input-mode adjustment program capable of allowing a user to input intended information are provided. The information processing apparatus determines whether the number of repetitions of deletion operation on information, such as a character string, is greater than a predetermined deletion operation threshold. When the number of deletion operations is greater than the deletion operation threshold, the information processing apparatus determines that a current input mode is not desired by a user, and changes the input mode.
US09019123B2	Health check services for web-based collaboration environments System and method for monitoring the health of modules in a web-based collaboration environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a system having one or more host servers configured to receive client requests, process the client requests to determine one or more data items, select one or more modules having the one or more data items stored thereon, and responsively transfer one or more queries requesting availability of the one or more modules. The system also includes one or more health monitoring servers configured to receive the one or more queries, identify the availability of the one or more modules, and send one or more responses to the one or more queries indicating the availability of the one or more modules. The one or more health monitoring servers are configured to periodically determine the availability status of the one or more modules.
US09019122B2	Information retrieval for boundary reading processing Information in a data store may be efficiently accessed to perform boundary reading processing. In one example, register readings of one or more register channels that are linked to one or more interval channels may be retrieved from the data store to determine whether or not a boundary reading of a time span is missing. If a boundary reading is missing, but a proximate register reading exists, the boundary reading may be estimated from the proximate register reading and at least one interval reading.
US09019119B2	Surface acoustic wave transponder package for down-hole applications A method and apparatus for packaging surface acoustic wave transponders for use in down-hole or other extreme environmental applications is provided. An exemplary ID tag transponder may include a surface acoustic wave (SAW) piezoelectric device, wire bonds, antennae structure, an antenna reflector, a radome, and a base constructed of a conductive, non-magnetic metal or metal alloy adapted to withstand an extreme environment encountered in down-hole applications. The metallic base may have a notched lip or flange about its periphery that is adapted for pressure fitting into the milled cylindrical orifice located on the exterior surface of a tool asset. In some embodiments, an exemplary SAW piezoelectric device may be attached directly onto an antenna substrate and wire bonded directly to an antenna. An RF reflector is created inside an exemplary transponder tag device. A small amount of predetermined gas is held on top of the SAW piezoelectric device within the reflector cavity to accommodate acoustic wave propagation therein. Exemplary components of a transponder tag are enclosed and hermetically sealed within and between a radome top portion and the metallic base bottom portion.
US09019118B2	Automated well control method and apparatus A drilling control system monitors and compares drilling and completion operation sensor values and autonomously acts in response to conditions such as a kick or surge. Sensors in various combinations may monitor return fluid flow rate, fluid inflow rate, wellhead bore pressure, temperature of returning fluid, torque, rate of penetration and string weight change. The control system has corresponding control logic to monitor, warn and act based on the sensor inputs. The actions may include the warning of support personnel, closing an annular blowout preventer, shearing drill pipe using a ram shear, pumping heavier fluid down choke and kill lines, disconnecting the riser or various other actions.
US09019112B2	Systems and methods for optimizing low battery indication in alarms A method and apparatus for utilizing a timing component to optimize low battery indication in alarm devices. The method and apparatus may set a timing component based on a condition detected by a alarm device. Upon detection of a low battery condition within the alarm device, the alarm device can delay low battery indication, using the timing component, until a time of day with a higher probably of user suitability.
US09019111B1	Smart-home hazard detector providing sensor-based device positioning guidance A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time.
US09019108B2	Thermal measurement system for fault detection within a power generation system A system includes a radiation sensor configured to direct a field of view toward a conduit within a heat recovery steam generator, and to output a signal indicative of a temperature of the conduit. The system also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the radiation sensor. The controller is configured to determine the temperature based on the signal, and to compare the temperature to a threshold value.
US09019104B2	System for relative positioning of access points in a real time locating system A system is described for relative positioning of tags in a real time locating system. The system may include a memory and a processor in communication with the memory. The memory may store layout information for a work area which includes architectural and infrastructure attributes. The processor may determine a number of access points to position in the work area. The processor may determine a placement of a tag in the work area based on readings gathered by the access points. The processor may further determine a level of accuracy for a location of the tag within the work area. The processor may provide a graphical representation of the positioning of the access points in the work area, as well as an indication of the accuracy of the tag within the work area.
US09019103B2	Charger loss prevention adaptor A reminder system for a portable-device charger is designed for determining when it is likely that the charger is about to be left behind. Detection which may be in real time can pertain, depending on the embodiment, to disconnection of a portable device from the charger, and/or movement of a portable device out of wireless range of the charger or a charger adaptor. In some versions, the onset of reminding is, upon detecting disconnection, tentatively postponed until a predetermined criterion is met, such as expiry of a predetermined time period. Or the criterion can be detection of an out-of-range condition based on distance between the portable device and an adaptor or charger. In some embodiments detection and reminder issuance are incorporated in a unit, such as a plug-in wall adaptor or the charger itself.
US09019097B2	Medication service apparatus, medication box, and apparatus and method for assisting medication An apparatus and method for assisting medication are disclosed. The apparatus includes a medication box and a medication service device. The medication box includes a plurality of containers each storing a paper bag of medication, and discharges a paper bag of medication from a corresponding one of the containers using a rotational force of an electric motor, and detects whether the stored paper bag of medication is present or is discharged. The medication service device includes a situation detector detecting a status of a user based on user identification and signal strength included in a radio frequency signal, and a status of the medication box, a situation recognizer recognizing a medication situation, and a service executor generating a service for medication. The user who has to regularly take a paper bag of medication for a long time can be assisted to take an accurate dose of medication on time.
US09019096B2	Rapid deployable global sensing hazard alert system A rapid deployable global sensing hazard alert system and associated methods of operation are provided. An exemplary system includes a central command, a wireless backhaul network, and a remote monitoring unit. The remote monitoring unit can include a positioning system configured to determine a position of the remote monitoring unit based on one or more signals received from one or more satellites located in Low Earth Orbit. The wireless backhaul network can provide bidirectional communication capability independent of cellular telecommunication networks and the Internet. An exemplary method includes instructing at least one of a plurality of remote monitoring units to provide an alert based at least in part on a location of a hazard and a plurality of positions respectively associated with the plurality of remote monitoring units.
US09019094B2	Method for checking tire pressure in real time A method is provided for real-time monitoring of tire pressure, wherein the pressure value determined by use of a pressure sensor in the tire is transmitted by an electronic wheel device, without the use of a trigger transmitter fixed on the vehicle, by radio, in short transmission intervals, to a monitoring device installed in the vehicle, only if, at least when the vehicle is not moving, the value is outside a prespecified normal range. When the vehicle is not moving, the electronic wheel device transmits a signal suitable for a system monitoring function, at certain time intervals and, using the same time frame or a whole-number fraction or multiple thereof, carries out a measurement of the tire pressure. The signal has a short transmission duration on the order of 25 μs to 500 μs.
US09019083B2	Programmable multimedia control system having a tactile remote control In one embodiment, a remote control device is configured to receive a portable control device into a recess, such that the portable control device is mechanically and electrically coupled to the remote control device. The portable control device communicates with a programmable multimedia controller, by way of a bi-directional wireless communication path, and with a dedicated wireless receiver, providing a redundant communication path. The remote control device includes surface enhanced buttons that allow a user to make selections by the sense of touch for changing settings of components associated with the programmable multimedia controller.
US09019078B2	Surgical object tracking system A method and apparatus for identifying and tracking surgical objects is disclosed. More specifically, a method and apparatus for identifying and tracking surgical objects such as needles, scalpels, blades, sponges and instruments in a medical industry using an identifier encoded on a fluorescent paint attached to the surgical object combined with detectors and software capable of retrieving the identifying information on the identifier.
US09019073B2	System and method for user authentication in in-home display A system for authenticating a user of an in-home display (IHD) and an authentication method are provided. A user of an IHD is authenticated by using a mobile terminal including an authentication application. The authentication system receive authentication request data from the mobile terminal and allows the IHD to display a message in relation to user confirmation, and when certain requirements are met, the authentication system performs user authentication to permit a user to use the IHD.
US09019069B2	Configuration of security devices using spatially-encoded optical machine-readable indicia A method and system for configuring security devices on a security network. A mobile computing device reads spatially-encoded optical machine-readable indicia, decodes the indicia, and extracts encoded configuration information for the security devices. The configuration information from the indicia is then transmitted to a monitoring station, which uses the configuration information to configure communication with the security devices on the security network.
