Document	Document Title
US09142765B2	Manufacturing method of non-volatile memory element, non-volatile memory element, and non-volatile memory device A method of manufacturing a non-volatile memory element includes forming a first electrode; forming a variable resistance layer; and forming a second electrode. Forming the variable resistance layer includes forming a third metal oxide layer having a third metal oxide, forming a second metal oxide layer having a second metal oxide, and forming a first metal oxide layer e having a first metal oxide; wherein the variable resistance layer reversibly changes its resistance value in response to an electric signal applied between the first electrode and the second electrode; the first metal oxide is lower in degree of oxygen deficiency than the third metal oxide; the second metal oxide is lower in degree of oxygen deficiency than the third metal oxide; the third metal oxide is an oxygen-deficient metal oxide; and the first metal oxide layer is different in density from the second metal oxide layer.
US09142756B2	Tunneling magnetoresistive element having a high MR ratio A magnetoresistive element includes a first ferromagnetic layer formed on a base substrate, a tunnel barrier layer formed on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer containing B formed on the tunnel barrier layer. The second ferromagnetic layer includes at least one of H, F, Cl, Br, I, C, O, and N, and a concentration of molecules of the at least one of H, F, Cl, Br, I, C, O, and N included in the second ferromagnetic layer is higher in a central portion in a depth direction of the second ferromagnetic layer than in an upper surface and a lower surface thereof.
US09142750B2	Piezoelectric element with electrodes allowing substrate strain and method for manufacturing the same A piezoelectric element is provided with a ceramic substrate including a first surface on which a groove is formed, and a first electrode formed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate and including a crossing part that extends over the groove. At least one void is formed between a bottom of the groove and the crossing part of the first electrode.
US09142749B2	Thermoelectric conversion module A thermoelectric conversion module includes: a first substrate having water permeability and thermal conductivity; a thermoelectric conversion element provided on the first substrate; a heat insulator having water permeability provided around the thermoelectric conversion element on the first substrate; and a second substrate disposed on the thermoelectric conversion element and the heat insulator and having water permeability and thermal conductivity.
US09142748B2	Light emitting device, display device, and manufacturing method for light emitting device A light emitting device in which a plurality of LED chips are arranged. Each of the plurality of LED chips include a light emitting region that is formed on a substrate, a first pad electrode that is formed on the substrate, and a through-hole that penetrates the substrate. First wiring that passes through the through-hole of one LED chip and the through-hole of an adjacent LED chip, and electrically connects the first pad electrode of the one LED chip and the first pad electrode of the adjacent LED chip is provided. The tip-end parts of the first wiring that have passed through the through-holes have, at a cross section cut at a plane that is parallel with a principal surface of the substrate, a larger cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the first wiring inside the through-holes.
US09142741B2	Emitting device with improved extraction A profiled surface for improving the propagation of radiation through an interface is provided. The profiled surface includes a set of large roughness components providing a first variation of the profiled surface having a characteristic scale approximately an order of magnitude larger than a target wavelength of the radiation. The profiled surface also includes a set of small roughness components superimposed on the set of large roughness components and providing a second variation of the profiled surface having a characteristic scale on the order of the target wavelength of the radiation.
US09142738B2	Engineered-phosphor LED packages and related methods In accordance with certain embodiments, regions of spatially varying wavelength-conversion particle concentration are formed over light-emitting dies.
US09142723B2	Semiconductor wafer comprising gallium nitride layer having one or more silicon nitride interlayer therein A semiconductor wafer comprising a substrate layer and a first GaN layer having one or more SiNx interlayers therein, wherein in the first GaN layer at least one SiNx interlayer has GaN penetrated through one or more portions of said SiNx interlayer and preferably has a thickness of from 0.5 to 10 nm.
US09142717B2	Semiconductor light emitting device and wafer According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes: a foundation layer, a first semiconductor layer, a light emitting part, and a second semiconductor layer. The foundation layer includes a nitride semiconductor. The foundation layer has a dislocation density not more than 5×108 cm−2. The first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type is provided on the foundation layer and includes a nitride semiconductor. The light emitting part is provided on the first semiconductor layer. The light emitting part includes: a plurality of barrier layers; and a well layer provided between the barrier layers. The well layer has a bandgap energy smaller than a bandgap energy of the barrier layers and has a thickness larger than a thickness of the barrier layers. The second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, is provided on the light emitting part and includes a nitride semiconductor.
US09142711B2	Tunable colour LED module A tunable color LED module comprises at least two sub-modules, each comprising an LED, a wavelength converting element (WCE) and a reflector cup. The total light emitted by the module comprises light generated from each LED and WCE and the module is configured to emit a total light having a predefined color chromaticity when activation properties of the LEDs are managed appropriately. The total light may have a broad white emission spectrum. The module combines the benefits of a low cost with uniform chromaticity properties in the far field, and offers long and controlled lifetime at the same time as flexibility and intelligence of tunable color chromaticity, Color Rendering Index (CRI) and intensity, either at manufacture or in an end user lighting application. A controlled LED module system comprises a control system for the managing activation properties of the LEDs in the sub-modules. Also described is a method of manufacture.
US09142701B2	Tandem type integrated photovoltaic module and manufacturing method thereof Disclosed is a tandem type integrated photovoltaic module. The tandem type integrated photovoltaic module includes: a first cell and a second cell, all of which are formed respectively by stacking on a substrate a lower electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer including a plurality of unit cell layers, and an upper electrode, wherein the lower electrode of the first cell and the lower electrode of the second cell are separated by a lower electrode separation groove, and wherein a plurality of through holes are formed to be spaced from each other in the photoelectric conversion layer of the second cell in order to connect the upper electrode of the first cell with the lower electrode of the second cell.
US09142700B2	Assembly for supporting and grounding solar panels In various representative aspects, an assembly for supporting and penetrating metallic solar panel frames to provide a grounding path between the panels, holding ballast of various masses to stabilize the solar panels, and allowing the solar panels to tilt to an adjustable angle is disclosed herein. The assembly has a support member with a pair of vertical components, a ballast holder and a mounting member with at least a raised portion to penetrate a surface of a solar panel and form a grounding path between the assembly and the solar panel. The mass of ballast is adjustable by placing various number of ballast blocks in the ballast holder to stabilize the attached solar panel. The mounting member is pivotally coupled to at least one of the vertical components of the support member so that the angle between the solar panel and the assembly may be adjusted.
US09142699B2	Solar array of transparent nanoantennas Implementations and techniques for solar arrays of transparent nanoantennas are generally disclosed.
