Document Document Title
US09089521B2 Method for regulating production of hemoglobin beta chains
A method is described for repressing production of β-globin protein and increasing production of γ-globin protein in a human cell utilizing a ferritin-H protein, a vector encoding ferritin-H, or an exogenous ferritin-H inducer.
US09089520B2 Methods for inducing selective apoptosis
Provided herein are methods for cell therapy by modifying transfused cells to express an inducible caspase 9 protein, so that the cells may be selectively killed if the patient experiences dangerous side effects. Provided also within relates in part to methods for preventing or treating Graft versus Host Disease by modifying T cells before administration to a patient, so that they may be selectively killed if GvHD develops in the patient.
US09089508B2 Method of transfection and compositions therefor
The present invention relates to the targeted delivery of molecules to cells expressing toll-like receptors (TLRs). Aspects of the invention provide compounds comprising a positively charged group linked to a TLR ligand. These compounds are useful for in vitro and in vivo methods of transfection of TLR-expressing cells. Other aspects of the invention relate to the use of such compounds for repression of gene expression and DNA vaccination approaches.
US09089507B2 Use of oritavancin for prevention and treatment of anthrax
Glycopeptide antibiotics, such as oritavancin, demonstrate significant activity against B. anthracis. Methods for the treatment, prophylaxis and prevention of B. anthracis infection and disease in animals, including humans, are described.
US09089496B2 Compositions comprising methylphenidate complexed with ion-exchange resin particles
Pharmaceutical compositions of methylphenidate complexed with ion-exchange resin particles to form drug-resin particles are provided. The compositions have a first plurality of drug-resin particles that are uncoated and a second plurality of drug-resin particles that are coated with a delayed release coating.
US09089487B2 Crystalline microspheres and the process of manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to microspheres comprising a core material, wherein the microsphere is perfectly spherical and has a moisture content less than 1%, and the method of manufacturing the same. The present invention is useful in the manufacture of sustained and modified release active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) microspheres, as a free flowing excipient for mini-tablets and in the manufacture of API dispersions.
US09089486B2 Process for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition comprising ezetimibe
The present invention belongs to the field of pharmaceutical industry and relates to a process for preparing dosage forms containing ezetimibe, comprising the steps of: a) providing a composition comprising ezetimibe, b) sieving a composition comprising a composition of step (a), c) shear mixing of the composition after step (b), preferably the mixing of the composition is carried out by high shear mixing, d) formulation into a dosage form. The present invention also relates to dosage forms containing ezetimibe and ezetimibe and simvastatin, which have been prepared according to the process according to the invention.
US09089482B2 Dental mill blank
The present invention provides a dental mill blank having excellent mechanical strength and having gloss retention high enough to maintain the gloss similar to that of natural teeth in an oral cavity for a long period of time. The present invention is a dental mill blank made of a cured product of a curable composition containing: a polymerizable monomer (A); and a spherical inorganic filler (B) having an average primary particle size of not less than 0.1 μm and less than 1 μm.
US09089472B2 Graphical user interface
In order to monitor the administration of medicament portions Ta in a reliable and simple manner, the invention provides a display device for a dispenser for medicament portions Ta, it being necessary to administer the medicament portions at regularly recurring reference administration times, and the display device comprising a display 1 and an electronic actuation means for the display, characterized in that the display comprises a first visualization means 30, 40 for displaying a first period of time between a first reference administration time and the current time, and the first reference administration time being distinguished in that the medicament portion has not been taken by the first reference administration time.
US09089467B2 Casket assembly with nesting lids
A casket lid assembly includes a plurality of layers of corrugated paper and a bridge assembly. The plurality of layers of corrugated paper are formed into a lid structure having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end and a second end, Thea bridge assembly is attached to the second end of a casket lid. The bridge assembly includes two end pieces and at least one intermediate piece, and wherein the at least one intermediate piece is configured to be removably attached to the end pieces.
US09089464B2 Patient lifting device
An inclined lift for patient transfer is designed to allow a patient to be pulled on an inclined ramp which is subsequently movable to a raised generally horizontal position. IN the raised generally horizontal position a patient may be transferred to a chair or to a further horizontal structure such as a bed. In a preferred embodiment the inclined lift includes a patient slide mat that is movable onto the ramp by a retraction mechanism. The patient sits or lies on the mat and a winch type mechanism pulls the mat onto the inclined ramp. There is no requirement for a patient harness to directly pull the patient onto the inclined ramp.
US09089461B1 Mobility and comfort auxiliary bed apparatus
The present inventions relate to a mobility and comfort auxiliary bed apparatus, and in particular to a modular and free-standing apparatus that is customizable with many components. In one embodiment, two spaced apart and parallel frame bars are provided, each with opposed vertical risers and a longitudinal rail that is positionable over a bed. An overhead grip such as a trapeze bar may be movably supported by the frame bars. A balance pole may be provided and be adjustably connected to both frame bars laterally and longitudinally. Assist rails and night stands may be further provided, and may be supported by one or more centrally located longitudinal supports underneath the bed. The present invention can be fixed to the bed and may be adjusted in width, length and mattress height to accommodate many components.
US09089458B2 Personal wear absorbent article with tab
An absorbent article includes a liquid permeable bodyside liner for facing the wearer, an outer cover for facing away from the wearer, and an absorbent body disposed between the liner and the outer cover. A primary fastening system is provided for securing the article in a wear configuration having a waist opening and a pair of leg openings spaced from the waist opening. A secondary fastening system comprises a pair of tabs having a fastener region selectively attachable to the article and an attachment region defining a portion of the primary fastening system.
US09089453B2 Method for producing absorbent article with stretch film side panel and application of intermittent discrete components of an absorbent article
Apparatus and methods are provided to allow for creation of a configured laminate of a non-woven material, to which a character strip is applied, the character strip exposed by either heat severing and removal of overlying materials, or intermittent application of overlying materials to leave the desired portions of the character strip exposed. A simultaneously formed core insert is applied to a preformed chassis web.
US09089448B2 Stent delivery system with threaded engagement method
An expandable stent and delivery system are provided for treating body vessel defects, such as partially occluded blood vessels and aneurysms. The delivery system includes a core member having a threaded core member portion configured to interlock with a threaded strut member portion of the expandable stent. The expandable stent is mounted thusly onto the core member for movement within a delivery catheter and deployment to a body vessel defect. The deployment catheter is used to compress the interlocked threaded strut member portion into engagement with the threaded core member portion.
US09089444B2 Valve for prosthesis attachment
Devices, systems, and methods relating to a valve that may be used with a prosthesis attachment include a valve assembly that includes a spring loaded insert portion and a base portion that interfaces to lock and unlock by depressing the spring loaded insert portion.
US09089440B2 Knockout tool for minimally invasive prosthesis revision
A tool head for a surgical tool for knockout and/or insertion of prostheses is disclosed, comprising a tool body (10, 11, 12) having at least two clamping jaws (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 15, 15a, 15b, 41) for clamping a prosthetic part, wherein at least one of the clamping jaws is mounted to be movable in relation to the tool body (10, 11, 12); wherein at least one of the movable clamping jaws has at least one pressure area (16), which is arranged so that applying a pressure to the pressure area (16) of the at least one clamping jaw causes a movement of the clamping jaws (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 15, 15a, 15b, 41) toward one another or away from one another, to thereby clamp the prosthetic part between the holding areas of the clamping jaws.
US09089431B2 Controlled porosity article
In one embodiment, the present invention is a porous article including a porous portion with an average ratio between about 2:1 and about 5:1 of major pore size to minor pore size, having a substantially uniform pore distribution and a porosity of at least 70 percent, the porous article for use as a biological implant. The biological implant can be, for example, an acetabular cup.
US09089426B2 Automated implantable penile prosthesis pump system
A dual poppet valve assembly for a pump assembly of an implantable penile prosthesis having a suction poppet engagable by a plurality of fingers allowing free travel of the poppet and to prevent vacuum lockup of the pump assembly. The suction poppet can also include an elongated shaft receivable within a corresponding bore of a cylinder poppet to prevent the suction poppet from becoming misaligned during the operation of the pump assembly.
US09089420B2 Intra ocular lens
The invention relates to a intra lens (1) comprising a posterior surface and an anterior surface, said posterior surface having a curvature which is optimized for providing a minimal spherical aberration, wherein said curvature is optimized using the posterior chamber depth of an eye in which the IOL is to be inserted.
US09089419B2 System to reduce surface contact between optic and haptic areas
Embodiments of the present invention provide an intraocular lens with an optic zone having a first surface topology and a haptic zone having a second surface topology. The surface roughness of the haptic zone may be greater than the surface roughness of the optic zone. The surface topology of the optic zone may have a first surface geometry and the surface topology of the haptic zone may have a second surface geometry. The first and second surface geometries may retain lubrication fluid in a space formed therein. The haptics formed by the manufacturing process may have a reduced ability to adhere to the optic zone, such as when the lens is folded or advanced through a cannula.
US09089412B2 Multilayer bioabsorbable scaffolds and methods of fabricating
A bioabsorbable scaffold composed of a multilayer structure of alternating layers of different polymers is disclosed. The multilayer structure can have 20 to 1000 layers and the individual thickness of the layers can be 0.2 to 5 microns. A method of making the scaffold including a layer multiplying extrusion process is disclosed.
US09089407B2 Antibacterial coatings that inhibit biofilm formation on implants
Orthopedic and dental implants coated with an antibacterial coating and methods of making and using, are described herein. The implant can be coated with a hydrophobic, polycationic antibacterial polymer. The polymer can be covalently or non-covalently associated with the surface; however, in particular embodiments, the polymer is non-covalently associated with the surface. As shown in the examples below, clinical observations, digital radiography, and a battery of well-accepted ex vivo analytical methods show that the presence of a hydrophobic polycationic polymer coating, such as N,N-dodecyl,methyl-PEI coating on the surface of a metal implant, was effective in eliminating the clinical signs of infection in vivo in a large animal infection model. Moreover, the coated plates supported bone healing, and in fact decreased healing times, even in the presence of significant bacterial contamination compared to a control.
US09089398B2 Aspiration cassette with gas and debris management
Embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus and method for gas and debris management. The apparatus comprises a surgical cassette, wherein the surgical cassette is at least partially formed of a cassette material defining a chamber. The surgical cassette has a floor and a plurality of walls. The apparatus also has a drain conduit with a drain entry and a drain exit. The drain entry is connected to the chamber near the floor. The drain conduit has a top portion and a bottom portion. The apparatus also has an aspiration conduit. The aspiration conduit has an aspiration port and an aspiration exit. The aspiration conduit is in liquid communication with the chamber and the drain conduit. At least a portion of the top portion of the drain conduit is positioned above at least a portion of the aspiration exit.
US09089394B2 Pelvic implant with suspending system
A urethral stabilization system includes a suspending member attached between a stabilizer and support member. The support member is implantable into a patient to support a urethra. A first suspending member is attached between a first end of the support member and a first stabilizer, and a second suspending member is attached between a second end of the support member and a second stabilizer. A first thread member continuously extends between a first end that is attached to the first stabilizer and a second end of the first thread member that is free, and a second thread member continuously extending between a first end that is attached to the second stabilizer and a second end of the second thread member that is free.
US09089388B2 Oral appliance for delivery of medicaments and/or other substances
An oral appliance is provided for delivering a medicament to at least a portion of teeth and/or soft tissue areas inside a mouth. The oral appliance contains an interior surface having a medicament disposed in or on at least a portion of and/or the entire interior surface of the oral appliance. The interior surface of the oral cavity is formed to fit contours of at least the portion of the teeth and/or soft tissue areas inside the oral cavity and is configured for holding the medicament in contact with at least the portion of the teeth and/or soft tissue areas inside the oral cavity to deliver the medicament to strategic areas in need of treatment. In some embodiments, computer, network and computer readable storage media are provided.
US09089387B2 Surface manipulation in dental prosthesis design
Herein are provided methods, systems, computer-readable media, techniques and processes for surface manipulation in dental prosthesis design. These include providing an interface for modifying the surface of a model of a dental prosthesis. This interface may be provided to an operator, dentist, dental practitioner, or any other appropriate person via a computer and a computer display. The operator provides areas in which the operator would like to add a layer or other limited manipulation to the surface of the model. This may include an addition to the surface or a subtraction from the surface. As the operator is defining additional areas to manipulate on the surface (e.g., add or subtract a layer), invariably some of them will overlap. Unlike previous methods, this overlap will not cause the amount added to the surface to increase beyond the predefined limit for the layer. This allows operators to define cleanly added layers or cleanly subtracted layers from dental prostheses.
US09089380B2 Method for selecting implant components
Methods of selecting or designing an implant to be used in a patient are provided. A CT scan of a patient's mouth is performed. A 3D CAD model of the patient's mouth is created utilizing data generated by the CT scan. Properties of the patient's mouth are determined based upon CT scan data and assigned to the 3D CAD model. A desired location for an implant is selected. A FEA simulation is performed on the 3D CAD model to choose an implant or to design an implant that optimizes a selected variable.
US09089378B2 Kirschner wire clamp
A Kirschner wire clamp is used to reliably and simply fix bone plates to a bone surface. The wire clamp consists of a tubular guide member for receiving a Kirschner wire. The guide member has a bore surrounded by a wall and a base for engaging a hole in a bone plate such as a bone screw hole. A spring clamp is mounted adjacent an open end of the tubular guide bore opposite the base which clamps the Kirschner wire to the guide member after the wire has been fixed in bone. The Kirschner wire clamp can be aligned simply and reliably by the guide member, and by the clamping mechanism, can be reliably fixed to the Kirschner wire.
US09089356B2 Medical device control system
A control system for allowing a user to control the orientation of a medical device or a medical instrument in a variety of directions. An actuator selectively tensions one or more control cables having ends secured at or adjacent a distal tip of the medical device in order to bend the distal tip in a desired direction. In one embodiment, a physician can adjust the movement of the distal tip in a desired direction without affecting the orientation of the medical device in other directions.
US09089342B2 Patient specific surgical guide locator and mount
A resection guide locator includes a bone engagement portion with surfaces that are complementary to the surface topographies of a bone to be resected during surgery. A housing includes a socket defined by a resilient annular wall that is sized and arranged so to accept a resection guide by press-fit to thereby position and hold the resection guide within he socket. The resection guide is maintained in a predetermined, preferred position while the surfaces are releasably locked in position on the bone. A method is disclosed for forming and using the resection guide locator.
US09089332B2 Vascular remodeling device
A vascular remodeling device is provided. The device has an anchor portion, sized for deployment in a blood vessel, that is radially expandable from a collapsed state to an expanded state. The device also includes a distal portion sized for deployment in a blood vessel. The distal portion is radially expandable from a collapsed state to an expanded state and has a distal face that is sufficiently occlusive in the distal-to-proximal direction to perform a therapeutic blocking function in an aneurysm neck. The device also has an intermediate portion that interconnects a distal end of the anchor portion and a proximal end of the distal portion. In some embodiments, the anchor portion and/or distal portion has a plurality of interconnected struts.
US09089331B2 Characterizing ablation lesions using optical coherence tomography (OCT)
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with characterizing Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) lesions using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) are described. One example method includes acquiring an OCT signal from a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an ablated material. The example method may also include determining whether a lesion was formed by the ablation by analyzing optical properties of the ROI as recorded in the OCT signal.
US09089328B2 Surgical incision and closure apparatus
An apparatus for closing a surgical incision comprises left and right base panels, a plurality of closure components, and a plurality of left and right axial supports coupled to the respective base panels. The closure components couple the left and right base panels to each other laterally and have left and right ends coupled to the respective base panels. The closure components are positioned laterally across the left and right panels, the left axial supports are disposed between pairs of left closure component ends, the right axial supports are disposed between pairs of right closure component ends, and the left and right axial supports are offset from one another such that a serpentine arrangement of consecutive closure components and axial supports is formed. The apparatus can be made of antimicrobial materials or materials impregnated with antimicrobial agents. A flexible adhesive cover can be provided over the apparatus when in use.
US09089324B2 Suture locks and suture lock systems
A suture lock including a first bore, a first restriction member extending into the first bore for restricting the movement of a suture element within the first bore, an optional second bore, and a second restriction member extending into the second bore for restricting the movement of a suture element. The suture lock may be provided in a system including a suture element. Methods of using the suture locks are also described.
US09089320B2 Methods and devices for delivering and applying multiple suture anchors
Methods and devices are provided for deploying and applying multiple suture anchors. In one embodiment, a surgical device is provided having a shaft configured to be introduced into a body, e.g., through a scoping device, and to deliver a plurality of suture anchors into tissue, preferably without the need to remove the shaft from the body. The shaft can have a plurality of channels, with each of the plurality of channels configured to seat at least one of a plurality of suture anchors. Each of the anchors can be removably seated in a channel such that the anchors can be removed from the device, such as by pulling on sutures attached to the respective anchors.
US09089306B2 Blood vessel ultrasonic image measuring method
A blood vessel ultrasonic image measuring method capable of facilitating the positioning of an ultrasonic probe and acquiring sufficient positioning accuracy. Because of inclusion of an around-X-axis positioning step of causing a multiaxis driving device to position an ultrasonic probe such that distances from respective ultrasonic array probes to the center of a blood vessel are equalized, and an X-axis direction positioning step and an around-Z-axis positioning step of causing the multiaxis driving device to position the ultrasonic probe such that the image of the blood vessel is positioned at the center portion in the width direction of the first short axis image display area and the second short axis image display area, the positioning may be performed by using the positions in the longitudinal direction of the ultrasonic array probes relative to the blood vessel or the distances of the ultrasonic array probes to the blood vessel.
US09089296B2 Illumination device and bottom unit, especially for medical diagnostic instruments
An illumination device comprises at least one LED (36), which can be connected through circuit means (50) to a voltage source optionally formed by a battery unit (70) or an accumulator unit (74). Furthermore, a first contact means (60) is provided for connecting the battery unit (70) and a second contact means (64) for connecting the accumulator unit (74) to the circuit means (50). A bottom unit for a battery grip (11) comprising a grip sleeve (90) in which the accumulator unit (74) is arranged, has a basic body (84) mountable at the lower end of the grip sleeve (90), wherein an upper contact element (89) for contacting the accumulator unit (74) and a lower contact element (95) for contacting a contact element (107) of a charging station, to which a current is applied, are arranged in the basic body (84). An electronic circuit unit (99) having a microprocessor (1) is connected between the upper and the lower contact elements (89, 95), which electronic circuit unit (99) is formed and configured such that it controls a charging process for charging the accumulator unit (74).
US09089293B2 Test element for analyzing a body fluid
A test element includes a puncture element and a test panel. The puncture element has a tip positioned at one end for generating a wound in a body part. A capillary structure extends from the tip to the test panel and has a fluid connection to the tip. The test panel contains at least a part of a reagent system and is positioned in the test element adjacent to a part of the capillary structure of the puncture element so that body fluid penetrating into the capillary structure contacts a liquid entry side of the test panel. The test panel comprises a transparent support layer and a test layer applied to the support layer by coating. The side of the test panel facing away from the support layer forms its liquid entry side, which faces toward the capillary structure.
US09089283B2 Ophthalmologic visualization system
A method determines the position and/or radius of the limbus and/or the position and/or radius of the pupil of a patient eye. In the method, an image of the patient eye is obtained and a plurality of different ring-shaped comparison objects having respective radii and respective centers are provided. The image is correlated with the plurality of comparison objects to yield a local best match between the image and the comparison objects when there is a coincidence of one of the ring-shaped comparison objects and a ring-shaped jump in brightness in the image having the same radius and the same center. The comparison objects having a local best match with the image are determined. Thereafter, the position of the center of the comparison object having a local best match with the image is selected as the position of the center of the limbus and/or the position of the center of the pupil.
US09089273B2 Textile electrode
The present invention is related to a textile electrode (1) for measuring an electrical signal from a body part, said electrode comprising, successively from the side to be applied on the body part to the outside: a conductive textile contact (3) to be applied to said body part; a textile support (2) for supporting said textile contact (3); a vapor barrier sheet material (7) able to reduce, in use, evaporation of liquid from said textile electrode (1).
US09089262B2 Medical systems, devices and methods for suturing perforations
Medical systems, devices and methods are disclosed for suturing a perforation in tissue, that may be employed endoscopically and/or laparoscopically, and that offer simple, reliable and controllable placement of sutures around a perforation for complete closure thereof. One embodiment of the medical system generally includes an endoscope, an endcap, an elongated side tube, a needle, a suture and a retrieval device. The endcap is fitted to a distal end of the endoscope. The elongated side tube defines a side channel and is connected to the endcap. The needle has a shaft and a needle tip detachably connected to a distal end of the shaft. The needle is sized to be translated through the side channel of the side tube. The suture is attached to the needle tip. The retrieval device is sized to be translated through a working channel of the endoscope and retrieve the needle tip.
US09089261B2 System of accessories for use with bronchoscopes
A clip or flexible handles extension facilitate simultaneous retention and operation of a bronchoscope and associated bronchoscopic tools held in one hand to allow operation by a single practitioner. Also provided is an adapter for the connection port of the working channel of a bronchoscope which performs both sealing and tool-locking functions. Also disclosed is a guide sheath arrangement with a reduced flexibility proximal portion to facilitate insertion of tools into the guide sheath.
US09089259B2 Endoscope
An endoscope includes an insertion section, a bending section, a bending operation section and a shift mechanism. The bending section includes a first bending section and a second bending section provided at a proximal end of the first bending section. The second bending section includes an actuation pipe interposed between an angle wire extending in the second bending section and a wire guide through the angle wire and guiding the angle wire, and supported to be moved in the extending direction of the wire guide with respect to the wire guide. A rigidity of the second bending section is shifted while the actuation pipe is moved in the extending direction of the wire guide.
US09089252B2 Cleaning element and cleaning tool
A cleaning tool comprises a cleaning body having such a layer structure that non-woven fabrics and fiber bundles are laminated onto each other. In the cleaning body, a hardening treatment is applied to the fiber bundles disposed in the storage space of a cylindrical part in which the holding part of a holder is stored.
US09089247B2 Surface treating appliance
A surface treating appliance including an electrical influence machine comprising a first non electrically conductive support structure spaced from a second non electrically conductive support structure, at least one of the support structures being arranged to move with respect to the other support structure, and at least two charge collecting points, and further comprising an air turbine for rotating at least one of the support structures.
US09089245B1 Replacement rod kit
A replacement rod device for replacing a broken towel rack rod includes a main rod, a spacer rod, and pair of sleeves. The main rod includes a durable rod of a diameter enabling insertion into the existing rod receiving indentations of the existing brackets. The spacer rod includes an identical diameter and material to the main rod and the sleeves include a hollow cylindrical portion. In use, a user places the rods end-to-end with one in each existing indentation and slides the end sleeves to engage each bracket while providing support between the rod portions.
US09089225B2 Child holding accessory for use with a play yard
A child holding accessory can be desirably installed on the play yard for use, and has two opposite regions adapted to receive a child in different configurations of use. Examples of construction for these holding regions can include, without limitation, a changing table and a child sleep bed. The child holding accessory can be attached with the play yard via one or more fixtures that is adjustable to turn upward either of the first and second regions for use.
US09089217B2 Seat adjustment system
A seat support with adjustment systems allowing a height and swivel adjustment functionality of the seat in a manner free of any wobble and shaking motion. The seat mechanism for height and swivel adjustments have screw adjustment applying a pre-load on a resilient component which gives a resilient force on a load bearing surface. The load bearing surface guides the seat part in motion during seat adjustment in a way to reduce friction and wear with use in time. The screw adjustment and the resilient component are configured such that play in guiding of the seat part in motion during seat adjustment is eliminated regardless of fabrication and component variations, and wear, with use in time. A screw adjustment locking device is configured to assure a stable adjustment with use in time.
US09089213B2 Stabilizer, image forming apparatus, and stabilizer mounting method
According to one embodiment, a stabilizer includes a jaw portion which contacts a bottom of an apparatus, a fastener to fasten the stabilizer to a lateral side of the apparatus, and a foot portion extending from the bottom of the apparatus toward far side and in obliquely downward.
US09089204B2 Foldable table
A foldable table includes a first tabletop panel, a second tabletop panel, and a reinforcing frame which includes first through fourth reinforcing members mounted along longitudinal sides of the first and second tabletop panels respectively, a first transverse member transversely extended between outer end portions of the first and second reinforcing members at the first tabletop panel, and a second transverse member transversely extended between outer end portions of the third and fourth reinforcing members at the second tabletop panel. Two ends of the first transverse member are affixed to the first and second reinforcing members in a non-rotatably movable manner. Two ends of the second transverse member are affixed to the third and fourth reinforcing members in a non-rotatably movable manner. Therefore, the first and second transverse members enhance the rigidity of the reinforcement frame to support two transverse sides of the first and second tabletop panels respectively.
US09089181B1 Headwear with quick access pocket
A headwear apparatus including a crown. A visor can extend outward from the crown, the visor having an outer peripheral edge. An outer visor layer can cover at least a portion of the visor. A visor pocket can be defined between the outer visor layer and the visor, the visor pocket including an opening defined in the outer visor layer, the visor pocket oriented with the opening positioned toward the outer peripheral edge of the visor. In some embodiments, the opening in the visor pocket can be located proximate the outer peripheral edge of the visor to allow for easy access to the visor pocket. In some embodiments, a fastener can connect the outer visor layer to the visor, the fastener defining the visor pocket.
US09089177B2 Wrist guard with stiffener elements
Wrist guards configured for providing support to a user's wrist are disclosed. An illustrative wrist guard includes a wrist pad having a dorsal section configured for placement adjacent to the anterior side of the user's wrist and a palmar section configured for placement adjacent to the posterior side of the wrist. A number of stiffener elements coupled to the dorsal section of the wrist pad provide support against hyperextension of the user's wrist.
US09089172B2 Lightweight, durable apparel and laminates for making the same
Laminates are described having a durable outer film surface for use in making lightweight liquidproof articles of apparel, such as outerwear garments. A method of making the laminate and a lightweight outerwear garment having an abrasion resistant exterior film surface is described.
US09089169B1 Garment apparatus for interactive engagement with children or pets
A garment for allowing a caretaker to engage and entertain a user which has an article of clothing which has toys attached thereon by releasable attachment devices. The releasable attachment devices engage fixed attachment points on the article of clothing. Further, the article of clothing has attached thereon an interactive engagement device for entertaining a user by providing means to open and close the device or sub-elements thereof.
US09089162B2 Smoking articles containing polymers of polycarboxylic acid esters
Disclosed is a smoking article containing a rod containing a smokable composition, an optional wrapper for the rod, and at least one polymer or oligomer comprising monomer units of a polycarboxylic acid ester disposed on or in the rod, the wrapper, or both. The polycarboxylic acid ester contains an acid moiety having at least two carboxylic groups, and at least two alcohol moieties independently selected from those corresponding to a cycloalkyl alcohol or an aryl alcohol. The cycloalkyl alcohol or aryl alcohol is a flavorant, or chemesthetic agent, or both. In addition, a method for the controlled release of these flavorant or chemesthetic agents is described, which comprises pyrolyzing at least one polymer or oligomer.
US09089156B2 Reducing muscle soreness with glucosamine compositions
Edible compositions, such as sports drinks which limit muscle soreness, and methods of making and using the same are provided. Existing food products are commonly used during exercise to quickly replace fluids and electrolytes lost by sweating and/or to supply a boost of carbohydrates to improve sports or exercise performance. Aspects of the invention relate to compositions including glucosamine to alleviate or prevent muscle soreness. In certain embodiments, the glucosamine may be derived from a plurality of glucosamine sources. Further aspects relate to concentrated products for preparing beverage compositions. In certain embodiments, a concentrated form of a beverage composition may be provided in a packaging. Instructions for preparing the beverage composition having an effective amount of glucosamine may also be provided. Further embodiments may include a notification that indicates the benefit of reducing or preventing muscle soreness following physical exertion by consuming the beverage formulation.
US09089154B2 Enzyme-modified soybean product
The present invention relates to a method of producing a modified soybean product, such as a modified soybean meal, comprising use of a proteolytic enzyme. The invention further relates to use of a proteolytic enzyme in the production of a feed or feed additive product.
US09089151B2 Enzyme producing Bacillus strains
The disclosure relates to enzyme producing Bacillus strains that provide benefits to animals and methods of using these strains. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates compositions comprising the enzyme producing Bacillus strains. In yet another embodiment, the disclosure relates to a feed for an animal comprising enzyme producing Bacillus strains.
US09089147B2 Device and method for loading a food processing machine, in particular a filling machine or a cutter, with food
A device and a method for loading a food processing machine, in particular a filling machine or a cutter, with food, including a container for receiving the food, a lifting means by which the container can be driven upwards, a drive for the lifting means, and a measuring means for detecting the amount of food in the container.
US09089142B2 Impinging air ovens having high mass flow orifices
An air dispensing duct that can be used in an oven to heat or cook food products passing through the oven on a conveyor. The air dispensing ducts comprise a cover plate and at least one columnating plate, and a plurality of orifices disposed on the cover plate and the columnating plate. The orifices are larger than those of the prior art, which advantageously, and counterintuitively, provides for faster cooking of the food product.
US09089137B2 Phenyl-substituted ketoenols for controlling fish parasites
The present invention relates to the control of fish parasites, especially Copepodae, by means of phenyl-substituted ketoenols.
US09089133B2 Insecticide for agricultural or horticultural use and method of use thereof
Aniline derivatives represented by formula (8) and formula (9): The aniline derivatives can be used as insecticides.
US09089129B2 Non-aerosol foaming alcohol hand sanitizer
A non-aerosol, foaming high alcohol content hand sanitizer is provided which has excellent antimicrobial activity and tolerance for organic load and excellent residual activity, as well as enhanced moisturization and skin-feel properties over currently marketed alcohol-based sanitizers. The inventive composition achieves an unexpectedly large amount of quality, stable foam even in the presence of significant quantities of skin conditioning agents through the use of novel silicone surfactants and achieves enhanced and prolonged antimicrobial efficacy through the combination of high alcohol content and activity enhancing components.
US09089124B1 Dragging apparatus and assembly for hunters
A hunting assembly for dragging game or predators such as coyotes or bobcats. A belt or waste strap which carries one, two, or more drag pouches or other containers is secured around the hunter's waist. A drag cord with a loop at the end thereof is retained and carried by each of the containers. The drag cords are extended from the containers for dragging the game or predators to the hunter's vehicle or camp or to any other location.
US09089123B1 Wild game information system
An apparatus and methods for collecting data and monitoring vocalizations of wildlife and transmitting same to a user are described. The apparatus comprises one or more microphones coupled to a device for recording and processing captured audio signals and providing the captured information to a user. Several methods for use of the apparatus to collect data and monitor subjects of information are disclosed.
US09089119B1 Solar powered fishing bobber apparatus
A self-contained solar powered floating apparatus stores energy during the day and uses the stored energy to emit light underwater during the night, thereby attracting fish to the vicinity of the apparatus. The fishing bobber apparatus includes a floatable housing, a photovoltaic module disposed within the housing and including photovoltaic cells to receive solar radiation and convert the solar radiation into DC electricity. An energy storage module is electrically coupled to receive and store the DC electricity from the photovoltaic module during a storage mode, and a light emitting module is electrically coupled to receive DC electricity discharged from the energy storage module during a discharge mode and convert the DC electricity into light that is emitted through a portion of the housing. A light sensing module and associated control circuitry detects the presence of ambient light.
US09089115B2 Aquarium system
An aquarium system having a tank supported by a base, the base having a drawer that that retains the operational components of the filtration system. An overflow chute is positioned within the tank, the chute having an open top such that water from the tank may flow into the chute and into the drawer. The drawer has a receiving compartment located beneath the chute and a return compartment separated from the receiving compartment by a filter such that water is drawn through the filter and into the return compartment by a pump. The pump then delivers the filtered water from the return compartment into the tank through a conduit passing up through the chute. The filtration system is fully operational with the drawer closed or partially open.
US09089098B2 Method for identifying plant material that shows a reduced discolouration, plants thus identified and use of the identified plants for the production of commercial crop plants showing a reduced discolouration
The invention relates to a method for testing a plant or plant part for exhibiting a reduced or absent wound-induced surface discoloration as compared to a control plant or plant part, which method comprises providing a plant or plant part that is obtained from a plant population that shows genetic variation, in particular a gene bank; optionally creating a wound surface on the plant or plant part; incubating the plant or plant part or the wound surfaces created thereon to allow for discoloration to occur therein or thereon; observing the discoloration in or on the plants or plant parts; comparing the observed discoloration with the discoloration that is observed in the control plant or plant part to assess whether the plant or plant part shows no discoloration or a discoloration that is reduced as compared to the control plant or plant part; and identifying a plant or plant part that shows no discoloration or a discoloration that is reduced as compared to the control plant or plant part as a plant that harbors the reduced wound-induced surface discoloration trait.