US09019067B2	Electronic lock with power failure control circuit An electronic lock with power failure control circuit includes a lock mechanism having a latchbolt movable between extended and a retracted positions and an electrically powered lock actuator to lock and unlock the latchbolt. The power failure control circuit includes a microcontroller and the lock is connected to a primary power source and an auxiliary power source, preferably supercapacitors and charger that can be turned on by the microcontroller and off when the charger signals a full charge. A power monitor circuit detects low voltage on the primary power supply and sets a power failure interrupt causing the microcontroller to execute power failure instructions that control the actuator so that the lock is placed into a desired locked or unlocked final state during the power failure. upon detection of the return of good power, the system resets the lock.
US09019066B2	Terminal A terminal, such as an automated teller machine, comprises: a customer identification device; a sensor for detecting presence of a customer at the terminal; and a controller coupled to the customer identification device and the sensor. The controller is programmed to (i) track the customer's location, (ii) create a session on identification of a customer, and (iii) close the created session when a customer absence criterion is fulfilled. The functions of the customer identification device and the sensor may be performed by a single unit. The customer absence criterion may comprise a time period during which the customer is not detected at the terminal.
US09019062B2	Inductive device with improved core properties An inductive component has a winding and a core that includes a plurality of core areas that contain different magnetic materials.
US09019059B2	Multi-turn high density coil and fabrication method A multi-turn electrical coil and fabrication method uses a plurality of identically constructed flat electrical conductors, alternating ones of which carry an electrically insulating material layer on one major surface. The bare conductors and the insulated conductors are alternatingly stacked about mounting posts in partially overlapped and partially laterally offset pairs of conductors, with each conductor in each conductor pair reoriented relative to the other conductor in the respective conductive pair, and alternating conductor pairs reoriented relative to adjacent conductor pairs, to form a spiral winding turn for the coil.
US09019047B2	Waveguide E-plane filter structure with controllable size The present invention relates to a waveguide E-plane filter component (1) comprising a first and second main part (2: 4) with a corresponding first and second waveguide section part (3, 5). The main parts (2, 4) are arranged to be mounted to each other, such that an open side (8) of the first waveguide section part (3) is arranged to face an open side (9) of the second waveguide section part (5). The E-plane filter component (1) further comprises at least one electrically conducting foil (10, 11) that is arranged to be placed between the main part (2, 4), Said foil (10, 11) have a longitudinal extension (L) and comprises a filter part (12) that is arranged to run between the waveguide section parts (3, 5), and is divided into a first filter part (13) and a second filter part (14) by an imaginary symmetry line (15) running along the longitudinal extension (L) in the middle of the filter part (12). The filter part (12) comprises at least a first aperture (16a) and a second aperture (16b), where the major part of the first aperture (16a) is positioned in the first filter part (13) and the major part of the second aperture (16b) is positioned in the second filter part (14). All parts of the apertures are separated along the longitudinal extension (L).
US09019045B2	Filter circuit having improved filter characteristic A ladder-type-like filter circuit is specified with improved filter behavior. Inductive elements that interconnect parallel resonators with ground are electromagnetically coupled to one another.
US09019042B2	High-frequency swinging choke A high-frequency swinging choke has at least two rod cores arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction. The rod cores each have at least one winding. The windings are connected in series.
US09019032B2	EBG structure, semiconductor device, and printed circuit board An EBG structure according to an embodiment includes an electrode unit made of a first conductor and provided with a space, a patch unit provided approximately parallel to the electrode unit and made of a second conductor, an insulating layer provided between the electrode unit and the patch unit, a first via provided between the patch unit and the electrode unit in the insulating layer and connected to the patch unit and the electrode unit, and a second via provided between the patch unit and the space in the insulating layer, connected to the patch unit, and not connected to the electrode unit.
US09019031B2	Method for the phase modulation of a carrier signal transmitted from a transmitter to a contactless transponder, and device for implementing same A method for phase modulation of a carrier signal from a transmitter to a contactless transponder in which data is coded as consecutive symbols, each corresponding to a predefined number of carrier cycles, and in which a symbol time is at least two cycles of the carrier signal includes, at the transmitter, spreading a phase jump of a symbol in relation to a preceding symbol over a first part of the symbol time. The establishment of the phase jump is completed in the first part of the symbol time. The periods of the cycles are constant during a second part of the symbol time.
US09019025B2	Oscillator An oscillator configured to oscillate an electromagnetic wave, including: a negative resistance device; a microstrip resonator configured to determine an oscillation frequency of an electromagnetic wave excited by the negative resistance device; a resistance device and a capacitance device, which form a low-impedance circuit configured to suppress parasitic oscillation; and a strip conductor configured to connect the capacitance device of the low-impedance circuit and the microstrip resonator to each other, in which an inductance L of the strip conductor and a capacitance C of the microstrip resonator produce a resonance frequency of ½π√LC, and ¼ of an equivalent wavelength of the resonance frequency is larger than a distance between the negative resistance device and the resistance device of the low-impedance circuit via the strip conductor, is provided.
US09019014B2	Programmable multi-gain current amplifier The programmable multi-gain current amplifier circuitry includes a pair of MOS transistors setting the voltage at X terminal to zero using negative feedback formed by a third MOS transistor. Input resistance is in the range of few tens of ohms. The input current ix, which is forced by the constant currents of the circuitry, is conveyed to the output port Z by source-coupling a complementary output pair of MOS transistors. Since this coupled pair is biased with a constant tail current, the drain current changes are equal but with opposite sign, regardless of their matching resulting in negative type CA with unity gain (iz=ix). Programmability is achieved utilizing the output stages. When a second differential pair is connected in parallel, it provides two additional current outputs. With the two differential pairs being biased with different tail currents (IT1 and IT2), the outputs are programmed by adjusting these tail currents.
US09019004B2	System and method for distributed regulation of charge pumps A system for providing a load current at a specific voltage to a circuit block of an integrated circuit (IC) includes a plurality of charge pumps and a control circuit to generate a control signal for each of the charge pumps. The control signal causes each of the charge pumps to be enabled, partially enabled, or disabled, and controls at least one of the charge pumps independently of the other charge pumps.
US09018993B1	Self-feedback random generator and method thereof A self-feedback random generator comprises a digital-to-analog converter, a digital oscillator, a frequency-modulating unit and a first D-type flip-flop. The digital-to-analog converter receives a digital random-code signal and the digital random-code signal is converted to corresponding analog random signal. The frequency-modulating unit modulates frequency of first digital oscillating signal so as to increase random of frequency of first digital oscillating signal according to voltage value of the analog random signal, and accordingly outputs a second digital oscillating signal. The first D-type flip-flop receives the second digital oscillating signal and a clock signal, and reads the second digital oscillating signal through utilizing the clock signal so as to outputs the digital random-code signal, wherein frequency of the clock signal is smaller than frequency of the first digital oscillating signal, and random of frequency of the second digital oscillating signal corresponds to random of the digital random-code signal.
US09018991B2	Data recovery circuit and operating method thereof A data recovery circuit may include a data sampling unit suitable for sampling source data including an edge data using data clocks and an edge clock, a data extraction unit suitable for extracting the edge data from sampled data outputted from the data sampling unit, a control signal generation unit suitable for generating a phase control signal in response to the edge data, and a multi-clock control unit suitable for controlling phases of the data clocks and the edge clock in response to the phase control signal.
US09018989B2	Power-on-reset and supply brown out detection circuit with programmability A low-power wideband Power-on-Reset (PoR) and supply brown out detection circuit is proposed, wherein a technique for accurately controlling the PoR trip points and hysteresis voltage is presented. The PoR circuit includes a CMOS circuit with asymmetric rise and fall delays for monitoring wideband supply voltage transients including supply brown out. Being a non-bandgap and non-comparator based circuit, it consumes a very small power and Si area.
US09018979B2	Universal digital block interconnection and channel routing A programmable routing scheme provides improved connectivity both between Universal Digital Blocks (UDBs) and between the UDBs and other micro-controller elements, peripherals and external Inputs and Outputs (I/Os) in the same Integrated Circuit (IC). The routing scheme increases the number of functions, flexibility, and the overall routing efficiency for programmable architectures. The UDBs can be grouped in pairs and share associated horizontal routing channels. Bidirectional horizontal and vertical segmentation elements extend routing both horizontally and vertically between different UDB pairs and to the other peripherals and I/O.