US09142697B2	Solar cell A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type, an emitter region, which is positioned at the substrate and is doped with impurities of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type, a plurality of first electrodes, which are connected to the emitter region and extend parallel to one another to be spaced apart from one another, a plurality of semiconductor electrodes, which extend in a direction different from an extension direction of the plurality of first electrodes to be spaced apart from one another and have an impurity doping concentration higher than the emitter region, and a second electrode connected to the substrate. A distance between two adjacent semiconductor electrodes is about 0.02 cm to 0.2 cm, and a distance between two adjacent first electrodes is about 0.3 cm to 0.8 cm.
US09142696B2	Solar cells with silicon nanoparticles that are coated with nanoparticle passivation film A laser contact process is employed to form contact holes to emitters of a solar cell. Doped silicon nanoparticles are formed over a substrate of the solar cell. The surface of individual or clusters of silicon nanoparticles is coated with a nanoparticle passivation film. Contact holes to emitters of the solar cell are formed by impinging a laser beam on the passivated silicon nanoparticles. For example, the laser contact process may be a laser ablation process. In that case, the emitters may be formed by diffusing dopants from the silicon nanoparticles prior to forming the contact holes to the emitters. As another example, the laser contact process may be a laser melting process whereby portions of the silicon nanoparticles are melted to form the emitters and contact holes to the emitters.
US09142693B2	Optoelectronic package and method for making same An optoelectronic package includes a substrate and a cover element bonded onto the substrate. The cover element defines a cavity for accommodating semiconductor chips and optoelectronic components. The cover element includes a first adhesive bonding area configured for receiving a first adhesive and being bonded with a predetermined region of the substrate by the first adhesive. The engagement of the cover element and the substrate defines a second adhesive bonding area. The second adhesive bonding area is configured for receiving a second adhesive and confining the second adhesive within a localized area. A method for making an optoelectronic package is also provided.
US09142692B2	Thyristor-based, dual-polarity blocking photo-conductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) for short pulse switching and methods A system and method utilizing thyristor-based Photo-Conductive Semiconductor Switches (PCSS) for short pulse switching in high power microwave and/or broadband electromagnetic pulse generation is disclosed. The PCSS consists of thyristor-type NPNP structure having multiple emitter regions enclosed by the base region and multiple emitter shorts to divert leakage currents for voltage holding. The PCSS also includes an optical aperture comprised of patterned metallic grids for light illumination and current collection. The device structure is so constructed that there is only one single bevel around the peripheral. The thyristor-based PCSS have dual polarities of voltage blocking and have better efficiency for light requirement to operate at longer pulse duration compared to diode-based and bulk-semiconductor-based PCSS.
US09142684B2	Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a channel, a gate, and a memory layer is interposed between the channel and the gate. The memory layer includes a tunnel insulating layer adjacent to the channel, a charge blocking layer adjacent to the gate, and a charge storing layer interposed between the tunnel insulating layer and the charge blocking layer. The tunnel insulating layer includes a first insulating layer adjacent to the channel and an air layer interposed between the first insulating layer and the charge storing layer.
US09142672B2	Strained source and drain (SSD) structure and method for forming the same Embodiments of mechanisms of forming a semiconductor device structure are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate and a gate stack structure formed on the substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes gate spacers formed on sidewalls of the gate stacks. The semiconductor device structure includes doped regions formed in the substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a strained source and drain (SSD) structure adjacent to the gate spacers, and the doped regions are adjacent to the SSD structure. The semiconductor device structure includes SSD structure has a tip which is closest to the doped region, and the tip is substantially aligned with an inner side of gate spacers.
US09142664B2	Semiconductor device A superjunction semiconductor device is disclosed in which the tradeoff relationship between on-resistance and breakdown voltage is improved greatly so that reverse recovery capability is improved. A drain drift portion substantially corresponds to a portion just under p-base regions serving as an active region and forms a first parallel pn structure in which a first n-type region and a first p-type region are joined to each other alternately and repeatedly. A drain drift portion is surrounded by edge termination region including a second parallel pn structure. Edge termination region is formed such that second n-type and p-type regions oriented consecutively to the first parallel pn structure of the drain drift portion are joined to each other alternately and repeatedly. N-buffer layer is provided between first and second parallel pn structures and n+ drain layer. P-buffer layer is provided selectively inside n-buffer layer in edge termination region.
US09142659B2	Electrode configurations for semiconductor devices A III-N semiconductor device can include an electrode-defining layer having a thickness on a surface of a III-N material structure. The electrode-defining layer has a recess with a sidewall, the sidewall comprising a plurality of steps. A portion of the recess distal from the III-N material structure has a first width, and a portion of the recess proximal to the III-N material structure has a second width, the first width being larger than the second width. An electrode is in the recess, the electrode including an extending portion over the sidewall of the recess. A portion of the electrode-defining layer is between the extending portion and the III-N material structure. The sidewall forms an effective angle of about 40 degrees or less relative to the surface of the III-N material structure.
US09142655B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device in a semiconductor substrate includes a first main surface and a transistor cell. The transistor cell includes a drift region of a first conductivity type, a body region of a second conductivity type between the drift region and the first main surface, an active trench in the first main surface extending to the drift region, a source region of the first conductivity in the body region adjacent to the active trench, and a body trench at the first main surface extending to the drift region and adjacent to the body region and the drift region. The active trench includes a gate insulating layer at sidewalls and a bottom side, and a gate conductive layer. The body trench includes a conductive layer and an insulating layer at sidewalls and a bottom side, and asymmetric to a perpendicular axis of the first main surface and the body trench center.
US09142633B2	Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits with silicide contacts on non-planar structures Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming fins over the semiconductor substrate. Each fin is formed with sidewalls. The method further includes conformally depositing a metal film stack on the sidewalls of each fin. In the method, the metal film stack is annealed to form a metal silicide film over the sidewalls of each fin.
US09142630B2	Device performance enhancement Among other things, one or more techniques for enhancing device (e.g., transistor) performance are provided herein. In one embodiment, device performance is enhanced by forming an extended dummy region at an edge of a region of a device and forming an active region at a non-edge of the region. Limitations associated with semiconductor fabrication processing present in the extended dummy region more so than in non-edge regions. Accordingly, a device exhibiting enhanced performance is formed by connecting a gate to the active region, where the active region has a desired profile because it is comprised within a non-edge of the region. A dummy device (e.g., that may be less responsive) may be formed to include the extended dummy region, where the extended dummy region has a less than desired profile due to limitations associated with semiconductor fabrication processing, for example.