US09089094B1 Combine thresher with helical auger flights having sacrificial shield and wear plates
A combine harvester thresher includes a combine harvester threshing drum formed with a helical auger flight and which is mounted for rotation in a threshing direction for threshing crop cuttings to form threshings. The helical auger flight has a leading end directed into the threshing direction and an opposed trailing end directed away from the threshing direction, an outer face and an opposed inner face angled toward the threshing direction for driving cuttings to the threshing drum for threshing in response to rotation of the threshing drum in the threshing direction. A sacrificial shield and wear plate is releasably attached to the leading end of the helical auger flight for shielding the leading end of the helical auger flight from impacting cuttings and for deflecting cuttings to the inner face of the helical auger flight in response to rotation of the threshing drum in the threshing direction.
US09089090B2 Combine harvester having a grain tank with an upper opening with a foldable attachment
A combine harvester includes a grain tank with an upper opening and a foldable attachment disposed on the upper opening. The attachment has two opposing, one-piece, flat attachment parts and two opposing, multiple-component, flat attachment parts. The attachment parts are swivellably disposed on the upper edge of the upper opening of the grain tank, are swivellably connected to one another and, in lying-flat, closed positions, form a cover. The cover at least partially closes the opening. In erected filling positions, the attachment parts increase the volume of the grain tank.
US09095075B2 Enclosure for electronic components with enhanced cooling
An enclosure is provided and includes a frame defining an interior and a pathway, the frame being configured to prevent external air infiltration to the interior, a divider disposed to divide the interior into first and second chambers that are each fluidly communicative with the pathway and a blower including a cold-plate configured to cool first electronic components disposed on the cold plate, second electronic components disposed in the second chamber and third electronic components disposed in the first chamber by cycling air through the first chamber, the second chamber and the airflow pathway.
US09095066B2 Printed board
A printed board is provided, which includes at least a first connecting electrode and a second connecting electrode. A solder is provided over the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode, and a chip component is provided over the solder. The chip component includes a first terminal electrode and a second terminal electrode. The first connecting electrode is overlapped with the first terminal electrode and is electrically connected to the first terminal electrode through the solder. The second connecting electrode is overlapped with the second terminal electrode and is electrically connected to the second terminal electrode through the solder. Two corner portions of each of the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode are overlapped with two corner portions of each of the first terminal electrode and the second terminal electrode.
US09095065B2 Method of repairing probe board and probe board using the same
There is provided a method of repairing a probe board, the method including: preparing a plurality of first via electrodes filled with a first filling material in a board body formed as a ceramic sintered body; forming a via hole for an open via electrode among the plurality of first via electrodes; filling the via hole with a second filling material having a lower sintering temperature than that of the first filling material; and forming a second via electrode by sintering the second filling material. The open via repair according to the present invention improves the manufacturing yield of the board and reduces the manufacturing costs thereof.
US09095055B2 Electronic device having extendable and retractable sliding member
An exemplary electronic device includes a shell, a sliding member movably received in the shell, and a movement driver. The driving mechanism includes a link lever, a pusher and a position stopper. The position stopper is located to a rear end of the link lever, and the pusher is latched by the position stopper when the sliding member is received in the shell. The link lever controls the position stopper to release the pusher, and the pusher ejects the sliding member out from the shell.
US09095049B2 Method for making an electromagnetic shielding layer
A method for making the electromagnetic shielding layer is provided. An electronic element has a surface is provided. At least one carbon nanotube film is fabricated. A carbon nanotube film structure is formed on the surface of the electronic element. A conductive layer is formed on the carbon nanotube film structure to obtain the electromagnetic shielding layer on the surface of the electronic element.
US09095048B2 Shielding case and imaging forming apparatus
A shield case includes a cabinet main body and a lid. The cabinet main body accommodates a board for mounting electronic components. The cabinet main body includes a main body side wall and a main body outer edge portion. The lid includes an opposed outer edge portion, a recessed portion and a plurality of contact points. The recessed portion includes opposed side wall portions that are disposed in an opposed configuration in relation to the main body side wall, and a lid bottom portion. A plurality of contact points is formed on the opposed side wall portions. The plurality of contact points is biased toward the main body side wall to form an electrical connection between the cabinet main body 401 and the lid.
US09095040B2 Charged particle beam acceleration and extraction method and apparatus used in conjunction with a charged particle cancer therapy system
The invention comprises a charged particle beam acceleration and optional extraction method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Novel design features of a synchrotron are described. Particularly, turning magnets, edge focusing magnets, concentrating magnetic field magnets, and extraction elements are described that minimize the overall size of the synchrotron, provide a tightly controlled proton beam, directly reduce the size of required magnetic fields, directly reduces required operating power, and allow continual acceleration of protons in a synchrotron even during a process of extracting protons from the synchrotron.
US09095039B2 Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
A plasma processing apparatus can excite uniform plasma on a large substrate. The plasma processing apparatus 10 includes a vacuum chamber 100 having therein a mounting table 115 configured to mount a substrate G, and a plasma space, formed above the mounting table, in which plasma is generated; a first coaxial waveguide 225 through which a high frequency power for exciting plasma is supplied into the vacuum chamber 100; a waveguide path 205, connected to the first coaxial waveguide 225, having a slit-shaped opening toward the plasma space; and an adjusting unit configured to adjust a wavelength of the high frequency power propagating in the waveguide path in a lengthwise direction of the slit-shaped opening. By adjusting the wavelength of the high frequency power propagating in the waveguide path to be sufficiently lengthened, uniform plasma can be excited on the large substrate.
US09095038B2 ICP source design for plasma uniformity and efficiency enhancement
An ICP A plasma reactor having an enclosure wherein at least part of the ceiling forms a dielectric window. A substrate support is positioned within the enclosure below the dielectric window. An RF power applicator is positioned above the dielectric window to radiate RF power through the dielectric window and into the enclosure. A plurality of gas injectors are distributed uniformly above the substrate support to supply processing gas into the enclosure. A circular baffle is situated inside the enclosure and positioned above the substrate support but below the plurality of gas injectors so as to redirect flow of the processing gas.
US09095022B1 Constant current driver based on critical condition mode buck converter
A light fixture includes a converter operable to drive a light source of the light fixture. The buck converter is operable to provide a predetermined average current to the light source or load. A switch of the buck converter is located in the low side of the buck converters such that a controller of the buck converter may drive the switch directly without the use of an isolation transformer. The buck converter controls operation of the switch based on current through the switch and current through the primary inductor of the buck converter.
US09095014B2 LED light string and control method thereof
A LED light string contains an adjustable remote control and a control host connected with the LED light string, wherein the adjustable remote control includes a button set, a subhost MCU, and a TX transmitter module, the sub host includes a TX coding module, and a variation of a pressed time and/or a pressing way of the button set generates a press signal received and coded by the TX coding module; the control host includes a RX receiver module and a host MCU; the host MCU includes an AC 60 HZ/50 HZ synchronization over-zero module, a RF decoding analysis module, and a two-way controllable silicon driving circuit module, thus controlling a light flash of the LED light string.
US09095013B2 System and method for occupancy sensing with enhanced functionality
A system and method provide fail-safe operation of a lighting system. A lighting level detector is used to obtain a baseline lighting level for a low-intensity light. If the detector measures less than the baseline level when an occupancy sensor determines the space is unoccupied, a high-intensity light is energized and an indication is provided to a user that the low-intensity light has failed. A method provides daylighting operation of a lighting system. An occupancy sensor can have Wi-Fi functionality to enable remote configuration of the sensor. A line voltage occupancy sensor can include an interface with low voltage devices. An occupancy sensor can include an integral interface to enable an external control system to override the sensor's normal logic under emergency conditions. An occupancy sensor can include an active temperature compensation feature. An occupancy sensor can also incorporate an automatically adjustable coverage area.
US09095006B2 Electric heating apparatus
An electric heating apparatus includes a power module, an electric heating unit, and a switching unit. The power module is adapted to be electrically connected to a battery for outputting electric energy. The electric heating unit includes multiple electric heating components electrically connected to the power module tor receiving and converting the electric energy into thermal energy. The switching unit is electrically connected between the power module and the electric heating unit, and is operable to control electrical connection between the power module and each of the electric heating components. Accordingly, the electric heating unit generates the thermal energy with a constant output power.
US09095005B2 Induction cook-top apparatus
An induction stove assembly that utilizes pads between the cook-top of the stove and cooking vessels placed on the stove for heating. The pads are easily removable and interchangeable with other similar pads. The pads help protect the cook-top from damage, make clean-up more efficient, and insulate the cook-top from excessive heating.
US09095004B2 Insulator for open coil electrical resistance heater, heater using same, and method of use
An open coil electrical resistance heater employs an insulator having a coil convolution engaging portion that is adapted to engage heater coils with small diameters, small wire diameters, and/or small pitches without distorting the coil and compromising heater performance.
US09094998B2 Method of data transmission in a wireless network system by optimizing window size scaling of communication protocol
In a wireless network system which adopts a multi-layer data transmission structure, a wireless channel is established between a user equipment and a base station. When a first layer operates using an initial TCP/IP window size, a signal transmission status and a current signal transmission parameter of a second layer are measured. If the signal transmission status does not meet a predetermined standard, the first layer is configured to operate according to an adjusted TCP/IP window size which is associated with the current signal transmission parameter. The first layer is hierarchically higher than the second layer in the multi-layer data transmission structure.
US09094994B2 Network-coding building blocks and decomposition scheduling based thereon
Methods and systems are disclosed involving physical-layer network coding (PNC) atoms as building blocks of PNC networks to solve the scheduling problem in PNC networks using a decomposition framework based on PNC atoms. Ten PNC atoms and their straightforward network coding (SNC) counterparts are disclosed. Performance evaluation results are discussed, which indicate that decomposition based on the ten PNC atoms outperforms the traditional multi-hop (non-NC) scheduling by about 100%. Furthermore, decomposition based on the ten PNC atoms can yield performance gain of 40% or more compared with decomposition based on the TWRC atom alone.
US09094989B2 Base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, mobile communication system, communication method, control program, and integrated circuit
In a case where a transmission timing in a mobile station apparatus varies among individual cells, efficient random access can be performed. A base station apparatus which is applied to a mobile communication system in which random access from a mobile station apparatus to a base station apparatus is executed allocates a plurality of cells to the mobile station apparatus, groups the cells into groups in each of which cells have an identical transmission timing in the mobile station apparatus, notifies the mobile station apparatus of transmission timings determined for the individual groups, permits the mobile station apparatus to execute random access using any one of the cells included in the groups, and notifies the mobile station apparatus of random access execution information about the cell for which random access is permitted.
US09094988B2 Method and apparatus for performing random access on a secondary carrier
Methods and apparatus are described herein for synchronizing timing when using a secondary component carrier (SCC) in a carrier aggregated wireless network. A user equipment (UE) may determine that it is out of synchronization with respect to an SCC used to communicate with a network element. The UE may inform the network element of the out of synchronization status, and may perform a random access procedure to synchronize the timing.
US09094975B2 Systems, methods, and devices for electronic spectrum management
Systems, methods, and devices enable spectrum management by identifying, classifying, and cataloging signals of interest based on radio frequency measurements. In an embodiment, signals and the parameters of the signals may be identified and indications of available frequencies may be presented to a user. In another embodiment, the protocols of signals may also be identified. In a further embodiment, the modulation of signals, data types carried by the signals, and estimated signal origins may be identified.
US09094972B2 Sensing aiding method and system for cognitive radio
The disclosure discloses a sensing aiding method for cognitive radio. The method includes the following steps. a high level node transmits configuration information to a base station; the base station combines with a subordinate node of the base station to perform frequency spectrum sensing measurement, in which the subordinate node has sensing capability, and feeds back a result of the sensing measurement to the high level node; and the high level node formulates a corresponding WS allocation policy according to the received result of the sensing measurement. The disclosure also discloses a system. By the method and the system of the disclosure, the high level node transmits the configuration information to the base station; the base station performs the spectrum sensing measurement in combination with the subordinate node having the sensing capability of the base station in a designated frequency band and feeds the result of the sensing measurement back to the high level node; and the high level node formulates the corresponding WS allocation policy according to the result of the sensing measurement. Available white band resources are acquired; the probability of base station configuration failure is reduced, and the overhead caused by configuration failures is reduced.
US09094967B2 Transmission of sounding reference signals from a user equipment in response to multiple requests
Methods and apparatuses are provided for sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission. A plurality of parameter sets for aperiodic SRS transmission are received. First downlink control information, including an SRS request field with a first value indicating one of the plurality of parameter sets, is received. Second downlink control information, including an SRS request field with a second value indicating one of the plurality of parameter sets, is received. An aperiodic SRS is transmitted using the indicated parameter set if the first value is identical to the second value.
US09094965B2 Semi-persistent scheduled resource release procedure in a mobile communication network
The invention relates to a method for deactivating a semi-persistent resource allocation of a user equipment in an LTE-based mobile communication system. Furthermore, the invention also related to a user equipment and an eNode B implementing this method. To provide a mechanism for deactivating a semi-persistent resource allocation in a LTE system which is not requiring any changes to the Physical layer-to-MAC layer interface and/or preferably no changes to the PDCCH formats agreed by the 3GPP a combination of NDI value and MCS index is defined that is commanding the release of SPS resources. Alternatively, another solution proposed to define a special transport block size that when signaled in a PDCCH is commanding the release of SPS resources.
US09094958B2 Methods and systems for dynamic spectrum arbitrage user profile management
A dynamic spectrum arbitrage (DSA) system includes a home subscriber server (HSS), a mobility management entity (MME), an eNodeB, a dynamic spectrum controller (DSC), and a dynamic spectrum policy controller (DPC). The DSC may receive resource allocation information from the DPC, and send updated information and instructions to the HSS. The HSS may be configured to receive information from the DSC, detect changes to HSS subscription information (e.g., user profile information), determine whether the changes affect the information managed/stored by an MME component, and send the detected changes to the MME component when the HSS determines that the changes affect the information managed/stored by the MME. The MME component may use the information included in the received messages to add, remove, or modify the MME's stored subscription information or user profile information. The MME component may then communicate these updates, additions, or changes to the HSS component.
US09094954B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, which facilitates a terminal to be used in further consideration of user's convenience. The present invention includes receiving a call signal for requesting an establishment of a second session from a second counterpart via a wireless communication unit while a first session with a first counterpart is established and transmitting user data to the second counterpart using an available radio resource of a standby session for waiting for the establishment of the second session. Accordingly, if an incoming call is received from a different counterpart in the course of a call to a prescribed counterpart, a prescribed data is sent to the different counterpart to inform that the call cannot be connected.
US09094951B2 Communications methods and apparatus for allocation of resources and handover related measurements
Methods and apparatus for allocation of resources for handover related measurements in a communications system including user equipment (UE) devices, a macro base station and small base stations (e.g., femtocells) are described. Some embodiments are well suited for systems where the number of femtocells may equal or outnumber the number of UE devices. In some embodiments a macro base station allocates periodic communications resources for transmission of pilots by UEs or femtocells. The macro base station configures either femtocells or active UEs to transmit pilots using the allocated communications resources based on the relative number of femtocells to active UEs in the coverage area of the macro base station, devices which are lower in number transmitting the pilots. Transmitters (UE devices or femtocells) transmit pilots along with identification information using the allocated resource(s) and receivers measure the pilot signals. The pilot signal measurements may be used to make handover decisions.
US09094943B2 Network and mobile device initiated quality of service
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate avoidance of duplicative resource allocation and/or erroneous service charges via unambiguously indicating an entity responsible for quality of service (QoS) initiation. In one example, an indication is provided to a mobile device to indicate a preference for network-initiated QoS or a preference for device-initiated QoS. QoS for a data flow can be established in accordance with the indication. For instance, the mobile device initiates QoS when the indication specifies a preference for device-initiated QoS while a network establishes QoS when the indication specifies a preference for network-initiated QoS.
US09094938B2 Method and system for transmitting dynamic scheduling information
The present invention discloses a method for transmitting dynamic scheduling information (DSI) of Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS). A network side bears the dynamic scheduling information (DSI) of Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) born on a plurality of Multicast Channels (MCH) in one Multicast Broadcast over Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area on one MCH to send. User Equipment (UE) reads scheduling information of MBMS born on each MCH in said MBSFN area from the MCH bearing a plurality of pieces of DSI placed together or one piece of DSI combined, and receives the MBMS born on different MCHs according to read scheduling information. The present invention further provides a network side device of a system supporting to transmit dynamic scheduling information and a corresponding system.
US09094935B2 Small base station apparatus, base station apparatus, mobile station apparatus, and mobile communication system
A mobile station receives, from the base station, a connection release message instructing release of a connection with the base station. The message including cell information of another cell. And, the cell information includes cell ID information and frequency information for specifying the another cell, broadcast information of the another cell where the broadcast information is applied to the another cell in case where the another cell is detected by performing cell search, and preamble information used for a random access procedure on the another cell. Furthermore, the mobile station applies the broadcast information to the another cell in case where the another cell is detected by the cell search after release of the connection.
US09094933B2 Wireless communication paging utilizing multiple types of node identifiers
Paging load and/or registration load in a network is reduced by using different types of identifiers to specifying which nodes page an access terminal in the network. In some aspects, the network maintains a list that specifies that certain individual nodes (e.g., cells or sectors) are to page a given access terminal and/or that one or more zones (e.g., tracking areas) are to page the access terminal. In some aspects, an access terminal in a network may be configured to provide a forward-looking paging list to the network. The list provided by an access terminal may specify different types of node identifiers (e.g., individual node identifiers, subscriber groups, etc.). The network may then use the list to determine which nodes are to page a given access terminal such that when the access terminal moves to a different node, that node may already be configured to page the access terminal. In some aspect paging load and registration load are managed in a deployment that includes different types of access points. For example, access points of a first type (e.g., macro nodes) may provide service over relatively large coverage areas and access points of a second type (e.g., femto nodes) may provide service over smaller coverage areas and/or provide restricted service.
US09094932B2 Mobile electronic device
A system and methods for controlling a mobile electronic device is disclosed. A notification in response to a prescribed event is outputted. A change in a position of the mobile electronic device is detected. A strength of the notification is reduced, when a change in the position of the mobile electronic device is detected while the notification sound is being outputted.
US09094931B2 System and method for continuous mobile service geochronous validation
In one embodiment of the present invention, a system and method may be provided for validating communications permissions for an in progress communication. The system and method may include receiving location information, at a service provider, from a wireless communications device. The location information may be communicated to a database that is able to determine communications permissions based upon some predetermined criteria, such as time, date, and location. Based upon the received location information and a related database record, permissions for the wireless communications device may be determined. The determined permissions may be communicated to the service provider. The wireless communications device may be notified about restrictions on its communications, in response to receiving the permissions. The permissions determination may be repeated, as necessary, in response to receiving updated location information.
US09094924B2 Controlling transmit power of uplink sounding reference signal
The disclosure is related to controlling a transmit power of an uplink sounding reference signal.
US09094923B2 Integrated circuit to control radio transmission process
Provided is a communication device, which is enabled to improve the throughput of a communication system by reducing the difference of a transmission power between an SCCH and an SDCH thereby to satisfy the required quality of a PAPR. In this device, an MCS selection unit (111) of a transmission unit (110) decides, with reference to a CQI lookup table, an MCS pattern (MCS1) of the SDCH, an MCS pattern (MCS2) of the SCCH and information (multiplex information) on multiplex positions on the time axes of those two channels, on the basis of the CQI information. On the basis of the MCS2 and the MCS1, encoding modulation units (112 and 113) perform encoding and modulating operations. According to the multiplex information, a channel multiplexing unit (114) time-division multiplexes the SCCH and the SDCH thereby to generate a transmission signal.
US09094916B1 System and method for adjusting power used in reception in a wireless packet network
A system and method allows devices to send and receive packets while using power to do so in a manner that responds to events, such as receipt or other identification of different parameters that control how packets are sent and received.
US09094911B2 Data communication system, method of optimizing preamble length, and communication apparatus
A frame is effectively transmitted and received by setting an optimal preamble length according to transmission environments between communication apparatuses. A data communication system includes a synchronization detection part to detect bit synchronization based on the preamble of the frame received to the second communication apparatus from the first communication apparatus, a synchronization position information generating part to generate synchronization position information of a position of the bit synchronization, which is in the frame received in the second communication apparatus, detected by the synchronization detection part, a preamble length calculating part to calculate an optimal value of a length of the preamble based on the synchronization position information, and a transmit command issuing part to issue a transmit command of transmission of the frame including the preamble having the length based on the optimal value from the first communication apparatus to the second communication apparatus.
US09094902B2 Method and apparatus for determining communication parameter and for communication in WLAN
A communication parameter determination method, and a WLAN communication method and device, comprising: a base station determines a first communication parameter used by a first mobile terminal for communication in a WLAN, the first communication parameter representing a first waiting time of the first mobile terminal in the WLAN from the time of determining that the channel is idle to the time of starting to communicate, and the first waiting time being less than a second waiting time of a second mobile terminal in the WLAN from the time of determining that the channel is idle to the time of starting to communicate; the base station transmits the determined first communication parameter to the first mobile terminal. Accordingly, the first mobile terminal about to switch from a cellular network to the WLAN receives the first communication parameter transmitted by the base station; and after accessing the WLAN, the first mobile terminal uses the first communication parameter to communicate in the WLAN. The solution provided in an embodiment of the present invention improves the WLAN communication quality for a mobile terminal that has switched from a cellular network to a WLAN.
US09094898B2 Method and apparatus for scanning multi-mode wireless communication environments
A method and apparatus adaptively scan communication channels to find a channel having a desired attribute such as being usable for communication with a home network in one of a plurality of communication modes. A first scan of a first set of channels is performed, and attributes are assigned to channels. If a channel having the desired attribute is not found, the attributes are used to configure a second scan of a second set of channels using a second scan mode, such that the expected amount of resources consumed in the second scan is reduced, for example by scanning channels more likely to be usable for communication first. The second scan of a second set of channels is performed, and additional attributes are assigned to channels. If a channel having the desired attribute is found during the first or second scan, the scan may terminate.
US09094897B2 Communication apparatus and control method thereof
A communication apparatus (receiving apparatus) configured to receive a communication parameter selects, when an access point itself is active as a providing apparatus or the communication apparatus detects an access point (active access point) that is communicatable with an active providing apparatus, the access point as the access point to be connected using wireless connection. If the communication apparatus does not detect an active access point, the communication apparatus selects an access point (setup-completed access point) which is configured with a communication parameter that is different from the one that is set at the time of initialization, as the access point to be connected using wireless connection.
US09094886B2 Method and apparatus to postpone UE from handover to an overloaded radio network from another radio network
A node of a secondary RAT that is in communication with a primary node of a primary RAT and UEs that are able to communicate by way of the primary and secondary RATs. The node concludes a network interface unit of the node which receives a message from the primary node that indicates that the primary RAT is in an overload condition. The node includes a processing unit of the node which forms UE messages for the UEs not to try to communicate with the primary RAT, the network interface unit of the node sending the messages to the UEs. A method of a node of a secondary RAT that is in communication with a primary node of a primary RAT and UEs that are able to communicate by way of the primary and secondary RATs.
US09094872B2 Enhanced resource management for a network system
According to exemplary embodiments, a method for resource management of network systems includes sampling channel states of a first set of channels from at least one base station associated with a radio network controller providing an application and estimating channel states of a second set of channels from the at least one base station, wherein the estimated channel states are based on previously sampled channel states and currently sampled channel states. The method further includes adapting at least one runtime parameter of the application based on the sampled channel states of the first set of channels and the estimated channel states of the second set of channels.
US09094866B2 Method and radio base station in a wireless communication network
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and a RBS to reduce the RNC load. This is achieved by letting the radio base station identify RRC connection requests and performing RRC connection rejects. In this way, excessive load of RRC requests done by typically Smart Phones can be rejected in a good way by the radio base station and therefore free up capacity in RNC, making it possible for RNC to execute useful traffic to a higher degree.
US09094845B2 Methods and arrangements in a wireless communication system
Some embodiments provide a method executed in a network node comprised in a wireless communications network. According to the method, the network node obtains (120) information related to the form factor of a wireless device comprised in the wireless communications network. Based on the obtained information, the network node determines (1110) radio resources and/or appropriate physical layer parameters and/or configuration parameters for the wireless device. The determined radio resources and/or parameters are then used (1120) for a network operation.
US09094840B2 Methods for testing receiver sensitivity of wireless electronic devices
A test system may include test equipment for testing the radio-frequency performance of wireless electronic devices. The test equipment may provide radio-frequency downlink signals to a wireless electronic device under test (DUT). The test equipment may perform a power sweep by stepping down the downlink signals in signal power level to test receiver sensitivity for the DUT. The DUT may gather measurement data from the downlink signals. The test equipment may retrieve measurement data from the DUT after downlink signal transmission has ended. The test equipment may identify a trigger in the retrieved measurement data to ensure that the data is synchronized with the power sweep in the transmitted downlink signals. The test equipment may identify path loss information associated with the test system. The test equipment may compute receiver sensitivity values for the DUT based on the path loss information and retrieved measurement data.
US09094839B2 Evolved packet core (EPC) network error mapping
A first node device, associated with an evolved packet core network, receives an error code from a second node device associated with the evolved packet core network, where the error code is destined for a user equipment. The first node device compares the error code to information included in a data structure that maps multiple error codes to multiple translated error codes understood by the user equipment, and translates the error code into a translated error code based on the comparing of the error code to the information included in the data structure. The translated error code is in a format that is understood by the user equipment. The first node device provides the translated error code to the user equipment or to a third node device associated with the evolved packet core network.
US09094835B2 Radio communication device and method for operating a radio communication device
A radio communication device is provided including a first transceiver; a second transceiver, a first determiner configured to determine an effect of a communication by the first transceiver on the throughput of a communication by the second transceiver, a second determiner configured to determine an effect of pausing the communication by the second transceiver during the communication by the first transceiver on the throughput of the communication by the second transceiver and a controller configured to control the second transceiver to pause communication during the communication by the first transceiver if the effect of the communication by the first transceiver on the throughput of the communication by the second transceiver is higher than the effect of pausing the communication by the second transceiver during the communication by the first transceiver on the throughput of the communication by the second transceiver.
US09094832B2 Method of selectively applying a PDCP function in wireless communication system
Disclosed is a wireless communication system and terminal for providing a wireless communication service, and more particularly, a method of selectively applying a PDCP function based on data characteristic transmitted through a radio bearer in an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) evolved from a UMTS, Long Term Evolution (LTE) System or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) system.
US09094829B2 Equipment identity registration
Method, device, and storage medium for receiving a request to attach to a network from a device; obtaining a user identifier and a device identifier; identifying an enhanced type allocation code identifier based on the device identifier; storing enhanced type allocation code identifiers; determining if network access is granted or denied based on whether a correlation exists between the user identifier and the enhanced type allocation code identifier; and granting network access in response to a determination that the correlation exists between the user identifier and the enhanced type allocation code identifier.
US09094824B2 Mobile web system for sending and receiving navigational coordinates and notifications
A first mobile device requests a second mobile device to navigate to a destination communicated to the second mobile device by the first mobile device, wherein at least the second mobile device, if not both the first and the second mobile devices, is GPS enabled and is capable of navigation. In one scenario, a first user of the first mobile device requests the second device (or the user of the second device) to send a notification when the second user has reached a certain destination or is in the vicinity of a certain location where the first user and the first mobile device are currently located.
US09094820B2 Systems and methods for securely transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages
Methods, devices, and computer program products for transmitting and receiving discovery and paging messages in a wireless communication device are described herein. In one aspect, a wireless apparatus operable in a wireless communication system includes a receiver configured to receive a discovery packet from a first device, the discovery packet including a first public key and information advertising a service provided by the first device. The wireless apparatus further includes a processor configured to generate a paging request packet, the paging request packet including a second public key and information indicating interest in the service provided by the first device. The processor is further configured to generate an encryption key based at least in part on the first public key and the second public key and encrypt at least a portion of the paging request packet using the generated encryption key. The wireless apparatus further includes a transmitter configured to transmit the encrypted paging request packet including the second public key and the information indicating interest in the service to the first device.
US09094819B2 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for obscuring diameter node information in a communication network
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a system for a system for obscuring DIAMETER node information in a communication network. The system includes a DIAMETER agent platform. The DIAMETER agent platform includes a network interface for receiving a message from a first DIAMETER node. The DIAMETER agent platform further includes a DIAMETER information hiding module for modifying, in the first message, DIAMETER information for the first DIAMETER node so as to obscure the identity of the first diameter node. The diameter agent includes a routing module for routing the modified message to a second DIAMETER node.
US09094818B2 Method for cryptographically transmitting data between network nodes using a nonce value
A method transmits data between network nodes of a network in a cryptographically protected manner. The network nodes are, for example, sensor nodes of a wireless sensor network. In the method, in order to transmit the data in a message, a NONCE value is created from a count value which is updated in the transmission of the message and from a constant value which is provided in a shared manner to the network nodes of the network. The data transmitted in the message is then encrypted and decrypted within the network nodes by a cryptographic key and the created NONCE value. The method offers in particular protection against replay attacks while at the same time minimizing the use of resources of the network nodes.
US09094808B2 Method and system for providing notifications of a mobile device in motion to determine call treatment
An approach for providing vehicle accident prevention service is described. A user device in motion is detected. An alert message indicating that the user device is in motion is generated. A determination is made whether to establish a communication session with the user device in response to the generated alert message.
US09094800B2 System and method for preventing driver use of a mobile device
A system and method are disclosed for restricting driver access to mobile devices while driving. The system includes an interface which facilities communicating with the vehicle and communicates with mobile devices present in the vehicle. The system determines the location of each mobile device in the vehicle in order to identify the mobile device belonging to the driver. If the vehicle is currently moving, functions of the driver's mobile device can be restricted or limited, while allowing passengers full access to their mobile devices.
US09094796B2 Mobile device trajectory estimation
Disclosed is a novel system and method for utilizing information gathered at a based station for tracking a trajectory of a mobile device. Three types of information may be used including radio-layer information, ID information, session based information, or a combination thereof. The information is gathered at cellular base-stations to localize a mobile device. Cell towers have wide penetration and extensive coverage, and base-stations/mobile-devices have access to a lot of information. In one example, a method for tracking mobile device locations at a based station begins with accessing a list of mobile device information previously collected from mobile devices communicatively coupled over the wireless communications network to the base station. Currently active mobile device information measured by the network elements is accessed. A trajectory of the mobile device communicatively coupled to the base station is estimated by mapping the list of information previously collected with the currently active mobile device information.
US09094792B2 Predicting routes using wireless networks
The disclosed implementations provide a system and method of predicting routes for mobile devices using wireless networks, including generating and sending content to a mobile device that is travelling on a predetermined route (e.g., a bus route determined by a transportation agency). The mobile device can scan for a wireless network that is installed on a vehicle travelling on a predetermined route. The system can predict which predetermined route the mobile device is travelling on by accessing a database that associates wireless networks with transportation vehicles. The system can confirm whether the mobile device is travelling on a predetermined route based on the device's sensor measurements, timestamps collected over a period of time and the identity of the wireless network that is connected to the device. The system can send content to the mobile device based on the mobile device's location and predicted future locations along the predetermined route.
US09094790B2 Automatic transfer of machine-to-machine device identifier to network-external service providers
Techniques for automatically transferring an external identifier for a wireless device from a wireless communication network serving the wireless device to a service provider external to the wireless communication network are disclosed. In an example method, carried out in one or more nodes of the wireless communication network, a binding between the external identifier and an internal identifier for the wireless device is maintained. A data session for the wireless device and corresponding to the service provider is established, wherein said establishing includes an assignment of an IP address to the wireless device. A request for the external identifier is received from the service provider, said request including the IP address for the wireless device. The external identifier is then sent to the service provider, in response to the request.
US09094784B2 Registration of a terminal with a location server for user plane location
Techniques for supporting network-initiated location services for a terminal are described. A location server may not be able to reach the terminal in a normal manner in certain operating scenarios. The terminal may perform registration with the location server if the terminal determines that it may not be reachable by the location server in the normal manner. For the registration, the terminal may identify itself to the location server, instigate mutual authentication of the terminal and the location server, and provide an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the terminal to the location server. The terminal may perform registration with the location server whenever the IP address changes and/or periodically whenever a timer expires. The terminal may set the timer to a value received from the location server. The location server may use the IP address to send messages to the terminal for network-initiated location services.
US09094783B1 Providing adaptive network access
A method, system, and medium are provided for adaptively providing network access to mobile devices. The mobile devices have a first interface for a wireless access network and a second interface for a personal area network. The wireless access network connects the mobile devices to a base station, and the personal area network connects the mobile device to other mobile devices that are part of the personal area network. Wireless access conditions are generated by the base station and communicated over the wireless access network to mobile devices that generate network access requests. Additionally, the mobile devices may transmit the wireless access conditions over the personal are network to other mobile devices that are within a predetermined distance. The mobile devices detect that the wireless access conditions in the wireless access network have degraded and adaptively select alternate routes to complete the network access requests.