US09018978B2	Runtime loading of configuration data in a configurable IC A novel configurable integrated circuit (IC) that has several configurable circuits for configurably performing different operations is provided. During the operation of the IC, each particular configurable circuit performs a particular operation that is specified by a particular configuration data set for the particular configurable circuit. While the IC operates and a first set of configurable circuits performs a first set of operations, configuration data is loaded from the outside of the IC for configuring a second set of configurable circuits. The configurable IC includes a configuration network for rapid loading configuration data in the IC from outside of the IC. The configuration network is a pipelined network.
US09018977B2	User registers implemented with routing circuits in a configurable IC Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). The configurable IC includes a set of configurable logic circuits for configurably performing a set of functions. The configurable IC also includes a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals to and from the configurable circuits. During several operational cycles of the configurable IC, a set of data registers are defined by the configurable routing circuits. These data registers may be used wherever a flip-flop can be used.
US09018973B2	Semiconductor device A device, comprising an output terminal; an output circuit coupled to the output terminal and having an adjustable impedance; and an impedance adjustment circuit adjusting stepwise the adjustable impedance so as to head toward a first reference impedance. The impedance adjustment circuit changes the adjustable impedance by a first amount when the adjustable impedance is within a first range, and changes the adjustable impedance by a second amount when the adjustable impedance is out of the first range. The first amount is smaller than the second amount.
US09018971B2	Efficient resource state distillation Systems and methods are provided for generating at least one high fidelity resource state. A classical code and punctured to provide a first set of generators and a second set of generators. The first set of generators is mapped to a set of stabilizer generators, and the second set of generators is mapped to a set of logical operators. A set of resource states are prepared in physical qubits. A decoding process is performed on the resource states according to a quantum code represented by the set of stabilizer generators and the set of logical operators, and qubits corresponding to the stabilizers are measured.
US09018970B2	Method of testing partial discharge of rotating electrical machine driven by inverter In a rotating electrical machine, a conductive foil or conductive rubber is applied to the surface of insulation layer of a conductor series connection area or to the surface of insulation layer of a turn conductor of coils of rotating electrical machine winding, waveforms of grounding voltages of the individual turn conductor portions are measured through the medium of an electrostatic capacitance of the insulation layer of coil conductor series connection area or through the medium of the insulation layer of coil turn conductor, and a partial discharge is measured while measuring a voltage developing in the coil or across a winding turn in the coil from a difference between the waveforms of grounding voltages.
US09018966B2	Test apparatus having a probe card and connector mechanism A probe apparatus has probe wires with a contact pattern on one side. The contact pattern is for contacting a respective contact pattern on another test equipment or component, such as a circuit board. The probe wires have tips that probe a device desired for testing. Signals are transmitted through the probe wires from the probe card, for example, through a circuit board to other diagnostic equipment. The contact of the probe card with the circuit board allows signals to be transferred through the probe wires to the other diagnostic equipment. On another side of the probe card is a connector structure. The connector structure includes a retainer that can allow the probe card to be replaced from a test system, such as allowing it to be connected and disconnected from a holder.
US09018960B2	Method and device for enhancing the reliability of generator ground fault detection on a rotating electrical machine A method for enhancing the reliability of generator ground fault detection based on a signal injection scheme, wherein the generator includes a winding. The method includes injecting a test signal at a predefined frequency to the winding, measuring an electrical quantity of a response signal in the winding resulted from the injected test signal, and detecting a ground fault based on the measured value of the electrical quantity. The method further includes continuously determining the frequency of the response signal, and discarding the present measured value corresponding to the determined frequency when the determined frequency deviates from the predefined frequency with a first threshold value.
US09018959B2	Insulating state detection unit having failure detector An insulating state detection unit is configured to perform failure detection for switches, which connect a flying capacitor to a sample hold circuit for acquiring a charge voltage and a ground potential, by using a failure determination threshold value according to a variable value. That is to say, the insulating state detection unit is configured to decide the failure determination threshold value by taking, as a reference, a charge voltage of a capacitor of the sample hold circuit charged with electric charge amount corresponding to a charge voltage of the flying capacitor when the flying capacitor is charged with electric charge amount corresponding to an output voltage of a DC power supply.
US09018955B2	System and method for receiving magnetic resonance (MR) signals with an FET electrically between preamplifier terminals A preamplifier is provided for a radio frequency (RF) receiver coil in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The preamplifier includes an amplifier configured to receive at least one magnetic resonance (MR) signal from the RF receiver coil and configured to generate an amplified MR signal. An input circuit is electrically connected to the amplifier. The input circuit is configured to be electrically connected to an output of the RF receiver coil for transmitting the at least one MR signal from the RF receiver coil to the amplifier. The input circuit includes an impedance transformer and a field effect transistor (FET). The FET is electrically connected between the impedance transformer and the amplifier. The FET has an FET impedance. The impedance transformer is configured to transform a source impedance of at least approximately 100 ohms. The impedance transformer is further configured to transform the FET impedance into a preamplifier input impedance of less than approximately 5 ohms.
US09018954B2	Sample holder for electricity-detection electron spin resonance device A sample holder structure is provided with which it is possible to reduce current noise derived from electromagnetic induction, etc. in electricity-detection electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Also provided is a process for producing the structure. The material of the sample holder, which is used in an electricity-detection electron spin resonance device, is an FR-4 resin, alumina, glass, or Teflon. The sample holder has four wiring leads formed on the surface thereof. The four wiring leads each has a three-layer structure composed of a nickel layer, a gold layer, and a resist layer which have been arranged in the order from the sample holder surface, and the sample holder has the shape of the letter T. The sample holder has, formed in the end thereof, a gold pad for affixing a sample, and the gold pad has a multilayer structure composed of a nickel layer and a gold layer arranged in this order from the sample holder surface. In the T-shaped head part of the sample holder, the four wiring leads are spaced wider from each other.
US09018943B2	Magnetically coupled rotary magnetic encoder with angle error reduction A rotary magnetic encoder assembly of noncontact or “contactless” construction having an internally disposed first exciter or sensor magnet magnetically coupled to an externally disposed second application or drive magnet attached to an encoder shaft that rotates the sensor magnet substantially in unison therewith during encoder shaft rotation. The sensor magnet is rotatively supported by a friction reducer that is a bearing arrangement that provides point bearing contact preventing stiction and reducing dynamic friction of the sensor magnet minimizing angle error and helping to prevent “Quiver.” In one embodiment, the friction reducer is a spherical ball bearing. In another embodiment, the friction reducer is a thrust bearing that includes a spindle carrying the sensor magnet. A magnetic anchor can be disposed between the sensor magnet and drive magnet to help keep the sensor magnet in point bearing contact during rotation further minimizing angle error.
US09018940B2	Bicycle rotation detecting device A bicycle rotation detecting device is provided with a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, a rotation detecting circuit and an output part. The second electrical connector is electrically connected to the first electrical connector by an electrical path. The rotation detecting circuit detects a waveform of alternating current in the electrical path and produces a rotation detection signal. The output part is electrically connected to the rotation detecting circuit. The output part outputs either the rotation detection signal of the rotation detecting circuit or a signal based on the rotation detection signal of the rotation detecting circuit.
US09018933B2	Voltage buffer apparatus The present invention relates to a voltage bandgap buffer apparatus. This apparatus includes a voltage processing module to produce a bandgap buffer voltage in response to an input voltage and a feedback signal and a symmetry circuit. This symmetry circuit is coupled to the voltage processing module for producing the feedback signal and for regulating the feedback signal in response to the input voltage.
US09018928B2	Relative efficiency measurement in a pulse width modulation system A pulse width modulation (PWM) power conversion system has improved efficiency over a wide operating input voltage and load range. Being able to measure relative efficiency of an analog PWM system allows enhanced control while maintaining the benefits of analog control. An analog low pass filter produces an average value of the PWM pulse train, then this analog average value is converted into digital values with an analog-to-digital converter and stored so that relative efficiencies of the PWM power conversion system may be compared for various combinations of operating parameters.