US09142620B2	Power device packaging having backmetals couple the plurality of bond pads to the die backside The present disclosure provides a power device and power device packaging. Generally, the power device of the present disclosure includes a die backside and a die frontside. A semi-insulating substrate with epitaxial layers disposed thereon is sandwiched between the die backside and the die frontside. Pads on the die frontside are coupled to the die backside with patterned backmetals that are disposed within vias that pass through the semi-insulating substrate and epitaxial layers from the die backside to the die frontside.
US09142611B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit device The present disclosure provides a layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit device that can assure a lot of substrate contact regions, and can surely suppress latch-up without increasing an area of a whole semiconductor integrated circuit and without significantly decreasing a decoupling capacitance element. In a margin region, a transistor serving as a decoupling capacitance and a substrate contact are disposed as a pair on a P-type well. In the margin region, a transistor serving as a decoupling capacitance and a substrate contact are disposed as a pair on an N-type well.
US09142597B2	Organic light emitting diode display An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a substrate including a central area and a peripheral area adjacent the central area and bent at the center thereof, a first central OLED disposed on the central area of the bent substrate and including a first central organic emission layer having a first central thickness, and a first surrounding OLED disposed on the peripheral area of the bent substrate and including a first surrounding organic emission layer having a first surrounding thickness.
US09142595B2	Color-tunable OLED lighting device A color-tunable OLED device comprising: a charge-carrying cathode layer and a charge-carrying anode layer disposed parallel to each other; at least a first organic light-emitting unit and a second organic light-emitting unit disposed between the cathode and anode; and at least one charge-generating layer disposed between the cathode and anode, wherein the charge-generating layer is a charge-carrying layer of lesser lateral conductivity than the anode and cathode, and said charge-generating layer is electrically connected without additional circuit elements to another charge-carrying layer and disposed such that at least one organic light-emitting unit is wedged between two directly-connected charge-carrying layers, and at least one organic light-emitting unit is not thusly wedged.
US09142594B2	Imaging device and method for manufacturing imaging device An imaging device includes a substrate, lower electrodes formed on the substrate, an organic layer formed on the lower electrodes and generating electric charges in response to irradiation with light, an upper electrode formed on the organic layer and transmitting the light, a protective film formed on the upper electrode, and a patterned organic film formed on the protective film. The protective film is composed of at least one layer and has a total thickness of 30 to 500 nm. The protective film of a single layer type has an internal stress of −50 MPa to +60 MPa in the whole of the protective film.
US09142591B2	Method for measuring electronic multiplication factor In an electron multiplying imaging device 1 with a solid-state image pickup device 10, a first multiplied image of incident light with a first light amount and a second multiplied image of incident light with a second light amount are acquired at a predetermined electron multiplication factor set in advance, and a luminance average value and a luminance variance average value of pixels included in the first multiplied image and a luminance average value and a luminance variance average value of pixels included in the second multiplied image are calculated. By using the calculated luminance average values and luminance variance average values, a conversion factor of the first and second multiplied images is calculated, and by using the calculated conversion factor and a conversion factor at a reference electron multiplication factor held in advance, an actual electron multiplication factor of the solid-state image pickup device 10 is calculated.
US09142575B2	Solid-state imaging apparatus and imaging system A solid-state imaging apparatus having a pixel array is provided. The apparatus includes one or more ground lines and one or more power supply lines for supplying power to the pixels. Each of the pixels includes an photoelectric conversion element and an A/D converter for converting an analog signal corresponding to a charge generated by the photoelectric conversion element into a digital signal. At least one of the plurality of pixels includes at least a portion of a capacitance element having a first electrode connected to one of the one or more power supply lines, and a second electrode connected to one of the one or more ground lines.
US09142571B2	Display device and electronic equipment A display device includes a pixel array section, the pixel array section having pixels arranged in a matrix form, at least one of the pixels including an electro-optical element, a write transistor, a capacitor, a drive transistor, and a switching transistor. A write scan line is disposed for each pixel row of the pixel array section and adapted to convey a write signal to be applied to a gate electrode of the write transistor. The wiring structure of the write scan line does not cross a wiring pattern connected to a gate electrode of the drive transistor.
US09142560B2	Layout to minimize FET variation in small dimension photolithography A semiconductor chip has shapes on a particular level that are small enough to require a first mask and a second mask, the first mask and the second mask used in separate exposures during processing. A circuit on the semiconductor chip requires close tracking between a first and a second FET (field effect transistor). For example, the particular level may be a gate shape level. Separate exposures of gate shapes using the first mask and the second mask will result in poorer FET tracking (e.g., gate length, threshold voltage) than for FETs having gate shapes defined by only the first mask. FET tracking is selectively improved by laying out a circuit such that selective FETs are defined by the first mask. In particular, static random access memory (SRAM) design benefits from close tracking of six or more FETs in an SRAM cell.
US09142550B2	High-voltage cascaded diode with HEMT and monolithically integrated semiconductor diode An embodiment of a cascaded diode having a breakdown voltage exceeding 300V includes an HEMT and a Si Schottky diode. The HEMT includes a gate, a drain, a source, and a two-dimensional electron gas channel region connecting the source and the drain and controlled by the gate. The HEMT has a breakdown voltage exceeding 300V. The Si Schottky diode is monolithically integrated with the HEMT. The Si Schottky diode includes a cathode connected to the source of the HEMT and an anode connected to the gate of the HEMT. The Si Schottky diode has a breakdown voltage less than 300V and a forward voltage less than or equal to 0.4V. The anode of the Si Schottky diode forms the anode of the cascaded diode and the drain of the HEMT forms the cathode of the cascaded diode.
US09142547B2	Methods of manufacturing resistors and structures thereof A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body of a first semiconductive material. A transistor is disposed in the semiconductor body. The transistor includes source and drain regions of a second semiconductive material embedded in the semiconductor body. A resistor overlies a top surface of the semiconductor body and is laterally spaced from the transistor. The resistor is formed from the second semiconductive material.
US09142546B2	Method of making bipolar junction transistor by forming base epitaxy region on etched opening in DARC layer A method is provided of forming a bipolar transistor device. The method comprises depositing a collector dielectric layer over a substrate in a collector active region, depositing a dielectric anti-reflective (DARC) layer over the collector dielectric layer, dry etching away a base opening in the DARC layer, and wet etching away a portion of the collector dielectric layer in the base opening to provide an extended base opening to the substrate. The method further comprises performing a base deposition to form a base epitaxy region in the extended base opening and extending over first and second portions of the DARC layer that remains as a result of the dry etching away the base opening in the DARC layer, and forming an emitter region over the base epitaxy region.