US09094777B2 Machine-to-machine (“M2M”) platform systems and methods
Exemplary machine-to-machine (“M2M”) systems and methods are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes an M2M platform system operating an M2M platform in accordance with a functionality set of the M2M platform, receiving data representative of an update to the functionality set of the M2M platform, and seamlessly transitioning, based on the data representative of the update and during runtime operation of the M2M platform, from the operating of the M2M platform in accordance with the functionality set of the M2M platform to operating the M2M platform in accordance with an updated functionality set of the M2M platform. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.
US09094774B2 Apparatus and methods for maintaining service continuity when transitioning between mobile network operators
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method storing, at an integrated circuit card including at least one processor, parametric information descriptive of operational features of a plurality of software applications, where the plurality of software applications when executed makes use of services provided by equipment of a first network operator. The method can further include detecting, at the integrated circuit card, an event indicating that the plurality of software applications are to utilize services provided by equipment of a second network operator, and causing, from the integrated circuit card, a transmission of the parametric information descriptive of the operational features of the plurality of software applications to the equipment of the second network operator. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09094773B2 System and method for enabling wireless connectivity of a device
A system and method for enabling communication between a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus are disclosed, wherein the method may include reading identification information from a data medium associated with the first communication apparatus with a data medium reader incorporated within a personal communication device; uploading the first-communication-apparatus identification information from the portable communication device to a computer system over the internet; storing the first-communication-apparatus identification information in a database accessible by the computer system; and configuring authentication data for the second communication apparatus to recognize the first communication apparatus, using the first-communication-apparatus identification information.
US09094757B2 Headphone apparatus with cord storage
A headset apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprises: a headband; two speakers and a cord; the apparatus comprises grooves and/or channels for allowing the cord to be wrapped around the apparatus during a stowage position.
US09094755B2 Audio monitoring system and selection of stored transmission data
An audio monitoring system for an audio performance consists of one or more terminal units and one or more base units. The base units are configured to send transmission data consisting of channel labels, frequencies, and mix identifiers to the terminal units. The terminal units are configured to receive and store the transmission data. The terminal units permit a user to select the stored transmission data and to display the transmission data on a user display. The terminal units can receive audio signals from the base units over the stored frequencies and are configured to output the corresponding audio signals to a sound transmission device.
US09094754B2 Reduction of spurious uncorrelation in FM radio noise
The document relates to audio signal processing, in particular to a system and a corresponding method for improving an audio signal of an FM stereo radio receiver, in this context, one aspect relates to the estimation of noise in a received side signal and the compensation of such noise in parametric stereo parameters. A system for generating a parametric stereo parameter from a two-channel audio signal is described. The two-channel audio signal is presentable as a mid signal and side signal representative of a corresponding left and right audio signal. The system comprises a noise estimation stage configured to determine an impact factor characteristic for the noise of the side signal; and a parametric stereo parameter estimation stage configured to determine the parametric stereo parameter; wherein the determining is based on the two-channel audio signal and the impact factor.
US09094748B2 Dynamic microphone unit and dynamic microphone
A dynamic microphone unit includes a diaphragm vibrating upon receiving acoustic waves, a voice coil fixed to the diaphragm, vibrating together with the diaphragm, a magnetic circuit generating a magnetic field in a magnetic gap in which the voice coil is disposed, a rear air chamber formed behind the magnetic circuit, wherein holes for connecting a back side space of the diaphragm with the rear air chamber are formed in a member forming the magnetic circuit in order to reduce resonance and reduce peaks developing in frequency response characteristics, achieving uniformity of directivity.
US09094735B1 Re-presentation of previously presented content
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for re-presentation of previously presented content. One of the methods includes providing a video advertisement for presentation on a user device along with a video content item, in response to receiving a request to view the video content item. First information is received that indicates that a user of the user device wants to skip the video advertisement or that the video advertisement has completed play. After receipt of the first information, a control to facilitate re-presentation of the video advertisement is provided. Second information is received indicating that the user of the user device has interacted with the control. The video advertisement is provided for re-presentation to the user device.
US09094728B1 Client terminal for providing channel subscription from a program guide
A client terminal connectable to a video distribution system (VDS) and a display device. The VDS provides program guide information to create a program guide that includes program guide entries for subscribed channels and non-subscribed channels. The client terminal includes a video distribution system interface to receive the program guide information, a display interface to display the program guide on the display device, a user interface to receive user input, and a terminal controller responsive to a subscription control program. In response to user input, the terminal controller selects a program guide entry. If the selected program guide entry is for a non-subscribed channel, the user is queried as to whether the user would like to subscribe to the selected channel. In response to user input indicating that the user would like to subscribe to the selected channel, a subscription request for the selected channel is transmitted to the VDS.
US09094727B1 Multi-functional user interface using slice-based encoding
Methods for slice-based encoding of program guides and user interfaces. The program guides include multiple video streams for picture-in-picture and other applications. A method for encoding the program guide includes encoding a first set of slices for each of a plurality of graphics pages; and encoding a second set of slices for each of a plurality of video streams. The user interfaces are multi-functional and may be used for electronic commerce and other applications. A method of generating the user interface includes encoding a set of slices for each of a plurality of objects, each object being characterized by an identity, at least one attribute, and at least one operation. In one embodiment of this method, the plurality of objects include an electronic commerce object, where the electronic commerce object is attributed with a first hyper text markup language (HTML) page.
US09094720B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for delivering a program in advance of a scheduled broadcast time
A scheduled broadcast time is retrieved for a program that is to be delivered in advance of the scheduled broadcast time, wherein the scheduled broadcast time is associated with a program content identifier for the program. Prior to the scheduled broadcast time, a pre-cast channel is selected on a network by selecting a dedicated pre-cast channel. Prior to the scheduled broadcast time, a signal is sent for placing a viewer program storage device into a pre-cast mode, such that viewing of the pre-cast channel is disabled. Prior to the scheduled broadcast time, the program is delivered to the viewer program storage device over the pre-cast channel, wherein the delivered program is associated with the program content identifier and a time stamp for disabling playback of the delivered program until arrival of the scheduled broadcast time.
US09094705B2 Enabling communication connections related to received content
A content receiver determines that a communication connection recipient identifier is associated with content received from a content provider. An associated communication device is identified by the content receiver. The content receiver then signals the communication device to initiate a communication connections utilizing the communication identifier. In some implementations, the content receiver may provide a user with a notification and may signal the communication device after receiving a responses to the notification. In one or more implementations, the communication connection recipient identifiers may be telephone numbers, the communication devices may be telecommunication devices, and the communication connections may be telephone connections. The content receiver may determine that a communication connection recipient identifier is associated with content based on analysis of metadata that accompanies or that otherwise corresponds to the received content or by audio and/or image recognition performed on the content.
US09094698B2 Efficient bandwidth utilization
A method including providing content to one or more customer premises equipment (CPEs); receiving a content request for content from a requesting CPE; determining whether the content is already being delivered to at least one of the one or more CPEs; selecting a primary CPE to satisfy the content request when it is determined that the content is already being delivered to the at least one of the one or more CPEs; providing a network address of the primary CPE to the requesting CPE; and providing the content from the primary CPE to the requesting CPE.
US09094696B2 System and method to ensure buffer compliance in a MPEG2 transport stream system
A system and method for ensuring buffer compliance in a moving picture experts group 2 (MPEG2) transport stream (TS) system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a plurality of encoded audio/video (A/V) streams is categorized into a first group and a second group. Further, interleaving bits and a number of bytes to be sent are computed for each encoded A/V stream in the first group and the second group, respectively. Furthermore, an encoded A/V stream is selected based on the computed interleaving bits and number of bytes to be sent, respectively. In addition, one or more TS packets are generated by packetizing data in one or more frames in the selected encoded A/V stream based on program clock reference (PCR) and decode time stamp (DTS) associated with the one or more frames to ensure buffer compliance in the MPEG2 TS system.
US09094693B1 Dissemination of video files to mobile computing devices over a communications network
A server for disseminating a video file to mobile subscriber over a mobile communications network is disclosed. The server comprises a processor programmed for storing a record for each mobile subscriber, defining a criteria for selecting mobile subscribers for videos, wherein said criteria is based on data from a record for a mobile subscriber, selecting a group of mobile subscribers by identifying the records that match said criteria, generating, for each mobile subscriber of the group, a video message in a format that corresponds to the operating system indicator and the video format indicator for said mobile subscriber, and transmitting a video message to the mobile phone number in the record, wherein the video message is transmitted according to the method of access indicator for said mobile subscriber.
US09094690B2 Inter-prediction method and video encoding/decoding method using the inter-prediction method
An inter-prediction method and a video encoding/decoding method using the inter-prediction method are disclosed. The video encoding method using inter-prediction includes: encoding a first picture that serves as a reference for random access; inter-prediction encoding a block included in a second picture, which is displayed before the first picture, by using a plurality of reference pictures; generating reference picture information representing whether a past picture, which is displayed before the second picture, is used as a reference picture for encoding the second picture; and transmitting the encoded first and second pictures and the reference picture information.
US09094685B2 Efficient coding complexity estimation for video transcoding systems
Systems and methods of transcoding video bitstreams that employ highly efficient look-ahead approaches to video transcoding. The systems and methods perform video transcoding in the pixel domain to make successive adjustments to estimates of the coding complexity of video frames in input video bitstreams. The systems and methods can employ the adjusted estimates of the coding complexity in a rate control function to provide improved bit allocations for the video frames in transcoded output video bitstreams, thereby enhancing overall perceptual quality.
US09094684B2 Method for dual pass rate control video encoding
A method of dual-pass rate control video encoding and an encoder are disclosed. Uncompressed input video is received with a video encoder. First pass encoding is performed, and a second pass encoding is performed with the video encoder at a delay relative to the first pass. The first pass encoding detects scene changes within the input video, assigns macroblocks to a pre-determined number of activity classes, and determines a complexity of each picture within the sequence of pictures. Information from the first pass encoding concerning the scene changes, the activity classes, and the complexity are used for rate control determined in second pass encoding for producing and outputting a bit stream of compressed video. During at least one of the first pass and second pass encoding, boundaries of at least some of the GOPs are adjusted to be aligned with the scene changes.
US09094683B2 Method of coding moving image and method of decoding moving image
A method includes extracting a first vector used to code a specific block belonging to a coded field picture arranged chronologically adjacent to a field picture to be coded and to a block to be coded, generating a second vector by scaling the first vector based on a temporal distance between the field picture and a second picture specified by a reference index and referenced for the block and included in the field picture and a temporal distance between a first picture pointed by the first vector and the coded field picture arranged chronologically adjacent to the field picture, and correcting the second vector based on a parity of the field picture, a parity of the first picture, a parity of the second picture and a parity of the coded field picture and forming the corrected second vector.
US09094678B1 System, method, and computer program product for inverting a polarity of each cell of a display device
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining that a display device is operating in a three-dimensional mode. Further, in response to the determination that the display device is operating in the three-dimensional mode, inverting a polarity of each cell of the display device every N number of frames. Additionally, the N number of frames is even and includes at least two frames.
US09094674B2 Generation of three-dimensional movies with improved depth control
Techniques for creating 3-D movies allow improved control over camera positioning parameters and editing of depth in post-process to provide for a smoother variation in the viewer's convergence distance and a more pleasant viewing experience. A director can define reference parameters related to a desired viewing experience, and camera positioning parameters are derived therefrom. A depth script specifying piecewise continuous variations in reference parameters can be applied in post-process to generate 3-D shots, scenes, or movies. These techniques can be applied in both computer-generated and live-action 3-D movies.
US09094665B2 Digital watermarking based method for objectively evaluating quality of stereo image
A digital watermarking based method for objectively evaluating quality of stereo image includes: at transmitting terminal, extracting characteristics of the left-view image and the right-view image of an undistorted stereo image in DCT domain and embedding digital watermarking obtained by processing quantization coding on the characteristics into the DCT domain; at a receiving terminal, detecting the digital watermarking embedded in the distorted stereo image and processing decoding and inverse quantization to extract the embedded characteristics of the left-view image and the right-view image of the stereo image, obtaining a stereo perception value and a view quality value of the distorted stereo image according to the embedded characteristics, and finally obtaining an objective quality score of the distorted stereo image utilizing a support vector regression model.
US09094658B2 Method and apparatus of adaptive loop filtering
In a block-based motion compensated system, coding noises may arise due to lossy operations such as quantization. Deblocking is often used to alleviate visibility of coding artifacts by applying filtering across block boundaries adaptively. In the recent HEVC development, adaptive loop filtering (ALF) is being adopted to process deblocked reconstruction frames. Adaptive loop filtering is applied to reconstructed video data across multiple frames to reduce visibility of coding artifacts in the temporal domain. In a HEVC system, conventional ALF can be selectively turned ON or OFF for each block in a frame or a slice. The advanced ALF disclosed here allows a choice of multiple filter sets that can be applied to the reconstructed video data adaptively. Furthermore, the advanced ALF adopts a new unit for the filtering process to apply so that more flexible and/or localized processing can be provided. Furthermore, the advanced ALF allows a decoder to derive respective information for applying the filtering process without side information.
US09094647B2 AMOLED television frame
A LED television mounting frame assembly comprising: a frame, where the frame holds an aluminum housing; a polyvision glass, where the polyvision glass is stored within the frame; a LED television screen stored within the frame one side of the polyvision glass and placed on a viewing side of the frame; an art piece, where the art piece is stored on the opposite side of the polyvision glass, wherein said art piece is visible when LED television screen is not in used and is revealed through the polyvision glass; a back cover, where the cover is placed upon a back side of the frame; and electronic control systems, where said control systems provide a means for controlling the viewing side of the frame.
US09094641B1 Group of pictures size adjustment
Various methods, systems, and apparatuses can be used to adjust the group of pictures size for an encoder during encoding operations. In some implementations, group of pictures size can be reduced during periods of higher likelihood of channel change, and increased during periods of lower likelihood of channel change. Such adjustment can facilitate faster display of pictures after a channel change due to anchor frames being more quickly received.
US09094634B2 Amplifier for television tuner chip and method therefor
An amplifier includes a negative gain amplifier, a load element, and a transconductance device. The negative gain amplifier has an input and an output. The load element has a first terminal coupled to a power supply voltage terminal, and a second terminal. The transconductance device has a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the load element, a control electrode coupled to the output of the negative gain amplifier, and a second current electrode coupled to the input of the negative gain amplifier.
US09094633B2 System, method and apparatus for responding to device attachment
A television with at least one connection, either wired or wireless. Detection of an active device connected to the connection results in proper software and hardware configuration of the television to properly communicate with the device and provide, for example, proper user interface support and access to the device.
US09094617B2 Methods and systems for real-time image-capture feedback
Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for providing real-time feed-back cues in an image acquisition process. An overlaid preview-frame image may be rendered comprising cues associated with acquisition factors. A cue may indicate whether, or not, an acquisition-factor value falls within a range of acceptable values. Image features may be extracted, from a preview-frame image, and interpreted to determine acquisition-factor values and their acceptability.
US09094616B2 Method and system for image capture and facilitated annotation
A method for capturing and processing an image, comprising: capturing a captured image with an image sensor; retrieving steganographic marks hidden in said captured image; processing said captured image based on said hidden marks, so as to generate a processed image; matching the processed image with a reference image from a set of reference images and superimposing elements on the captured image, depending on said reference image. A user device, comprising an image sensor suitable for capturing at least one image and a processor configured to at retrieve hidden marks in said captured image and generating a processed image based on said hidden marks retrieval and annotations processed remotely; the user device is part of a system with a remote server matching the image.
US09094606B2 Motion compensation in range imaging
Methods and devices for correcting for motion blur in range cameras without increasing acquisition speed or reducing the overall quality of the distance determinations, by identifying moving objects in a scene and determining the speed and direction of the objects.
US09094603B2 Image pickup device and image pickup method
An image pickup device includes: a camera unit; a display unit which displays an image captured by the camera unit; and a touch panel disposed so as to overlap the display unit. When a predetermined operation is performed on the touch panel, a brightness of the display unit is changed from a first brightness to a second brightness brighter than the first brightness. The display unit displays thereon an indication showing that the brightness has increased. The indication showing that the brightness has increased is continued even at least after changing to the second brightness.
US09094587B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a calculation unit configured to calculate a first gain for adjusting brightness of a first image and a second image based on the first image captured at a first exposure amount and the second image captured at a second exposure amount, a division unit configured to divide the first gain into a second gain which changes according to a position in an image and a third gain which does not change according to a position in an image, a first gain correction unit configured to perform gain correction on the second image with the second gain, and a second gain correction unit configured to perform gain correction on the second image with the third gain.
US09094586B2 Flash band correction apparatus, flash band correction method, and image pickup apparatus
A flash band correction apparatus includes a flash band detection unit and a frame rate conversion unit. The flash band detection unit is configured to detect a start line and an end line of a flash band in a frame on the basis of a difference in an exposure period for each line of an image signal output for each frame at a predetermined frame rate by an image pickup element with a rolling shutter system. The flash band is an unevenness in brightness level for each line which is generated in the frame due to flash light. The frame rate conversion unit is configured to determine a combination of the frames of the image signal before a frame rate is converted on the basis of the start line and the end line and convert the frame rate to 1/n thereof.
US09094582B2 Apparatus and method for communicating with a mirror camera
The subject matter discloses a system for communicating between a customer at a retail store and a mirror point used to generate media files at the retail store using a capture device, the system comprises a storage for storing contact information of the customer; a processor for enabling access of a customer's device to the mirror point; a communication module for transmitting the media files generated by the mirror point at the retail store to the customer's desired destination using the contact information stored at the storage structure.
US09094580B2 Vendor and scanner independent common workstation for security
Integrating a plurality of security imaging units for an airport security checkpoint into networked common workstations, including: scanning items with a first security imaging unit at a primary inspection area, wherein the first security imaging unit is coupled to a first networked common workstation; displaying the scanned items as a displayed image on a display of the first networked common workstation located at the primary inspection area; re-scanning the items with a second security imaging unit coupled to the first networked common workstation when a possible concealment is observed, wherein the first networked common workstation includes a conversion unit which converts outputs of the first and second security imaging units into a common format for the displayed image; routing the displayed image to a second networked common workstation located at a secondary inspection area when the possible concealment is observed, wherein the secondary inspection area is remote from the primary inspection area.
US09094574B2 Information processing apparatus, conference system, and computer program products
An information processing apparatus which controls transmission and reception of information is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving unit which transmits and receives, as the information, at least one of voice information, video information, and screen information; a necessity identifying information defining unit which allocates necessity identifying information for detecting a state of the information processing apparatus and identifying presence/absence of a necessity of transmitting and receiving the voice information, the video information, and the screen information in accordance with the detected result; and a bandwidth control unit which determines a bandwidth to be allocated to each of the voice information, the video information, and the screen information to be transmitted and received, based on the necessity identifying information. The transmitting and receiving unit transmits and receives the voice information, the video information, and the screen information in accordance with the determined bandwidth.
US09094568B1 Automatic detection of a cable trap
Firmware is installed in a cable modem, enabling detection of the presence or absence of a cable trap in the feed of a customer location. Such a cable modem includes a trap-detection module and a trap-detection object. The trap-detection module is configured to determine whether a video signal is present at a cable-television frequency. The trap-detection object is configured to store data as to whether the video signal is present. For example, a first piece of data is stored if the video signal is present, indicating absence of a properly functioning cable trap between a cable head-end and the cable modem. A second piece of data is stored if the video signal is absent, indicating presence of a properly functioning cable trap between the cable head-end and the cable modem.
US09094559B2 Image forming apparatus and method
An image processing apparatus includes a display unit, a reception part configured to receive a print job requested by a user and identification information that identifies the user from a information processor, an authentication part configured to subject the user to an authentication process based on input information from the user, a storage part configured to store an operating screen in correlation with the user on a user-by-user basis, the operating screen being displayed on the display unit in response to the user being authenticated by the authentication part, and a display control part configured to, in response to the user being authenticated by the authentication part, causer a shortcut of the print job and the operating screen stored in correlation with the authenticated user to displayed on the display unit based on the identification information of the authenticated user.
US09094555B2 Reading device, image forming apparatus including the same, and control method for reading device
The reading device includes an image reading unit, a document feeder unit, a table document detection unit for detecting presence or absence of a document on the place-reading contact glass, a document set sensor for detecting setting of the document, a size detection unit for detecting a size of the document on the document tray, and an open/close detection unit for detecting open and close of the document feeder unit. In a determination necessary state in which setting of the document is not detected while an object on the document tray is detected, it is determined to execute feed reading, or to execute place reading, or to be disabled to confirm to execute the place reading or the feed reading, based on whether or not there is a document on the place-reading contact glass and based on history information.
US09094550B2 Mark detection apparatus and method for detecting mark
A mark detection apparatus includes a reading unit, a converter, and a determination part. The reading unit reads an image on a document. The converter compares respective portions of the image read by the reading unit with a plurality of preset reference patterns, and converts a portion of the image to a character associated with a corresponding reference pattern. The determination part determines that the portion of the image to have been compared on the document is a mark in a case in which the character converted by the converter is a preset first reference character, and that the portion of the image to have been compared on the document is not a mark in a case in which the character converted by the converter is not a preset first reference character.
US09094534B2 Device, method, and graphical user interface for configuring and implementing restricted interactions with a user interface
An electronic device, while in a restricted interaction mode in an application other than a call application, displays a first user interface that includes a plurality of user interface objects, and receives an incoming call. The electronic device determines whether the incoming phone call satisfies predefined signaling criteria. In accordance with a determination that the incoming call satisfies the predefined signaling criteria, the electronic device outputs a signal that indicates the incoming call. In accordance with a determination that the incoming phone call does not satisfy the predefined criteria, the electronic device foregoes outputting the signal indicating the incoming call.
US09094533B2 Management of mobile device communication sessions to reduce user distraction
Systems, methods and interfaces are disclosed for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices process environmental inputs and transmit mobile communication device context information to a communication management system. The context information may, for example, reflect the motion and/or geographic location of the mobile device, and may reflect the risk associated with using the device to handle a call or other communications session. The communication management system uses the context information, optionally in combination with communication device profiles, to determine how to manage incoming and/or ongoing calls or other communication sessions. Mobile device users may also be inhibited from initiating communication sessions.
US09094531B1 Communication device
The mobile phone comprising a voice communication implementer, a multiple language displaying implementer, a mobile phone updating implementer which updates a mobile phone battery controller, a mobile phone camera unit controller, a mobile phone microphone controller, a mobile phone speaker controller, a mobile phone vibrator controller, and language data.
US09094527B2 Seamlessly transferring a communication
Seamlessly transferring a communication. At least one communication is established between a first device and a second device. The at least one communication is transferred from the second device to a third device without interrupting the at least one communication and without disconnecting the at least one communication from the first device.
US09094512B2 Determining appropriate course for representative working to recover payment in arrears
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, or computer program product for determining an appropriate course of action for a representative working to recover payment in arrears. Embodiments may determine at least one customer preference regarding limitation of representative-customer interactions; and, based on the at least one customer preference, present assistance information to the representative before or during the representative-customer interaction, the assistance information configured to at least one of inform the representative of the at least one customer preference, present the representative with at least one proposed question for presentation to the customer, or present the representative with at least one proposed method for representative-customer interaction.
US09094507B2 System, method, and computer program product for providing information associated with a remote geographic location of a called party
A system, method, and computer program product for providing information local to a called party located in a different geographic location is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer implemented method includes the steps of receiving, at the communication device, a communication identifier; sending a request to a network device to determine a current location of a second communication device associated with the communication identifier; receiving location information identifying the current location of the communication device associated with the communication identifier; and presenting at least a portion of the information corresponding to the current location of the communication device associated with the communication identifier.
US09094506B2 Systems and methods to connect members of a social network for real time communication
Methods and apparatuses to provide telephonic connections to members of a social network. One embodiment includes: identifying a first member connected to a second member in a social network; determining whether profile data of the first member of the social network includes a telephonic reference of the first member; presenting a user interface element to the second member over a data communication network in response to a determination that the profile data of the first member includes the telephonic reference of the first member; and responsive to a selection of the user interface element, initiating a first telephonic connection to the first member using the telephonic reference of the first member and a second telephonic connection to the second member to provide a telephonic connection between the first member and the second member.
US09094502B2 Induced answering method and system for circuit switching-based telephony
A user terminal in a telecommunications network includes a circuit-switched (CS) telephony device and a packet-switched (PS) data processing device. The CS telephony device receives a CS-alert signal from the network for an incoming CS call and derives from the CS-alert signal that an associated PS signal is to be expected within a predetermined time interval. The terminal postpones generation of a call-received alarm for a user during the predetermined time interval. The PS data processing device receives the associated PS signal within the predetermined time interval, wherein the PS signal includes a request that the user terminal automatically answer the incoming CS call. In response to the request, the PS data processing device passes a control signal to the CS telephony device causing the CS telephony device to switch to an automatic answering mode and transmit a CS-answer signal to the network without input from the user.
US09094500B1 Controlled communication between residents of controlled-environment facilities
Embodiments receive an indication of initiation of communication from a controlled-environment facility resident, using a communications device, with another controlled-environment facility resident. A determination is made whether the residents are allowed to communicate and the communication is established between the communications device and another communications device in use by the other resident. The residents may be residents of different or the same controlled-environment facility(ies). The communication may be monitored and/or a database of residents that communicate with one another may be compiled. The communication between the controlled-environment facility residents may proceed, even despite a determination or predetermination that the residents are not allowed to communicate with one another, so the communication may be monitored. At least one of the residents may be charged for the communication, such as by charging a community communications account maintained to the benefit of at least one of the residents.
US09094499B2 Inferring quality in UT calls based on real-time bi-directional exploitation of a full reference algorithm
A method, computer program product, and computer system for inferring quality of unified telephony calls based on real-time bi-directional exploitation of a full reference algorithm. A client copy of an audio file may be received from a client device associated with a unified telephony call. The client copy of the audio file may be compared to a local copy of the audio file using a reference algorithm. A quality of service associated with the client device may be determined based upon, at least in part, a difference between the client copy of the audio file and the local copy of the audio file.
US09094495B1 System and method for energy management within a group of devices
Each charging member in a group identifies a docking connection. Each charging member, responsive to identifying the docking connection, transmits information to other charging members in the group and receives information transmitted from another charging member in the group. Each charging member generates a list using the information transmitted to the group and received from the group. Each charging member also includes a ranking component for filtering, sorting, and ranking entries in the list according to a predefined selection filter and/or ranking filter. Each entry in the list is associated with a charging member with a docking connection and in the group. Each charging member determines based on a predefined indication filter that an entry in the list that is associated with the charging member is ranked at a predefined position in the list and provides an indication.
US09094492B2 Cooperative tablet computer and mobile communicator
A communication system, including a mobile communicator including a modem for conducting a communication with a remote party, an input unit for inputting communication data to the modem, and an output for outputting communication data from the modem, a display device including an input unit, an output unit, a connector for engaging the mobile communicator and for exchanging data with the mobile communicator, and a display for displaying party-specific information about the remote party involved in the communication, wherein the modem switches to receive its communication input via the display device input unit and directs its communication output to the display output unit when the mobile communicator is engaged with the connector, and wherein the modem switches back to receive its communication input via the mobile communicator input unit and directs its communication output to the mobile communicator output unit when the mobile communicator is disengaged from the connector.
US09094491B2 Terminal device and molds of button shell and inner shell of terminal device
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a terminal device and molds of a button shell and an inner shell of the terminal device, which can be applied to the technical field of electronic devices. According to the embodiment of the present invention, the button shell and the inner shell can be connected without using an intermediate medium, and the button shell and the inner shell are fixedly connected by sliding between a slide rail on the button shell and a sliding slot on the inner shell, so that materials of the terminal device are saved, and an assembly process of the button shell and the inner shell of the terminal device can be simplified.
US09094490B2 Cover mechanism for opening and closing device
A cover mechanism is provided for an opening and closing device, which includes a fixed plate arranged at a first housing; a moving plate arranged at a second housing; a hinge arm that is arranged between the two plates and rotates to move the moving plate between a closed position where the first and second housings overlap and an open position where surfaces of the first and second housings are substantially coplanar; and a recess formed at the second housing that prevents the hinge arm from interfering with the second housing in the open position. The cover mechanism includes a cover arranged at the moving plate that covers the recess when the moving plate is positioned at the closed position and moves from the covering position by engaging with and being urged by the rotating hinge arm; and an urging part that urges the cover toward the covering position.
US09094465B2 Server enabled user data exchange between information processing devices
A server device includes: a receiving unit configured to receive, from each of a plurality of information-processing devices, location information showing a respective location of each information-processing device; a setting unit configured to set a condition showing that one information-processing device is close to another information-processing device, based on a predetermined parameter; a determining unit configured to determine whether a first information-processing device and a second information-processing device from among the plurality of information-processing devices satisfy the condition based on the location information received by the receiving unit; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit information determined at the determining unit to the first information-processing device and the second information-processing device, in a case that the determining unit determines that the first information-processing device and the second information-processing device satisfy the condition.
US09094461B2 Filtering a stream of content
A system and method for filtering a stream of content based on the time available to a user is disclosed. A filter application includes a timing module, a determination module and a user interface engine. The timing module receives a request for a stream of content from a user. The determination module calculates a viewing time for each post in the stream of content and determines one or more posts from the stream of content based on the viewing time of each post and an available time for the user. The user interface engine provides the one or more posts to the user.
US09094459B2 Flow based overlay network
In one embodiment, a system for classifying traffic in an overlay network includes a processor adapted for executing logic, logic adapted for receiving an overlay packet, logic adapted for determining at least one characteristic of the overlay packet and/or one or more inner packets of the overlay packet in order to classify the overlay packet, logic adapted for associating a flow identifier to the overlay packet, logic adapted for determining one or more policies to associate with the flow identifier, wherein the one or more policies are based on the at least one characteristic of the overlay packet and/or the one or more inner packets of the overlay packet, and logic adapted for storing the flow identifier in a header of the overlay packet. More systems, methods, and computer program products for classifying traffic in an overlay network are presented in accordance with other embodiments.
US09094449B2 Fight-through nodes for survivable computer network
A survivable network is described in which one or more network device includes enhanced functionality to fight through cyber attacks. A Fight-Through Node (FTN) is described, which may be a combined hardware/software system that enhances existing networks with survivability properties. A network node comprises a hardware-based processing system having a set of one or more processing units, a hypervisor executing on each one of the processing units, and a plurality of virtual machines executing on each of the hypervisor. The network node includes an application-level dispatcher to receive a plurality of transaction requests from a plurality of network communication session with a plurality of clients and distribute a copy of each of the transaction requests to the plurality of virtual machines executing on the network node over a plurality of time steps to form a processing pipeline of the virtual machines.
US09094446B2 Image vulnerability repair in a networked computing environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach to repair vulnerabilities (e.g., security vulnerabilities) in images (e.g., application images) in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment). Specifically, an image is checked for vulnerabilities using a database of known images and/or vulnerabilities. If a vulnerability is found, a flexible/elastic firewall is established around the image so as to isolate the vulnerability. Once the firewall has been put in place, the vulnerability can be repaired by a variety of means such as upgrading the image, quarantining the image, discarding the image, and/or generating a new image. Once the image has been repaired, the firewall can be removed.
US09094444B2 Anomaly detection for packet-based networks
Disclosed herein is an anomaly detection method for a packet-based network which includes several network resources, also called network-related software objects. The method includes monitoring the network resources of the packet-based network, ordering the monitored network resources according to a given ordering criterion, and detecting an anomaly in the packet-based network based on the ordered network resources. In particular, detecting an anomaly includes forming a detection feature vector based on the ordered network resources, and feeding the detection feature vector to a machine learning system configured to detect an anomaly in the packet-based network based on the detection feature vector. The detection feature vector includes detection feature items related to corresponding monitored network resources, and arranged in the detection feature vector depending on the ordering of the corresponding monitored network resources. Conveniently, the machine learning system is a one-class classifier, preferably a one-class Support Vector Machine (OC-SVM).
US09094437B2 System, policy nodes, and methods to perform policy provisioning of traffic offloaded at a fixed broadband network
A system, policy nodes, and methods are described herein for establishing a policy session (e.g., IP-CAN session) for a user equipment between a first policy node (e.g., BPCF) which is associated with a fixed broadband access network (e.g., non-3GPP access network) and a second policy node (e.g., PCRF) which is associated with an evolved packet core network (e.g., 3GPP access network).
US09094432B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, and power storage apparatus management system
In one example embodiment, a power storage management system includes a user terminal, a power storage apparatus and an information processing apparatus. In one example embodiment, the information processing apparatus is configured to, using a mobile communication network (e.g., Global System for Mobile Communications or the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), communicate with the power storage apparatus.
US09094422B2 System and method for multiple address of record deregistration using a single SIP request
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for deregistering multiple addresses of record. The method comprises receiving a session initiation protocol request to deregister addresses of record, the session initiation protocol request comprising a plurality of addresses of record to be deregistered and a contact address for a session initiation protocol endpoint. The method further comprises disassociating the contact address for the session initiation protocol endpoint from each of the plurality of addresses of record.