US09018925B2	Load control apparatus A load control apparatus is provided in which a circuit of detecting an overcurrent can be correctly operated even if a first capacitor (C1) for noise measures is disposed. Since a second capacitor (C2) is provided between a gate and a drain of an FET (T1), when the voltage (V1) of a point (P1) decreases, a part of the gate current of the FET (T1) bypasses the FET (T1) and flows to the capacitor (C2), and the amount of charge supplied to the gate of the FET (T1) decreases. Therefore, the increase of the drain current of the FET (T1) can be suppressed and a sudden change of the voltage (V1) can be prevented. As a result, the voltage (V1) can be prevented from decreasing to such a degree that the comparator (CMP1) cannot operate, and the comparator (CMP1) can be prevented from malfunctioning.
US09018913B2	System for determining battery impedance A method for real-time characterization of a battery includes providing electric power to one or more electrical power loads, charging and discharging the battery based on power needs of the one or more electrical power loads, and monitoring for a circumstance where charging and discharging of the battery results in terminal voltage of the battery substantially equaling open-circuit voltage of the battery and recording the measured terminal voltage as a first measured voltage. The method may also include monitoring for a subsequent circumstance subsequent when charging and discharging the battery results in battery current larger than a predetermined value and recording an existing terminal voltage as a second measured voltage. The method may also include using the first and second measured voltages to determine a measured internal impedance of the battery. These actions may be performed between startup and shutdown of the power system.
US09018911B2	Electric circuit, charge control device, charge system, and control method There is provided an electric circuit including a semiconductor switch that is inserted in a positive side power line; and converting means for converting an input voltage input to an input side terminal to a predetermined output voltage and for outputting the output voltage from an output side terminal, wherein the output side negative terminal of the converting means is connected to the positive side power line, and the output side positive terminal of the converting means is connected to a terminal that controls an opening and closing of the semiconductor switch.
US09018908B2	Rechargeable battery module and battery charging method An embodiment of the invention provides a rechargeable battery module including a battery bank having serial connected battery units, a charging transistor providing a charging current to the battery bank, a balancing circuit for detecting and balancing voltage values of battery units and battery bank and a control chip. When a first voltage value of a first battery unit reaches a charge-off voltage, the control chip estimates a first unbalanced voltage difference between the first voltage and the minimal voltage among battery units. The control chip disables the charging transistor and estimates a second unbalanced voltage difference between voltages of the first battery unit and the battery unit having a minimal voltage. The control chip enables the balancing circuit to balance the first battery unit. When the voltage of the first battery is dropped by a calibration target, the charging transistor is enabled.
US09018906B2	Battery pack The battery pack that recognizes operation voltage of a corresponding device according to a unique resistance of the connected device and sensed through a third external terminal of the battery pack, the battery pack having a plurality of cells that can be coupled in series or in parallel to be suitable for an operation voltage of the corresponding device. The battery pack can be sold to a consumer to enable the consumer to power a variety of different electrical appliances. Alternatively, the battery pack can be incorporated into a chassis of an electrical apparatus so that the battery pack can be sold to many different manufacturers of electrical appliances.
US09018901B2	Electrical power receiving apparatus and electrical power receiving method This electrical power-receiving apparatus makes it possible to suppress a decline in power supply efficiency in a variety of different circumstances while avoiding an increase in circuit scale. This apparatus comprises an impedance control unit (307) for sequentially switching through any one of a plurality of charging devices in a charging device group (310), as candidate charging devices for a supply destination to which electrical power is to be supplied. The impedance control unit (307) also selects from the candidates a charging device to which electrical power is actually supplied, on the basis of the difference between the impedance of the charging device group (310) for each candidate and the impedance of an electrical power receiving antenna unit (301), and causes electrical power to be supplied to the selected charging device.
US09018895B2	Motor vehicle and control method thereof In the case that an auxiliary such as the air conditioner is operated with electric power from the commercial power supply by controlling the charger prior to the system startup and the inter-terminal voltage of the battery is more than or equal to the threshold value Vref that is a voltage where there is a possibility of overcharging the battery when the battery is charged, the supply voltage of the electric power supplied from the charger is set to the voltage that is a little smaller than the threshold value, and the auxiliary is operated with the electric power from the battery and the electric power from the charger. This arrangement enables to prevent overcharging the battery and to operate the auxiliary in the case that an auxiliary such as the air conditioner is operated with electric power from the commercial power supply by controlling the charger prior to the system startup.
US09018891B2	Direct current brushless motor A motor includes a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted onto the frame, and at least one disc mounted onto the shaft. At least one permanent magnet is mounted on the disc, and at least one electromagnet and at least one coil are mounted to the frame in rotational magnetic proximity to the permanent magnet. A battery is connectable to the electromagnet and the coil for energizing the electromagnet and for receiving electrical current from the coil for charging the battery. A relay switch controls the transmission of electrical power from the battery to the electromagnet. A sensor generates a signal to the relay switch to activate electrical power to the electromagnet upon sensing that the permanent magnet is positioned with respect to the electromagnet such that a magnetic force generated by the electromagnet would be effective for inducing movement of the permanent magnet and consequent rotation of the disc.
US09018887B2	Ultrasonic system controls, tool recognition means and feedback methods An ultrasonic electro-mechanical resonant system and instrument that provides improvements in the design and implementation of a feedback system. The disclosed configuration and orientation of coils enhance the motional or velocity feedback signals while minimizing the effects of transformer coupling. A two coil and a three coil approach is disclosed that takes advantage of non-homogeneous magnetic fields. An asymmetrical arrangement enables velocity signals to be coupled into the coils without requiring additional signal conditioning or capacitive elements.
US09018885B2	Motor controller and motor control method A motor controller receiving as input an encoder signal changing in response to a driving position of a motor, outputting a motor driving command in response to the encoder signal to control at least one of the driving position or a driving velocity of the motor, includes an interrupt processing section to execute interrupt operations every prescribed interrupt cycle, a low-frequency processing section to selectively execute a subset of the interrupt operations every prescribed number of the interrupt cycles, and a high-frequency processing section to execute another subset of the interrupt operations every prescribed interrupt cycle, wherein the high-frequency processing section executes at least an operation to detect the driving position indicated by the encoder signal, wherein the low-frequency processing section executes at least an operation to generate the motor driving command.
US09018871B2	Power conversion apparatus A carrier generating unit applies a carrier that monotonically decreases to a switching control unit during either one of a first period that is a period immediately following a period in which a voltage command value is a value not more than a minimum value of the carrier, the voltage command value taking a first predetermined value larger than the minimum value of the carrier in the first period, and a second period that is a period immediately preceding a period in which the voltage command value is not less than a maximum value of the carrier, the voltage command value taking a second predetermined value smaller than the maximum value in the second period.
US09018870B2	Control device A control device for a rotating electrical machine, which is able to reduce a tracking delay of an actual output torque and actual currents with respect to a fluctuating torque command and fluctuating current commands and to reduce steady state deviations, is obtained. The control device includes a torque current computing unit; an actual current computing unit; a current feedback control unit; and a voltage control unit that controls voltages on the basis of the two-phase voltage commands. The torque command includes a fluctuation cancellation torque command for cancelling transmission torque fluctuations transmitted from the internal combustion engine, and the current feedback control unit includes a harmonic controller that calculates the two-phase voltage commands by using a characteristic of a transfer function corresponding to a periodic function of a frequency of the transmission torque fluctuations.
US09018867B2	Generator drive system for an internal combustion engine A generator drive system for the generator (3) of an internal combustion engine (1), including a flexible drive having a traction mechanism (5) which is guided across a generator pulley (6) driving the generator (3). The generator (3) is configured and electrically wired such that the generator (3) can be temporarily driven as a motor, and the generator (3) is coupled to the generator pulley (6) or the crankshaft pulley (7) is coupled to the crankshaft (8) via an overrunning clutch (4) which allows the generator (3), when operated as a motor, running faster than the generator pulley (6) or, taking into consideration a gear ratio, the crankshaft (8).
US09018865B2	Passive high-voltage DC bus discharge circuit for a vehicle A vehicle includes a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), an electric traction motor, a traction power inverter module (TPIM), a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) bus that electrically connects the RESS to the TPIM, a passive discharge circuit connected across the positive and negative rails of the bus, and a microprocessor. The circuit includes a semiconductor switch. The microprocessor provides an output signal at a first voltage level that opens the switch and prevents discharge of the HVDC bus when the microprocessor is operating normally, and at a default second voltage level that closes the switch in the presence of a predetermined vehicle condition to thereby discharge the HVDC bus. An optocoupler may receive the output signal, and a zener diode may be in electrical parallel with an output side of the optocoupler. The switch may be an insulated gate bipolar transistor or a thyristor in different embodiments.