US09142545B2	Electrostatic discharge protection structure capable of preventing latch-up issue caused by unexpected noise The electrostatic discharge protection structure includes an N-well disposed on a substrate, a P-well disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the N-well, a first doped region of N-type conductivity disposed in the N-well, a second doped region of N-type conductivity disposed in the N-well, a third doped region of P-type conductivity disposed in the N-well, a fifth doped region of P-type conductivity disposed in the P-well, a fourth doped region of N-type conductivity disposed between the third doped region and the fifth doped region in the P-well, an anode electrically connected to the first doped region and the second doped region, and a cathode electrically connected to the fourth doped region and the fifth doped region.
US09142541B2	Semiconductor device having inductor A semiconductor device including a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer sequentially disposed on a substrate is disclosed. A first conductive line and a second conductive line are disposed in the first insulating layer, and each of the first and second conductive lines has a first end and a second end, wherein the second ends of the first and second conductive lines are coupled to each other. A first winding portion and a second winding portion are disposed in the second insulating layer, and each of the first and second winding portions includes a third conductive line and a fourth conductive line arranged from the inside to the outside. Each of the third and fourth conductive lines has a first end and a second end, wherein the first and second conductive lines overlap at least a portion of the third conductive lines.
US09142540B2	Electrostatic discharge protection semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate positioned on the substrate, a drain and a source formed in the substrate at respective two sides of the gate, and a doped region formed in the source. The drain and the source comprise a first conductivity type and the doped region comprises a second conductivity type. The first conductivity type and the second conductivity type are complementary to each other.
US09142538B1	Three-dimensional semiconductor device A 3D semiconductor device is provided, comprising memory layers, a selection line, bit lines, strings, memory cells defined by the strings, the selection line, and the bit lines, wherein the memory cells are arranged in a plurality of rows having a first direction, and a stair contact structure including stair contacts and conductive lines, wherein the stair contacts are arranged in a plurality of columns having a fourth direction. The 3D semiconductor device satisfies the following condition: 1
US09142530B2	Coreless integrated circuit packaging system and method of manufacture thereof A system and method for manufacturing an integrated circuit packaging system includes: forming a base substrate including: providing a sacrificial carrier: mounting a metallic sheet on the sacrificial carrier, applying a top trace to the metallic sheet, forming a conductive stud on the top trace, forming a base encapsulation over the metallic sheet, the top trace, and the conductive stud, the top trace exposed from a top surface of the base encapsulation, and removing the sacrificial carrier and the metallic sheet; mounting an integrated circuit device on the base substrate; and encapsulating the integrated circuit device and the base substrate with a top encapsulation.
US09142528B2	Semiconductor device with an interlocking structure In one embodiment, a semiconductor device having a die attach pad, a semiconductor die and an adhesive material is disclosed. The adhesive material may be configured to adjoin the semiconductor die and the die attach pad. The die attach pad may be sandwiched between the semiconductor die and the die attach pad. In another embodiment, a device having a semiconductor die, a die attach glue and a die attach pad is disclosed. The device may comprise an interlock structure formed integrally with the die attach pad. In yet another embodiment, a light-emitting device comprising an interlock structure is disclosed.
US09142527B2	Method of wire bonding over active area of a semiconductor circuit A method and structure are provided to enable wire bond connections over active and/or passive devices and/or low-k dielectrics, formed on an Integrated Circuit die. A semiconductor substrate having active and/or passive devices is provided, with interconnect metallization formed over the active and/or passive devices. A passivation layer formed over the interconnect metallization is provided, wherein openings are formed in the passivation layer to an upper metal layer of the interconnect metallization. Compliant metal bond pads are formed over the passivation layer, wherein the compliant metal bond pads are connected through the openings to the upper metal layer, and wherein the compliant metal bond pads are formed substantially over the active and/or passive devices. The compliant metal bond pads may be formed of a composite metal structure.
US09142521B2	Integrated circuit device including a copper pillar capped by barrier layer and method of forming the same A method of forming an integrated circuit device includes forming a mask layer overlying an under bump metallurgy (UBM) layer, wherein the mask layer comprises a first portion adjacent to the UBM layer, and a second portion overlying the first portion. The method further includes forming an opening in the mask layer to expose a portion of the UBM layer. The method further includes forming a conductive layer in the opening of the mask layer, electrically connected to the exposed portion of the UBM layer. The method further includes removing the second portion of the mask layer to expose an upper portion of the conductive layer. The method further includes forming a barrier layer on the exposed upper portion of the conductive layer.
US09142520B2	Methods of fabricating semiconductor chip solder structures Various semiconductor chip solder bump and underbump metallization (UBM) structures and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method is provided that includes depositing a layer of a first metallic material on a semiconductor chip. The first layer has a first physical quantity. A layer of a second metallic material is deposited on the layer of the first metallic material. The second layer has a second physical quantity. The first and second layers are reflowed to form a solder structure with a desired ratio of the first metallic material to the second metallic material.
US09142518B2	Junction and electrical connection A junction at which at least two conductors are connected together includes a compound region containing Cu, Sn and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, B, Ti, Al, Ag, Bi, In, Sb, Ga and Zn. The compound region forms a nanocomposite metal diffusion region with the conductor.
US09142516B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor A semiconductor device includes a plurality of protrusions formed on a first face of the semiconductor device; first bonding portions formed on upper portions of the plurality of protrusions; second bonding portions formed on side faces of the plurality of protrusions; and third bonding portions formed on the first face between the plurality of protrusions, wherein the semiconductor device is configured to bond to an other semiconductor device through the third from the first bonding portions.
US09142503B2	III-nitride rectifier package Some exemplary embodiments of high voltage cascoded III-nitride semiconductor package utilizing clips on a package support surface have been disclosed. One exemplary embodiment comprises a III-nitride transistor attached to a package support surface and having an anode of a diode stacked over a source of the III-nitride transistor, a first conductive clip coupled to a gate of the III-nitride transistor and the anode of the diode, and a second conductive clip coupled to a drain of the III-nitride transistor. The conductive clips are connected to the package support surface and expose respective flat portions that are surface mountable. In this manner, reduced package footprint, improved surge current capability, and higher performance may be achieved compared to conventional wire bonded packages. Furthermore, since a low cost printed circuit board (PCB) may be utilized for the package support surface, expensive leadless fabrication processes may be avoided for cost effective manufacturing.
US09142499B2	Lead pin for package substrate A lead pin for a package substrate includes: a connection pin being inserted into a hole formed in an external substrate; a head part formed on one end of the connection pin; and a barrier part formed on one surface of the head part in order to block the path of a solder paste so that the solder paste is prevented from flowing so as to cover the upper portion of the head part when the head part is mounted on the package substrate.