US09094417B2 Status transfer within a group of computing entities
A system and method for designating and administering authority in a trusted environment is provided. In some embodiments, a determination is made that a transfer of the authority to a second computing entity is warranted. The second computing entity is opportunistically contacted, and during the opportunistic contact, the authority is passed from the first computing entity to the second computing entity. The passing of the authority from the first computing entity to the second computing entity tasks the second computing entity with updating members of the group of the passing of the authority. The passing of authority may include providing an outstanding group update to the second computing entity and may also include tasking the second computing entity with completing the outstanding group update.
US09094406B2 System, method and apparatus for enabling access to applications and interactive services
The invention provides a system, a method and a computer program product that facilitate access to one or more applications by a computing device. The invention includes determining one or more contexts associated with at least one of the computing device and a user of the computing device, such that the one or more contexts describe at least one of an environment and an activity of the at least one of the user and the computing device. Thereafter at least one contextual tag corresponding to the one or more contexts is generated. Subsequently, the one or more applications associated with the at least one contextual tag are identified and the computing device is enabled to access the one or more applications.
US09094403B2 Electronic media distribution system and mobile device
A method and system for the distribution of electronic media content to employees of a subscriber include an electronic display for displaying electronic media content that may be selected, modified and/or generated by the subscriber. The system allows for increased subscriber control of the media content presented as well as for increased security for any confidential media content to be presented on the customer display. The system further provides remote access for the subscriber to select, modify and/or generate electronic media content from any geographic location via a mobile device. In addition, the system provides for individual control of multiple displays that may be located in differing geographic locations while at the same time providing for ease of information management.
US09094398B2 Enhancing directory service authentication and authorization using contextual information
Systems and methods are provided for authenticating and authorizing network access requests using directory services in which the directory service authentication and authorization procedures are enhanced using contextual information.
US09094387B2 Authentication system and method for operating an authentication system
An authentication system for authenticating a human requester requesting a service, wherein the authentication system is configured to establish via a first and a second port of the authentication system an authentication communication channel comprising a first communication channel to the requester and a second communication channel to a human authenticator, such that at least one of an audio stream of a voice of the requester, a video stream of a face of the requester and a 3D-data stream of the face of the requester is transmittable between the end node device of the requester and the end node device of the authenticator; and to record a confirmation message of the authenticator, wherein the confirmation message confirms or rejects at least one of the claimed identity and the requested service.
US09094386B2 Security system and method for wireless communication within a vehicle
A method for reprogramming a node of an electronic communication system includes transmitting a signal from a first node to a second node. The signal requests that the second node be reprogrammed. The signal includes an identification of the first node. The second node is used to broadcast the identification of the first node to other nodes in the communication system. The second node is reprogrammed only if a predetermined quantity of the other nodes confirm, based on the identification, that the first node is legitimate.
US09094383B2 Personal security manager for ubiquitous patient monitoring
The present invention relates to a system and corresponding method for a secure end-to-end patient healthcare system which includes wireless medical sensors adapted to be attached to a patient's body and in communication with each other forming a body sensor network within a wireless medical sensor network including one or more body sensor networks; λ-secure keying means incorporated into each wireless medical sensor for enabling secure communications between the wireless medical sensors, and a personal security manager within the body sensor network and in communication with the wireless medical sensors within the body sensor network, the personal security manager providing secure communications with backend services and providing security relationships within the body sensor network by means of the λ-secure keying means, wherein the λ-secure keying means are such that a coalition of no more than λ compromised wireless medical sensors conceals a pairwise key between any two non-compromised wireless medical sensors and provides protection against node compromise until λ+1 wireless medical sensors have been compromised.
US09094382B2 Electronic key registration system
An immobilizer ECU transmits a vehicle ID code and a SEED code, which is read from an electronic key, to a data center online. The data center generates an encryption key from the received SEED code and a first logic, and generates a further SEED code from the encryption key, the vehicle ID code, and a second logic. The immobilizer ECU obtains the further SEED code online from the data center, generates the encryption key from the obtained further SEED code, the vehicle ID code, and the second logic, and stores the encryption key.
US09094378B1 Homomorphic cryptography on numerical values in digital computing
Homomorphic cryptography on numerical values in digital computing is described, including converting a numerical value encoded in a bit string of a first size to another bit string of a second size, which is different from the first size; encrypting the numerical value in the another bit string to produce a ciphertext; and storing the ciphertext.
US09094375B2 WAN transport of frames with MAC security
A physical layer device provides security processing on communication frames that may include tags or headers that are for use in a wide area network. As frames pass through the physical layer device, the frames are classified for a type of security processing. Depending on the classification a cipher is applied to the frames for integrity checking of data in the frames. Some frames are also encrypted. The security processing may exclude some of the tags or headers. The frames may also be filtered and buffered.
US09094369B2 Method and apparatus for storing and restoring state information of remote user interface
Provided are an apparatus and method of restoring a remote user interface (RUI) in a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) environment. In the apparatus and method, an RUI client requests an external storage server to store the state information of the RUI by using a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) object processing a HTTP request without reloading a web page, and restores the original state of the RUI by using the stored state information. Accordingly, it is possible to apply a method of storing and restoring state information of a remote user interface, in a UPnP environment, to a HTTP-based remote protocol model having stateless characteristics which do not allow state information of a remote user interface to be stored.
US09094362B2 System and method for implementing a subscription-based social media platform
Systems and methods for implementing a subscription-based social media or fan club platform are provided. A content creator generates live content on a mobile device and sends requests to a server for initializing a live stream from the mobile device. The server sends requests to encoding service providers. The encoded live content is send to a content storage server. Subscribers of the social media or fan club platform can access the live content on their mobile devices from the content storage server.
US09094361B2 Conversation-integrated action items in social networks
A device and a method are disclosed including Conversation-Integrated Action System (CIAS) having networking facilities to allow multiple remote users of a social network to enter into a social conversation. CIAS is further configured to allow specific and relevant actions to be presented to achieve specific and definite results. Such integrated actions may include, but are not limited to, marking the status of the conversation, marking a part of the conversation as a decision with which the users agree, deleting the conversation, managing the conversation, editing the conversation, granting various action permissions to various users, opening or closing the conversation, concluding the conversation, saving the conversation, searching for previous conversations, generating statistical and measured data based on the conversation, starting another related conversation, triggering actions by a third party work flow system, and the like.
US09094354B2 Facilitating real-time communications in electronic message boards
A method is provided in which a message board server receives a message that is posted by a first user and transmits a link to another user of the message board. When the link is activated, a communications session is established between the user who activated the link and a telecommunications session recipient.
US09094352B2 Enforced unitasking in multitasking systems
A computer system includes one or more devices that are capable of multitasking (performing at least two tasks in parallel or substantially in parallel). In response to detecting that one of the devices is performing a first one of the tasks, the system prevents the devices from performing at least one of the tasks other than the first task (such as all of the tasks other than the first task). In response to detecting that one of the devices is performing a second one of the tasks, the system prevents the devices from performing at least one of the tasks other than the second task (such as all of the tasks other than the first task).
US09094349B2 Aggregated resource reservation for data flows
A network node for reserving resources for data flows in a communication network. The node detects a request for resource reservation for a new data flow and computes an admission test count based on descriptors of the new data flow and reservation counts, which represent reservation functions of descriptors of previously admitted data flows and which specify resources of the admitted data flows. The new data flow is admitted if the admission test count is smaller than a maximum allowable count. The reservation counts are then updated based on the descriptors of the new data flow. A plurality of admission formulas may thus be used to maintain aggregated reservation counts for data flows, the number of counts being independent from the number of flows.
US09094341B2 Method and device for updating port index, and multi-device system
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and a device for updating a port index in a multi-device system, and a multi-device system. The method includes: detecting whether a device ID of a device is changed in a multi-device system, where the detecting is performed by comparing device IDs of each device in the multi-device system before and after the detection; and for a device whose device ID is changed in the system, updating a port index of the device according to the device ID after the change, where the port index is used to acquire configuration data of the port. The embodiments of the present invention solve the problem of failing to find correct port configuration data by using the port index because the device ID is changed.
US09094340B2 LDP IGP synchronization for broadcast networks
A network element that has a broadcast interface to a broadcast network becoming operational determines whether at least one alternate path exists to the broadcast network. The broadcast interface is to carry traffic on a label switched path. If an alternate path exists, the broadcast interface will not be advertised to the broadcast network until label distribution protocol (LDP) is operational with all neighbors on the broadcast interface.
US09094338B2 Attributes of captured objects in a capture system
A system and method for capturing objects and balancing systems resources in a capture system are described. An object is captured, metadata associated with the objected generated, and the object and metadata stored.
US09094329B2 Avoiding micro-loops in a ring topology of a network
In one embodiment, micro-loops are avoided in ring topologies of packet switching devices by changing the order of propagation of link state information concerning failed communications between a particular packet switching device and a neighbor packet switching device. In one embodiment, the particular packet switching device communicates link state information of a high cost of the particular communications (e.g., in the direction from particular to neighbor packet switching devices) such that this link state information will propagate towards the particular packet switching device from at least from the furthest packet switching device in the ring topology that is currently configured to forward packets having a destination address of the neighbor packet switching device through the particular packet switching device.
US09094326B2 Systems and methods for communicating in a network
Systems and methods for prioritizing transmission control protocol (TCP) flows for communication devices in a network are described herein. The systems and methods herein may further allocate bandwidth to the flows based on the priority of the flows. Further, the systems and methods herein allow devices to determine whether particular flows share a traffic flow constraint or bottleneck that limits the overall available bandwidth to the flows. Therefore, allocation of bandwidth for one flow may be adjusted based on allocation of bandwidth to another flow if the flows share a traffic flow constraint. Further, the systems and methods herein allow for target data rates to be determined for the flows based on shared traffic flow constraints.
US09094324B2 Diverse path forwarding through trial and error
In one embodiment, a node determines an intention to transmit a diversely forwarded packet through a computer network, and as such, transmits a first version of the packet having a packet identifier (ID) and a first distinguisher value to a first next-hop node, and transmits a second version of the packet having the same packet ID and a second distinguisher value different from the first distinguisher value to a second next-hop node different from the first next-hop node. In another embodiment, a next-hop node that receives the packet determines whether any previously received packet at the next-hop node had a same packet ID and a different distinguisher value. In response to determining that no previously received packet has the same packet ID and different distinguisher value, the next-hop node stores the packet ID and the distinguisher value, and forwards the packet to a selected next-hop node.
US09094323B2 Probe packet discovery of entropy values causing specific paths to be taken through a network
In one embodiment, probe-packet discovery of entropy values causing specific paths to be taken through a network is performed. One embodiment sends, from a first network node to a second network node in a network, a plurality of Equal Cost Multipath (ECMP) path-taken probe packets, each with a different entropy label, to determine a particular entropy label for each particular ECMP path of a plurality of different ECMP paths between the first network node and the second network node that will cause a packet including the particular entropy label to traverse said particular ECMP path. The ECMP paths taken by the plurality of ECMP path-taken probe packets is analyzed to determine one or more entropy labels for each different ECMP path of the plurality of different ECMP paths that will cause a packet including one of said one or more entropy labels to traverse said different ECMP path.
US09094318B2 Remote mirroring
A method, system and computer readable medium for remote mirroring are described. The method can include receiving a customer data frame and making two copies of the customer data frame. An outer header, such as a mac-in-mac header, can be added to each copy. The outer header of the first copy can be configured for normal processing, while the outer header of the second copy can be configured for remote mirroring. A switch can recognize the header configured for mirroring in the second copy based on a service identifier in the header and process the second copy for mirroring on one or more ports on one or more bridges.
US09094315B2 Systems and methods for measuring available capacity and tight link capacity of IP paths from a single endpoint
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for determining the forward and reverse available capacity or tight link capacity of an IP path from a single endpoint includes the steps of: transmitting, from a source IP endpoint node toward a destination IP endpoint node, a forward packet train including a first plurality of IP test packets over the forward IP path; and receiving, at the source IP endpoint node, a corresponding reverse packet train from the destination IP endpoint node, the reverse packet train including a second plurality of IP test packets over the reverse IP path each of which correspond to a respective one of the first plurality of IP test packets. For those IP path capacity measurements embodiments which are TWAMP-based, no changes are needed to the TWAMP control protocol, e.g., since exemplary embodiments make use of padding octets to transfer additional information which can be used for available IP path capacity and tight IP link capacity calculations.
US09094314B2 System and method for access point (AP) aggregation and resiliency in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network
Aspects of the invention may provide a system and method for access point aggregation and resiliency in a hybrid wired/wireless local area network. Access point aggregation and resiliency may include determining one or more available switch ports having a capability to handle a first access point group, the first access point group having a first default switch port. One or more available switch ports may be provisioned to provide service to the first access point group. Information may be communicated between the first default switch port and/or any of the provisioned switch ports, while maintaining client status and connection information. Available switch ports may be selected from a reserved pool of available switch ports and upon abatement of a need to utilize the provisioned switch ports, the provisioned switch ports may be returned to the reserved pool of available switch ports.
US09094309B2 Detecting transparent network communication interception appliances
Mechanisms are provided for identifying transparent network communication interception appliances in a network topology. The mechanisms collect network configuration data from a plurality of devices in the network topology and analyze the collected network configuration data using one or more heuristics to identify patterns in the collected network configuration data indicative of the presence of a transparent network communication interception appliance. The mechanisms calculate a confidence measure value based on results of the analysis of the collected network configuration data. The mechanisms further send a notification of a detected presence of a transparent network communication interception appliance to a computing device in response to the calculated confidence measure value meeting or exceeding at least one threshold value.
US09094308B2 Finding latency through a physical network in a virtualized network
Techniques are described for determining latency in a physical network that includes a number of network devices over which packets travel. A virtual network controller receives a plurality of messages from a plurality of network devices in a network, each of the messages including a packet signature comprising a hash of an invariant portion of an original packet that uniquely identifies the original packet, an identifier of one of the plurality of network devices from which the respective message was received, and a timestamp indicating a time an original packet was processed by the network device from which the respective message was received. The virtual network controller determines a latency of a physical network path in the network based on analysis of contents of the identified messages having a common packet signature.
US09094306B2 Network power fault detection
Network power fault detection. At least one first network device is instructed to temporarily disconnect from a power supply path of a network, and at least one characteristic of the power supply path of the network is measured at a second network device connected to the network while the at least one first network device is temporarily disconnected from the network.
US09094294B1 Methods and systems for an out-of-credit timer in a network device
Method and system for reporting out-of-credit condition for a network device connected to a network. An indication to an out-of credit logic is provided that a first sub-port operating using a first protocol is out of credit to transmit information from a transmit segment. The first sub-port is a part of a base-port that includes a plurality of sub-ports that can be configured to operate at more than one operating speed to process packets complying with different protocols. The out-of-credit logic determines when the first sub-port is out-of-credit for a threshold period of time, and reports that the sub-port is out-of-credit to a processor of the network device.
US09094292B2 Method and system for providing access to computing resources
A graphical user interface may be used to display a plurality of computing resources which are provisioned across at least one cloud provider and/or at least one data center, where the plurality of computing resources may implement a virtual machine, a plurality of virtual machines of a cloud computing environment, etc. In response to a selection of the computing resources using the graphical user interface, the plurality of computing resources may be launched and/or configured on the at least one cloud provider and/or at least one data center which provide the computing resources. Access to the plurality of computing resources may then be provided using the graphical user interface.
US09094291B1 Partial risk score calculation for a data object
A method for calculating a partial risk score for a data object may include identifying a request to calculate a partial risk score for a data object, the request including a partial risk score filter, and the data object being associated with one or more policies. The method may further include for each policy associated with the data object, determining whether characteristics associated with the policy match a parameter in the partial risk score filter, and when the characteristics associated with the policy match information in the partial risk score filter, including a data object risk score associated with the policy in the partial risk score for the data object.
US09094285B2 Automatic discovery of multiple controllers in Software Defined Networks (SDNs)
Controllers in a Software Defined Network (SDN) automatically discover and authenticate each other as part of the control plane operations, without any need for manual configuration of other controllers. The new capability of such controllers is based on Controller-Advertisement messages transferred between controllers in the same or different SDNs. In doing so, multiple controllers can be used for load sharing, improved reliability under failure of a controller by enabling seamless take over and recovery. Moreover, controllers can cooperate to enable end-to-end services to work across multiple SDNs. Controller-Advertisement messages are also used to check the health statuses of discovered controllers in the same or different SDNs.
US09094281B2 Apparatus and method for identifying transmission control protocol (TCP) packet loss
Provided is a method of identifying a transmission control protocol (TCP) packet loss, including transmitting at least one TCP data packet to a TCP receiver, estimating wireless channel status information using the TCP receiver by interaction between a TCP layer and a physical layer, and receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) packet including the estimated wireless channel status information from the TCP receiver.
US09094276B2 Apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal and method of transmitting and receiving a signal
The present invention relates to a method of transmitting and receiving signals and a corresponding apparatus. One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of receiving a signal, which includes interleaving in an appropriate manner for a channel bonding system. The interleaving can allow decoding a user requested service at a random tuner window position.
US09094271B2 Method and apparatus for reducing mutual interference of multi-carrier
The disclosure discloses a method for reducing mutual interference of multi-carrier, comprising: adjusting the delay of at least one modulation signal; respectively modulating each adjusted modulation signal onto each modulated signal; and comparing the performance indices of modulated signals with set performance indices, wherein the delay of at least one modulation signal is adjusted when the set performance indices are not reached, until the performance indices of modulated signals reach the set performance indices, and each current modulated signal is set as an output signal, or each current modulation signal is set as an input signal when the set performance indices are reached. The disclosure further discloses an apparatus for reducing mutual interface of multi-carrier. The disclosure can improve the performance obviously under the circumstance of arranging the multi-carrier adjacent to each other, and enable the multiple carriers to operate simultaneously in the coverage area of one radio signal, thereby greatly improving the frequency spectrum utilization ratio.
US09094260B2 Service controlling in a service provisioning system
A method and a system is described for controlling a service in a service provisioning network. The method including the steps of: a serving network node associated with a user terminal receiving a registration message, the user terminal having one or more of services, preferably VoIP services; and, the serving network node retrieving in response to the registration message service routing information associated with the first user terminal, the service routing information being arranged to route service messages associated with the first user terminal via a stateless application server, the stateless application server being adapted to perform control actions on said service messages.
US09094255B2 Method and device for amplitude modulation of an electromagnetic signal emitted by a contactless transceiver system
The invention concerns a method for partial amplitude modulation of a carrier wave between 8% and 14%, the carrier wave being emitted by a contactless transceiver device (10) designed to remotely exchange data with a contactless portable object, the method comprising: a) delivering two digital radiofrequency signals Tx1 (20) and Tx2 (22), b) phase shifting the second signal Tx2 by 180 degrees in relation to the first signal Tx1 when there is no information to be transmitted (idle state), c) phase shifting the two Tx2 signals in relation to Tx1 or Tx1 in relation to Tx2 by an additional angle φ when there is information to be transmitted (modulated state), d) having the digital signals pass through a filtering and adapting stage (13), e) adding, at the antenna, the first and second filtered and phase-modulated signals (Tx1f and Tx2f) and obtaining an amplitude modulated resultant radiated signal.
US09094243B2 Method, apparatus, receiver and communication device for estimating phase noise
A method and apparatus for estimating phase noise, a receiver, and a communication device are provided. The method includes: obtaining a transmitted symbol estimation value ã(k) which is corresponding to a equalized symbol r(k) of received data, where k=0, . . . , K−1, and K is the number of symbols in one received data frame; obtaining a public phase noise estimation value according to r(k) and ã(k); obtaining a residual phase noise estimation value according to r(k), ã(k), and the public phase noise estimation value; obtaining a phase noise estimation value according to the public phase noise estimation value, the residual phase noise estimation value and a basis function matrix of Discrete Cosine Transform. The technical solution of the disclosure can estimate the phase noise effectively, then compensate the receiving signals which are influenced by the phase noise, achieve the purpose for accurately detecting the transmitted symbol, and improve system performance.
US09094218B2 Method and system for furnishing backup power and data from power sourcing equipment to powered device
A power sourcing equipment is connected to a powered device via a cable. The power sourcing equipment is configured to provide power to different types of devices and the powered device is configured to receive power from different types of power sourcing equipment. The power sourcing equipment has a control system for determining the type of powered device that is connected to the cable and furnishes power in response to the determination. The powered device has a detection resistance that is detectable by different types of power sourcing equipment. Also described is a powered device capable of establishing communication with PSEs of multiple types.
US09094217B2 Secure credential store
A credential store provides for secure storage of credentials. A credential stored in the credential store is encrypted with the public key of a user owning the credential. A first user may provide a credential owned by the first user to a second user. The first user may add credentials owned by the first user to the credential store. An administrator may manage users of the credential store without having the ability to provide credentials to those users.
US09094216B2 System and method for adjusting the frequency of updating certificate revocation list
A method for adjusting the frequency of updating certificate revocation list is provided. The method is used in a certificate authority. The method includes: receiving a first information indicating security levels from neighbor certificate authorities in a neighborhood or a central certificate authority; detecting whether the certificate authority has received a signal indicating that a user is using a revoked certificate and generating a second information of a security level; calculating an index value or a set of index values by the first information indicating the security levels of neighborhoods and the second information indicating its own security level; and adjusting the update frequency of updating the certificate revocation list according to the calculated index values or the set of index values.
US09094210B2 Systems and methods to secure a virtual appliance
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing secure support to virtual appliances delivered to customer sites without passwords or enabled ports for service. A virtual appliance may be established on a first device. The virtual appliance may comprise a self-contained virtual machine with a pre-installed operating system and may be established with no root password enabled and a remote access port disabled. An administration tool may receive from a requestor a request to enable maintenance for the virtual appliance. The administration tool may generate, responsive to the request, a random password. The administration tool may enable, responsive to the request, the remote access port. The virtual appliance may wait for a connection to the remote access port for a predetermined period of time. The administration tool may transmit the random password to a service of a second device remote to the first device.
US09094205B2 Secure provisioning in an untrusted environment
Embodiments of methods of provisioning an electronic circuit enable security of sensitive data in a design and manufacturing process that includes multiple parties. In an illustrative embodiment, a method of provisioning an electronic circuit includes generating at least one secret value, embedding the at least one secret value into the electronic circuit, programming into the electronic circuit a private key derivation function that derives the private key from the at least one secret value and a trust anchor, and programming into the electronic circuit a public key generation function that generates a public key matching the private key. The method can further include receiving for execution trust anchor-authenticated logic that contacts a predetermined actor of the plurality of distinct actors and communicates to the predetermined actor a message signed with the private key.
US09094202B2 Utilizing HARQ for uplink grants received in wireless communications
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate utilizing hybrid automatic repeat/request (HARQ) in system access communications. A HARQ entity is provided that manages a plurality of HARQ processes, which can typically use new data indicators (NDI) to determine when received data is a new transmission or retransmission. For resource grants, the HARQ entity can determine whether the communication is a new transmission or retransmission based on the type of message that contains the grant. In addition, an address comprised within the message, a previous use of the HARQ process, and/or the like can further be utilized to determine whether the message is a new transmission or retransmission. Once determined, the HARQ entity can provide the message to the appropriate HARQ process along with the indication of new transmission or retransmission.
US09094199B2 Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
A method in a terminal for providing an ACK/NAK message to a base station is provided. The terminal counts the number of assigned downlink subframes detected from the base station resulting in k. The terminal then establishes whether each of a number of transport blocks comprised in the counted k downlink subframes is correctly received or not. In the case when each one of the transport blocks, comprised in the k downlink subframes is estimated as correctly received the terminal provides to the base station an encoded ACK message for the k subframes, which comprises k, the number of subframes.
US09094198B2 Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system
A method in a terminal for providing an ACK/NAK message to a base station is provided. The terminal counts the number of assigned downlink subframes detected from the base station resulting in k. The terminal then establishes whether each of a number of transport blocks comprised in the counted k downlink subframes is correctly received or not. In the case when each one of the transport blocks, comprised in the k downlink subframes is estimated as correctly received the terminal provides to the base station an encoded ACK message for the k subframes, which comprises k, the number of subframes.
US09094196B2 System and method for full duplex MAC designs based on backoff in frequency domain
Disclosed herein are a systems and method for using frequency tones to schedule full-duplex communications between at least two full-duplex communication nodes. Communication nodes having data to transmit send, as part of two contention rounds, two separate and randomly selected frequency tones. In the first contention round, all nodes having data to transmit simultaneously transmit a frequency tone. Based on these first frequency tones, groups of nodes are formed. Each group of nodes in turn transmits a second set of frequency tones, and a schedule of full-duplex communications is created based on the second frequency tones.
US09094190B2 Method of managing key for secure storage of data and apparatus therefor
A method and apparatus for managing a key for secure storage of data. The apparatus includes a main controller configured to process a command, a cipher unit configured to encrypt a first key to form an encrypted key or encrypt data to form encrypted data based on a result of the main controller processing the command, and decrypt the encrypted key or the encrypted data based on the result of the main controller processing the command, a hash unit configured to hash the first key according to control of the main controller, a decrypted key memory configured to store the first key, and an encrypted key memory configured to store the encrypted key.
US09094189B2 Cryptographic method for communicating confidential information
A cryptographic method for communicating confidential information m between a first electronic entity (A) and a second electronic entity (B), includes a distribution step and a reconciliation step, the distribution step including a plurality of steps, one of which consists of the first entity (A) and the second entity (B) calculating a first intermediate value PA and a second intermediate value PB, respectively, such that: PA=YA·SB=YA·XB+YA·f(YB), and PB=YB·SA=YB·XA+YB f(YA), such that, during the reconciliation step, the first entity (A) can retrieve the confidential information by a process of decrypting a noisy message composed by the second entity (B) in particular from the second intermediate value PB.
US09094187B2 Link adaptation feedback method and transmitting device
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a link adaptation feedback method, including: receiving, by a transmitting device, a link adaptation feedback frame sent by a communication peer end, where the link adaptation feedback frame includes a modulation and coding scheme request sequence identifier (MSI), where the MSI is configured to indicate space-time block coding type information; determining, according to the space-time block coding type indication information, use information about use of space-time block coding by a data frame related to the link adaptation feedback frame, and selecting, according to the use information, a space-time stream, modulation and coding scheme used when the transmitting device sends a data frame.
US09094175B2 Method and apparatus for saving power by using signal field of preamble
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for power saving at mobile stations in Very High Throughput (VHT) systems using signal field bits of a preamble with a limited transmission overhead. The present disclosure proposes a method of indicating to a destination through a preamble cyclic redundancy check (CRC) checksum that the destination may be the intended destination of a transmission packet. The present disclosure also proposes a method of indicating to a destination through a preamble CRC that the destination may not be the intended destination of a transmission packet. In this case, decoding of the received packet can be terminated in order to save power at a receiving device.
US09094174B2 Bonding engine configured to prevent data packet feedback during a loopback condition
A system and method transmits data and receives data packets within a bonding engine. The data packets are fragmented into a plurality of packet fragments for communication across a bonded group of subscriber lines. A Frame Check Sequence (FCS) in the data packet is inverted on one direction of the bonding group to prevent any data packets from propagating towards the network during a loopback condition.
US09094164B2 Methods and apparatus to improve channel estimation in communication systems
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus generates a codeword, determines at least one puncture to the codeword based on allowing a legacy receiver to decode the codeword without knowledge of the at least one puncture, replaces each of the at least one puncture with a pilot, and transmits the codeword. The apparatus may also generate an IEEE 802.11 codeword having pilots in a first set of subcarriers, and puncture the codeword with additional pilots unknown to a legacy receiver in a second set of subcarriers. Accordingly, when an original set of pilot symbols is insufficient or inappropriately placed in a resource structure, a codeword may be transmitted with a new pilot structure capable of being decoded by legacy receivers not aware of the new pilot structure.
US09094156B2 Method and apparatus for information transmission in a radio communication system
A method of transmitting, by a transmitter, information in a wireless communication system, the method includes generating first and second symbols; generating first and second transmit vectors on the basis of an Alamouti code from the first and second symbols; and transmitting the first transmit vector through a first antenna and transmitting the second transmit vector through a second antenna. The first transmit vector consists of a first transmit symbol and a second transmit symbol. The second transmit vector consists of a third transmit symbol and a fourth transmit symbol. The first, second, third, and fourth transmit symbols are transmitted based on first and second resource indexes. The first symbol is a first modulation symbol for first information, and the second symbol is a second modulation symbol for second information.
US09094145B2 Coordinated multipoint transmission and reception (CoMP)
A communications method implemented in a transmission point (TP) used in a coordinated multipoint transmission and reception (CoMP) system is disclosed. The communications method comprises transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), attributers for up to four indicators indicating at least physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource element (RE) mapping, and transmitting, to the UE, one of the four indicators, each of which is conveyed in 2 bits, wherein the four indicators comprises ‘00’, ‘01’, ‘10’, and ‘11’ corresponding to a first set, a second set, a third set, and a fourth set of parameters, respectively. Other methods, apparatuses, and systems are also disclosed.
US09094141B2 Media device with enhanced data retrieval feature
A personal media device including a broadcast receiver that receives broadcast media and broadcast media data from a broadcast source where the broadcast media data includes a media identifier associated with the broadcast media. The media device also includes a data transceiver that sends a retrieval request to a media server for enhanced media data where the retrieval request includes the media identifier and receives the enhanced media data via a wireless data channel. The media device further includes a processor that performs a media device operation in response to the received enhanced media data.
US09094140B2 Methods and apparatus for audience research in a content-based network
Methods and apparatus for accurate, secure and uniform exchange of audience research data. In one embodiment, viewership data is provided in real-time and offers the ability to monitor audience activities regarding, among others, broadcast, VOD or DVR content. A standardized message configuration is optionally used also to permit maximum uniformity and accessibility of the data. Accuracy of data exchange is enforced by implementing a method of detecting system failures, and the transmission of incomplete messages. Subscriber privacy and anonymity is also maintained via e.g., hashing or encrypting data relating to the CPE and/or subscriber, thus ensuring that stored data is not traceable to a specific user account. The methods and apparatus may also be utilized in conjunction with systems enabling the insertion and/or recommendation of content or advertising based on data collected regarding user actions or events. Business methods are also disclosed.
US09094132B1 High data rate optical transport network using 8-PSK
Methods, systems, and devices are described for modulating data for optical transmissions and demodulating data from optical transmissions. During modulation, bits are mapped to symbols using an 8-ary modulation scheme. The modulation scheme may be based on 8 Phase Shift Keying (8-PSK), Dual Polarization 8-PSK, or 7-1 PSK for which one of the symbols is located at or near the origin of the constellation. Streams with the symbol-mapped bits are modulated onto a waveform in the digital domain that is converted into a waveform in the analog domain before is output for conversion to an optical signal. The streams may be filtered at baseband with at least one discrete pulse-shaping filter. During demodulation, pulse-shaped data received from an optical signal and comprising symbol-mapped bits based on the 8-ary modulation scheme is sampled. The sampled data is filtered with at least one discrete pulse-shaping filter, and then equalized and demodulated.
US09094131B2 Signal generating method and apparatus
A signal generating method and apparatus in the field of signal technologies are provided. The method includes: adjusting an incident angle of an optical signal entering a polarization beam splitter, so that the polarization beam splitter outputs a first optical signal and a second optical signal that have a preset power ratio; performing QPSK modulation on the first and second optical signal respectively by using a first and second externally input data streams, to obtain a first and a second QPSK optical signal; before the first QPSK optical signal and the second QPSK optical signal are input into a polarization beam combiner, adjusting a polarization state of the first or the second QPSK optical signal; when the polarization states of the two QPSK optical signals are the same, outputting a 16QAM signal; and when the polarization states of the two QPSK optical signals are orthogonal, outputting a DP-QPSK signal.
US09094126B2 QoS-aware united control protocol for optical burst switching in software defined optical networks
The present invention is directed to a QoS-aware unified protocol that is applicable in the control plane of software defined networks, which can bring following benefits and includes optical burst switching protocol mainly requires four key operations; burst assembling, burst routing, burst scheduling, and control packet signaling protocols.
US09094121B2 Optical transmission apparatus
An optical transmission apparatus includes transmitters configured to correspond to the polarization multiplexing optical signals, each of at least two of the transmitters including a first computing unit that computes, based on information regarding an optical transmission line including a plurality of spans and a polarization multiplexing optical signal, data waveform information regarding the transmitter and transmits the data waveform information to at least one another transmitter provided for at least one another polarization multiplexing optical signal, and a second computing unit that receives data waveform information from the at least one another transmitter provided for the at least one another polarization multiplexing optical signal and pre-equalizes or reduces cross phase modulation occurring in the optical transmission line of a transmission signal based on the data waveform information received from the at least one another transmitter provided for the at least one another polarization multiplexing optical signal.