US09018864B2	Rebound-effector A Rebound-Effector is a mechanism which runs a weight forth and back, by high acceleration. As the weight accelerates, a rebound force is built up. This force is proportional to the product of the weight and the acceleration, and is in opposite direction to the acceleration vector. The Rebound-Effector has four operational phases. The energy inserts into the system, during the first phase, accelerates the weight to the same direction as the movement, being converted into kinetic energy. This kinetic energy is taken back during the second phase, while slowing down the weight, and stored. During the third phase, the stored energy accelerates the weight to the same moving direction, being converted into kinetic energy. This kinetic energy is taken back during the fourth phase, while slowing down the weight, and stored. Neglecting the friction and the non-ideal behavior of the energy conversion, the Rebound-Effector needs an external energy source just for compensating for the real, effective, physical work it performs.
US09018861B2	Performance optimization of a field emission device A field emission device is configured as a heat engine. Different embodiments of the heat engine may have different configurations that may include a cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode arranged in different ways according to a particular embodiment. Different embodiments of the heat engine may also incorporate different materials in and/or proximate to the cathode, gate, suppressor, and anode.
US09018844B2	Controllers and light modules with light emitting diodes Disclosed are a controller and a relevant LED lighting module. A disclosed controller comprises a high-voltage power terminal and a low-voltage power terminal, a major switch circuit, an upward-connection terminal and a downward-connection terminal, and a management circuit. The major switch circuit is coupled between the high-voltage and low-voltage power terminals, and has a driving terminal for coupling to at least one LED. The management circuit is coupled to control the major switch circuit, and configured to communicate with an upstream controller via the upward-connection terminal and to communicate with a downstream controller via the downward-connection terminal. The upward-connection terminal is coupled to the downward-connection terminal of an upstream controller. The downward-connection terminal is coupled to the upward-connection terminal of a downstream controller. The management circuit is capable of operating in one of operation conditions.
US09018841B2	Electrical wiring device The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes at least one circuit configured to provide an output signal in response to at least one external input signal. The device further comprises a light emission and detection assembly that includes: a lamp sub-assembly coupled to the at least one circuit, the lamp subassembly including at least one light emitting element configured to emit light in response to the output signal; and an ambient light sensor sub-assembly coupled to the at least one circuit and including an ambient light sensor and a sensor housing assembly, the ambient light sensor being configured to generate the at least one external input signal in response to sensing an ambient light level in the space, the sensor housing assembly being configured to substantially isolate the ambient light sensor from the light emitted by the lamp sub-assembly.
US09018840B2	Systems and methods for providing a lighting effect Systems and methods for creating and previewing a lighting effect, such as displaying an array of colors across a number of lighting fixtures are provided. A user may specify some of the colors for the array, as well as relative positions of the colors. A lighting management system determines transitional or intermediary colors and assigns the colors specified by the user, as well as the intermediary colors to the lighting fixtures. The resulting lighting effect may be displayed in a preview bar. The colors and the order of the colors may be edited to obtain a desired lighting effect.
US09018836B2	Surface light source device and lighting apparatus A surface light source device including an organic EL element of a double-side emission type and a light output surface structure layer provided on at least one surface of the organic EL element, wherein the light output surface structure layer includes a concavo-convex structure on a surface opposite to the organic electroluminescent element, the concavo-convex structure having flat surface portions parallel to the surface and an inclined surface portion tilted relative to the flat surface portions, and a projected area formed by projecting the inclined surface portion in a direction perpendicular to the flat surface portions onto a plane parallel to the flat surface portions is not more than 0.1 times a total area of the flat surface portions.
US09018833B2	Apparatus with light emitting or absorbing diodes An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a plurality of diodes; at least a trace amount of a first solvent; and a polymeric or resin film at least partially surrounding each diode of the plurality of diodes. Various exemplary diodes have a lateral dimension between about 10 to 50 microns and about 5 to 25 microns in height. Other embodiments may also include a plurality of substantially chemically inert particles having a range of sizes between about 10 to about 50 microns.
US09018822B2	Stator for rotary electric machine A stator for a rotary electric machine includes: a stator core in a cylindrical shape with plural slots formed at an inner circumferential surface; plural coil segments inserted in the slots from one end surface side of the stator core; and plural coil end plates electrically connected with the coil segments on another end surface side of the stator core, wherein the coil segments respectively include: one leg portion; another leg portion; and a curved portion that is continuously formed between the one leg portion and the other leg portion, wherein the coil end plates respectively include: a plate portion in a flat plate shape; and a pair of extended portions, and wherein end portions of the leg portions of the coil segments are connected to the extended portions. It is possible to improve assembility and attain downsizing by reducing the volume of coil end portions for the stator.
US09018807B2	Inverter device An inverter includes a plurality of switching elements that convert between DC and AC power. A base plate includes a surface on which the switching elements are placed. Heat dissipating fins are provided on the opposite side of the base plate. Power is input and output through AC power terminals to and from a rotary electric machine to drive a vehicle. The terminals are electrically connected to the switching elements. A capacitor smoothes the DC power. The inverter is fixed to a case of the rotary electric machine. A rotating shaft of the rotary electric machine extends in a width direction of the vehicle. The base plate is disposed adjacent to the AC terminals in the width direction. A plurality of AC phase-terminals is sequentially arrayed perpendicular to the rotating shaft. The capacitor is disposed adjacent to the heat dissipating fins on the rear side of the vehicle.
US09018806B2	Generator and accessory gearbox device with a generator The present invention proposes a generator for arrangement on a shaft of an accessory gearbox of an engine with a stator and with a rotor which can be coupled to a shaft of the accessory gearbox of the engine and which is rotatably mounted relative to the stator, where a stator area receiving the stator can be separated from a rotor area receiving the rotor. The rotor can be supplied with cooling medium in the rotor area. It furthermore proposes an accessory gearbox of an engine with a drive shaft operatively connectable to a main shaft of the engine and with at least one generator arranged on a shaft of the accessory gearbox.
US09018804B2	Controlling of a power state under extreme temperatures A system for controlling a network access device is provided. The system includes a processor, the network access device, and a control circuit. The processor being in communication with the network access device through a communication link. The control circuit monitoring a temperature of the network access device and activating or deactivating the network access device based on the temperature.
US09018800B2	High efficiency wide load range buck/boost/bridge photovoltaic micro-converter Series strings of photovoltaic (PV) modules with integrated dc-dc microconverters that can function in buck, boost, or an intermediate bridge mode based on the load can harvest more energy than conventional central-inverter architectures, especially when the arrays are partially shaded or when the modules are mismatched. The integrated multi-mode dc-dc converter includes a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm that can track the true MPP, even when a PV module becomes partially-shaded, without scanning the entire output voltage range. The algorithm compares power levels only at a voltage that occurs when a bypass diode bypasses a portion of an associated PV module, and multiples thereof.
US09018799B2	Electrical power supply system having internal fault protection An electrical system architecture has at least two sources of electrical power, each delivering power to an individual AC bus. The individual AC buses are connected by a tie bus. A first source of electric power delivers power into a first AC bus, and the first AC bus delivers power to a first set of users. A supply current sensor is between the first source of power and the first AC bus. A tie bus output sensor senses output power from the AC bus being delivered onto the tie bus. A plurality of user output current sensors sense current passing to each of the plurality of users. A control is operable to compare a sensed current in the supply current sensor, and sum the current in the tie bus output sensor, and the plurality of user output sensors. If the sum of the output sensors differs by more than a predetermined amount from the current sensed by the supply sensor, the control identifies a fault. The first AC bus is then disconnected from the tie bus.