US09142497B2	Method for making electrical structure with air dielectric and related electrical structures A method has been described for making an electrical structure having an air dielectric and includes forming a first subunit including a sacrificial substrate, an electrically conductive layer including a first metal on the sacrificial substrate, and a sacrificial dielectric layer on the sacrificial substrate and the electrically conductive layer. The method further includes forming a second subunit including a dielectric layer and an electrically conductive layer thereon including the first metal, and coating a second metal onto the first metal of one or more of the first and second subunits. The method also includes aligning the first and second subunits together, heating and pressing the aligned first and second subunits to form an intermetallic compound of the first and second metals bonding adjacent metal portions together, and removing the sacrificial substrate and sacrificial dielectric layer to thereby form the electrical structure having the air dielectric.
US09142493B2	Semiconductor device The semiconductor device includes; a semiconductor element in which a metallization layer is formed on the backside side; a metallic lead frame that is arranged in parallel, with a distance spaced apart from the semiconductor element; a first bonding layer that is provided between the semiconductor element and the lead frame, and is bonded to the metallization layer; and a second bonding layer that is provided between the semiconductor element and the lead frame, and bonds the first bonding layer to the lead frame. The first bonding layer is expanded at a central portion toward the lead frame.
US09142489B2	Semiconductor devices including a non-planar conductive pattern, and methods of forming semiconductor devices including a non-planar conductive pattern Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor devices may include a non-planar conductive pattern. The non-planar conductive pattern may be on an insulating layer and may contact a connection terminal at a plurality of different heights. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices are also provided.
US09142486B2	Chip package and fabrication method thereof An embodiment of the present invention relates to a chip package and fabrication method thereof, which includes a semiconductor substrate containing a chip area and a peripheral pad area surrounding the chip area, wherein a conductive pad and a through hole exposing the conductive pad are formed in the peripheral pad area; a protection layer covering a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate and the through hole; a packaging layer formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a spacing layer formed between the packaging layer and the semiconductor substrate, wherein the chip packaging has a main side surface constituted of side surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, the protecting layer, the packaging layer and the spacing layer, and wherein the main side surface has at least one recess portion.
US09142475B2	Magnetic contacts Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to integrated circuit (IC) package assemblies with magnetic contacts, as well as corresponding fabrication methods and systems incorporating such magnetic contacts. A first IC substrate may have a first magnet coupled with a first electrical routing feature. A second IC substrate may have a second magnet coupled with a second electrical routing feature. The magnets may be embedded in the IC substrates and/or electrical routing features. The magnets may generate a magnetic field that extends across a gap between the first and second electrical routing features. Electrically conductive magnetic particles may be applied to one or both of the IC substrates to form a magnetic interconnect structure that extends across the gap. In some embodiments, magnetic contacts may be demagnetized by heating the magnets to a corresponding partial demagnetization temperature (PDT) or Curie temperature. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09142471B2	Doped, passivated graphene nanomesh, method of making the doped, passivated graphene nanomesh, and semiconductor device including the doped, passivated graphene nanomesh A doped, passivated graphene nanomesh includes a graphene nanomesh, a plurality of nanoholes formed in a graphene sheet, and a plurality of carbon atoms which are formed adjacent to the plurality of nanoholes; a passivating element bonded to the plurality of carbon atoms; and a dopant bonded to the passivating element, the dopant comprising one of an electron-donating element for making the graphene nanomesh an n-doped graphene nanomesh, and an electron-accepting element for making the graphene nanomesh a p-doped graphene nanomesh.
US09142468B2	Structures and methods for testing printable integrated circuits A substrate includes an anchor area (30) physically secured to a surface of the substrate (10) and at least one printable electronic component (20). The at least one printable electronic component includes an active layer (14) having one or more active elements thereon, and is suspended over the surface of the substrate by electrically conductive breakable tethers (40). The electrically conductive breakable tethers include an insulating layer and a conductive layer thereon that physically secure and electrically connect the at least one printable electronic component to the anchor area, and are configured to be preferentially fractured responsive to pressure applied thereto. Related methods of fabrication and testing are also discussed.
US09142458B2	Substrate dividing method A substrate dividing method which can thin and divide a substrate while preventing chipping and cracking from occurring. This substrate dividing method comprises the steps of irradiating a semiconductor substrate 1 having a front face 3 formed with functional devices 19 with laser light while positioning a light-converging point within the substrate, so as to form a modified region including a molten processed region due to multiphoton absorption within the semiconductor substrate 1, and causing the modified region including the molten processed region to form a starting point region for cutting; and grinding a rear face 21 of the semiconductor substrate 1 after the step of forming the starting point region for cutting such that the semiconductor substrate 1 attains a predetermined thickness.
US09142456B2	Method for capping copper interconnect lines A method of forming a capping layer over copper containing contacts in a dielectric layer with a liner comprising a noble metal liner around the copper containing contacts is provided. An electroless deposition is provided to deposit a deposition comprising copper on the noble metal liner and the copper containing contacts. A capping layer is formed over the deposition comprising copper.
US09142451B2	Reduced capacitance interlayer structures and fabrication methods Interlayer fabrication methods and interlayer structure are provided having reduced dielectric constants. The methods include, for example: providing a first uncured insulating layer with an evaporable material; and disposing a second uncured insulating layer having porogens above the first uncured insulating layer. The interlayer structure includes both the first and second insulating layers, and the methods further include curing the interlayer structure, leaving air gaps in the first insulating layer, and pores in the second insulating layer, where the air gaps are larger than the pores, and where the air gaps and pores reduce the dielectric constant of the interlayer structure.
US09142449B2	Method for manufacturing bonded wafer The present invention is a method for manufacturing a bonded wafer, including performing a plasma activation treatment on at least one of the bonded surfaces of the bond wafer and the base wafer before bonding, wherein the plasma activation treatment is performed while a back surface of at least one of the bond wafer and the base wafer is placed on a stage with the back surface being in point contact or line contact with the stage. The method can inhibit increase in attached substances such as particles on the back surface of a wafer during the plasma activation treatment, and prevent re-attachment of the attached substances to the bonded surface of the wafer, particularly when the wafer after the plasma activation treatment is cleaned with a batch cleaning apparatus.
US09142447B2	Semiconductor having optimized insulation structure and process for producing the semiconductor A semiconductor having an optimized insulation structure which is simple and inexpensive to produce and can be made smaller than LOCOS insulation structures is disclosed. An implantation mask on a surface of a semiconductor substrate is used to implant elements into the semiconductor substrate, which elements, on thermal activation, form an insulation region together with the further elements of the semiconductor substrate. The thermal activation is effected by means of laser irradiation, during which the semiconductor substrate is briefly melted and then recrystallizes during the subsequent cooling, so that the implanted elements form the insulation region together with the further elements of the semiconductor substrate.