US09094120B2 Information communication method
An information communication method that enables communication between various devices includes: determining a plurality of patterns of a change in luminance, by modulating a respective plurality of signals to be transmitted; and transmitting, by each of a plurality of light emitters changing in luminance according to any one of the determined plurality of patterns of the change in luminance, a signal corresponding to the pattern, wherein in the transmitting, each of the plurality of light emitters changes in luminance at a different frequency so that light of one of two types of light different in luminance is output per a time unit predetermined for the light emitter and that the time unit predetermined for the light emitter is different from a time unit predetermined for an other one of the plurality of light emitters.
US09094118B2 System for providing WDM-based wireless optical transport network and method for transmitting wireless optical signal using the same
Disclosed are a system for providing a WDM-based wireless optical transport network and a method for transmitting a wireless optical signal using the same. The system for providing a WDM-based wireless optical transport network, includes: a central office terminal (COT) for bilaterally transmitting wireless optical signals of different unique wavelengths; and a plurality of remote terminals (RTs) connected to the COT in a ring, for dropping a wireless optical signal having a corresponding unique wavelength from the wireless optical signals transmitted from the COT, for adding a corresponding optical transmission signal to wireless optical signals of the remaining unique wavelengths except for the corresponding unique wavelength of the dropped wireless optical signal, and for bilaterally transporting the wireless optical signals to which the corresponding optical transmission signal is added.
US09094107B1 Orthogonal frequency chirp multiple accessing systems and methods
Various embodiments of the invention are directed to orthogonal frequency chirp multiple accessing (OFCM) systems and methods. For example, various embodiments of the OFCM transmitter may utilize an architecture comprised of a baseband modulation subsystem, a subsystem for generating multiplicity N orthogonal frequency chirp waveforms, and a bank of multiplicity N spread spectrum modulators. Various embodiments of the OFCM receiver may comprise of a subsystem for generating complex conjugates of multiplicity N orthogonal frequency chirp waveforms, a bank of multiplicity N spread spectrum demodulators, a symbol estimator, a symbol timing estimator, a frequency offset estimator, a carrier phase tracking loop, a multi channel estimator, and a baseband demodulation subsystem.
US09094104B2 Transceiver front-end
A transceiver front-end of a communication device comprises a frequency blocking arrangement, which may be either a transmit frequency blocking arrangement or a receive frequency blocking arrangement. The frequency blocking arrangement has a blocking frequency interval associated with one of a transmit frequency and receive frequency, and a non-blocking frequency interval associated with the other of the transmit frequency and receive frequency. The frequency blocking arrangement is configured to block passage of signals in the blocking frequency interval between said signal transmission and reception node and either said receiver node or said transmitter node. The frequency blocking arrangement comprises a network of passive components comprising at least one transformer and a filter arrangement adapted to have a higher impedance value in the blocking frequency interval than in the non-blocking frequency interval.
US09094101B2 Signal amplifiers that switch to an attenuated or alternate communications path in response to a power interruption
RF signal amplifiers are provided that include an RF input port, a switching device having an input that is coupled to the RF input port, a first output and a second output, a first diplexer having an input that is coupled to both the first output of the switching device and the second output of the switching device, and a first RF output port that is coupled to an output of the first diplexer. These amplifiers further include an attenuator that is coupled between the second output of the switching device and the input of the first diplexer.
US09094099B2 Baseband module, mobile device including the baseband module, and method of signal transmission in a mobile device
A mobile device includes an electronic card slot to be connected to an electronic card, and a baseband module. The baseband module includes a baseband unit, a switching unit, and a control unit. When it is determined by the control unit that the electronic card conforms with a subscriber identification communication protocol, the baseband unit and the electronic card slot are electrically interconnected via the switching unit such that the baseband unit is able to communicate with the electronic card that is connected to the electronic card slot. When the determination is otherwise, the baseband unit and the electronic card slot are electrically interconnected via the control unit.
US09094091B2 Method and apparatus for performing hands-free profile control, and associated computer program product
A method and apparatus for performing hands-free profile (HFP) control and associated computer program product are provided. The method is applied to an electronic device. The method includes: establishing a plurality of Bluetooth (BT)-Asynchronous Connection-Less (ACL) links between the electronic device and a plurality of wireless accessory devices, respectively; and dynamically updating a default-active-device parameter in a device information table to be a unique identification of a specific wireless accessory device of the plurality of wireless accessory devices, in order to maintain a single BT-Synchronous Connection-Oriented (SCO) link between the electronic device and the specific wireless accessory device according to the default-active-device parameter, where the device information table includes unique identifications of the wireless accessory devices of which the BT-ACL links are established with the electronic device. For example, the electronic device can be an Audio Gateway (AG) device, and the wireless accessory devices can be Hands-Free Unit (HF) devices.
US09094078B2 Method and apparatus for removing noise from input signal in noisy environment
A method of removing a noise signal from an input signal, the method including receiving a pure noise signal and an input signal including the noise signal; determining whether the pure noise signal is a static noise signal or a non-static noise signal; and removing the noise signal from the input signal according to whether the noise signal is determined to be the static noise signal or the non-static noise signal.
US09094073B2 Communication device, communication control method and communication system
There is provided a communication device including: a first radio communication unit capable of radio communication in accordance with a first communication method; and a second radio communication unit capable of radio communication in accordance with a second communication method using a higher frequency band than the first communication method, wherein the first radio communication unit transmits an instruction signal instructing to learn a beam directionality to another communication device, and the second radio communication unit transmits a beam reference signal used for learning a beam directionality to said another communication device after completion of transmission of the instruction signal by the first radio communication unit and before reception of a response signal to the instruction signal.
US09094047B2 Probabilistic error correction in multi-bit-per-cell flash memory
Data that are stored in cells of a multi-bit-per cell memory, according to a systematic or non-systematic ECC, are read and corrected (systematic ECC) or recovered (non-systematic ECC) in accordance with estimated probabilities that one or more of the read bits are erroneous. In one method of the present invention, the estimates are a priori. In another method of the present invention, the estimates are based only on aspects of the read bits that include significances or bit pages of the read bits. In a third method of the present invention, the estimates are based only on values of the read bits. Not all the estimates are equal.
US09094035B2 Signal processing device
There is provided a signal processing device comprising a combination unit (3) configured to combine plural element signals based on plural physical quantity signals including signal components in accordance with desired physical quantities, respectively, by the number of times equal to or greater than a number of the plural physical quantity signals, and to output combined signals different from each other; a measuring unit (4) configured to sequentially receive the combined signals output from the combination unit (3); and a computing unit (5) configured to compute signal components based on the desired physical quantities from signals that are generated based on the combined signals sequentially output from the measuring unit.
US09094020B2 Multi-value logic signaling in multi-functional circuits
An integrated circuit comprises a circuit module, a first function circuit, and a second function circuit. The first function circuit is configured to be operational in response to a first type logic signal at a first pin and the second function circuit is configured to be operational in response to a second type logic signal at the first pin. The type of logic signal at the first pin is determined by the circuit module. Based on the determined type of logic signal, the circuit module is configured to activate the appropriate function circuit and provide function related signaling for operation at a second pin. The circuit module allows the pins of the integrated circuit to be shared between the first and second function circuits, thus minimizing the number of pins required for multi-functional circuits on the integrated circuit.
US09094018B2 Method and control device for charging an intermediate circuit capacitor for a welding device
A method for charging an intermediate-circuit capacitor for a welding device, includes feeding a voltage from a first chopping section of a first half-cycle of an AC voltage into the intermediate circuit capacitor, the first chopping section beginning at a first phase-related starting time; and feeding a voltage from a second chopping section of a second half-cycle of the AC voltage following the first half-cycle into the intermediate circuit capacitor, the second chopping section beginning at a second phase-related starting time, which is earlier than the first phase-related starting time.
US09094016B2 Touch sensor
Provided is a touch sensor stable against environmental variation comprising an oscillator which outputs a periodical operation signal, an antenna electrode which has a electrostatic capacitance straining the operation signal to form an output signal, a detection circuit which generate a detection value corresponding to a difference between the output signal and a predetermined reference voltage, a determination means which determines whether a human body is proximate to the antenna electrode, based on the detection value, wherein a frequency of the operation signal is varied so that the detection value gets closer to a predetermined standard value.
US09094012B2 Driving circuit and semiconductor device
A driving circuit of the present invention drives a switching element connected to a main current circuit. The driving circuit includes a driving potion applying on/off-voltage to a gate of the switching element, a common inductor disposed in an interconnection part commonly connected to the driving circuit and a source side of the switching element in a loop formed of the main current circuit and the switching element, and a capacitor connected between the gate side and the source side on the driving portion side with respect to the common inductor.
US09094008B2 High voltage switch in low voltage process
A high voltage analog switch operable by a binary signal is implemented in a low voltage semiconductor process. The switch has three parallel circuit paths, with each path comprising at least three series connected transistors. Control signals are selectively applied to the control terminals of the transistors to control the switch and selectively turn on or turn off each of the three circuit paths depending on the input voltage range, so that the breakdown voltage of all of the transistors is never exceeded in any mode of operation.
US09093996B2 Direct digital synthesizer, reference frequency generating device, and sine wave outputting method
A DDS achieved in size and cost reductions by removing a ROM for storing a table and the like and suppressing an operation amount is provided. A DDS includes an NCO, a DAC, and a BPF. The NCO outputs a sawtooth wave. The DAC converts either one of the sawtooth wave outputted from the NCO and a triangle wave signal converted by a waveform converting circuit based on the sawtooth wave, from a digital signal into an analog signal. The BPF receives the signal converted into the analog signal by the DAC and extracts a sine wave at a predetermined frequency from the inputted signal, by allowing a signal at a frequency within a fixed range to pass therethrough.
US09093995B2 Length-of-diffusion protected circuit and method of design
A circuit includes a pulsed-latch circuit. The pulsed-latch circuit includes a first plurality of transistors. One or more of the first plurality of transistors is length-of-diffusion (LOD) protected.
US09093991B2 Line driving circuit improving signal characteristic and semiconductor device including the same
A line driving circuit in which a signal characteristic is improved and a semiconductor device including the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes: a line controller arranged in a first portion of at least one line; a first driver arranged in the first portion and configured to output through the at least one line a first signal according to a control of the line controller; and a second driver arranged in a second portion of the at least one line and configured to output through the at least one line a second signal according to a level of the first signal.
US09093990B2 Matrix matching crosstalk reduction device and method
This disclosure relates generally to devices, systems, and methods that include conductive lines configured to transmit electrical signals between a first electronic component and a second electronic component between which the conductive lines are coupled. The devices, systems, and methods further include a transmitter, configured to generate the electrical signals, the transmitter including a source impedance based, at least in part, on a resistive coupling between individual ones of the conductive lines, a source impedance matrix of the source impedance being substantially proportional to the characteristic impedance matrix of the plurality of conductive lines.
US09093982B2 Direct sampling circuit and receiver
A sampling circuit is provided that includes a first sampling circuit that shifts a frequency, at which a gain of a frequency characteristic is maximized, to a lower frequency side, and a second sampling circuit that shifts the frequency, at which the gain of the frequency characteristic is maximized, to a higher frequency side. The sampling circuit also includes an output section provided in an output side of the first sampling circuit and an output side of the second sampling circuit, and outputs a sum or a difference between an output from the first sampling circuit and an output from the second sampling circuit.
US09093981B2 Circuit substrate
A circuit substrate includes: a laminate substrate in which a conductive layer and an insulating layer are laminated; a filter chip that has an acoustic wave filter and is provided inside of the laminate substrate; and an active component that is provided on a surface of the laminate substrate and is connected with the filter chip, at least a part of the active component overlapping with a projected region that is a region of the filter chip projected in a thickness direction of the laminate substrate.
US09093963B2 Amplifier and filter having cutoff frequency controlled according to digital code
An amplifier circuit is provided. The amplifier circuit includes an operational amplifier, a feedback resistor for changing gain and cutoff frequency characteristics of the operational amplifier, and a feedback variable capacitor for changing the cutoff frequency characteristics of the operational amplifier, wherein a capacitance of the feedback variable capacitor increases exponentially according to a digital control code, and the cutoff frequency of the operational amplifier is inversely proportional to the capacitance of the feedback variable capacitor and varies linearly on a logarithmic scale.
US09093953B2 Oscillator
Provided is an oscillator including a piezoelectric vibrator (10), a vibration member (20) that constrains the piezoelectric vibrator (10) on one surface thereof, an elastic member (40) that is provided on one surface of the vibration member (20) or the other surface opposite to one surface and provided so as to be located between edges of the piezoelectric vibrator (10) and the vibration member (20) when seen in a plan view, a fixing member (42) that is provided on one surface or the other surface of the vibration member (20) and provided so as to be located between the piezoelectric vibrator (10) and the elastic member (40) when seen in a plan view, and a supporting member (30) that supports the vibration member (20) through the elastic member (40) and the fixing member (42).
US09093952B2 Semiconductor device and control method thereof
The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a first terminal and a second terminal respectively coupled to both ends of a crystal resonator, an inverter circuit having an input coupled to the first terminal and an output coupled to the second terminal, a feedback resistor which couples between the first terminal and the second terminal, a variable capacitor coupled to at least one of the first and second terminals, and a control circuit. The control circuit performs control to increase both of the drive capability of the inverter circuit and the capacitance value of the variable capacitor in a second mode rather than a first mode.
US09093947B2 Zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) piezoelectric driving circuit
A zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) piezoelectric driving circuit, suitable for use in a switching type power converter. It receives an input DC voltage from a half-bridge driving circuit, and through switching of an high-side switch set and a low-side switch set of the half-bridge driving circuit, converts it to an AC voltage and provides it to a piezoelectric element to drive a load. Wherein, a shunt circuit is connected electrically between the half-bridge driving circuit and the piezoelectric element for zero-voltage-switching (ZVS). Namely, when the high-side switch set and the low-side switch set are both switched off, the shunt circuit resonates with its parasitic capacitance, so that the high-side switch set and the low-side switch set perform ZVS, thus realizing ZVS in a wide range of frequency and a large range of load.
US09093946B2 Methods and apparatuses for controlling output voltages of inverters driving of electric motors
A method of controlling an output voltage of an inverter driving an electric motor may include removing harmonic components of an output current, which is output to the electric motor, by using a low pass filter and obtaining a fundamental component of the output current; calculating a current total harmonic distortion by using the fundamental component of the output current; comparing the current THD with a reference current THD; determining a pulse width modulation method to be changed from a first modulation method for reducing the harmonic components of the output current to a second modulation method for reducing a switching frequency of the inverter if the current THD is less than the reference current THD, the PWM method modulating a pulse width of a control pulse signal for controlling the output voltage of the inverter; and/or generating the control pulse signal based on the determined PWM method.
US09093943B2 High power density switched reluctance machines with hybrid excitation
A switched reluctance machine having salient stator and rotor poles. Alternating ones of the stator poles having windings and the others having permanent magnets attached on their pole faces. The alternate stator pole windings are provided with polarities that are suitable for unidirectional and bidirectional current operation of the switched reluctance machine. The alternate poles with permanent magnets in the switched reluctance machines can have also concentric windings placed on them and excited with currents to further augment the flux linkages in the stator poles. The windings on the poles with permanent magnets can be excited from the same source as the windings on the poles without permanent magnets to enhance power output or provide power factor correction.
US09093935B2 Motor control device, motor control method, and image forming apparatus
A motor control device supplies a drive control signal to a drive circuit that drives a motor at a constant period using a motor drive signal based on the drive control signal, and shuts off the motor drive signal when a count value counted by a counter that reset the count value if a state of the motor changes exceeds a threshold corresponding to a plurality of driving periods of the motor. The motor control device includes: a control unit that controls a setting unit to set a rotational direction of the motor to a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction reverse to the first rotational direction at the constant period alternately, when a drive mode of the motor is a position holding mode to drive the motor so as to hold a rotational position of the motor.
US09093931B2 Driving apparatus and stop position detection method
A driving apparatus including an inverter unit for energizing the coil by switching ON and OFF of the switching element, an energization pattern determination unit for selecting a plurality of energization patterns, each of which indicates a direction of a current that flows through the coil, one by one when driving of a motor is started, and energizing the coil by switching ON and OFF of the switching element based on a selected energization pattern at a duty ratio corresponding to a value of a maximum current capable of being supplied by the power supply apparatus, a current applied time measurement unit for measuring an energization time, which is a time until a value of the current flowing through the coil reaches a predetermined target current value for each energization pattern, and a rotor stop position estimation unit for estimating a position at which the rotor stops.
US09093930B2 Linear actuator with a rotating brushless DC motor
An embodiment linear actuator for an electrically adjustable piece of furniture includes a brushless DC motor arranged to effect a linear movement of the linear actuator, as well as a control device for controlling the motor.
US09093923B2 Three-level converter having phase bridge arm
A three-level converter includes at least one phase bridge arm, each including an upper-half and a lower-half bridge arm circuit modules. The upper-half bridge arm circuit module includes a first and a second switch units that are in series connection, and a first diode unit. The lower-half bridge arm circuit module includes a third and a fourth switch units that are in series connection, and a second diode unit. The first and second diode units are connected to the neutral point of the capacitor unit; the second and third switch units are connected to the alternating-current terminal; The first and the fourth switch unit is respectively connected to the positive terminal and negative terminal of the direct-current bus; the capacitor unit is connected to the direct-current bus between the positive and negative terminals. The two modules are disposed side by side and facing each other.
US09093921B2 Insulation in a power transmission system
A substation has a converter comprising a first set (S1) of series connected converter valve elements provided between a first (V1) and a second (V2) potential, where the absolute value of the second potential is higher than the absolute value of the first potential, and a second set (S2) of converter valve elements, comprising at least one converter valve element, provided between the second and a third potential (V3), where the absolute value of the third potential is higher than the absolute value of the second potential and all converter valve elements of the second set are placed inside one or more casings (28) placed on elongated post-like insulation (24), where the potential of the end of the post-like insulation on which the casings are placed is in a range between the second and the third potential, while the other end of the post like insulation is at ground potential.
US09093918B2 Control circuit for offline power converter without input capacitor
The present invention provides a control circuit for a power converter. The control circuit includes a switching circuit, an input-voltage detection circuit and a current-limit threshold. The switching circuit generates a switching signal coupled to switch a transformer of the power converter for regulating an output of the power converter in response to a feedback signal. The input-voltage detection circuit generates a control signal when an input voltage of the power converter is lower than a low-input threshold. The feedback signal is generated in response to the output of the power converter. A maximum duty of the switching signal is increased in response to the control signal. The current-limit threshold is for limiting a maximum value of a switching current flowing through the transformer. The current-limit threshold is increased in response to the control signal. An input of the power converter doesn't connect with electrolytic bulk capacitors.
US09093911B2 Switching mode power converter using coded signal control
A switched mode power converter includes a feedback mechanism by which a coded train of pulses with well defined integrity is generated on a secondary side of the power converter and transmitted to the primary side for decoding and application by a waveform analyzer to regulate the power converter output. The pulse train is modulated by a secondary side controller and transmitted across an isolation galvanic barrier. The main transformer is used as the signal transmitter from the secondary side to the primary side of the power converter. The coded pulse train is recognized by a controller on the primary side and translated into a regulating driving signal for a main switching element. The transmitted coded pulse train can be embedded with very high frequency modulation that allows the isolation galvanic barrier to act as a capacitive signal transmitter.
US09093906B2 Protection for inadvertent missing feedback voltage signal
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for providing improved feedback sampling in a primary-side regulated power converter. A test sample may be taken prior to the default feedback sample. The voltage of the test sample may be compared to the voltage of the default feedback sample to determine if the voltage difference between the two samples exceeds a threshold. If the default sample is lower than the test sample by more than the threshold, the default sample may be flagged as being a potential false sample. If more than a set number of potentially false samples are obtained, the power converter may enter an auto-restart mode.
US09093904B2 Resonant switching power supply device
A winding voltage arising in a first winding on the primary side of a transformer is detected in a winding voltage detector unit formed of a second winding, and current flowing through a resonant circuit is detected in a resonant current detector unit formed of an auxiliary capacitor and a resistor. The timing at which the polarity of the detected winding voltage is inverted is detected in a control and drive unit, and the time at which the polarity of the resonant current, whose phase is delayed with respect to that of the winding voltage, will be inverted is determined in advance. In the event that there is a switch in an on-state when the timing immediately before the inversion of the polarity of the resonant current is detected from the output of the resonant current detector unit, the control and drive unit forcibly turns off the switch.
US09093903B2 Power converter with voltage window and the method thereof
The present disclosure discloses a power converter providing a low output voltage from an offline AC. The power converter defines a voltage window for the input AC signal. Inside the voltage window, the rectified DC waveform is passed through to the output and the storage capacitor; outside the voltage window, the power converter is idle (or the output is blocked from input) and let the output storage capacitor alone supply the load.
US09093902B2 Scalable and redundant mini-inverters
The Scalable and Redundant Mini-inverters as described in this invention include double, triple, or quadruple redundant capabilities so that the Mini-inverters can work in a harsh environment for a prolonged period of time. A number of regular, redundant, triple redundant, or quadruple redundant Mini-inverters with one, two, three, or multiple input channels in a mixed variety can easily connect to one, two, three, or multiple DC power sources such as solar PV modules, invert the DC power to AC power, and daisy chain together to generate AC power to the power grid.
US09093901B2 Switching converter and method for controlling a switching converter
This invention provides a switching converter having a number N of outputs providing N output signals, said switching converter being operable in at least a boost mode. The switching converter has at least one inductor, a number of switches, and a controlling device for controlling a charging time of the at least one inductor at least by the switches such that a discharging time of the at least one inductor is constant.
US09093899B2 Timer based PFM exit control method for a boost regulator
A control circuit in a PFM/PWM boost switching regulator includes a timer based PFM exit control circuit configured to receive a first control signal for controlling a main power switch, a zero-cross signal indicative of an inductor current having reached zero current value, and a timer reference signal indicative of a timer threshold duration. The timer based PFM exit control circuit assesses an idle time of the inductor current based on the first control signal and the zero-cross signal. The timer based PFM exit control circuit asserts the PFM exit signal in response to the idle time decreasing below a level being equal to or less than the timer threshold duration, and the boost switching regulator transitions out of the PFM mode and into the PWM mode in response to the PFM exit signal being asserted.
US09093887B2 Bicycle generator hub stator having annular member and three yokes, and bicycle generator hub
A bicycle generator hub stator has a hub shaft, an annular member and three yokes. The annular member includes a first axial end, a second axial end and a through hole extending between the first and second axial ends. The hub shaft extends through the through hole. The first and second yokes are non-rotatably arranged relative to the annular member. The third yoke is non-rotatably connected to both the annular member and the hub shaft. The first yoke includes a first extended section that extends in an axial direction from the first axial end to the second axial end of the annular member. The second yoke includes a second extended section that extends in the axial direction from the second axial end to the first axial end of the annular member. The third yoke is disposed in the through hole and magnetically couples the first and second yokes together.
US09093875B2 Downhole apparatus for electrical power generation from shaft flexure
An apparatus and a method for generating electrical power are disclosed. The apparatus includes a mud motor including a rotor. The rotor is capable of eccentric motion and has a rotor end. The apparatus further includes an inverse magnetostrictive device having a magnetostrictive element. The magnetostrictive element has a flexing end that is affixed to the rotor end.
US09093870B2 Flat motor
A flat motor has a standard cylindrical bearing and the structure for fastening the bearing by sufficient strength. The flat motor has a rotor frame that is rotatably supported by a bearing through which the shaft passes, and the frame has: flat portion which is formed by a flat plate and which has central hole; outer cylindrical portion which is formed in a cylindrical shape on the side of central hole of flat portion by bending the flat plate and lengthening in an axial direction of the shaft; and inner cylindrical portion to which bearing is fastened, and which is formed in a cylindrical shape on the inner circumstance side of outer cylindrical portion by bending the flat plate at the end opposite to the end of flat portion on the inside of rotor frame and lengthening in a direction contrary to the direction in which outer cylindrical portion lengthens.
US09093867B2 Power system including an electret for a power bus
A power system for an alternating current power bus includes an electret operatively associated with the alternating current power bus. The electret includes an output having an alternating current voltage when the alternating current power bus is energized. A rectifier includes an input electrically interconnected with the output of the electret and an output having a direct current voltage responsive to the alternating current voltage of the output of the electret. A powered device includes an input electrically interconnected with the output of the rectifier. The powered device is powered responsive to the direct current voltage of the output of the rectifier.
US09093863B2 Smart circuit breaker
A smart circuit breaker for an AC power supply circuit that has a limited capacity for supplying power to one or more electrical loads. Smart circuit breaker includes a sensing circuit to dynamically determine the available load capacity of the AC power supply circuit. A reporting circuit reports the dynamically available load capacity to a controller, an existing electrical load, and/or a potential electrical load on the AC power supply circuit. The AC power supply circuit, the existing electrical load, and/or the potential electrical load can adjust operations based on the reported availability of load capacity.
US09093855B2 Portable battery charger
A portable device charger is disclosed, which is able to charge portable devices whether it is connected to an external power supply or not. The charger connects to household AC power as well as USB DC power, and further has a photovoltaic cell. It manages the input power from these three sources to charge a portable device and/or recharge the charger's battery, by supplementing the input power with battery power if the device demands more power than the input source, and charging the battery with remaining power if the device demands less power than is provided by the input source. The charger turns off the AC/DC converter and draws no power from the AC source if the battery is full and there is no attached device.
US09093854B2 Damping circuit for an energy storage device and method for damping oscillations of the output current of an energy storage device
A damping circuit for an energy storage device. The damping circuit comprises a current detection device designed to detect an output current of energy supply strings or the energy storage device and to generate an output current signal dependent on the output current. The damping circuit also includes a closed-loop control circuit coupled to the current detection device. The closed-loop control circuit designed to adjust the output current signal to a setpoint current signal and to output a corresponding current control signal. A first winding of a transformer is coupled to an output connection of the energy storage device. A second winding is galvanically isolated from the first winding. A compensation current generation device is coupled to the closed-loop control circuit, and is designed to feed a compensation current into the second winding of the transformer depending on the current control signal.
US09093853B2 Flexible resonator attachment
Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer for electronic devices. In embodiments reconfigurable or flexible attachment between a source and a device is realized using permanent magnets or electromagnets. Magnetic material may be positioned on or around one or more of the resonator to provide for locations for attaching permanent magnets. A permanent magnet attached to or near one of a source or device or repeater resonators may be used to flexibly attach to the non-lossy magnetic material of another resonator structure. In embodiments, replacing lossy permanent magnets and/or electromagnets in even one of the resonators of a wireless power system may be advantageous to system performance.
US09093850B2 Charging dock
A charging dock adapted for charging a hand-held device includes a pedestal defining an opening, an electrical connector, a fastening plate slantwise disposed to a rear of the electrical connector, a plurality of first elastic elements restrained between the pedestal and the insulating housing, a metal braking piece disposed to a bottom of the pedestal, and a plurality of second elastic elements respectively restrained between button caps and the pedestal. The electrical connector is telescopically and slantwise disposed to the bottom of the pedestal and partially projects in or out of the opening. The hand-held device is capable of pressing on or being apart away from the button caps to make the button caps stretch out or draw back to drive the attaching portions to be attached to or apart away from the magnetic elements under the elasticity function of the second elastic elements.
US09093849B2 Universal charging dock with a wall mount
A universal charging dock for charging a mobile device includes a base portion defining an opening, a back support portion connected to the base portion, a connector housing within the opening, and a wall mount module. The base portion has grooved sidewalls adjacent a track within the opening, and the connector housing has a grooved track that locks into the track and allows lateral movement along the track. The grooved track further allows the connector housing to rotate within the opening. A male connector, for connecting to a charging port of the mobile device, extends from the connector housing and may move vertically into or out of the connector housing to adjust an extension of the male connector. The universal charging dock may also be placed on either side, to achieve portrait or landscape orientations.
US09093843B2 Electric hand-held power tool with a shut-off delay device
An electric hand-held power tool includes at least one electrical drive, at least one electrical device that requires electrical energy in order to operate, a shut-off delay device for the electrical drive and/or the electrical device, at least one rechargeable battery for supplying electrical energy to the drive and the electrical device and an exhaustive-discharge safeguard device. The exhaustive-discharge safeguard device specifies the delay time (Δt) of the shut-off delay device as a function of the state of charge of the rechargeable battery it has determined.
US09093842B2 Method for globally optimizing power flows in electric networks
A power flow problem (OPF) in an electric power network is globally optimized using a branch and bound tree of nodes connected by edges. The BB initially includes at least a root node, and each node represents a feasible region of limits on voltages and powers. An upper bound on the OPF problem is solved for selected nodes using nonlinear programming, while a lower bound is solved using a convex relaxation. The lowest upper and lower bounds are updated using the current upper and lower bound. If a difference between the lowest upper and lowest lower bound is less than a threshold, then outputting the voltages and the powers for the electric power network as represented by the feasibility region for the selected node. Otherwise, the feasible region of the node is partitioned to replace the node. The process is repeated until the tree is empty.
US09093840B2 System tools for integrating individual load forecasts into a composite load forecast to present a comprehensive synchronized and harmonized load forecast
A system tool merges different load forecasts for power grid centers. A plurality of load forecast engines are coupled to a load forecast interface and a relational data base that saves load forecast engine data as an input through the load forecast interface. A comprehensive operating plan is coupled to the load forecast engines and the relational database. The comprehensive operating plan is configured to integrate individual load forecasts into a composite load forecast to present a comprehensive, synchronized and harmonized load forecast. A program interface provides access to the composite load forecasting schedule.
US09093837B2 Abnormal voltage detecting device
An abnormal voltage detecting device monitors abnormal decrease in monitoring voltage during a start up period of a voltage generating apparatus. The abnormal voltage detecting device comprises a level shift circuit that generates a reference voltage for a start up period by reducing, in a predetermined amount, voltage from a reference voltage for soft starting, and further comprises a three input comparator that receives a monitoring voltage, a reference voltage Vref, and the reference voltage for the start up period, and that reverses a logical output when the monitoring voltage is lower than the reference voltage Vref and the reference voltage for the start up period. An abnormality detecting signal is delivered when the logical output of the three input comparator is reversed, and operation of an output circuit is inhibited until the reference voltage for the start up period exceeds a predetermined start up determining voltage.
US09093836B2 Method for controlling a transistor and control circuit
A description is given of a method for the pulsed control of a transistor which has a control terminal and a load path. The load path of the transistor is connected in series with a load. A control circuit is provided for a transistor. In the method, the transistor is controlled with a control pulse of a first type, which has a first control level at least for a first time duration, before a control pulse of a second type, which has a second control level, which is higher in comparison with the first control level. A voltage across the load path of the transistor is evaluated and the pulsed control is terminated if the voltage across the load path exceeds a predefined threshold value.
US09093835B2 Liquid activated failsafe for portable computing devices
The described embodiments relate generally to portable computing devices such as notebook computers and more particularly to failsafe mechanisms designed to prevent electrical shorts in the event that a portable computing device comes in contact with a liquid. A plurality of liquid sensors can be positioned within a computing device and electrically coupled to a controller. The controller can respond to varying amounts of liquid by immediately decoupling the system electronics from the power supply, performing a controlled shut-down of the computing device, or taking no action. In some embodiments, the controller can also limit the ability of a user to reactivate the computing device following a spill until any remaining liquids are removed from the computing device.
US09093834B2 Lightning protection apparatus and method for floating roof tank
The present invention relates to protection of floating roof tanks from the effects of lightning. In prior floating roof tanks, even if the floating roof is electrically connected to the tank wall shell at a number of locations by shunts and additionally with by-pass conductors above or below the liquid level, this may not prevent streamer discharges in gaps subject to induced potentials due to the penetrating electromagnetic waves and thus fires remain a real possibility. The present invention solves this problem by providing a lightning protection apparatus including an electrode; and a plurality of conductors, each conductor having a first end electrically bonded to the electrode and a second opposite terminal end electrically bonded to an outer side wall of the floating roof tank. The conductors emanate radially from the electrode and are spaced from each other so as to provide electromagnetic shielding to the floating roof tank from electromagnetic waves caused by a lighting strike.
US09093829B2 Terminal platform
A terminal platform is provided that can be stably supported by a bracket, and that avoids electrical contact between the bracket and a terminal fitting. Terminal fittings that form an L shape by wire connection portions and terminal main bodies are supported on a terminal platform. A platform main body of the terminal platform has (i) support-receiving portions that are supported by a support portion formed on a metal bracket, (ii) a terminal fixing portion that is positioned at a side opposite to the support-receiving portions and fixes the terminal main bodies, and (iii) a surface portion that is arranged to intersect the terminal fixing portion and the support-receiving portions, and that is along the wire connection portions. Additionally, a partition wall of the terminal platform extends to the surface portion and is arranged facing a tip end of the support portion, and separates the wire connection portions.
US09093827B2 Wire pulling device
The current disclosure describes and teaches a wire pulling device having a base member. A vertical post and a horizontal post are attached to the base member, serving as anchoring posts for a clevis that may be opened and closed. The device may be attached to installation sites for wires and cables. Using an attachment mechanism, the base member may be affixed to a joist, a rafter, or an angle iron. Wires or cables may be threaded or disposed into the clevis and suspended to the installation sites. An installer may pull the wire or cable to proper positions before permanent affixations such as wire ties may be applied. The current device and its associated method facilitate the wire installation process.