US09018792B2	Arrangement for operating consumers in a rail vehicle with electrical energy, selectively from an energy supply network or from a motor-generator combination An arrangement for operating a rail vehicle includes a DC voltage intermediate circuit which is connected to an energy supply network, at least one traction inverter which is connected at its DC voltage side to the DC voltage intermediate circuit and at its AC voltage side which is connected one or more traction motors of the rail vehicle. An auxiliary system inverter is connected at its DC voltage side to the DC voltage intermediate circuit and is connected at its AC voltage side to a primary side of an auxiliary system transformer. Auxiliary systems are connected to a secondary side of the auxiliary system transformer via an auxiliary line. Electrical energy generated by an electrical energy supply unit is transferred via the auxiliary line, the auxiliary system transformer and the auxiliary system inverter into the DC voltage intermediate circuit for operation of the at least one traction motor.
US09018790B2	Wind power generation equipment An annular hood, with a stator assembly mounted and fixed therein, is fixed on the support bar. The stator assembly comprises an annular stator mounting plate which is fixed with an inner stator ring and an outer stator ring distributed concentrically. An annular track is formed between the inner stator ring and the outer stator ring. A rotor assembly and the stator assembly are coaxially and pivotally connected on the support bar, and the rotor assembly is formed of a rotor holder and multiple rotors distributed uniformly on the periphery of the rotor holder at interval. The rotor holder is formed of an outer ring and an inner ring, multiple blade fixing members of a spoke structure are arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring of the holder, and blades are fixed on the blade fixing members. The rotors are protruded and fixed on the outer ring of the holder axially, and a steel magnet of the rotors is located in the annular track between the inner stator ring and the outer stator ring.
US09018768B2	Integrated circuit having through silicon via structure with minimized deterioration A semiconductor device includes a circuit pattern over a first surface of a substrate, an insulating interlayer covering the circuit pattern, a TSV structure filling a via hole through the insulating interlayer and the substrate, an insulation layer structure on an inner wall of the via hole and on a top surface of the insulating interlayer, a buffer layer on the TSV structure and the insulation layer structure, a conductive structure through the insulation layer structure and a portion of the insulating interlayer to be electrically connected to the circuit pattern, a contact pad onto a bottom of the TSV structure, and a protective layer structure on a second surface the substrate to surround the contact pad.
US09018760B2	Solder interconnect with non-wettable sidewall pillars and methods of manufacture A solder interconnect structure is provided with non-wettable sidewalls and methods of manufacturing the same. The method includes forming a nickel or nickel alloy pillar on an underlying surface. The method further includes modifying the sidewall of the nickel or nickel alloy pillar to prevent solder wetting on the sidewall.
US09018758B2	Cu pillar bump with non-metal sidewall spacer and metal top cap A bump has a non-metal sidewall spacer on a lower sidewall portion of Cu pillar, and a metal top cap on a top surface and an upper sidewall portion of the Cu pillar. The metal top cap is formed by an electroless or immersion plating technique after the non-metal sidewall spacer formation.
US09018754B2	Heat dissipative electrical isolation/insulation structure for semiconductor devices and method of making An isolation structure can include a structure material with thermal conductivity greater than silicon dioxide, yet electrical conductivity such that the structure material can replace silicon dioxide as an insulator. At least one column can extend to a target layer from a top surface of a semiconductor device near an active area of the device. At least one lateral portion can extend from the column(s) substantially parallel to the target layer and can extend between multiple columns in the target layer, such as in a cavity formed by lateral etching. The structure material can include, for example, aluminum nitride (AlN).
US09018749B2	Stacked packages using laser direct structuring Described herein is a stacked package using laser direct structuring. The stacked package includes a die attached to a substrate. The die is encapsulated with a laser direct structuring mold material. The laser direct structuring mold material is laser activated to form circuit traces on the top and side surfaces of the laser direct structuring mold material. The circuit traces then undergo metallization. A package is then attached to the metalized circuit traces and is electrically connected to the substrate via the metalized circuit traces.
US09018747B2	Optical semiconductor apparatus An optical semiconductor apparatus includes a lid body bonded to an upper surface of a frame body, the lid body having an opening at a position vertically overlapping with an optical semiconductor device. The lid body has a first portion which is positioned to surround the opening and has an upper surface to which a light-transmissive member is bonded, a second portion which is positioned to surround the first portion, and a third portion which is positioned to surround the second portion and has a lower surface to which the frame body is bonded. The upper surface of the first portion is positioned lower than an upper surface of the third portion. The second portion has a thin-walled portion positioned to surround the first portion, the thin-walled portion having a thickness thinner than that of the first portion as well as thinner than that of the third portion.
US09018742B2	Electronic device and a method for fabricating an electronic device An electronic device includes a semiconductor chip. A contact element, an electrical connector, and a dielectric layer are disposed on a first surface of a conductive layer facing the semiconductor chip. A first conductive member is disposed in a first recess of the dielectric layer. The first conductive member electrically connects the contact element of the semiconductor chip with the conductive layer. A second conductive member is disposed in a second recess of the dielectric layer. The second conductive member electrically connects the conductive layer with the electrical connector.
US09018739B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same The present application discloses a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor layer on the semiconductor substrate; a second semiconductor layer surrounding the first semiconductor layer; a high k dielectric layer and a gate conductor formed on the first semiconductor layer; source/drain regions formed in the second semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer has a slant sidewall in contact with the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device has an increased output current, an increased operating speed, and a reduced power consumption due to the channel region of high mobility.
US09018737B2	Submount assembly integration In accordance with one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed that comprises a submount operable to integrate with a laser as a laser submount assembly; a predetermined portion of the submount configured to bond with the laser; a bonding pad positioned on the predetermined portion of the submount for integrating the laser with the submount.
US09018733B1	Capacitor, storage node of the capacitor, and method of forming the same A semiconductor structure includes a substrate having thereon at least one conductive region; a plurality of cylinder-shaped electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein each of the cylinder-shaped electrodes has a horizontal portion that is in direct contact with the at least one conductive region and a vertical sidewall portion connecting the horizontal portion; an upper support structure comprising a first lattice structure that is situated in a first horizontal level that is lower than a tip portion of each of the cylinder-shaped electrodes; and a lower support structure comprising a second lattice structure that interlocks middle portions of the cylinder-shaped electrodes.
US09018729B2	Adjustable avalanche diode in an integrated circuit An avalance diode including, between two heavily-doped regions of opposite conductivity types arranged at the surface of a semiconductor region, a lightly-doped region, with length L of the lightly-doped region between the heavily-doped regions approximately ranging between 50 and 200 nm.
US09018722B2	Method for manufacturing solid-state image pickup device A method for manufacturing a solid-state image pickup device that includes a pixel portion and a peripheral circuit portion, includes: forming a first insulating film in the pixel portion and the peripheral circuit portion, forming a second insulating film above the first insulating film, etching the second insulating film in photoelectric conversion elements, forming a metal film on the etched second insulating film in the photoelectric conversion elements and on the second insulating film in the peripheral circuit portion, and removing the metal film in the peripheral circuit portion and forming light-shielding films from the metal film in the photoelectric conversion elements.
US09018717B2	Pull up electrode and waffle type microstructure The present invention generally relates to MEMS devices and methods for their manufacture. The cantilever of the MEMS device may have a waffle-type microstructure. The waffle-type microstructure utilizes the support beams to impart stiffness to the microstructure while permitting the support beam to flex. The waffle-type microstructure permits design of rigid structures in combination with flexible supports. Additionally, compound springs may be used to create very stiff springs to improve hot-switch performance of MEMS devices. To permit the MEMS devices to utilize higher RF voltages, a pull up electrode may be positioned above the cantilever to help pull the cantilever away from the contact electrode.
US09018715B2	Gas-diffusion barriers for MEMS encapsulation A technique for forming an encapsulated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes forming an integrated circuit using a substrate, forming a barrier using the substrate, and forming a MEMS device using the substrate. The method includes encapsulating the MEMS device in a cavity. The barrier is disposed between the integrated circuit and the cavity and inhibits the integrated circuit from outgassing into the cavity. The barrier may be substantially impermeable to gas migration from the integrated circuit.
US09018710B2	Semiconductor device with metal gate and high-k materials and method for fabricating the same A semiconductor device includes a substrate including first and second regions. A first gate stack structure containing a first effective work function adjust species is formed over the first region and a second gate stack structure containing a second effective work function adjust species is formed over the second region. A channel region is formed under the first gate stack structure and contains a threshold voltage adjust species.
US09018701B2	Avalanche capability improvement in power semiconductor devices using three masks process A power semiconductor device with improved avalanche capability is disclosed by forming at least one avalanche capability enhancement doped region underneath an ohmic contact doped region. Moreover, a source mask is saved by using three masks process and the avalanche capability is further improved.