US09142443B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device To provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability at an improved production yield.After forming an insulating film on the main surface of a semiconductor substrate as an oxide film, form a silicon nitride film on the insulating film. Then, form an element isolating trench by plasma dry etching, form an insulating film made of silicon oxide so as to fill the trench by using HDP-CVD, and remove the insulating film outside the trench by CMP, while leaving the insulating film in the trench. Then, remove the silicon nitride film, followed by removal of the insulating film by wet etching to expose the semiconductor substrate. At this time, the insulating film is wet etched while applying light of 140 lux or greater to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09142439B2	Laminated structure, member for semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and method for producing laminated structure A laminated structure 10 includes a first structure 12 containing a main phase of magnesium-aluminum oxynitride, a second structure 14 containing a main phase of aluminum nitride and grain boundary phases of a rare-earth aluminum composite oxide having a garnet-type crystal structure, and a reaction layer 15 formed between the first structure 12 and the second structure 14. The reaction layer 15 is an aluminum nitride layer containing a smaller amount of grain boundary phases 18 of the rare-earth aluminum composite oxide than the second structure 14. The reaction layer 15 of the laminated structure 10 has a thickness of 150 μm or less. The reaction layer 15 is formed during the sintering by diffusing the grain boundary phases 18 into the first structure 12.
US09142434B2	Method for singulating electronic components from a substrate Methods for forming electronic assemblies are provided. A device substrate having a plurality of electronic components embedded therein is provided. The device substrate is attached to a carrier substrate using an adhesive material. A plurality of cuts are formed through the device substrate to divide the device substrate into a plurality of portions. Each of the plurality of portions includes at least one of the electronic components. A force is applied to each of the plurality of portions in a direction away from the carrier substrate to remove the plurality of portions from the carrier substrate.
US09142429B2	Hermetic packaging of integrated circuit components having a capacitor for transfer of electrical signals A method for forming an integrated circuit includes transforming at least a portion of a first substrate layer to form a conductive region within the first substrate layer. An integrated circuit device is provided proximate an outer surface of the first substrate layer. The integrated circuit device transmits or receives electrical signals through the conductive region. A second substrate layer is disposed proximate to the outer surface of the first substrate layer to enclose the integrated circuit device in a hermetic environment.
US09142428B2	Semiconductor device and method of forming FO-WLCSP with multiple encapsulants A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die including TSVs mounted to a carrier with a thermally releasable layer. A first encapsulant having a first coefficient of thermal expansion CTE is deposited over the first semiconductor die. The first encapsulant includes an elevated portion in a periphery of the first encapsulant that reduces warpage. A surface of the TSVs is exposed. A second semiconductor die is mounted to the surface of the TSVs and forms a gap between the first and second semiconductor die. A second encapsulant having a second CTE is deposited over the first and second semiconductor die and within the gap. The first CTE is greater than the second CTE. In one embodiment, the first and second encapsulants are formed in a chase mold. An interconnect structure is formed over the first and second semiconductor die.
US09142427B2	Methods of making an interposer structure with embedded capacitor structure A device is disclosed which includes an interposer, at least one capacitor formed at least partially within an opening formed in the interposer and an integrated circuit that is operatively coupled to the interposer. A method is disclosed which includes obtaining an interposer having at least one capacitor formed at least partially within an opening in the interposer and operatively coupling an integrated circuit to the interposer. A method is also disclosed which includes obtaining an interposer comprising a dielectric material, forming an opening in the interposer and forming a capacitor that is positioned at least partially within the opening.
US09142423B2	Semiconductor mask blanks with a compatible stop layer Provided is a method for creating a mask blank that includes a stop layer. The stop layer is optically compatible and process compatible with other layers included as part of the mask blanks. Such blanks may include EUV, phase-shifting, or OMOG masks. The stop layer includes molybdenum, silicon, and nitride in a proportion that allows for compatibility and aids in detection by a residual gas analyzer. Provided is also a method for the patterning of mask blanks with a stop layer, particularly the method for removing semi-transparent residue defects that may occur due to problems in prior mask creation steps. The method involves the detection of included materials with a residual gas analyzer. Provided is also a mask blank structure which incorporates the compatible stop layer.
US09142412B2	Semiconductor devices including substrate layers and overlying semiconductor layers having closely matching coefficients of thermal expansion, and related methods Embodiments relate to semiconductor structures and methods of forming semiconductor structures. The semiconductor structures include a substrate layer having a CTE that closely matches a CTE of one or more layers of semiconductor material formed over the substrate layer. In some embodiments, the substrate layers may comprise a composite substrate material including two or more elements. The substrate layers may comprise a metal material and/or a ceramic material in some embodiments.
US09142402B2	Uniform shallow trench isolation regions and the method of forming the same A method includes performing a plasma treatment on a first surface of a first material and a second surface of a second material simultaneously, wherein the first material is different from the second material. A third material is formed on treated first surface of the first material and on treated second surface of the second material. The first, the second, and the third materials may include a hard mask, a semiconductor material, and an oxide, respectively.
US09142400B1	Method of making a heteroepitaxial layer on a seed area A method for making a heteroepitaxial layer. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate. A seed area delineated with a selective growth mask is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The seed area comprises a first material and has a linear surface dimension of less than 100 nm. A heteroepitaxial layer is grown on the seed area, the heteroepitaxial layer comprising a second material that is different from the first material. Devices made by the method are also disclosed.
US09142399B2	Substrate cleaning method A substrate cleaning method can prevent corrosion of copper interconnects even when the cleaning method, which uses two-fluid jet cleaning, is used for cleaning of a surface of a substrate after polishing. The substrate cleaning method includes: carrying out primary cleaning of a surface of a substrate by scrub cleaning using a neutral or alkaline liquid chemical as a cleaning liquid; carrying out finish cleaning of the surface of the substrate by two-fluid jet cleaning which cleans the surface of the substrate in a non-contact manner by jetting carbonated water, comprising pure water or ultrapure water containing dissolved CO2 gas, from a two-fluid nozzle toward the surface of the substrate; and subsequently carrying out final finish cleaning of the surface of the substrate by scrub cleaning using a neutral or alkaline liquid chemical as a cleaning liquid, and then drying the surface of the substrate.