US09093824B2 Spark plug
A spark plug having a connecting portion that electrically connects a center electrode with a metal terminal within an axial bore in an insulator. The connecting portion of the spark plug includes a resistor. A center electrode-side resistance, which is the resistance of a portion of the resistor that extends from the center thereof toward the center electrode in the axial direction, is larger than a metal terminal-side resistance, which is the resistance of a portion of the resistor that extends from the center thereof toward the metal terminal.
US09093822B1 Multi-band co-bore-sighted scalable output power laser system
A multi-band scalable output power laser system configured to have high brightness and output power in each band is accomplished by combining multiple laser modules, with each producing at least one band, and wherein at least one of the laser modules is based on a wavelength beam combining (WBC) system, into a multi-band free-space cavity.
US09093805B2 Glow plug connector
This disclosure relates to a glow plug connector for a sensor glow plug, comprising a housing made of plastic, a plurality of contact elements made of metal, which form contact surfaces bearing against a circumferential wall of the housing, wherein the contact elements protrude on the glow-plug side from a base of the housing. The contact surfaces are embodied as segments of a circle that protrude from a strip-shaped section of the contact elements. This disclosure also relates to a connector for a cylinder pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.
US09093797B2 Connector having soldering legs array and method for making the same
An electrical connector comprising an insulative housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing, and a metal package enclosing the insulative housing, said metal package comprising a first metallic shell and a second metallic shell covering the first metallic shell, said first metallic shell having an upper wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls, said second metallic shell having a top board, a floor board and a pair of side boards. Said second metallic shell is formed with a plurality of first soldering legs extending downwardly from a back-end of the top board, second soldering legs extending outwardly from the side boards, and said first metallic shell is formed with a plurality of fixed legs extending outwardly from a rear-end of the side walls; wherein said fixed legs are located between the first soldering legs and the second soldering legs along a front-to-back direction.
US09093793B2 Electrical connector having a conductive shielding plate covering a locking hole
An electrical connector has a conductive shell provided with a locking hole adapted to be engaged with a mating object in a disconnection direction. An insulator is received inside the shell. Between the shell and the insulator, a conductive shielding plate covering the locking hole is provided so that the insulator is not visible through the locking hole. The insulator holds a conductive contact.
US09093757B2 Antenna
A multi-frequency circularly polarized antenna (100) comprises a substrate and multi-frequency antennas (900, 901). The multi-frequency antennas (900, 901) comprise antenna elements (120, 220, 30, 420), shunt-inductor conductors (170, 270, 370, 470), series-capacitor conductors (160a, 160b, 260a, 260b, 360a, 360b, 460a, 460b), series-inductor capacitors (140, 240, 340, 440), a center point (199) and input/output terminals (1q0, 210, 310, 410). The multi-frequency circularly polarized antenna (100) is constructed by connecting the shunt-inductor conductors (170, 270, 370, 470) of the multi-frequency antennas (900, 901) at the center point (199) in a substantially perpendicular manner.
US09093746B2 Wireless communication device having metal assembly and conductive assembly for reducing specific absorption rate (SAR)
A wireless communication device includes a base board, an antenna, a metal assembly, and a conductive assembly. The base board includes a feed portion and a ground portion, and defines a keep-out-zone. The antenna is located above the keep-out-zone, and is electronically connected to the feed portion and the ground portion. The metal assembly is located at the keep-out-zone, and is spaced from the antenna. The metal assembly is electronically connected to the feed portion and the ground portion through the conductive assembly.
US09093741B1 Compact repeaters for wireless sensing
In one embodiment, a repeater for wireless sensing includes a base substrate, a front substrate, a rear substrate, a receive antenna formed on the front substrate, a transmit antenna formed on the rear substrate, and a frequency multiplier formed on the base substrate between the antennas.
US09093738B2 Antenna
An antenna includes an oscillating member and a grounding member arranged toward each other. The oscillating member includes a main body and a first extending section. The first extending section is projected from a first end of the main body toward the grounding member. The grounding member includes a main body, a second extending section, a third extending section, a fourth extending section and a grounding section. The second extending section is projected from a third end of the main body toward the oscillating member; the third extending section is projected from a fourth end of the main body toward the oscillating member; the grounding section is projected from the main body toward the oscillating member. The second extending section is the only one to electrically connect the oscillating member and the grounding member. The grounding section has a grounding point as a ground of the antenna.
US09093737B2 Enclosure with self-contained adjustable shrouding
An assembly includes a self-contained, adjustable shrouding for a MIMO or SISO, or combination thereof, retransmission system enclosure. The enclosure ensures proper coverage areas of small to large facilities. The proper coverage is achieved through cake layer pie designs that previously often resulted in capacity and sector overlay issues. The antenna enclosure has a directional nature that allows for dividing stadiums, arenas, tracks, (or other large groups) into manageable smaller coverage areas through controlled directional zoning.
US09093736B2 Common mode filter and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein are a common mode filter and a method for manufacturing the same. The common mode filter includes a first insulator sheet; a first circuit layer having a first-layered first coil and a first-layered second coil alternately and separately arranged; a second insulator sheet laminated on the first circuit layer; and a second circuit layer having a second-layered first coil and a second-layered second coil alternately and separately arranged, the second-layered first coil being connected to the first-layered first coil and the second-layered second coil being connected to the first-layered second coil through the plurality of penetration holes.
US09093733B2 Signal transmission device, signal transmission system, signal transmission method, and computer device
A signal transmission device includes a differential driver, a first single-ended driver circuit block, a second single-ended driver circuit block, a control circuit, and a common-mode filter. In the case where two-channel single-ended transmission is performed by using the first and second single-ended driver circuit blocks, the control circuit controls a driving capability of the first single-ended driver circuit block and a driving capability of the second single-ended driver circuit block in accordance with a combination of a change in a logical value of an output signal of the first single-ended driver circuit block and a change in a logical value of an output signal of the second single-ended driver circuit block.
US09093731B2 Combiner for an RF power amplifier
Embodiments of the invention include a combiner for an RF amplifier comprising wiring and a transmission line transformer. The transmission line transformer may include a ferrite core having a hole defined therein; a coaxial cable having a first dielectric constant and routed through the hole of the ferrite core; and a stripline having a second dielectric constant and routed around the ferrite core. In some embodiments, an electrical length of the stripline is matched to an electrical length of the coaxial cable. The electrical length of the coaxial cable may be defined by the first dielectric constant and the electrical length of the stripline may be defined by the second dielectric constant.
US09093723B2 Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a case, an electrode assembly received by the case, a cap plate combined with the opening of the case, a protective circuit board electrically connected with a first electrode of the electrode assembly, and a protective device attached on a top surface or side surface of the protective circuit board, electrically connected with a second electrode of the electrode assembly, and electrically connected with the protective circuit board.
US09093714B2 Process for production and use of carbonitride mixture particles or oxycarbonitride mixture particles
The invention has an object of providing catalysts that are not corroded in acidic electrolytes or at high potential, have excellent durability and show high oxygen reducing ability. An aspect of the invention is directed to a process wherein metal carbonitride mixture particles or metal oxycarbonitride mixture particles are produced from an organometallic compound of a Group IV or V transition metal, a metal salt of a Group IV or V transition metal, or a mixture of these compounds using laser light as a light source.
US09093713B2 Method for producing lead-base alloy grid for lead-acid battery
The present invention relates to a method for producing a lead-base alloy grid for lead-acid battery having excellent mechanical strength, corrosion resistance and growth resistance, including two-step heat treatment of a Pb—Ca—Sn alloy grid containing 0.06% by mass or less of calcium, the first heat treatment being conducted at a temperature of 40° C. to 110° C., the second heat treatment being conducted at a temperature of 90° C. to 140° C., and the first heat treatment being conducted at a lower temperature than the second heat treatment.
US09093711B2 Active material including a thin film graphite layer and rechargeable lithium battery
An active material for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable battery, the active material including an active material core; and a thin film graphite layer on the core.
US09093709B2 Electrode materials for electrical cells
The present invention relates to electrode materials for electrical cells, containing, as component (A), at least one polymer including polymer chains formed from identical or different monomer units selected from substituted and unsubstituted vinyl units and substituted and unsubstituted C2-C10-alkylene glycol units and containing at least one monomer unit -M1- including at least one thiolate group —S− or at least one end of a disulfide or polysulfide bridge —(S)m— in which m is an integer from 2 to 8, the thiolate group or the one end of the disulfide or polysulfide bridge —(S)m— in each case being bonded directly to a carbon atom of the monomer unit -M1-, and, as component (B), carbon in a polymorph containing at least 60% sp2-hybridized carbon atoms. The present invention also relates to electrical cells containing the inventive electrode material, to specific polymers, to processes for preparation, and to uses of the inventive cells.
US09093708B2 Method for producing cathode active material layer
The main object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a cathode active material layer, which allows a high-purity lithium complex oxide by restraining impurities from being produced, allows a flat film, and allows orientation control. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a method for producing a cathode active material layer, in which a cathode active material layer is formed on a substrate and contains LiXaOb (X is a transition metal element of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni and Mn, a=0.7-1.3, and b=1.5-2.5), characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: forming a cathode active material precursor-film on the above-mentioned substrate by a physical vapor deposition method while setting a temperature of the substrate at 300° C. or less, and performing an annealing treatment for the cathode active material precursor-film at a temperature of a crystallizable temperature of the LiXaOb or more, and characterized in that the substrate has orientation property in a surface.
US09093697B2 Fuel cell stack
A fuel cell stack is provided in which a plurality of single cells each including a membrane electrode assembly are stacked in a stacking direction. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of electrical insulation members each connected to an outer peripheral portion of a corresponding one of the membrane electrode assemblies. The fuel cell stack further includes a first displacement absorbing member disposed between each insulation member and an adjacent insulation member.
US09093695B2 High-power lithium-ion storage battery
A lithium-ion storage battery includes LiFePO4 as an active material for a positive electrode, an active material for a negative electrode having a lithium insertion/extraction potential equal to or greater than 0.5 V vs. Li+/Li, and a separating element placed between the positive and negative electrodes. The active material for the negative electrode is a lithiated titanium oxide, a derivative of a lithiated titanium oxide, a non lithiated titanium oxide, a derivative of a non lithiated titanium oxide or a mixture thereof. The separating element is formed from a non-woven fabric comprising cellulose fibers or glass fibers of nanometric and/or micrometric size.
US09093689B2 Battery straps
The present disclosure relates to a battery for use in various applications including starting, lighting, and ignition and other purposes in vehicles such as automobiles and boats. The disclosed battery design includes a number of battery cell elements connected in series by a number of straps. The present disclosure describes a system of connecting the cells that minimizes the size and weight of the straps and increases the operating efficiency of the battery.
US09093687B2 Sealing case
A sealing case including a main body, a cover and a sealing member is disclosed. The main body has a first surface opened to a housing space therein. The cover is disposed over the first surface. The sealing member is interposed between the main body and the cover. The main body includes a first fastening portion protruding toward the sealing member. The cover includes a second fastening portion protruding toward the sealing member. The first and second fastening portions are spaced apart from each other. The main body and the cover are coupled together to be water-tight.
US09093680B2 Secondary battery with an insulation member that defines a gas release path
A secondary battery including: an electrode assembly; a battery case accommodating the electrode assembly; a lead terminal that is extended from the electrode assembly and across the battery case, where the lead terminal is withdrawn from the battery case; an encapsulation tape formed on a portion of the lead terminal crossing the battery case; and an insulation member that is formed on the lead terminal to overlap with at least a portion of the encapsulation tape.
US09093671B2 Electrode assembly and secondary battery using the same
A battery case for a secondary battery and a secondary battery using the same. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly and the battery case. The electrode assembly is composed of a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate and a separator interposed therebetween. The battery case is provided with an accommodating portion that accommodates the electrode assembly. In the secondary battery, the depth of the accommodating portion is approximately 70% to approximately 80% of the thickness of the electrode assembly.
US09093669B2 Transparent organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
Provided are an organic light emitting display device and a method for manufacturing the same. The organic light emitting display device includes a plurality of pixels, each including a set of sub pixels. Each of the sub pixels has an emissive area for emitting light and a transmissive area for passing the external light. At least two sub pixels are symmetrically arranged on each side of an auxiliary electrode, and share the auxiliary electrode.
US09093662B2 Sealing inspection device and sealing inspection method of flat panel display apparatus by using the sealing inspection device
A sealing inspection device for detecting a bonding error at a sealing region of an upper and a lower plate in a flat panel display apparatus in which the upper and lower plates are bonded to each other by a sealing member, the sealing inspection device includes a light source configured to emit light, a polarizer configured to polarize the light emitted from the light source, the polarized light being incident on and reflected from the sealing region of the flat panel display, an optical spectrum analyzer configured to analyze the light reflected from the sealing region with respect to wavelength ranges and to determine whether a bonding error exits at the sealing region, and a beam splitter configured to change a path of the reflected light toward the optical spectrum analyzer.
US09093660B2 Organic light emitting diode display device
An organic light emitting diode display device includes: a substrate defining a plurality of pixels having a luminous area and a non-luminous area; an antireflection layer formed on the substrate and including at least one metallic layer and at least one insulating layer; a thin film transistor formed on the antireflection layer in the non-luminous area and including a gate electrode or a metal line on the antireflection layer in the non-luminous area; a passivation layer formed on the thin film transistor; a color refiner formed on the passivation layer in the luminous area; a light blocking member on the passivation layer in the non-luminous area; an organic light emitting layer; and a cathode and an anode electrodes.
US09093658B2 Pre-stressed flexible OLED
Devices are provided that include a flexible OLED panel and a connection between points of the flexible OLED panel that causes the flexible OLED panel to be disposed in a non-planar configuration. Alternatively or in addition, the connection may be a flexible component connected to the flexible OLED panel, which is configured to maintain the flexible OLED panel in the non-planar shape.
US09093636B2 Incorporation of oxygen into memory cells
Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods include a resistive random access memory cell having an oxygen gradient in a variable resistive region of the resistive random access memory cell and methods of forming the resistive random access memory cell. Oxygen can be incorporated into the resistive random access memory cell by ion implantation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09093624B2 Silicone resin sheet, cured sheet, and light emitting diode device and producing method thereof
A silicone resin sheet is formed from a resin composition containing a thermosetting silicone resin and microparticles. The complex viscosity thereof at a frequency of 10 Hz is 80 to 1000 Pa·s and the tan δ thereof at a frequency of 10 Hz is 0.3 to 1.6 obtained by a dynamic viscoelastic measurement at a frequency of 0.1 to 50 Hz at 30° C.; a rate of frequency increase of 10 Hz/min; and a distortion of 1% in a shear mode.
US09093619B2 Light emitting device provided with lens for controlling light distribution characteristic
The light emitting device comprises a substrate (2), a positive electrode (6) and a negative electrode (4) formed on the substrate (2), a light emitting diode (8) connected to the positive electrode (6) and the negative electrode (4), the transparent resin (12 and 14) that covers the light emitting diode (8), a fluorescent material (16) that absorbs at least part of light emitted by the light emitting diode (8) and converts it to light of longer wavelength, and the lens that changes the direction of light emission from the light emitting diode (8) and/or the fluorescent material (16). The resin (12 and 14) includes the fluorescent material (16) and is formed so as to constitute the lens of substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and the fluorescent material (16) included in the resin (12 and 14) is distributed with a higher concentration in a region near the surface of the light emitting diode (8) than in a region near the surface of the portion that constitutes the lens.
US09093612B2 Light emitting device
A provided light includes a semiconductor chip including a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer, the semiconductor chip being adapted to emit light between the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer; a p-side pad electrode disposed on an upper surface side of the semiconductor chip and over the p-type semiconductor layer; an n-side pad electrode disposed on an upper surface side of the semiconductor chip and over the n-type semiconductor layer; a resin layer disposed to cover the upper surface of the semiconductor chip; a p-side connection electrode and an n-side connection electrode disposed at an outer surface of the resin layer and positioned on the upper surface side of the semiconductor chip; and a metal wire disposed in the resin. The metal wire is adapted to make connection at least one of between the p-side pad electrode and the p-side connection electrode, and between the n-side pad electrode and the n-side connection electrode.
US09093611B2 Light-emitting diode chip
An LED chip is disclosed. The LED chip includes a substrate and a semiconductor element formed on the substrate. A recess is formed on the semiconductor element so as to expose a first-type of semiconductor layer thereof to the environment. The LED chip also includes a conductive layer disposed on a second-type semiconductor layer of the semiconductor element, a first electrode disposed in the recess and electrically connected to the first-type of semiconductor layer, and a second electrode disposed on the conductive layer. In addition, the LED chip includes a first circular electrode disposed on the conductive layer and extending along an edge of the substrate and electrically connected to the second electrode.
US09093610B2 Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A display apparatus includes a display panel, a gate driver, and a data driver. The display panel includes a display area in which an image is displayed and a non-display area disposed adjacent to the display area. The display panel includes an insulating substrate which has a groove. The gate driver is disposed to overlap with the display area when viewed in a plan view. At least part of the gate driver is formed on the groove.
US09093608B2 Method of manufacturing a light emitting diode comprising a layer of AlGaN heterogeneous
The process for the manufacture of a light-emitting diode comprises the following stages: the formation of a stack (1) of layers intended to emit light comprising first (2), second (3) and third (4) layers of aluminum gallium nitride, the said second layer (3), positioned between the first and third layers (2, 4), having an aluminum gallium nitride composition different from that of the first and third layers (2, 4); and the implementation of a demixing of the second layer (3) of aluminum gallium nitride carried out after formation of the said second layer.
US09093601B2 Photoelectric conversion device
An object is to provide a photoelectric conversion device which has little loss of light absorption in a window layer and has high conversion efficiency. A photoelectric conversion device including a crystalline silicon substrate having n-type conductivity and a light-transmitting semiconductor layer having p-type conductivity between a pair of electrodes is formed. In the photoelectric conversion device, a p-n junction is formed between the crystalline silicon substrate and the light-transmitting semiconductor layer, and the light-transmitting semiconductor layer serves as a window layer. The light-transmitting semiconductor layer includes an organic compound and an inorganic compound. As the organic compound and the inorganic compound, a material having a high hole-transport property and a transition metal oxide having an electron-accepting property are respectively used.
US09093599B2 Vapor deposition apparatus for continuous deposition of multiple thin film layers on a substrate
Vapor deposition apparatus for forming stacked thin films on discrete photovoltaic module substrates conveyed in a continuous non-stop manner through the apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes a first sublimation compartment positioned over a first deposition area of said apparatus, a second sublimation compartment positioned over a second deposition area of said apparatus, and an internal divider positioned therebetween and defining a middle seal member. An actuator is attached to the internal divider and is configured to move the internal divider to control intermixing of first source material vapors and second source material vapors within the first deposition area and the second deposition area. Methods are also generally provided for depositing stacked thin films on a substrate.
US09093594B2 Multi-stack film bolometer
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, suspension structures extending from the upper surface of the substrate, and an absorber stack attached to the substrate by the suspension structures. The suspension structures suspend the absorber stack over the substrate such that a gap is defined between the absorber stack and the substrate. The absorber stack includes a plurality of metallization layers interleaved with a plurality of insulating layers. At least one of the metallization layers has a thickness of approximately 10 nm or less.
US09093586B2 Photovoltaic power generation system free of bypass diodes
A photovoltaic power generation system that includes a solar panel that is free of bypass diodes is described herein. The solar panel includes a plurality of photovoltaic sub-modules, wherein at least two of photovoltaic sub-modules in the plurality of photovoltaic sub-modules are electrically connected in parallel. A photovoltaic sub-module includes a plurality of groups of electrically connected photovoltaic cells, wherein at least two of the groups are electrically connected in series. A photovoltaic group includes a plurality of strings of photovoltaic cells, wherein a string of photovoltaic cells comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells electrically connected in series. The strings of photovoltaic cells are electrically connected in parallel, and the photovoltaic cells are microsystem-enabled photovoltaic cells.
US09093584B2 Solar cell array
A solar cell array includes solar cell modules arranged in a first-direction, and a mounting member for securing adjacent ones of the solar cell modules. The mounting member comprises a first supporting member extending in the first-direction, a second supporting member provided on the first supporting member and extending in a second-direction, a first restraint provided on one side of the second supporting member in the first-direction and configured to restrain the second supporting member from moving in the second-direction and in a height direction, and a second restraint provided on another side of the second supporting member in the first-direction and configured to restrain the second supporting member from moving in the height direction. The first restraint is movable together with the second supporting member in the first-direction on the first supporting member. The second restraint restrains the second supporting member from moving in the first-direction.
US09093582B2 Solar canopy assembly
A structure capable of folding into a compact form for transporting, and for simple unfolding for attachment to a base, the structure including: two or more hingably interconnected solar panel arrays each having a two or more of solar panels, a solar panel support channel, and a support beam; wherein the two or more solar panels are attached to top portions of the solar panel support channel, and a bottom portion of the solar panel support channel is attached to a top portion of the support beam, the support beam having a hinged joint for cooperating in folding into mutual, near coplanar juxtaposition; and where the structure, when unfolded includes a solar canopy and is T-shaped viewed on end.
US09093569B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
In a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, a mesh shaped lower electrode of a peripheral region is used as a reservoir capacitor to increase the size of a region contacting a dielectric film, such that Cs deterioration is minimized. An exemplary semiconductor device may include a line-type storage node contact plug formed over a semiconductor substrate, a mesh shaped lower electrode formed over the storage node contact plug, and a dielectric film and an upper electrode formed over the lower electrode.
US09093566B2 High efficiency FinFET diode
Disclosed are a FinFET diode of high efficiency, designed to resolve the degradation problem with a conventional FinFET diode arising from reduced active area, and a method of fabrication. The FinFET diode has a doped substrate, two spaced-apart groups of substantially parallel, equally-spaced, elongated semiconductor fin structures, dielectric layers formed between the two groups and among the fin structures for insulation, a plurality of substantially equal-spaced and parallel elongated gate structures perpendicularly traversing both groups of the fin structures, and two groups of semiconductor strips respectively formed lengthwise upon the two groups of the fin structures. The two groups of semiconductor strips are doped to have opposite conductivity types, p-type and n-type. The FinFET diode further has metal contacts formed upon the semiconductor strips. In an embodiment, the semiconductor strips may be integrally formed with the fin structures by epitaxial growth and in-situ doped.
US09093565B2 Fin diode structure
A fin diode structure and method of manufacturing the same is provided in present invention, which the structure includes a substrate, a doped well formed in the substrate, a plurality of fins of first conductivity type and a plurality of fins of second conductivity type protruding from the doped well, and a doped region of first conductivity type formed globally in the substrate between the fins of first conductivity type, the fins of second conductivity type, the shallow trench isolation and the doped well and connecting with the fins of first doped type and the fins of second doped type.
US09093563B2 Electronic module assembly with patterned adhesive array
An improved electronic module assembly and method of fabrication is disclosed. A patterned array of adhesive is deposited on a laminate, to which a chip is attached. Each region of adhesive is referred to as a lid tie. A lid is placed on the laminate, and is in contact with the lid ties. The lid ties serve to add stability to the laminate and reduce flexing during thermal processing and mechanical stress.
US09093550B1 Integrated circuits having a plurality of high-K metal gate FETs with various combinations of channel foundation structure and gate stack structure and methods of making same
Semiconductor manufacturing processes include forming conventional channel field effect transistors (FETs) and deeply depleted channel (DDC) FETs on the same substrate and selectively forming a plurality of gate stack types where those different gate stack types are assigned to and formed in connection with one or more of a conventional channel NFET, a conventional channel PFET, a DDC-NFET, and a DDC-PFET in accordance a with a predetermined pattern.
US09093546B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor device
An object is to provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability by preventing, in forming a nonvolatile memory and MOSFETS on the same substrate, an increase in the size of grains in a gate electrode. The object can be achieved by forming the control gate electrode of the nonvolatile memory and the gate electrodes of the other MOSFETs from films of the same layer, respectively, and configuring each of the control gate electrode and the gate electrodes from a stack of two polysilicon film layers.
US09093543B2 Semiconductor device
To improve switching characteristics of a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. A parasitic channel is formed at an end portion of the oxide semiconductor layer because a source and a drain of the transistor are electrically connected to the end portion. That is, when at least one of the source and the drain of the transistor is not electrically connected to the end portion, the parasitic channel is not formed at the end portion. In view of this, a transistor having a structure in which at least one of a source and a drain of the transistor is not or less likely to be electrically connected to an end portion of an oxide semiconductor layer is provided.
US09093537B2 Display device and method for manufacturing the same
A display device and method for manufacturing the same are discussed. The display device according to an embodiment includes a substrate, a gate metal line disposed on the substrate, a gate insulating film configured to insulate the gate metal line, a data metal line disposed on the gate insulating film, and a protection film disposed at an area where the gate metal line and the data metal line overlap each other between the gate metal line and the data metal line.
US09093536B2 Thin film transistor substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate, a gate electrode disposed on the substrate, a gate insulation layer disposed on the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor pattern disposed on the gate insulation layer, where the oxide semiconductor pattern includes a first area whose carrier concentration is in a range of about 1017 per cubic centimeter to about 1019 per cubic centimeter and a second area whose carrier concentration is less than the carrier concentration of the first area, an etch stopper disposed on the oxide semiconductor pattern, where the etch stopper covers the first area and the second area of the oxide semiconductor pattern, a signal electrode partially overlapping the etch stopper and the second area, and a passivation layer which covers the etch stopper and the signal electrode.
US09093534B2 Dielectric filler fins for planar topography in gate level
An array of stacks containing a semiconductor fins and an oxygen-impermeable cap is formed on a semiconductor substrate with a substantially uniform areal density. Oxygen-impermeable spacers are formed around each stack, and the semiconductor substrate is etched to vertically extend trenches. Semiconductor sidewalls are physically exposed from underneath the oxygen-impermeable spacers. The oxygen-impermeable spacers are removed in regions in which semiconductor fins are not needed. A dielectric oxide material is deposited to fill the trenches. Oxidation is performed to convert a top portion of the semiconductor substrate and semiconductor fins not protected by oxygen-impermeable spacers into dielectric material portions. Upon removal of the oxygen-impermeable caps and remaining oxygen-impermeable spacers, an array including semiconductor fins and dielectric fins is provided. The dielectric fins alleviate variations in the local density of protruding structures, thereby reducing topographical variations in the height of gate level structures to be subsequently formed.
US09093533B2 FinFET structures having silicon germanium and silicon channels
Silicon and silicon germanium fins are formed on a semiconductor wafer or other substrate in a manner that facilitates production of closely spaced nFET and pFET devices. A patterned mandrel layer is employed for forming one or more recesses in the wafer prior to the epitaxial growth of a silicon germanium layer that fills the recess. Spacers are formed on the side walls of the patterned mandrel layer followed by removal of the mandrel layer. The exposed areas of the wafer and silicon germanium layer between the spacers are etched to form fins usable for nFET devices from the wafer and fins usable for pFET devices from the silicon germanium layer.
US09093532B2 Overlapped III-V finFET with doped semiconductor extensions
A semiconductor structure that includes a semiconductor fin comprising an III-V compound semiconductor material. A functional gate structure straddles a portion of the semiconductor fin. A semiconductor channel material having an electron mobility greater than silicon and comprising a different semiconductor material than the semiconductor fin and is located beneath the functional gate structure. The semiconductor channel material is present on at least each vertical sidewall of the semiconductor fin. A dielectric spacer is located on each vertical sidewall surface of the functional gate structure. A doped semiconductor is located on each side of the functional gate structure and underneath each dielectric spacer. A portion of the doped semiconductor material located beneath each dielectric spacer directly contacts a sidewall surface of semiconductor channel material located on each vertical sidewall of the semiconductor fin.
US09093530B2 Fin structure of FinFET
A fin structure disposed over a substrate and a method of forming a fin structure are disclosed. The fin structure includes a mesa, a channel disposed over the mesa, and a convex-shaped feature disposed between the channel and the mesa. The mesa has a first semiconductor material, and the channel has a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. The convex-shaped feature is stepped-shaped, stair-shaped, or ladder-shaped. The convex-shaped feature includes a first isolation feature disposed between the channel and the mesa, and a second isolation feature disposed between the channel and the first isolation feature. The first isolation feature is U-shaped, and the second isolation feature is rectangular-shaped. A portion of the second isolation feature is surrounded by the channel and another portion of the second isolation feature is surrounded by the first isolation feature.
US09093523B2 Switching element and a diode being connected to a power source and an inductive load
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a switching element and a diode provided on a substrate. The switching element includes a first semiconductor layer, a drain region, a source region, a channel region, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode. The diode includes a second semiconductor layer, an anode region, and a cathode region.
US09093517B2 TID hardened and single event transient single event latchup resistant MOS transistors and fabrication process
A radiation-hardened transistor is formed in a p-type body. An active region is disposed within the p-type body and has a perimeter defined by a shallow-trench isolation region filled with a dielectric material. Spaced-apart source and drain regions are disposed in the active region, forming a channel therebetween. A polysilicon gate is disposed above, aligned with, and insulated from the channel region. A p-type isolation ring is disposed in the p-type body separating outer edges of at least one of the source and drain regions from the perimeter of the active region. A body contact is disposed in the p-type isolation ring.
US09093515B2 Wire bonding capillary with working tip protrusion
A method for bonding a wire to a substrate includes forming a wire ball at a working tip of a capillary and contacting the wire ball to a substrate via the capillary. The method also includes driving a protrusion at the working tip of the capillary into contact with a region of the substrate surrounding the wire ball. A capillary for wire bonding includes a working face, an annular chamfer section, and a cylindrical bore offsetting the annular chamfer section from the working face. A capillary for wire bonding includes a capillary body comprising a working tip having a working face. The capillary body defines an axial passage extending from the working face along a longitudinal axis of the capillary. The axial passage includes a cylindrical bore extending internally from the working face, and a first annular chamfer having a major diameter defined by the cylindrical bore.
US09093506B2 Process for fabricating gallium arsenide devices with copper contact layer
Systems, apparatuses, and methods related to the design, fabrication, and manufacture of gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuits are disclosed. Copper can be used as the contact material for a GaAs integrated circuit. Metallization of the wafer and through-wafer vias can be achieved through copper plating processes disclosed herein. Various protocols can be employed during processing to avoid cross-contamination between copper-plated and non-copper-plated wafers. GaAs integrated circuits can be singulated, packaged, and incorporated into various electronic devices.
US09093500B2 Methods of forming semiconductor device using bowing control layer
A bowing control pattern is formed on an intermediate layer. A hardmask pattern is formed on the bowing control layer. The hardmask pattern has a first opening, and the bowing control pattern has a second opening. A third opening passes through the intermediate layer and is connected to the second opening. The bowing control pattern includes first and second edges on a lower end of the second opening, and a third edge on an upper end of the second opening. When a first point on the first edge, a second point on the second edge, and a third point on a horizontal line passing through the third edge are defined, an intersecting angle between a first side from the first point to the second point, and a second side from the second point to the third point is from about 50° to about 80°.
US09093493B2 Wide bandgap insulated gate semiconductor device
A wide bandgap insulated gate semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate made of semiconductor having a bandgap wider than silicon; n− drift layer over the semiconductor substrate; p-channel regions selectively disposed over the drift layer; n+ semiconductor regions selectively disposed in respective surfaces in the channel regions; a plurality of p+ base regions in contact with bottoms of the respective channel regions; a protruding drift layer portion that is n-type region interposed between the p-channel regions and the p+ base regions thereunder; a gate electrode formed, through a gate insulating film, on the protruding drift layer portion and on respective surfaces of the p-channel regions; a source electrode in contact with the n+ semiconductor regions in the channel regions; and a p+ floating region inside the protruding drift layer portion, having side faces respectively facing side faces of the second conductivity type base regions, wherein respective gaps between the p+ base regions and the p+ floating region defined by the respective side faces have a wide portion and a narrow portion.
US09093485B2 Transport method
By a transport robot having a hand provided with stationary clamp members and a movable clamp member which pinches a to-be-transported object S between the movable clamp member and the stationary clamp members, after transporting the to-be-transported object-S in a horizontal posture to a transport destination, the hand is lowered in a state in which the movable clamp member is receded to an unclamped position, thereby transferring the to-be-transported object onto a plurality of supporting pins which are disposed at the transport destination. In the method mentioned above, an arrangement is made that, even if the stationary clamp members give rise to dents due to wear, the to-be-transported object is arranged to be transferred onto the supporting pins without problems.
US09093482B2 Method and apparatus for liquid treatment of wafer shaped articles
In an apparatus and process for treating wafer-shaped articles, a spin chuck holds a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation relative to an upper surface of the spin chuck. A heating assembly comprises a housing containing at least one infrared heating element. The heating assembly is mounted above the upper surface of the spin chuck and adjacent a wafer-shaped article when mounted on the spin chuck. The housing also contains a conduit having an inlet connected to a source of cooling fluid and an outlet returning cooling fluid to the source of cooling fluid.