US09018689B1	Substrate processing apparatus and method of manufacturing semiconductor device A substrate processing apparatus includes a source gas supply system including a source gas supply pipe connected to a source gas source and a source gas supply controller; a reactive gas supply system including a reactive gas supply pipe connected to a reactive gas source, a reactive gas supply controller, a plasma generation unit and an ion trap unit and an inert gas supply pipe whereat an inert gas supply controller is disposed; a processing chamber supplied with a source gas by the source gas supply system and a reactive gas by the reactive gas supply system; and a control unit configured to control the gas supply controllers. The inert gas supply pipe has a downstream side connected between the reactive gas supply controller and the plasma generation unit and an upstream side connected to an inert gas supply source.
US09018685B2	Semiconductor structure for an electronic interruptor power switch The invention relates to a structure comprising an n-type substrate (1) having a bottom surface (10) and a top surface (11), a drain (D) contacting the bottom surface (10) of the substrate (1), a first n-type semiconductor region (2) having a top surface (21) provided with a contact area (210), a source (S) contacting the contact area (210), and a second p-type semiconductor region (3) arranged inside the first semiconductor region (2) and defining first and second conduction channels (C1, C2) between the drain and the source, characterized in that said structure comprises first and second metal gratings (G1, G2), each of which has a portion (40, 71) contacting the first semiconductor region (2) so as to form a Schottky junction.
US09018675B2	Heterojunction III-V photovoltaic cell fabrication A heterojunction III-V photovoltaic (PV) cell includes a base layer comprising a III-V substrate, the base layer being less than about 20 microns thick; an intrinsic layer located on the base layer; an amorphous silicon layer located on the intrinsic layer; and a transparent conducting oxide layer located on the amorphous silicon layer.
US09018671B2	Ceramic conversion element, optoelectronic semiconductor component comprising a ceramic conversion element, and method for producing a ceramic conversion element A ceramic conversion element having a multiplicity of columnar regions arranged within a ceramic or vitreous matrix, wherein the columnar regions have a preferential direction which makes an angle of at most 45° with a normal to the main surface of the conversion element, at least either the columnar regions or the matrix convert electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength range into electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range and, the columnar regions are formed by wavelength-converting monocrystalline or ceramic fibers and/or monocrystalline or ceramic platelets, said fibers and/or said platelets are provided with a reflective coating.
US09018669B2	Light emitting diode having electrode pads A substrate, a first conductive type semiconductor layer arranged on the substrate, a second conductive type semiconductor layer arranged on the first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer disposed between the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer, a first electrode pad electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second electrode pad arranged on the second conductive type semiconductor layer, an insulation layer disposed between the second conductive type semiconductor layer and the second electrode pad, and at least one upper extension electrically connected to the second electrode pad, the at least one upper extension being electrically connected to the second conductive type semiconductor layer.
US09018664B2	Semiconductor device and production method therefor An object of the invention is to provide a method for producing a conductive member having low electrical resistance, and the conductive member is obtained using a low-cost stable conductive material composition that does not contain an adhesive. A method for producing a semiconductor device in which silver or silver oxide provided on a surface of a base and silver or silver oxide provided on a surface of a semiconductor element are bonded, includes the steps of arranging a semiconductor element on a base such that silver or silver oxide provided on a surface of the semiconductor element is in contact with silver or silver oxide provided on a surface of the base, temporarily bonding the semiconductor element and the base by applying a pressure or an ultrasonic vibration to the semiconductor element or the base, and permanently bonding the semiconductor element and the base by applying heat having a temperature of 150 to 900° C. to the semiconductor device and the base.
US09018658B2	Optical semiconductor package and method of manufacturing the same In an optical semiconductor package, a method of manufacturing the same, and an optical semiconductor device according to the present invention, a thermosetting resin such as an unsaturated polyester resin is used for a reflector 5 or resin 6 exposed around an optical semiconductor element, thereby suppressing deterioration of resin and a reduction in reflectivity.
US09018640B1	Silicon carbide power device equipped with termination structure A silicon carbide power device equipped with termination structure comprises a silicon carbide substrate, a power element structure and a termination structure. The silicon carbide substrate contains a drift layer which has a first conductivity and includes an active zone and a termination zone. The power element structure is located in the active zone. The termination structure is located in the termination zone and has a second conductivity, and includes at least one first doped ring abutting and surrounding the power element structure and at least one second doped ring surrounding the first doped ring. The first doped ring has a first doping concentration smaller than that of the second doped ring and a first doping depth greater than that of the second doped ring, thereby can increase the breakdown voltage of the silicon carbide power device.
US09018639B2	Flat SiC semiconductor substrate Methods for manufacturing silicon carbide wafers having superior specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR). The resulting SiC wafer has a mirror-like surface that is fit for epitaxial deposition of SiC. The specifications for bow, warp, total thickness variation (TTV), local thickness variation (LTV), and site front side least squares focal plane range (SFQR) of the wafer are preserved following the addition of the epitaxy layer.
US09018633B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes an active region in which current flows when the semiconductor device is in an on state and a breakdown voltage structure portion which surrounds the active region. In the active region, a MOS gate structure includes, a p well region, an n+ source region, a gate electrode, and a source electrode is provided on the front surface of a semiconductor substrate. A drain electrode which comes into contact with an n− drift region is provided from the rear surface to the side surface of the semiconductor substrate. The drain electrode forms a Schottky contact with the n− drift region which is the semiconductor substrate. In the breakdown voltage structure portion, a leakage current reducing layer reduces leakage current from the outer circumferential edge of the semiconductor substrate and is provided at least at the outer circumferential edge of the semiconductor substrate.
US09018632B2	TFT substrate and method for correcting wiring fault on TFT substrate A TFT substrate is provided in which a wire defect can be easily solved. A method of solving a wire defect in the TFT substrate is also provided. In an embodiment, the TFT substrate is configured so that (i) a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of source lines are arranged in a matrix manner, (ii) a TFT is provided in at least one of intersection regions where the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of source lines intersect with each other, and (iii) the at least one of intersection regions is divided by a slit, which is formed in a corresponding one of the plurality of gate lines, so that the at least intersection region is divided into parts arranged along a longitudinal direction of the plurality of source lines.
US09018630B2	Heterocyclic dinaphtho thieno thiophene (DNTT) compounds for use as organic semiconductor thin films in field effect transistors and related methods Provided are a novel heterocyclic compound represented by formula (1), and a field-effect transistor having a semiconductor layer comprising the aforementioned compound. Also provided is a method for producing an intermediate enabling the production of the aforementioned novel heterocyclic compound. (In the formula, R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom, a C2-16 alkyl group or an aryl group. However, when R1 each independently represents a C2-16 alkyl group or an aryl group, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or each independently represents an aryl group; and when R1 represents a hydrogen atom, R2 each independently represents an aryl group.)
US09018626B2	ZnO film structure and method of forming the same Disclosed herein are a ZnO film structure and a method of forming the same. Dislocation density of a ZnO film grown through epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) is minimized. In order to block a chemical reaction between the ZnO film and a mask layer at the time of performing the ELOG, a material of the mask layer is AlF3, NaF2, SrF, or MgF2. Therefore, the chemical reaction between ZnO and the mask layer is blocked and a transfer of dislocation from a substrate is also blocked.
US09018624B2	Display device and electronic appliance A display device with low manufacturing cost, a display device with low power consumption, a display device capable of being formed over a large substrate, a display device with a high aperture ratio of a pixel, and a display device with high reliability are provided. The display device includes a transistor electrically connected to a light-transmitting pixel electrode and a capacitor. The transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, and a first multilayer film including an oxide semiconductor layer. The capacitor includes the pixel electrode and a second multilayer film overlapping with the pixel electrode, positioned at a predetermined distance from the pixel electrode, and having the same layer structure as the first multilayer film. A channel formation region of the transistor is at least one layer, which is not in contact with the gate insulating film, of the first multilayer film.