US09142393B2	Method for cleaning reaction chamber using pre-cleaning process A method for cleaning a reaction chamber is conducted after depositing an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride film on a substrate in a reaction chamber having interior surfaces on which oxide, nitride, or oxynitride is accumulated as a result of the deposition, said oxide, nitride, or oxynitride being selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, metal oxide, metal nitride, and metal oxynitride. The method includes: oxidizing or nitriding the oxide, nitride, or oxynitride is accumulated on the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, by RF-excited plasma of an oxygen- or nitrogen-containing gas in the absence of halide gas as a pre-cleaning step; and cleaning the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber, by RF-excited plasma of a halide cleaning gas.
US09142386B2	Ion beam line In some aspects, an ion implantation system is disclosed that includes an ion source for generating a ribbon ion beam and at least one corrector device for adjusting the current density of the ribbon ion beam along its longitudinal dimension to ensure that the current density profile exhibits a desired uniformity. The ion implantation system can further include other components, such as an analyzer magnet, and electrostatic bend and focusing lenses, to shape and steer the ion beam to an end station for impingement on a substrate. In some embodiments, the present teachings allows the generation of a nominally one-dimensional ribbon beam with a longitudinal size greater than the diameter of a substrate in which ions are implanted with a high degree of longitudinal profile uniformity.
US09142382B2	X-ray source with an immersion lens An x-ray source is described. During operation of the x-ray source, an electron source emits a beam of electrons. This beam of electrons is focused to a spot on a target by a magnetic focusing lens. In particular, the magnetic focusing lens includes an immersion lens in which a peak in a magnitude of an associated magnetic field occurs proximate to a plane of the target. Moreover, in response to receiving the beam of focused electrons, the target provides a transmission source of x-rays.
US09142369B2	Stack assembly for implementing keypads on mobile computing devices A stack assembly for use with a mobile computing device. In one embodiment, the stack assembly includes an electrical contact layer, and actuation member layer, and an illumination layer. The electrical contact layer includes a plurality of contact elements. The actuation member layer includes a plurality of actuation members are, wherein each actuation member is aligned so that an axial movement of that member causes a corresponding one of the plurality of contact elements to actuate. The illumination layer is configured to emit light to the keypad.
US09142366B2	Illumination-type push button device An illumination-type push button device including a board for light source, a diffusing lens having a dome shape, a first light source portion and a second light source portion, and a light guide member, where the diffusing lens is configured such that light of the second light source portion enters the diffusing lens from a back surface, and is diffused from a front surface of the diffusing lens, thereby being irradiated to an outside of the device, and the light guide member is configured such that light of the first light source portion enters the light guide member from an incident surface opposed to the first light source portion on the one end side of the light guide member to be guided inside the light guide member, and exits from an outgoing surface on the other end side of the light guide member, thereby being irradiated to the outside.
US09142362B2	Fabric pressure switch A fabric pressure switch includes a first resilient conductive tissue, a second resilient conductive tissue, and a support tissue. The support tissue is arranged between and connects the first resilient conductive tissue and the second resilient conductive tissue. The first resilient conductive tissue, the second resilient conductive tissue, and the support tissue are unitarily combined through knitting to form the fabric pressure switch.
US09142358B2	Power storage device and electric device Provided is a power storage device having a high discharge capacitance and a light-transmitting property. The power storage device includes a first current collector having a net-like planar shape; a first active material layer over the first current collector; a solid electrolyte layer over the first active material layer; a second active material layer over the solid electrolyte layer; and a second current collector over the second active material layer.
US09142354B2	High energy density and low leakage electronic devices A magnetic capacitor includes two electrode layers, an insulator layer, and one or more magnetized layers. The insulator layer is located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The one or more magnetized layers include one or more ferro-magnetic elements that are magnetized. The one or more magnetized layers are located so that the one or more ferro-magnetic elements apply a magnetic field to the insulator layer to improve an electrical property of the insulator layer. Magnetic fields applied perpendicular to the electrode layers increase the capacitance and electrical energy storage of the insulator layer. Magnetic fields applied parallel to the electrode layers decrease the leakage current and increase the breakdown voltage of the insulator layer. The one or more ferro-magnetic elements used can include ferro-magnetic plates or magnetic nanodots. The one or more magnetized layers can be located between or outside of the electrode layers.
US09142340B2	Chip varistor An element body has first and second faces opposed to each other. A first conductor has one end exposed in a first face and the other end located in the element body. The second conductor has one end exposed in a second face and the other end located in the element body. The element body has a first element body section having the nonlinear voltage-current characteristics and a second element body section in which an electric current is more likely to flow than in the first element body section. The first element body section is located at least in part between the first conductor and the second conductor, in a direction in which the first conductor and the second conductor are separated from each other. The other end of the first conductor and the other end of the second conductor are located in the second element body section.
US09142335B2	Cable with offset filler The present invention relates to cables made of twisted conductor pairs. More specifically, the present invention relates to twisted pair communication cables for high-speed data communications applications. A twisted pair including at least two conductors extends along a generally longitudinal axis, with an insulation surrounding each of the conductors. The conductors are twisted generally longitudinally along the axis. A cable includes at least two twisted pairs and a filler. At least two of the cables are positioned along generally parallel axes for at least a predefined distance. The cables are configured to efficiently and accurately propagate high-speed data signals by, among other functions, limiting at least a subset of the following: impedance deviations, signal attenuation, and alien crosstalk along the predefined distance.
US09142333B2	Differential signal transmission cable and method of making same A differential signal transmission cable includes two core wires, and a foamed insulation that collectively covers the two core wires by foaming extrusion molding. The foamed insulation is not more than 5% in a dispersion of foaming degree defined below in a cut surface when the cable is cut orthogonally to a longitudinal direction of the cable. In the cut surface, five regions are determined according to a predetermined procedures and a foaming degree (%) of the respective regions is measured. The dispersion of the foaming degree is defined by a difference between a foaming degree (%) in the region with a maximum foaming degree and a foaming degree (%) in the region with a minimum foaming degree.
US09142329B2	Transparent conductive ink compositions and the use thereof in electro-active optical systems The present application relates generally to conductive compositions that are transparent to visible light and their use in various optical applications, such as ophthalmic products. Embodiments of the invention include transparent conductive ink compositions that comprise a conductive polymer and one or more of a lithium salt or a high boiling point solvent. Embodiments of the invention further include electro-active ophthalmic products, such as electro-active ophthalmic lenses, comprising one or more conductive structures (e.g., contacts, wires, and the like) that are at least partially composed of said transparent conductive ink compositions.