US09093470B1 VTFT formation using capillary action
Producing a vertical transistor includes providing a conductive gate structure having a reentrant profile on a substrate. A conformal dielectric material layer is formed on the conductive gate structure. A conformal semiconductor material layer is formed on the dielectric material layer, over the conductive gate structure. An electrode is formed located over the conductive gate structure and in contact with a first portion of the semiconductor layer and another electrode is formed vertically separated from the electrode and located in contact with a second portion of the semiconductor layer by printing an inhibitor that wicks along the reentrant profile of the conductive gate structure and depositing a conductive inorganic thin film using an atomic layer deposition process where the inhibitor is absent to form a channel in the semiconductor layer along the reentrant profile between the electrodes by inhibiting deposition of conductive material between the electrodes with the wicked inhibitor.
US09093468B2 Asymmetric cyclic depositon and etch process for epitaxial formation mechanisms of source and drain regions
The embodiments of mechanisms for forming source/drain (S/D) regions of field effect transistors (FETs) described uses Cl2 as an etchant during the epitaxial formation of the S/D regions. The mechanisms involve using an asymmetric cyclic deposition and etch (ACDE) process that forms a preparation layer enable epitaxial growth of the following epitaxial layer with transistor dopants. The mechanisms also involve soaking the surface of substrate with dopant-containing precursors to enable sufficient incorporation of transistor dopants during the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions. By using Cl2 as etchants, the mechanisms also enables high throughput of the epitaxial growth of the S/D regions.
US09093467B1 Methods of forming gate structures for semiconductor devices using a replacement gate technique and the resulting devices
One method and device disclosed includes, among other things, forming a recessed sacrificial gate electrode having a recessed upper surface, performing at least one second etching process to define recessed sidewall spacers positioned adjacent the recessed sacrificial gate electrode, forming a plurality of sidewall spacers within a gate opening above the recessed sidewall spacers, wherein one of the spacers comprises a low-k insulating material that is positioned laterally between two other spacers and a gate cap layer, removing the recessed sacrificial gate electrode and forming a replacement gate structure in its place.
US09093454B2 Semiconductor devices having fine patterns
In a method of forming a semiconductor device, a feature layer is provided on a substrate and a mask layer is provided on the feature layer. A portion of the mask layer is removed in a first region of the semiconductor device where fine features of the feature layer are to be located, the mask layer remaining in a second region of the semiconductor device where broad features of the feature layer are to be located. A mold mask pattern is provided on the feature layer in the first region and on the mask layer in the second region. A spacer layer is provided on the mold mask pattern in the first region and in the second region. An etching process is performed to etch the spacer layer so that spacers remain at sidewalls of pattern features of the mold mask pattern, and to etch the mask layer in the second region to provide mask layer patterns in the second region. The feature layer is etched using the mask layer patterns as an etch mask in the second region and using the spacers as an etch mask in the first region to provide a feature layer pattern having fine features in the first region and broad features in the second region.
US09093450B2 Chip package and manufacturing method thereof
A chip package includes a substrate having an upper and a lower surface and including: at least a first contact pad; a non-optical sensor chip disposed overlying the upper surface, wherein the non-optical sensor chip includes at least a second contact pad and has a first length; a protective cap disposed overlying the non-optical sensor chip, wherein the protective cap has a second length, an extending direction of the second length is substantially parallel to that of the first length, and the second length is shorter than the first length; an IC chip disposed overlying the protective cap, wherein the IC chip includes at least a third contact pad and has a third length, and an extending direction of the third length is substantially parallel to that of the first length; and bonding wires forming electrical connections between the substrate, the non-optical sensor chip, and the IC chip.
US09093438B2 Semiconductor device package with cap element
A method of assembling a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having an array of substrate elements linked by substrate corner elements and separated by slots extending between the corner elements. Semiconductor dies are positioned on the substrate elements. A cap, frame and contact structure is provided that has a corresponding array of caps supported by corner legs linking the caps to frame corner elements, frame elements linking the frame corner elements, and sets of electrical contact elements supported by the frame elements. The cap, frame and contact structure is fitted on the substrate with the caps extending over corresponding dies, the frame corner elements extending over the substrate corner elements, and the sets of electrical contact elements disposed in the slots. The dies are connected electrically with the electrical contact elements and the assembly is encapsulated and singulated. Singulating removes the frame elements.
US09093435B2 Package-on-package assembly with wire bonds to encapsulation surface
A method of making a microelectronic package includes forming a dielectric encapsulation layer on an in-process unit having a substrate having a first surface and a second surface remote therefrom. A microelectronic element is mounted to the first surface of the substrate, and a plurality of conductive elements exposed at the first surface, at least some of which are electrically connected to the microelectronic element. Wire bonds have bases joined to the conductive elements and end surfaces remote from the bases and define an edge surface extending away between the base and the end surface. The encapsulation layer is formed to at least partially cover the first surface and portions of the wire bonds with unencapsulated portions of the wire bonds being defined by at least one of the end surface or a portion of the edge surface that is uncovered thereby.
US09093430B2 Metal pad offset for multi-layer metal layout
A semiconductor device includes a first layer including a number of first layer metal pads, a second layer formed on top of the first layer, the second layer including a number of second layer metal pads, and vias connecting the first layer metal pads to the second layer metal pads. A surface area overlap between the first layer metal pads and the second layer metal pads is below a defined threshold.
US09093429B2 Methods and structures for reducing heat exposure of thermally sensitive semiconductor devices
A semiconductor device comprising a substrate, a power bus, a heat source circuit, a heat sensitive circuit, and a plurality of electrically and thermally conductive through-silicon-vias (TSVs) in the substrate. The TSVs are electrically coupled to the power bus and positioned between the heat source circuit and the heat sensitive circuit to absorb heat from the heat source circuit.
US09093426B2 Electronic semi-conductor device intended for mounting in a pressed stack assembly, and a pressed stack assembly comprising such device
A semi-conductor electronic device for mounting in a pressed stack assembly. The device comprises a box comprising a lower plate, an upper plate and a lateral wall mechanically connecting the lower plate to the upper plate, the lower and upper plates being electrically conductive, several semi-conductor components, each component comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrodes being electrically connected to the lower plate and the second electrodes being electrically connected to the upper plate, and elastic parts positioned between the components and a supporting plate chosen from the lower plate and the upper plate. The device comprises, in addition, an intermediate sealing wall positioned inside the box, between the components and the elastic parts, the intermediate sealing wall electrically connecting the components, the intermediate sealing wall being adapted to separate the components from an electrically insulating cooling liquid, adapted to circulate around the elastic parts, between the intermediate sealing wall and the supporting plate.
US09093424B2 Dual silicide integration with laser annealing
The embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the fabrication of integrated circuits, and more particularly to a structure and method for fabricating more particularly to a structure and method for fabricating silicides with different compositions and/or thicknesses on a single structure having more than one type of device using laser annealing. A method is disclosed that includes using a photoresist compatible with a laser annealing process to protect a region of a semiconductor substrate from silicide formation.
US09093413B2 Battery heating circuits and methods based on battery discharging and charging using resonance components in series
Under one aspect, a circuit for heating a battery includes the battery including a parasitic damping component and a parasitic current storage component, a switch unit, a switching control component coupled to the switch unit, and a charge storage component. The charge storage and current storage components are at least parts of an energy storage circuit. The damping component, the current storage component, the switch unit, and the charge storage component are connected to form at least a part of a loop. The switching control component is configured to turn on and off the switch unit so as to control a current flowing from the battery to the charge storage component and flowing from the charge storage component to the battery. The circuit for heating the battery is configured to heat the battery by at least discharging and charging the battery.
US09093410B2 Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A display apparatus includes a base substrate, a data line, and a pixel. The data line is disposed on the base substrate to transmit a data signal and has a multi-layer structure including at least three conductive layers stacked one on another. The data line includes a lower conductive layer, an intermediate conductive layer, and an upper conductive layer. The lower conductive layer is disposed on the base substrate, the intermediate conductive layer is disposed on the lower conductive layer and includes copper and aluminum, and the upper conductive layer is disposed on the intermediate conductive layer and includes copper. The pixel is driven in response to the data signal from the data line.
US09093404B2 Light-emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
The light-emitting device includes a first lower electrode, a second lower electrode, a partition, a layer with high conductivity, light-emitting layers, and an upper electrode. The conductivity of the layer with high conductivity is higher than the conductivity of each of the light-emitting layers and lower than the conductivity of each of the lower electrodes and the upper electrode. The partition includes a first slope located on a first lower electrode side and a second slope located on a second lower electrode side. The thickness of the layer with high conductivity located over the first slope in a direction perpendicular to the first slope is different from the thickness of the layer with high conductivity located over the second slope in a direction perpendicular to the second slope.
US09093403B2 Organic light-emitting display apparatus having a mirror function
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a first substrate. Pixels are formed on the first substrate. The pixels have a light-emitting region and a non-light-emitting region. A second substrate faces the first substrate. A reflective member is disposed on the second substrate. The reflective member includes openings corresponding to the light-emitting regions of the pixels and reflective portions corresponding to the non-light-emitting regions of the pixels. Each pixel includes a first electrode in the light-emitting region, a second electrode facing the first electrode, an organic layer between the first electrode and second electrode, and a pixel-defining layer covering edges of the first electrode. The pixel-defining layer is formed in the non-light-emitting region, and has a sidewall slope that provides an external light reflection path that is similar to that of the light-emitting region.
US09093402B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A manufacturing method of an active matrix light emitting device in which the active matrix light emitting device can be manufactured in a shorter time with high yield at low cost compared with conventional ones will be provided. It is a feature of the present invention that a layered structure is employed for a metal electrode which is formed in contact with or is electrically connected to a semiconductor layer of each TFT arranged in a pixel area of an active matrix light emitting device. Further, the metal electrode is partially etched and used as a first electrode of a light emitting element. A buffer layer, a layer containing an organic compound, and a second electrode layer are stacked over the first electrode.
US09093398B2 Brightness enhanced self-luminous display
A brightness enhanced self-luminous type display including a self-luminous display panel and a brightness enhancement stacked layer is provided. The self-luminous display panel includes pixels arranged in array, wherein each pixel includes light-emitting sub-pixels displaying different colors. The brightness enhancement stacked layer is disposed on the self-luminous display panel. The brightness enhancement stacked layer includes an absorptive polarizer layer, a phase retardation layer and a reflective polarizer layer. The reflective polarizer layer is between the self-luminous display panel and the phase retardation layer. The phase retardation layer is between the absorptive polarizer layer and the reflective polarizer layer. The reflective polarizer layer includes reflective polarizer blocks arranged in array. Each reflective polarizer block is disposed over one of the light-emitting sub-pixels correspondingly, and a wavelength of maximum intensity of each light-emitting sub-pixel is respectively within a wavelength band of light effectively reflected and polarized by the corresponding reflective polarizer block.
US09093394B1 Method and structure for encapsulation and interconnection of transistors
A semiconductor device comprises one or more transistors and two or more layers of dielectric material encapsulating a front side of said one or more transistors. The gate of each of said one or more transistors is located within a cavity, or air-box, in at least one of the dielectric layers, so that the gate terminal is physically separated from said dielectric material. Such an arrangement may reduce parasitic capacitance. In another arrangement, a semiconductor device comprises one or more gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors and one or more dielectric layers encapsulating a front side of said one or more transistors, wherein the gate terminal of each of said one or more transistors is located within a cavity in at least one of the one or more dielectric layers, separated from said dielectric material.
US09093384B2 Substrate, semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing the same
A substrate capable of achieving a lowered probability of defects produced in a step of forming an epitaxial film or a semiconductor element, a semiconductor device including the substrate, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. A substrate is a substrate having a front surface and a back surface, in which at least a part of the front surface is composed of single crystal silicon carbide, the substrate having an average value of surface roughness Ra at the front surface not greater than 0.5 nm, a standard deviation σ of that surface roughness Ra not greater than 0.2 nm, an average value of surface roughness Ra at the back surface not smaller than 0.3 nm and not greater than 10 nm, standard deviation σ of that surface roughness Ra not greater than 3 nm, and a diameter D of the front surface not smaller than 110 mm.
US09093379B2 Silicidation blocking process using optically sensitive HSQ resist and organic planarizing layer
A silicidation blocking process is provided. In one aspect, a silicidation method is provided. The method includes the following steps. A wafer is provided having a semiconductor layer over an oxide layer. An organic planarizing layer (OPL)-blocking structure is formed on one or more regions of the semiconductor layer which will block the one or more regions of the semiconductor layer from silicidation. At least one silicide metal is deposited on the wafer. The wafer is annealed to react the at least one silicide metal with one or more exposed regions of the semiconductor layer. Unreacted silicide metal is removed. Any remaining portions of the OPL-blocking structure are removed.
US09093378B2 Method for forming patterns of semiconductor device using SADP process
To fabricate patterns of a semiconductor device, a mask film is formed on a substrate. A plurality of first patterns and a plurality of second patterns are formed on the mask film. The plurality of first patterns is spaced apart from each other at a first distance. The plurality of second patterns is spaced apart from each other at a second distance. The second distance is different from the first distance. A spacer film is conformally formed on the plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns to a predetermined thickness. The spacer film fills spaces between the plurality of second patterns. A part of the spacer film is partially removed to form a plurality of spacer film patterns are formed on side walls of the plurality of the first patterns. The plurality of first patterns and the plurality of second patterns are removed. A plurality of patterns is formed on the substrate using the plurality of spacer film as a mask.
US09093377B2 Magnetic trap for cylindrical diamagnetic materials
A system for self-aligning diamagnetic materials includes first and second magnets contacting each other along a contact line and having a diametric magnetization perpendicular to the contact line and a diamagnetic rod positioned to levitate above the contact line of the first and second magnets.
US09093350B2 Member for solid-state image pickup device and method for manufacturing solid-state image pickup device having first and second wiring structures with a concave portion between first and second substrates
A member for a solid-state image pickup device having a bonding plane with no gaps and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The manufacturing method includes the steps of providing a first substrate provided with a photoelectric converter on its primary face and a first wiring structure, providing a second substrate provided with a part of a peripheral circuit on its primary face and a second wiring structure, and performing bonding so that the first substrate, the first wiring structure, the second wiring structure, and the second substrate are disposed in this order. In addition, at least one of an upper face of the first wiring structure and an upper face of the second wiring structure has a concave portion, and a conductive material forms a bottom face of the concave portion.
US09093343B2 Image sensor device and method for making same
The present invention discloses an image sensor device and a method for making an image sensor device. The image sensor device includes an optical pixel and an electronic circuit. The optical pixel includes: a substrate; an image sensor area formed in the substrate; a masking layer formed above the image sensor area, wherein the masking layer is formed during a process for forming the electronic circuit; and a light passage above the masking layer for increasing light sensing ability of the image sensor area.
US09093340B2 Solid-state imaging apparatus with plural analog and digital circuits arranged corresponding to plurality of columnar pixels
A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a read out circuit configured to convert the analog signal generated by a pixel into a digital signal. The read out circuit includes an analog circuit, a digital circuit and a logic circuit arranged between the analog circuit and the digital circuit. The analog circuit is formed within first and second semiconductor regions of first and second conductivity type. The logic circuit is formed within third and fourth semiconductor regions of the first and second conductivity types. The digital circuit is formed within a fifth and sixth semiconductor regions of the first and second conductivity types. The first to sixth semiconductor regions are isolated one from another. And, a number of elements included in the logic circuit is smaller than a number of elements included in the digital circuit.
US09093338B2 Semiconductor device having chip-on-chip structure
A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor chip held on a substrate and including an expanded portion expanding outward from a side surface of a body of the first semiconductor chip; a first wire connecting the expanded portion of the first semiconductor chip to the substrate; and a second wire connecting the body of the first semiconductor chip to the substrate.
US09093334B2 Semiconductor device including a buffer layer structure for reducing stress
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, wiring that is included in the semiconductor chip and has a coupling part between parts with different widths, a pad being formed above the wiring and in a position overlapping the coupling part, a bump being formed on the pad, a buffer layer being formed in a position between the coupling part and the pad so as to cover the entire coupling part, and inorganic insulating layers being formed between the wiring and the buffer layer and between the buffer layer and the pad, respectively. The buffer layer is made of a material other than resin and softer than the inorganic insulating layer.
US09093316B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes: diffusion layers formed at the front surface of a substrate; low-resistance parts formed at the front surfaces of the diffusion layers so as to have resistance lower than the diffusion layer; and rear contact electrodes passing through the substrate from the rear surface of the substrate to be connected to the low-resistance parts through the diffusion layers.
US09093310B2 Semiconductor device having a variation lateral doping structure and method for manufaturing the same
A semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type in a cell region, a first base layer of a second conductivity type on the semiconductor layer in the cell region; a second base layer of the second conductivity type on the semiconductor layer in an intermediate region; a conductive region of a first conductivity type in the first base layer; a gate electrode on a channel region placed between the conductive region and the semiconductor layer; a first electrode connected to the first and second base layers; a second electrode connected to the semiconductor layer; and a gate pad on the semiconductor layer via an insulating film in a pad region and connected to the gate electrode, an impurity concentration gradation in the gate pad side of the second base layer has a gentler VLD structure than an impurity concentration gradation in the first base layer.
US09093302B2 Methods of forming substantially self-aligned isolation regions on FinFET semiconductor devices and the resulting devices
One method disclosed includes performing a selective etching process through a gate cavity to selectively remove a portion of a first semiconductor material relative to a second layer of a second semiconductor material and a substrate so as to thereby define a space between the second semiconducting material and the substrate, filling substantially all of the space with an insulating material so as to thereby define a substantially self-aligned channel isolation region positioned under at least what will become the channel region of the FinFET device.
US09093301B2 Driver for normally on III-nitride transistors to get normally-off functionality
A semiconductor device includes a depletion mode GaN FET and an integrated driver/cascode IC. The integrated driver/cascode IC includes an enhancement mode cascoded NMOS transistor which is connected in series to a source node of the GaN FET. The integrated driver/cascode IC further includes a driver circuit which conditions a gate input signal and provides a suitable digital waveform to a gate node of the cascoded NMOS transistor. The cascoded NMOS transistor and the driver circuit are formed on a same silicon substrate.
US09093298B2 Silicide formation due to improved SiGe faceting
An integrated circuit includes a PMOS gate structure and a gate structure on adjacent field oxide. An epitaxy hard mask is formed over the gate structure on the field oxide so that the epitaxy hard mask overlaps the semiconductor material in PMOS source/drain region. SiGe semiconductor material is epitaxially formed in the source/drain regions, so that that a top edge of the SiGe semiconductor material at the field oxide does not extend more than one third of a depth of the SiGe in the source/drain region abutting the field oxide. Dielectric spacers on lateral surfaces of the gate structure on the field oxide extend onto the SiGe; at least one third of the SiGe is exposed. Metal silicide covers at least one third of a top surface of the SiGe. A contact has at least half of a bottom of the contact directly contacts the metal silicide on the SiGe.
US09093290B2 Self-formation of high-density arrays of nanostructures
A method for forming nanostructures includes bonding a flexible substrate to a crystalline semiconductor layer having a two-dimensional material formed on a side opposite the flexible substrate. The crystalline semiconductor layer is stressed in a first direction to initiate first cracks in the crystalline semiconductor layer. The first cracks are propagated through the crystalline semiconductor layer and through the two-dimensional material. The stress of the crystalline semiconductor layer is released to provide parallel structures including the two-dimensional material on the crystalline semiconductor layer.
US09093289B2 Method for assembling at least one chip using a fabric, and fabric including a chip device
A method for assembling a device on two substantially parallel taut threads. The device includes an electronic chip and two substantially parallel grooves open on opposite sides of the device. The distance separating the grooves corresponds to the distance separating the threads. The device presents a penetrating shape along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the grooves, having a base at the level of the grooves and an apex of smaller size than the distance separating the threads. The method includes the steps consisting in placing the apex of the device between the two threads; in moving the device between the two threads resulting in the threads being separated from one another by the penetrating shape of the device; and in continuing movement of the device until the threads penetrate into the grooves reverting to their initial separation distance.
US09093287B2 Diode, ESD protection circuit and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a diode is provided. An N-type well region is formed in a first upper portion of an N-type epitaxial layer. A P-type drift region is formed in a second upper portion of the N-type epitaxial layer. An N-type doping region is formed in the N-type well region. A P-type doping region is formed in the P-type drift region. An isolation structure is formed in the P-type drift region. The isolation structure is disposed between the P-type doping region and the N-type well region. A first electrode is formed on a portion of the N-type epitaxial layer. The portion of the N-type epitaxial layer is disposed between the N-type well region and the P-type drift region. The first electrode overlaps a portion of the isolation structure. A connection structure is formed to electrically couple the N-type doping region and the first electrode.
US09093282B2 Electronic component mounting device and method for producing the same
An electronic component mounting device having high productivity while enhancing the electromagnetic shielding effect, and a method for manufacturing the same, including a housing formed by a conductive metal material and electronic components to be mounted inside the housing. The housing is configured by a first box body and a second box body fixed so that respective openings face each other and has a conductive layer stacked through an insulating layer arranged on an outer side of the first box body. The first box body includes a through-hole for retrieving a conductive wire connected to the electronic component to the conductive layer, and the through-hole is arranged at a position covered by the conductive layer.
US09093274B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device using inert, material, and oxidation-reduction gases
According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes introducing an inert gas and a material gas into a predetermined space, applying a voltage to generate plasma in the space after introducing the inert gas and the material gas so as to form a semiconductor layer on a substrate, introducing an oxidation-reduction gas in the predetermined space after the voltage is applied, and stopping the introduction of the material gas, the inert gas, and the oxidation-reduction gas after the voltage is applied.
US09093269B2 In-situ pre-clean prior to epitaxy
Methods for low temperature cleaning of a semiconductor surface prior to in-situ deposition have high throughput and consume very little of the thermal budget. GeH4 deposits Ge on the surface and converts any surface oxygen to GeOx. An etchant, such as Cl2 or HCl removes Ge and any GeOx and epitaxial deposition follows. A spike in Ge concentration can be left on the substrate from diffusion into the substrate. All three steps can be conducted sequentially in-situ at temperatures lower than conventional bake steps.
US09093264B2 Methods and apparatus for forming silicon passivation layers on germanium or III-V semiconductor devices
Described are apparatus and methods for forming silicon interfacial layers on germanium or III-V materials. Such silicon layers may be deposited by atomic layer deposition at specific temperatures to avoid interdiffusion of silicon and the germanium or III-V material.
US09093253B2 High pressure mass spectrometry systems and methods
Mass spectrometers and methods for measuring information about samples using mass spectrometry are disclosed.
US09093247B2 Method and apparatus of differential pumping in an X-ray tube
An x-ray tube includes a casing having a cathode and an anode enclosed therein, and a separator attached to an inner wall of the casing and having a conductance limiter therein, the separator positioned to separate the anode from the cathode.
US09093245B2 X-ray tube electron sources
An electron source for an X-ray scanner includes an emitter support block, an electron-emitting region formed on the support block and arranged to emit electrons, an electrical connector arranged to connect a source of electric current to the electron-emitting region, and heating structure arranged to heat the support block.
US09093241B1 Apparatus for removing and installing elevated light bulbs
An apparatus comprising a spring-biased translatable member extending through a collar; a gripping unit including a platform member attached to the translatable member, the platform member configured to receive an adhesive member; and a capture cone attached to an upper portion of the collar. In one version, the gripping unit includes an adhesive member configured to fit into a recessed area of the platform member. The adhesive member has a “tacky” surface for gripping and controlling a light bulb during removal and installation.
US09093240B2 Direct current ground fault interrupter
A method, system, and computer program product for detecting and interrupting a ground fault in a direct current (DC) power circuit are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first value of a first current flow over a first part of the DC power circuit is compared with a second value of a second current flow over a second part of the DC power circuit. A voltage is generated, wherein the voltage is proportional to a difference between the first and the second values. Responsive to the voltage exceeding the threshold voltage for a threshold time, a signal output is produced, the signal configured to cause a short-circuit in the first part of the DC power circuit. The first part of the DC power circuit is interrupted responsive to the short-circuit.
US09093236B2 Illuminated keyboard
An illuminated keyboard comprises a fixing sheet, a membrane switch circuit module, a supporting plate, a light guide plate, a sensing circuit, a sensing chip, a light-emitting element, and an illumination circuit board. The sensing circuit is formed on the fixing sheet or the membrane switch circuit module. The sensing chip and the light-emitting element are disposed on the illumination circuit board. In addition, the sensing chip is accommodated within corresponding openings of the fixing sheet, the membrane switch circuit module, the supporting plate and the light guide plate. The illuminated keyboard uses the sensing circuit and the sensing chip to sense the presence of an object. Since the illuminated keyboard does not need an additional space to accommodate the sensing circuit and the sensing chip, the illuminated keyboard can meet the requirement of slimness.
US09093231B2 Switch
The present invention provides a switch having a small longitudinal size of movable contacts and reduced size. The switch includes a base, a pair of fixing terminals standing on an upper surface of the base, an insulating wall section integrated with at least one of the fixing terminals, a push button arranged to be upward and downward movable in the axial direction, and a slider movable upward and downward with the push button. The slider has elastic arm sections in both ends thereof, the elastic arm sections being provided with movable contact portions to be brought into sliding contact with the fixing terminals or the insulating wall section while pressing the fixing terminals or the insulating wall section from one side The switch is configured to enable the movable contact portions to connect to and separate from the fixing terminals based on operation of the push button upward and downward.
US09093224B2 Electrode structure and method for manufacturing the same, and energy storage device including the electrode structure
Disclosed herein is an electrode structure for an energy storage device, the electrode structure including a current collector and an active material layer formed on the current collector, the active material layer including a carbon material and metal particles formed on the carbon material.
US09093215B2 Push-pull driver for generating a signal for wireless power transfer
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for transferring power wirelessly via a wireless power transmitter. In one aspect, the transmitter comprises a first circuit configured to generate a first signal, where the first circuit includes a first inductor. The transmitter further comprises a second circuit configured to generate a second signal out of phase with the first signal. The second circuit includes a second inductor inductively coupled with the first inductor. The first inductor and the second inductor may have a leakage inductance of at least a minimum value so as to not produce a substantially square waveform at an output of the first circuit and an output of the second circuit. The transmitter further comprises a filter circuit configured to filter the first signal and the second signal.
US09093212B1 Stacked step gap core devices and methods
A core apparatus for a magnetic component includes first and second E-cores stacked with legs extending in the same direction. The first E-core includes a middle first core leg having a middle first core leg length, and the second E-core includes a middle second core leg having a middle second core leg length greater than the middle first core leg length such that a step is formed between the distal ends of the middle legs of the first and second E-cores. A third E-core may be positioned opposite the stacked first and second E-cores forming a stepped air gap between the middle first and second core legs and the middle third core leg.
US09093209B2 Magnet structure for an isochronous superconducting compact cyclotron
The invention relates to a magnet structure for a superconducting isochronous cyclotron for use in particle therapy. The cyclotron according to the invention is using two sets of three or more superconducting sector coil elements for generating an azimuthally varying magnetic field across the acceleration region. In this way, high-field (e.g. above 4 T) isochronous cyclotrons are provided which do not suffer the problem of a low flutter amplitude.
US09093204B2 Manufacturing system for machining components and corresponding method
Disclosed herein is an electrical component comprising a segment having a diameter in the range of about 1 micrometers to about 10 cm, the segment comprising a plurality of non-metallic, resistive fibers in a non-metallic binder. The segment is precisely trimmed to impart to the segment an electrical resistance within 1% of the desired resistance value. A manufacturing system and methods of manufacturing components having precise specifications also are disclosed.
US09093200B2 Multiphase coaxial superconducting cables and corc degaussing system
A superconducting cable and connection structure includes one or more superconducting cables. Each cable has superconducting tapes wound about a former in a plurality of phases. Superconducting tapes of a first phase extends further toward a distal end of each cable end than the superconducting tapes of the second phase. The first and second cable ends of one superconducting cable (or a first end of a first superconducting cable and a second end of a second superconducting cable) are arranged with the first phase of the second cable end electronically coupled to the second phase of the first cable end. Connector structures may couple the cable ends together. The cable(s) form one or more loops within a cryostat, to form a degaussing coil.
US09093194B2 Insulated composite power cable and method of making and using same
An insulated composite power cable having a wire core defining a common longitudinal axis, a multiplicity of composite wires around the wire core, and an insulative sheath surrounding the composite wires. In some embodiments, a first multiplicity of composite wires is helically stranded around the wire core in a first lay direction at a first lay angle defined relative to a center longitudinal axis over a first lay length, and a second multiplicity of composite wires is helically stranded around the first multiplicity of composite wires in the first lay direction at a second lay angle over a second lay length, the relative difference between the first lay angle and the second lay angle being no greater than about 4°. The insulated composite cables may be used for underground or underwater electrical power transmission. Methods of making and using the insulated composite cables are also described.
US09093191B2 Fiber reinforced composite core for an aluminum conductor cable
A composite core for an electrical cable, the composite core defining a longitudinal axis that defines a center of the composite core, the core comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing fibers embedded in a resin matrix, the fibers oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a non-conductive insulating layer surrounding the plurality of longitudinally oriented fibers. The insulating layer may further comprise a plurality of glass fibers. The insulating layer may also comprise a type of resin, including for example, thermosetting resin or thermoplastic resin.
US09093185B2 Method of and system for suppressing deposition of radioactive substance
A radioactive substance is effectively suppressed by an oxide-film removal step of removing an oxide film on a metallic material surface with which a coolant containing the radioactive substance comes in contact, and a titanium-oxide deposition step of depositing a titanium oxide on the metallic material surface after the oxide film has been removed.
US09093184B2 Spacecraft shield
A spacecraft and spacesuit having a radiation shield are disclosed. The shield comprises a hydrogen-containing material encapsulated or bound in a polymer. The hydrogen-containing material has a higher hydrogen content than polyethylene. The hydrogen-containing material may be: encapsulated in a polymer container, sandwiched between layers of polymer, mixed with a polymer as binder, or held in the pores of a polymer foam. The hydrogen may be a hydride or borohydride such as beryllium borohydride, ammonium octahydrotriborate, lithium borohydride tetramethyl ammonium borohydride and beryllium hydride. Methods of manufacturing the shield are also disclosed.
US09093178B1 Integrated circuit with programmable storage cell array and boot-up operation method thereof
An integrated circuit may include a first programmable storage cell group suitable for storing program validity information, second to N-th programmable storage cell groups suitable for storing a plurality of data, wherein N is an integer equal to or more than 3, and a validity determination unit suitable for determining whether the program validity information read from the first programmable storage cell group is valid or not so that read operations for the second to Nth programmable storage cell groups is performed or skipped based on the determined result.
US09093175B2 Signal margin centering for single-ended eDRAM sense amplifier
Apparatus and methods for signal margin centering for single-ended eDRAM sense amplifier. A plurality of DRAM cells is connected to an input side of a multiplexer by a first bitline. A single-ended sense amplifier is connected to an output side of the multiplexer by a second bitline. The single-ended sense amplifier has a switch voltage. The second bitline is precharged to a selected voltage level. The multiplexer passes a signal voltage from a selected one of the plurality of DRAM cells to the second bitline. The selected voltage level is selected such that reception of the signal voltage of a first type adjusts a voltage of the second bitline in a first direction and reception of the signal voltage of a second type adjusts the voltage of the second bitline in a second direction opposite from the first direction, centering the signal voltage around the switch voltage.
US09093173B1 Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus may include a refresh counting portion configured to count the number of times a refresh signal is received by the refresh counting portion, and configured to generate a smart refresh enable signal when the number of times the refresh signal is received by the refresh counting portion reaches a predetermined number and an address arithmetic portion configured to latch an address, and, when the smart refresh enable signal is enabled, configured to perform an arithmetic operation of addition and subtraction on the latched address and output a result of the arithmetic operation as an arithmetic address. The semiconductor memory apparatus may also include an address selection portion configured to output one of the arithmetic addresses and one of the addresses as a selection address in response to the smart refresh enable signal.
US09093169B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory apparatus and data sensing method thereof
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory apparatus includes a memory cell block, a plurality of page buffers, and a reference page buffer unit. The memory cell block includes a plurality of memory cell strings each of which includes a plurality of memory cells and a dummy memory cell string which includes a plurality of dummy memory cells. The page buffers sense data stored in the memory cells and apply the sensed data to an output node. The reference page buffer unit senses the dummy memory cells and adjusts the timing to apply the values sensed by the page buffers to the output node.
US09093167B2 Oscillator circuit with location-based charge pump enable and semiconductor memory including the same
A semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory blocks each comprising a plurality of memory cells, and a plurality of charge pumps each located near one of the plurality of memory blocks. In an access to the semiconductor memory, depending on the selected memory block, a subset or all of the plurality of charge pumps are activated in one of a predetermined number of sequences.