US09018615B2	Resistor random access memory structure having a defined small area of electrical contact A memory cell device, of the type that includes a memory material switchable between electrical property states by application of energy, includes first and second electrodes, a plug of memory material (such as phase change material) which is in electrical contact with the second electrode, and an electrically conductive film which is supported by a dielectric form and which is in electrical contact with the first electrode and with the memory material plug. The dielectric form is wider near the first electrode, and is narrower near the phase change plug. The area of contact of the conductive film with the phase change plug is defined in part by the geometry of the dielectric form over which the conductive film is formed. Also, methods for making the device include steps of constructing a dielectric form over a first electrode, and forming a conductive film over the dielectric form.
US09018613B2	Semiconductor memory device with a memory cell block including a block film A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment comprises: a semiconductor substrate; and a memory cell block formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured having a plurality of memory cell arrays, each of the memory cell arrays including a plurality of column lines, a plurality of row lines, and a plurality of memory cells disposed at each of intersections of the plurality of column lines and the plurality of row lines, each of the memory cells including a variable resistance element having a transition metal oxide as a material, at least one of the plurality of column lines and the plurality of row lines being a polysilicon wiring line having polysilicon as a material, and the memory cell block including a block film between the variable resistance element of the memory cell and the polysilicon wiring line.
US09018610B2	Resistive memory device and method of manufacturing the same A resistive memory device capable of improving an integration density is provided. The resistive memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of resistive memory cells configured to be stacked on the semiconductor substrate and insulated from one another, where each of the plurality of resistive memory cells includes a switching transistor and a resistive device layer electrically connected to the switching transistor, a common source line electrically connected to the plurality of stacked resistive memory cells, and a bit line electrically connected to the plurality of stacked resistive memory cells and being insulated from the common source line.
US09018602B2	Charged particle beam writing apparatus and charged particle beam writing method A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a dose calculation unit to calculate, for each of a plurality of first small regions made by virtually dividing a writing region of a target object to be mesh-like regions each having a size larger than an influence radius of forward scattering of a charged particle beam, a dose of the charged particle beam shot in a first small region concerned of the plurality of first small regions, by using a dose formula which is different depending on a shot type classified by whether a shot figure formed by the charged particle beam is at an edge of a figure pattern or inside the figure pattern in the first small region concerned, and a writing unit to write, for each of the plurality of first small regions, the figure pattern with a dose calculated by the dose formula.
US09018601B2	Multi-field charged particle cancer therapy method and apparatus coordinated with patient respiration The invention relates generally to treatment of solid cancers. More particularly, the invention relates to a multi-field imaging and/or a multi-field charged particle cancer therapy method and apparatus coordinated with patient respiration via use of feedback sensors used to monitor and/or control patient respiration. Preferably, the multi-field imaging, such as X-ray imaging, and the charged particle therapy are performed on a patient in a partially immobilized and repositionable position. X-ray and/or proton delivery is timed to patient respiration via control of charged particle beam injection, acceleration, extraction, and/or targeting methods and apparatus.
US09018600B2	UV LED curing assembly A curing assembly for curing of inks and the like comprises at least one array of UV LEDs 18. A reflector 4 with an elongate reflective surface 14 partly surrounds the array 18 and has an opening for emission of radiation towards a substrate. A lens 24 is positioned between the array 18 and the opening.
US09018598B2	Aerosol ionizer A system and method comprising an ion production chamber having a plasma source disposed in said chamber, a harvest gas disposed to flow through the chamber from an inlet to an outlet, and a jet, said jet operable to introduce a sample into the harvest gas flow. In some embodiments the system includes using helium as the harvest gas. Certain embodiments include introducing a sample perpendicular to the harvest gas flow and using multiple sample introduction jets to increase mixing efficiency. The charge sample may be coupled to a MEMS-based electrometer.
US09018592B2	Device for UV-spectrometric analysis of gaseous compounds A device for UV-spectrometric analysis of gaseous compounds includes a measurement channel, a window member transparent for ultraviolet radiation, a radiation source capable of generating ultraviolet radiation, and a spectrographic member for measuring of ultraviolet radiation emitted by the radiation source. The device is arranged such that ultraviolet radiation entering the measurement channel can propagate through the measurement channel, interact with the accommodated gas and be measured by the spectrographic member. An end of the measurement channel is open towards the window member and a channel for guiding a protection gas is arranged in connection to the window member such that protection gas fed through the protection gas channel is allowed to flow over and cover the side of the window member facing the measurement channel and to flow further into the measurement channel.
US09018579B2	Atom interferometry having spatially resolved phase In an atom interferometer, improved results are obtained by configuring the interferometer to have a baseline fringe pattern, in combination with spatially resolved measurements at the interferometer ports. Two aspects of this idea are provided. In the first aspect, the atoms are configured to expand from an initial point-like spatial distribution. The result is an informative correlation between atom position and interferometer phase. In the second aspect, a phase shear is applied to the atom ensemble of an atom interferometer. In both cases, spatially resolved measurements at the interferometer ports can provide enhanced interferometer performance, such as single-shot operation.
US09018575B2	Non-retroreflective optical threat detection system and methods having an imaging detector aligned with a tilted image plane to reconstruct an image from plural image slices Methods and apparatus for covert detection of an interrogating device. In one example a method includes receiving an interrogation beam at an optical system, imaging a scene including a source of the interrogation beam without retro-reflecting the interrogation beam to produce an image, and analyzing the image to determine an approximate location of the source within the scene. In some examples, a threat detection sensor is used to further analyze the interrogation beam to determine information about the interrogating device.
US09018572B2	Rocket propelled payload with divert control system within nose cone A rocket is provided and includes booster stages at a rear of the nose cone, the booster stages being configured for propelling the nose cone in a propulsion direction and a divert control system housed entirely in the nose cone for controlling an orientation of the propulsion direction.
US09018566B2	Multi-functional electric cooker A multi-functional electric cooker includes a heating boiler body (1) and a cover (2). The cooker also includes a rice soup collecting container (3) which is mounted between the heating boiler body (1) and the cover (2), a sealing ring (7) which is set between the rice soup collecting container (3) and the heating boiler body (1), and a rice soup sucker (6). An opening of one end of the sucker is located at the bottom of the rice soup collecting container (3) and the height of the opening is adjusted along with the amount of the rice in the heating boiler body. An opening of the other end of the sucker is located in the rice soup collecting container (3).
US09018556B2	Microparticle sorting method There is provided a microparticle sorting method, including a procedure of collecting a microparticle in a fluid that flows through a main channel in an area that is formed in a manner that a vertical cross-section increases in a flow direction of the fluid at a branch channel which is in communication with the main channel by generating a negative pressure in the branch channel.
US09018550B2	Power supply circuit cut-off device and method of controlling power supply A service plug includes a lever (30) supported on a cover (20) for movement between full and partial locking positions. A housing (90) is connectable to and separable from the cover (20) as the lever (30) is moved. Heavy current terminals (50) are disconnected from a power supply circuit in a separating process of the cover (20). A detection terminal (60) is switched from an ON-state to an OFF-state in the separating process of the cover (20). A stopper (40) contacts restricting walls (25) on the cover (20) to stop a movement of the lever (30) from the full locking position toward the partial locking position until the heavy current terminals (50) are disconnected from the power supply circuit after the detection terminal (60) is switched from the ON-state to the OFF-state in the separating process of the cover (20).
US09018546B2	Seating sensor with compactly arranged elements The present invention relates to a seating sensor 100. the base table 10 includes a first part 11 provided with the sensor portion 1 and a second part 12 provided with the connector portion 2, and the second part 12 is arranged within a minimum rectangular area S1 containing the first part 11.
US09018536B2	Layered body, production method and use thereof The invention relates to a layered body, in particular one with two sheets of electric functional layers, as well as a use of this layered body for example in a touch screen with improved resolution. By changing the grid structure at the intersection areas a moiré effect can be avoided by superimposition of the patterns.
US09018530B2	Separator for communication cable with shaped ends A communication cable that comprises a jacket, a twisted wire group, and a single separator received in a core of the jacket. The separator includes a body that has first and second segments adapted to define quadrants in the communication cable. The first and second segments are substantially perpendicular to each other and define a junction point of the first and second segments. Each segment includes a main portion and a terminal end remote from the junction point of the segments. Each of the terminal ends has a shape such that each of the terminal ends is wider than the main portions of the segments. An air pocket is defined between the terminal ends of the first and second segments. The air pocket includes a gap sized such that the air pocket is substantially enclosed, wherein the twisted wire group is prevented from entering the air pocket.

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