US09093165B2 Distributed current clock for nano-magnetic element array
A nano-magnetic element array having a conductive line adjacent to a group of nano-magnetic elements and a multi-level current driver connected to an input node on the conductive line. The current driver is controlled by a pair of voltage clock signals and a voltage reference so as to selectively change the current amount at the input node between a first level that erases the state of the elements, a second level that switches the state of the elements and a third level that maintains the state of the elements. The current driver is further configured so that the transition from the second to the third level is gradual. Optionally, a bias generator can selectively adjust the voltage reference and thereby, the current amount at the input node. Also, optionally, the same voltage clock signal and voltage reference lines can be used to control multiple multi-level current drivers within the array.
US09093163B2 Magnetoresistive device
A method of operating a magnetoresistive device is described. The device comprises a ferromagnetic region configured to exhibit magnetic anisotropy and to allow magnetisation thereof to be switched between at least first and second orientations and a gate capacitively coupled to the ferromagnetic region. The method comprises applying an electric field pulse to the ferromagnetic region so as to cause orientation of magnetic anisotropy to change for switching magnetisation between the first and second orientations.
US09093161B2 Dynamic programming of advanced nanometer flash memory
An improved method and apparatus for programming advanced nanometer flash memory cells is disclosed.
US09093160B1 Methods and systems for staggered memory operations
The embodiments described herein are used to execute staggered memory operations. The method includes, at each of a plurality of distinct memory portions of the storage device, establishing a non-zero command delay parameter distinct from a command delay parameter established for one or more of the other memory portions in the plurality of distinct memory portions. The method further includes, after establishing the non-zero command delay parameter in each of the plurality of distinct memory portions of the storage device, executing memory operations in two or more of the plurality of distinct memory portions of the storage device during overlapping time periods, the executing including, in each memory portion of the plurality of memory portions, delaying execution of a respective memory operation by an amount of time corresponding to the command delay parameter established for that memory portion.
US09093152B2 Multiple data line memory and methods
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed, including an apparatus with rows of vertical strings of memory cells coupled to a common source and multiple data lines associated with each row of vertical strings. Each data line associated with a row is coupled to at least one of the vertical strings in the row. Additional apparatuses and methods are described.
US09093151B2 Programmable regular expression and context free grammar matcher
A regular expression matcher system, including: a deterministic finite state machine (DFSM); a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) matcher to compare a word stored at the TCAM matcher to an input stream, wherein the word determines a state-to-state transition of the DFSM from a comparison result; a programmable logic connected to an output of the TCAM matcher to identify a next state in the DFSM based on the comparison result; a state register to update a current state of the DFSM to the next state; and a collection data structure coupled to the TCAM matcher and the programmable logic to store a sequence of required state transitions for the DFSM, wherein the programmable logic determines a next required state transition to be matched from the sequence.
US09093140B2 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes: a plurality of word lines extending in a first direction; first to third bit lines extending in a second direction that intersects with the first direction; a plurality of variable resistance elements each having a first terminal connected to either one of the first and third bit lines; a plurality of active areas extending in a direction oblique to the first direction while intersecting with the first to third bit lines; a plurality of select transistors provided on the active areas and each having a gate connected to a corresponding one of the word lines, and a current path whose one end is connected to a second terminal of a corresponding one of the variable resistance elements; and a plurality of contact plugs each connecting the other end of the current path of a corresponding one of the select transistors to the second bit line, wherein each of the active areas includes two select transistors sharing a diffusion region, the variable resistance elements includes a first variable resistance element group and a second variable resistance element group, the first variable resistance element group including variable resistance elements aligned in the second direction below the first bit line, and each disposed between adjacent two of the word lines, the second variable resistance element group including variable resistance elements aligned in the second direction below the third bit line, and each disposed between adjacent two of the word lines, and the contact plugs are aligned in the second direction below the second bit line, and are each disposed between adjacent two of the word lines.
US09093133B2 Buffer for ordering out-of-order data, and corresponding integrated circuit and method for managing a buffer
A buffer for ordering out-of-order data includes a memory with a plurality of memory locations for temporarily storing data and a detection circuit configured for generating a control signal when the memory locations contain valid data. The detection circuit includes a first block configured for generating validity signals that identify the memory locations containing valid data and a search circuit configured for determining a search pointer as a function of the validity signals. In the case where each memory location contains valid data, the search pointer indicates the last memory location. In the case where at least one memory location is still free, the search pointer indicates the first memory location that is free.
US09093114B2 Method for identifying high-speed frequency response of multirate system and apparatus therefor
There is provided with a method of identifying a frequency response of a controlled object at a sampling period of control input in a multiplexed-input multirate system in which a sampling period of control output is even “P” multiples of the sampling period of control input wherein the control object is represented by FIR filter, an M-series signal corresponding to an acquisition data length Mp×P−1 is generated, the Mp indicates a period of the M-series signal, an impulse response value of the controlled object is estimated based on the M-series signal and output data outputted from the controlled object by inputting the M-series signal thereto, and the frequency response of the controlled object is identified by performing a discrete Fourier transform on the impulse response value.
US09093103B2 Perpendicular magnetization with oxide interface
A mechanism is provided for a structure with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A bottom oxide layer is disposed, and a magnetic layer is disposed adjacent to the bottom oxide layer. The magnetic layer includes iron and is magnetized perpendicularly to a plane of the magnetic layer. A top oxide layer is disposed adjacent to the magnetic layer.
US09093101B2 Stack including a magnetic zero layer
A stack including a crystallographic orientation interlayer, a magnetic zero layer disposed on the interlayer, and a magnetic recording layer disposed on the magnetic zero layer is disclosed. The magnetic zero layer is non-magnetic or has a saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) less than about 100 emu/cc. The magnetic zero layer and the magnetic layer include grains surrounded by a non-magnetic segregant. The magnetic zero layer provides a coherent interface between the interlayer and the magnetic layer with a lattice mismatch less than about 4%.
US09093096B2 Flaw scan circuit for repeatable run out (RRO) data
Improved flaw scan circuits are provided for repeatable run out data. RRO (repeatable run out) data is processed by counting a number of RRO data bits detected in a servo sector; and setting an RRO flaw flag if at least a specified number of RRO data bits is not detected in the server sector. The RRO flaw flag can also optionally be set by detecting an RRO address mark in the servo sector; counting a number of samples in the servo sector after the RRO address mark that do not satisfy a quality threshold; and setting the RRO flaw flag when the counted number of samples that do not satisfy the quality threshold exceeds a specified flaw threshold. If the RRO flaw flag is set, the RRO data can be discarded, and/or an error recovery mechanism can be implemented to obtain the RRO data.
US09093094B2 Hard disk drive actuator assembly with interleaved voice coil motor
Approaches to a rotary actuator assembly configured for use in a hard disk drive (HDD) include a voice coil interleaved between the pivot bearing and the actuator arm, providing a longer pivot-to-head dimension which reduces the radius of curvature of the arc in which the head slider travels over the disk for accessing portions of the disk. Reducing the arc radius of curvature reduces the maximum skew angles of the read-write head in association with the disk tracks. The width of the actuator arm can be widened to provide improved operating characteristics even in view of the longer pivot-to-head dimension.
US09093090B2 Suspension board with circuit
A suspension board with circuit includes a conductive pattern on a top surface thereof. A folded-back portion that is capable of being folded back toward a back surface side is provided therein. At the circumference edge of the folded-back portion, a part of the circumference edge is continuous to the suspension board with circuit around the folded-back portion via a bent portion and the remaining portion of the circumference edge is disposed apart from the suspension board with circuit around the folded-back portion by a penetrating space that penetrates the suspension board with circuit in a thickness direction. The conductive pattern at least includes a top-surface-side terminal that is disposed on the top surface of the suspension board with circuit and a back-surface-side terminal that is disposed in the folded-back portion.
US09093085B1 Laser controller for heat-assisted magnetic recording device
According to one embodiment, there is provided a magnetic disk device including a light source, a light irradiation element, and a controller. The light irradiation element is configured to receive light from the light source to irradiate light onto a magnetic disk. The controller is configured to switch between a first control and a second control according to a pulse width of data to be written onto the magnetic disk. The first control keeps an output of the light source at a first value. The second control makes the output of the light source change periodically between the first value and a second value lower than the first value.
US09093082B2 Data storage devices and methods
A data storage device comprises a substrate having oppositely disposed surfaces and a plurality of volumes arranged along tracks between the surfaces; a plurality of micro-holograms each contained in a corresponding one of the volumes; and, at least one groove in at least one of the surfaces and being operative to diffract light through the at least one surface and into the volumes; wherein, the presence or absence of a micro-hologram in a stacked layer in each of the volumes is indicative of a corresponding portion of data stored.
US09093079B2 Method and apparatus for blind signal recovery in noisy, reverberant environments
A maximum-kurtosis, distortionless response (MKDR) technique and an extension, the maximum-kurtosis, Wiener estimate (MKWE) technique, are provided. In one form, blind estimates of the speech source's channel response are made from the microphone data and MVDR is applied. The source direction is estimated by finding weights that maximize output kurtosis, or the fourth central statistical moment, in the frequency domain. The MKWE approach approximates the Wiener filter by using MKDR-output noise power estimates to compute a Wiener post-filter. These approaches can be extended to block-adaptive versions if the speech source is not quickly moving in space.
US09093077B2 Reverberation suppression device, reverberation suppression method, and computer-readable storage medium storing a reverberation suppression program
A reverberation suppression device includes an analyzer configured to analyze change over time in the power of an input signal obtained from a microphone in response to sound input, and thereby compute the decrease per unit time in the power of the input signal in a reverb segment following the end of a segment in which the sound is produced; and a suppression controller configured to control a suppression gain which indicates the rate at which the input signal is attenuated, on the basis of analysis results from the analyzer.
US09093075B2 Recognizing repeated speech in a mobile computing device
A method is disclosed herein for recognizing a repeated utterance in a mobile computing device via a processor. A first utterance is detected being spoken into a first mobile computing device. Likewise, a second utterance is detected being spoken into a second mobile computing device within a predetermined time period. The second utterance substantially matches the first spoken utterance and the first and second mobile computing devices are communicatively coupled to each other. The processor enables capturing, at least temporarily, a matching utterance for performing a subsequent processing function. The performed subsequent processing function is based on a type of captured utterance.
US09093073B1 Automatic speech recognition tagging
A method, a computer readable medium and a system for tagging automatic speech recognition that comprises, collecting an utterance, analyzing the utterance, and assigning a tag to the analyzed utterance.
US09093072B2 Speech and gesture recognition enhancement
The recognition of user input to a computing device is enhanced. The user input is either speech, or handwriting data input by the user making screen-contacting gestures, or a combination of one or more prescribed words that are spoken by the user and one or more prescribed screen-contacting gestures that are made by the user, or a combination of one or more prescribed words that are spoken by the user and one or more prescribed non-screen-contacting gestures that are made by the user.
US09093067B1 Generating prosodic contours for synthesized speech
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in a computer-implemented method that includes receiving utterances and transcripts thereof. The method includes analyzing the utterances and transcripts to determine certain attributes, such as distances between prosodic contours for pairs of utterances. A model can be generated that can be used to estimate a distance between a determined prosodic contour for a received utterance and an unknown prosodic contour for a synthesized utterance when given a distance between attributes for text associated with the received utterance and the synthesized utterance.
US09093064B2 Down-mixing compensation for audio watermarking
Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to implement down-mixing compensation for audio watermarking are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compensate for audio channel down-mixing when embedding watermarks in a multichannel audio signal include obtaining a watermark to be embedded in respective ones of a plurality of audio channels of the multichannel audio signal. Such example methods also include embedding the watermark in a first one of the plurality of audio channels based on a compensation factor that is to reduce perceptibility of the watermark when the first one of the plurality of audio channels is down-mixed with a second one of the plurality of audio channels after the watermark has been applied to the first and second ones of the plurality of audio channels.
US09093063B2 Apparatus and method for extracting a direct/ambience signal from a downmix signal and spatial parametric information
An apparatus for extracting a direct and/or ambience signal from a downmix signal and spatial parametric information, the downmix signal and the spatial parametric information representing a multi-channel audio signal having more channels than the downmix signal, wherein the spatial parametric information has inter-channel relations of the multi-channel audio signal, is described. The apparatus has a direct/ambience estimator and a direct/ambience extractor. The direct/ambience estimator is configured for estimating a level information of a direct portion and/or an ambient portion of the multi-channel audio signal based on the spatial parametric information. The direct/ambience extractor is configured for extracting a direct signal portion and/or an ambient signal portion from the downmix signal based on the estimated level information of the direct portion or the ambient portion.
US09093060B2 Sound-proof material and process for production thereof, sound-proof molding, and sound insulation method
The present invention relates to a sound-proof material containing a first sound-absorbing material disposed facing a sound source, a first soft sound-insulating layer laminated on a face of the first sound-absorbing material opposite to the sound source and having an air permeability measured in accordance with JIS L1018 of 10 cc/cm2·sec or lower, a second sound-absorbing material laminated on the first soft sound-insulating layer, and a second soft sound-insulating layer laminated on the second sound-absorbing material and having an air permeability measured in accordance with JIS L1018 of 10 cc/cm2·sec or lower and a Young's modulus measured in accordance with JIS K7127 greater than or equal to five times that of the first soft sound-insulating layer, in which at least the second soft sound-insulating layer is partially or entirely bonded to the second sound-absorbing material.
US09093041B2 Backlight variation compensated display
Methods and apparatus are provided for compensating a liquid crystal display for changes in brightness level. The apparatus comprises a variable brightness back-light optically coupled to a display panel whose properties depend upon back-light brightness. An electrical circuit measures back-light brightness and/or display flicker and sends this information to a controller. The controller automatically determines a display panel compensation signal based on back-light brightness and/or display flicker, and sends this compensation signal to the display panel to optimize the display panel properties for the commanded or observed back-light brightness level or flicker level so as to, for example, minimize display panel flicker and/or ghost image retention. Such automatic compensation is especially useful for head-up displays that must accommodate large variations in display brightness, e.g., from starlight to full sun, and/or for large, bright projection displays adapted to operate in different ambient light conditions where back-light brightness variation is desirable.
US09093039B2 Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the same, which prevent image-quality defects due to charge variation. In the method of driving the liquid crystal display device including a pixel consisting of first to third sub-pixels which share one data line and are connected to first to third gate lines, one sub-pixel is turned off on a per frame basis, another sub-pixel is charged with a polarity inverted data voltage for a first charge time including a charge time of the turned-off sub-pixel, and the other sub-pixel is charged with a data voltage having the same polarity as a previous data voltage for a second charge time less than the first charge time. The turned-off sub-pixel, the sub-pixel charged with the polarity inverted data voltage, and the sub-pixel charged with the polarity maintained data voltage alternately vary on a per frame basis.
US09093035B2 Transflective type LCD device having excellent image quality
An LCD device has a reflective area that reflects light incident from a polarizing film side using a reflection film, and a transmissive area that transmits light of a backlight incident from a TFT substrate side. The drive voltages of the reflective area and transmissive area are Vr and Vt, the black voltage in the reflective area is Vr (K), the black voltage in the transmissive area is Vt (K). The reflectance R, the transmittance T, characteristics of R with respect to drive voltage [Vr (K)−Vr] and characteristics of T with respect to drive voltage [Vt−Vt (K)] substantially match each other.
US09093032B2 System, methods, and devices, for inaudible enhanced PWM dimming
Systems and methods for inaudible enhanced pulse width modulation (PWM) backlight dimming are provided. By way of example, an electronic display backlight system according to the present disclosure may include a backlight element and backlight driver circuitry. The backlight driver circuitry may drive the backlight element at various brightness levels using at least two individual duty cycles that occur immediately after one another. The backlight driver circuitry may vary the individual duty cycles such that none will ever reach 100% unless all are 100%, thereby preventing the occurrence of audible noise that might otherwise arise if an “on” PWM period from one individual duty cycle continued into the next.
US09093022B2 Power supply device, organic light emitting display device having the same, and method of supplying power
A power supply device includes an SMPS circuit including an electric transformer having first and second stages, the SMPS circuit generating a second stage output voltage using the electric transformer, a power switcher receiving and switching the second stage output voltage to generate a first power voltage having logic high and low levels in one frame, and a PWM controller controlling a voltage level of the second stage output voltage by providing a control signal to the first stage. The first power voltage is simultaneously provided to a plurality of pixels, and a magnitude of the logic low level is increased or decreased according to a magnitude of an image load, where the magnitude of the image load is dependent on a color and a gradation level of an image to be displayed in a next frame.
US09093020B2 Mode conversion method, and display driving integrated circuit and image processing system using the method
According to an example embodiment, a display driving integrated circuit (IC) includes a timing controller and a plurality of source drivers. The timing controller is configured to output a plurality of signals to the plurality of source drivers, and at least one of the timing controller and the plurality of source drivers operates in a power down mode in at least one of an initializing period, a data transmission period, and a vertical blank period. According to an example embodiment, a mode conversion method used in a display driving IC includes switching between a normal mode to a power down mode in response to a standby control signal. The power down mode is implemented on at least one of a timing controller and a plurality of source drivers included in the display driving IC in at least one of an initializing period, a data transmission period, and a vertical blank period.
US09093015B2 Display apparatus, upgrade apparatus, control method thereof, and display system
Embodiments disclose a display apparatus including: an image processing device which processes an image signal; a display device which displays an image based on the processed image signal; a connection device which connects to an upgrade apparatus which processes the image signal; a power supply device which supplies power to each component of the display apparatus and the upgrade apparatus through the connection device; and a first controller which controls the connection device to receive the processed image signal from the upgrade apparatus when the upgrade apparatus is connected through the connection device, wherein the power supply device is controlled by the upgrade apparatus connected through the connection device.
US09093013B2 System, apparatus, and method for image processing and medical image diagnosis apparatus
In an image processing system, a selecting unit selects a group of reference parallax images to be used as a reference, from among a plurality of groups of parallax images generated from image data taken chronologically; an image quality changing unit changes an image quality of at least one selected from between the selected group of reference parallax images and a group of parallax images contained in the groups of parallax images; and a display control unit causes images to be displayed that are formed by combining the group of parallax images contained in the groups of parallax images with the image-quality-changed group of reference parallax images, or by combining the selected group of reference parallax images with the image-quality-changed group of parallax images, or by combining together the image-quality-changed group of reference parallax images and the image-quality-changed group of parallax images contained in the groups of parallax images.
US09092999B1 Container identification device
An identification device includes a one-sheet carbonless paper system having a carbonless paper layer with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein a mark is made on the top surface of the carbonless paper layer when a corresponding impression is made on the carbonless paper layer. The identification device further includes a desensitizing ink portion disposed on the top surface of the carbonless paper layer. The desensitizing ink portion is defined by desensitizing ink applied to a portion of the top surface of the carbonless paper layer. A mark is substantially prevented from being made on the top surface of the carbonless paper layer in the desensitizing ink portion.
US09092990B2 Internet-based educational framework for the correlation of lessons, resources and assessments to state standards
An apparatus assists educators in selecting achievement tools to meet an applicable one of a plurality of sets of educational standards. A first table holds a plurality of educational standards and a plurality of linked keywords. A second table holds a plurality of achievement tools, such as lesson plans, assessments and resources, and a plurality of linked keywords. A table manipulator program permits an educator to select an educational standard and shows achievement tools applicable to the selected educational standard by having a matching of keywords linked to the achievement tools to keywords linked to the educational standards.
US09092982B2 Device for measuring the speed of displacement of an object deforming the lines of the terrestrial magnetic field
An apparatus for measuring speed of movement of an object deforming lines of Earth's magnetic field includes a first and second magnetometer disposed on either side of a traffic roadway for the object and substantially perpendicular to the object. The magnetometers are configured for measuring deformation of Earth's magnetic field by the object travelling over the roadway. The apparatus also includes a processing unit configured for extracting, from each of the magnetometers, a measurement value corresponding to a quotient defined by a distance of the object with respect to the magnetometer divided by a speed of movement of the object, and for calculating a speed of the object from the measurement values and a geometrical disposition of the magnetometers with respect to one another and with respect to the traffic roadway.
US09092981B2 Road condition management system and road condition management method
The present invention provides a road condition management system that can grasp an accurate state of a road condition and reduce a burden on a checker. A road facility management system for managing road facilities includes an on-board device and an information server. The on-board device includes a camera attached to a vehicle to photograph the outside of the vehicle, an image recognition unit that applies image recognition for detecting road facilities to a photographed image, a transmission image information generation unit that generates transmission image information including the photographed image, a road facility information database having stored therein road facility information, and a transmission unit that outputs the transmission image information if a recognition result by the image recognition unit is different from the road facility information stored in the road facility information database.
US09092970B2 Privacy protection for smart metering data
Metering of a physical characteristic is described, in which a stochastic approach is taken. A random signal is generated on the basis of a metering signal, with a view to maximising a statistical distance between the two. The random signal and the metering signal are mixed together to obscure characteristics of the metering signal which could otherwise divulge private information to third parties.
US09092959B2 Composite temperature and smoke alarm device and equipped smoke sensor therein
Disclosed is a multipurpose alarm apparatus which includes a smoke sensing unit configured to sense a smoke using a first sensor and a second sensor, each of the first and second sensors including a temperature-sensitive smoke sensor portion disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode; a smoke level measuring unit configured to generate a smoke level measurement signal by comparing a difference between first and second smoke detection signals from the first and second sensors with a reference signal; and a sensing control unit configured to generate a fire alarm signal when the smoke level measurement signal corresponds to a fire generation condition.
US09092954B2 Wearable haptic device
A wearable device may be configured to generate feedback based on an event that occurs in an environment related to the wearable device. The wearable device may include, for example, a processor configured to generate a control signal representative of an event occurring in an environment related to the wearable device and at least a first haptic output device disposed at a first position at the wearable device. The first haptic output device may be configured to provide haptic feedback based on the generated control signal.
US09092950B2 Gaming machine and methods of allowing a player to play gaming machines having retained special symbols
A method of allowing a player to play a gaming machine is described herein. The method includes displaying the game including a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol positions including at least one special symbol. A game outcome is randomly generated and displayed. An award is provided to the player if a winning combination is displayed in the generated first game outcome. The method further includes determining if a first special symbol is displayed in the generated first game outcome and responsively retaining the first special symbol during a subsequent second game, generating the second game outcome including the retained first special symbol, determining if a second special symbol is displayed in the second game outcome and responsively releasing the retained first special symbol in a subsequent third game if the second special symbol does not appear in the second game outcome.
US09092945B2 Systems and methods for operating lottery games including player-designated beneficiaries and conditional payout distribution
Systems, apparatus, methods and articles of manufacture provide for the distribution of a payout amount associated with a lottery ticket being conditioned or otherwise based on the payout amount. Some embodiments provide for determining a positive payout amount associated with a lottery ticket and determining at least one recipient and/or beneficiary of the positive payout amount based on (i) the positive payout amount and/or (ii) a recipient or beneficiary associated with the lottery ticket and/or the payout amount. In one embodiment, larger prizes (e.g., a jackpot prize, a prize greater than a predetermined threshold payout amount) are awarded to the player(s) of a virtual lottery ticket (e.g., shared by the players), and smaller prizes are distributed to a charitable organization (e.g., other than any of the players) selected by one or more players of the lottery ticket.
US09092943B2 Gaming system and method of gaming
An example method of gaming includes selecting symbols appearing in a game event. The selected symbols are stored in a symbol store arranged to store a plurality of symbols. The symbol store is arranged such that, once a maximum number of symbols is reached, storage of a further symbol in the symbol store results in the removal of a stored symbol from the symbol store in accordance with a removal rule. The method includes determining whether the stored symbols meet an award criterion.
US09092940B2 System and method of selecting parameters for real world wagers placed on behalf of users in an integrated wagering and interactive media platform
The invention relates to systems and methods of selecting and placing real-world wagers responsive to one or more wager triggers, obtaining outcomes of the real-world wagers, facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, and revealing the outcomes of the real-world wagers through the interactive media to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real-world wagers resulted from the user interactions. In an implementation, the system may select a set of wager parameters that define a given wager. Such wager parameters may specify a type of wager, including various types of horse race wagers, a number of wagers to place, where to place the wager, an amount of the wager, and/or other parameters. The wager parameters may be selected based on a level of risk associated with a wager and/or a level of risk associated with a user for whom the wager is placed.
US09092939B2 System and method of providing wagering opportunities based on invitations
The invention relates to systems and methods of placing real-world wagers, obtaining outcomes of the real-world wagers, facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, and revealing the outcomes of the real-world wagers based on invitations to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real-world wagers resulted from the invitations even though the outcomes resulted from the real-world wagers and were determined before the invitations. The system may provide an invitation to participate in a reveal opportunity. For example, the system may invite the user to play a specific game (e.g., “play this game to claim five dollars”), interact with multi-media content (e.g., “watch a video to win ten dollars”), challenge one or more other players (e.g., “challenge another player to win two dollars”), engage in some other objective, and/or otherwise accept an opportunity to reveal at least a portion of a payout that has not yet been revealed.
US09092926B2 Medium storage and advancing apparatus
An apparatus includes one-side reels rotatably arranged, one-side tapes wound around the one-side reels, a drum arranged to rotate in one direction to wind and store a medium with the medium being laid over the one-side tapes and in an opposite direction to pull out the wound medium, and retainers opposed to the one-side tapes with respect to the medium wound by or pulled out from the drum for abutting against a surface of the medium to hold the medium, the one-side tapes having a tape width shorter than the width of the medium corresponding to the length of the medium in a direction perpendicular to a transfer direction of the medium, the one-side tapes being arranged in parallel and spaced with a spacing shorter than the width of the medium in a direction of the width of the medium to abut against another surface of the medium.
US09092923B2 System and method for monitoring voting devices
A system for remotely monitoring a plurality of ballot tabulation devices is provided. The ballot tabulation devices are located at a plurality of polling locations, each of which is operable to process a plurality of marked paper ballots and maintain health status information for the device. The system includes a central server located remotely from the ballot tabulation devices that is operable to periodically receive the health status information for each device and generate an alert that identifies any irregularities associated with each device based on the received health status information. Preferably, the health status information is encoded in a machine-readable code that is displayed on a display screen of the ballot tabulation device, and a reading device is used to read the machine-readable code from the display screen and transmit the health status information to the central server.
US09092916B2 Lock-out, tag-out system using safety programmable logic controller
A remote lock-out, tag-out system for controlling multiple buckets in a motor control center employs a safety network providing serial communication between one or more remote lock-out, tag-out stations and individual buckets of the control center permitting remote disconnection of power without the need for protective gear.
US09092911B2 Subpixel shape smoothing based on predicted shape background information
Methods and apparatus for a predictive rendering component that may generate a rendering of a character based at least in part on predictive information regarding the background into which the character is to be rendered. Using such predictive information, the predictive rendering component may produce a rendering of a character that blends into the character background more smoothly than if the predictive background information were not used. In this way, the predictive rendering component improves upon previous implementations of font smoothing.
US09092909B2 Matching a system calculation scale to a physical object scale
A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to scale a diagram. An image is selected and utilized as a background image. Full geometry is obtained and is displayed with the background image. The full geometry is a first geometry and remaining second geometry. The first geometry is selected and a reference length for the selected first geometry is specified. The remaining second geometry is in the diagram is scaled based on the specified reference length.
US09092908B2 Sharing photo albums in three dimensional environments
Embodiments of the invention include a system, method and computer-readable medium for viewing images in a three-dimensional environment. A user is identified. A social graph of the identified user and a plurality of other users is accessed. Based on the social graph, a plurality of images associated with one or more of the other users in the social graph are determined. The plurality of images and data are provided to a client device, wherein the data enables the display of the images in the 3D environment, at the client device.
US09092903B2 Metabrushes for digital painting
Metabrushes for digital painting (such as 3D painting) are provided. Metabrushes may be defined by 3D paint strokes embedded on an elementary piece of geometry. Paint strokes are replicated in 3D over a user's painting gesture, allowing a fast embedding of numerous strokes using only a few user input gestures. Hierarchical metabrushes are further provided for providing faster and more diverse creation of digital paintings.
US09092887B2 Generation of composite spatial representations
Techniques for generating a composite spatial representation are presented. For example, a method includes obtaining a plurality of source spatial representations from a plurality of source applications, and forming the composite spatial representation by combining the plurality of source spatial representations. The composite spatial representation is operative to interact with at least one behavioral element that is separate from the composite spatial representation. The obtaining of the plurality of source spatial representations and the forming of the composite spatial representation are executed on a computing system comprising a processor and a memory. One or more computer program instructions for implementing the obtaining of the plurality of source spatial representations and the forming of the composite spatial representation are obtained from the memory and executed by the processor device.
US09092884B2 Automatic image straightening
Tilt is reduced or eliminated in captured digital images. Edges in a first image are detected. Angles corresponding to the detected edges are determined. A dominant angle is selected from the determined angles. The first image is rotated according to the selected dominant angle to generate a second image. The second image is a de-tilted version of the first image.
US09092883B2 Image processing device, image processing method and storage medium storing image processing program
Among a plurality of CFA images obtained by shooting the same subject, one image is a standard image, and another image is a reference image, and the displacement amount calculation portion calculates the displacement amount of the reference image with respect to the standard image. A synthesis processing portion performs a synthesis processing based on the displacement amount calculated by the displacement amount calculation portion, according to the pixel values of a standard image pixel and a reference image pixel that are corresponding pixels between the standard image and the reference image, so as to generate a combination CFA image. Here, when colors of the corresponding pixels differ between the standard image pixel and the reference image pixel, the synthesis processing portion generates, from the reference image, the pixel value of the same color as the color of the standard image pixel by interpolation processing, and performs the synthesis processing according to the pixel value generated by the interpolation processing and the pixel value of the standard image pixel.
US09092876B2 Object-tracking apparatus and method in environment of multiple non-overlapping cameras
Disclosed herein is an object-tracking apparatus and method in the environment of multiple non-overlapping cameras. Color rendering values are divided into a plurality of sub-color regions. RGB pixels of objects in a first image and a second image are converted into first hue values and second hue values, respectively. The first hue values are assigned to corresponding sub-color regions, and then a first color histogram is generated. The second hue values are assigned to corresponding sub-color regions, and then a second color histogram is generated. An area of the first color histogram is extended. It is determined whether the second color histogram is included in the extended area of the first color histogram. It is determined that the object in the first image is identical to the object in the second image if the second color histogram is included in the extended area of the first color histogram.
US09092870B2 Techniques to suppress noises in an image to precisely extract shapes and edges
An image processing apparatus includes an operating unit configured to calculate a tangent-line direction of an edge and a normal-line direction of the edge by using a vertical-direction derivative value and a horizontal-direction derivative value of a pixel value of a pixel in an input image; a converting unit configured to convert local coordinates positioned within a predetermined area with respect to a target pixel in the input image into rotated coordinates, by rotating the local coordinates according to an angle formed by the horizontal direction and the tangent-line direction of the edge; and a fitting unit configured to perform, at the rotated coordinates, a fitting process that employs a least-squares method by using a curved surface model expressed with the pixel value of the target pixel in the input image.
US09092867B2 Methods for segmenting images and detecting specific structures
It relates to a method for segmenting images, to a method for detecting specific structures, and to a related computer device. The method for segmenting a three-dimensional image of a subject includes dividing the image into a plurality of regions, and then hierarchically merging the regions resulting from the division in order to obtain a three-dimensional image partitioned into regions of interest. The hierarchical merging includes a merging step using shape and size criteria of the regions so as to avoid merging small regions. The method for detecting specific structures in an image, for example tumors, includes a step of segmenting an image into regions of interest. The method further includes calculating, for each region of interest, a plurality of criteria, including a shape criterion, of the regions of interest in order to discriminate the specific structures to be detected from the regions of interest of the segmented image.
US09092861B2 Using motion information to assist in image processing
Embodiments of the present application use motion information of an imaging device in encoding video or image frames captured by the imaging device. In one embodiment, a video encoding system that processes image data captured by an image sensor comprises at least one encoder that receives motion information describing motion of the imaging sensor during capturing of the image data and that encodes the image data with assistance of the motion information.
US09092858B2 Method and system for determining void pantograph settings
A method and system for determining void pantograph settings is presented. The method includes obtaining electronic images of one or more predefined test sheets having a plurality of void pantograph settings, modeling one or more regions of the electronic images, predicting the sensitivity of the plurality of void pantograph settings to a print/scan process, the predicting being based at least in part on the one or modeled regions, and identifying characteristics for a candidate void pantograph setting using the prediction step results. The system includes a controller, a modeling unit, a measuring unit and a prediction unit configured to perform a method in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions is also described.
US09092857B2 Method for noise reduction in images in an image sequence
A method for noise suppression in images of an image sequence, where an iteratively better adapted noise suppression can be ensured for images of the image sequence, in particular in a rising number of images in the image sequence. The method for noise suppression includes a low-pass filter algorithm: p i,jn+1=αi,jn+1*pi,jn+(1−αi,jn+1)*Qi,jn+1 with an attenuation function αi,jn+1=αi,jn+1(α0i,jn+1,Γi,jn+1).