US09142326B2	Radioactive waste storage Radioactive waste may be stored in storage containers that are suitable for long-term disposal, but do not provide adequate shielding. By assembling an overpack from metal plates, the metal plates each being substantially flat, and the overpack providing sufficient shielding for the radioactive waste, and enclosing the storage container that contains radioactive waste in the overpack, the storage container can then be stored safely in a weatherproof enclosure. The enclosure does not need to provide radiation shielding. The plates can be stored as a flat-pack, and assembled into the overpack when required.
US09142324B2	Bad block reconfiguration in nonvolatile memory When a bad block is found in a nonvolatile memory array, the block is marked as a bad block so that it is not subsequently used. The block is also reconfigured as a bad block by increasing resistance of vertical NAND strings in the block by increasing threshold voltage of at least some transistors along vertical NAND strings, for example, select transistors or memory cell transistors.
US09142319B2	Semiconductor device employing fuse programming A semiconductor device includes a fuse unit connected to a detection node and configured to be programmed in response to a first voltage supplied through the detection node, an output unit connected to the detection node and configured to output a fuse information signal indicating whether the fuse unit is programmed or not, and a blocking unit configured to block the first voltage supplied through the detection node in response to the fuse information signal.
US09142313B2	Memory system and programming method thereof A program method of a nonvolatile memory device is provided, which includes programming a memory cell in one string selected from a plurality of vertical strings; determining whether a mode of operation of the nonvolatile memory device is a pre-pulse mode; when the mode of operation is determined to be the pre-pulse mode, applying a pre-pulse having a predetermined level to a string selection line connected with a gate of a string selection transistor of at least one unselected vertical string of the plurality of vertical strings for a particular time period; and performing a verification operation on the programmed memory cell.
US09142307B2	Non-volatile semiconductor memory device A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell configured to allow electrical writing and erasing, a bit line configured to transmit a potential corresponding to data stored in the memory cell in a column direction, a sense amplifier circuit configured to detect a potential of the bit line, and a bit line coupling circuit coupled between the bit line and the sense amplifier circuit. The bit line coupling circuit includes a first bit line coupling transistor in an outer layout area of the bit line coupling circuit and a second bit line coupling transistor in an inner layout area of the bit line coupling circuit. The first bit line coupling transistor has a longer distance in a channel length direction or in a channel width direction between an impurity diffused layer coupled to the bit line and an element isolation area than the second bit line coupling transistor.
US09142305B2	System to reduce stress on word line select transistor during erase operation A system for erasing a non-volatile storage system that reduces the voltage across the word line select transistors which interface between the word lines and global control lines. The use of the lower voltage across the word line select transistors allows for the word line select transistors to be made smaller. The use of smaller components allows the non-volatile storage system to include more memory cells, thereby providing the ability to store more data.
US09142284B2	Concurrent use of SRAM cells with both NMOS and PMOS pass gates in a memory system A memory system includes first memory cells and second memory cells. Each of the first memory cells includes first and second pass gates including NMOS transistors. Each of the second memory cells include first and second pass gates including PMOS transistors. The first memory cells are pre-charged by one polarity of a voltage supply. The second memory cells are pre-charged by an opposite polarity of the voltage supply.
US09142276B2	Semiconductor device including latency counter For example, a semiconductor device includes a first latency counter, which selects whether to give an odd-cycle latency to an internal command signal; and a second latency counter, which gives a latency to an internal command signal at intervals of two cycles. The latency counters are connected in series. Since the number of bits in control information, which is used to set a latency, is smaller than the types of settable latency as a result, it is possible to reduce wiring density.
US09142274B2	Tracking for write operations of memory devices Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to write tracking techniques for memory devices. In some embodiments, a memory device includes an array of SRAM cells, wherein each SRAM cell includes a pair of cross-coupled inverters having complimentary storage nodes, and a pair of access transistors that allow selective access to the complimentary storage nodes, respectively. To help ensure that wordline and bitline pulses are of sufficient length and intensity, one or more write tracking cells track a wordline tracking signal, which is representative of a wordline pulse applied to a wordline. In response to the wordline tracking signal, the write tracking cell internally generates a signal that models bitline loading, and provides an output tracking signal based on the wordline tracking and bitline loading signals. Bitline and/or wordline pulses can then be set based on the output tracking signal.
US09142261B2	Smart bridge for memory core An apparatus includes a semiconductor device that includes a three-dimensional (3D) memory. The 3D memory includes multiple memory cells arranged in multiple physical levels above a substrate. The 3D memory includes circuitry associated with operation of the multiple memory cells and includes a serializer/deserializer interface.
US09142260B2	Universal disk shipper Systems, methods, and components include an improved universal disk container for use in transporting, storing and processing data storage disks or other disk-shaped articles. A disk shipping system and method for shipping disks allows stocking a minimal number of components while still allowing packaging and shipment of different thickness of disks and different capacities of disks in a container. A universal disk cassette includes slots having a narrowed lower portion configured for handling different disks of the same diameter but different thicknesses while preventing disk to disk contact when the disks are tilted. A universal top cover is configured for cassettes loaded with different thicknesses of disks. The universal top cover can readily accommodate disks that are tilted in the cassette, and with vacuum bagging, more securely fix the disks in place in the container.
US09142255B2	Method and apparatus for creating a custom track A method and system for creating and editing video and/or audio tracks is described. The method includes providing at least one artist, venue, and track available for selection and providing at least one clip associated with the at least one artist, venue, and track. The method also includes allowing a user to create a custom track from the at least one clip. The system includes a plurality of video cameras for recording a live performance at a plurality of positions. The system also includes at least one server for storing a plurality of video clips created from the plurality of video cameras and an application stored on the at least one server for allowing a user to access the plurality of video clips via the Internet.
US09142244B2	Near-field transducer efficiency monitoring system A system may have a data storage medium that contains at least one data bit that is accessed by a transducing head that has a near-field transducer. A controller can be connected to the transducing head and store a plurality of near-field transducer operating currents in a memory. The controller may identify a change in efficiency of the near-field transducer from the plurality of near-field transducer operating currents.
US09142243B2	Optical pickup and optical information storage system including the same Provided are an optical pickup and an optical information storage system including the same. The optical pickup includes a photodetector that receives a main light beam and a plurality of sub-light beams reflected from an information storage medium and diffracted by a diffracting element. The photo detector detects a tracking error signal using zeroth-order light as the main light beam and using one of first-order light and third-order light as the sub-light beam based on a type of an optical information storage medium.
US09142229B2	Heat assisted magnetic recording head having thermal sensor with high-TCR transparent conducting oxide A head transducer includes a thermal sensor comprising a conducting ceramic material having a temperature coefficient of resistance. The thermal sensor can comprise a transparent conducting oxide having a temperature coefficient of resistance. The thermal sensor can be situated proximate a near-field transducer of the heat-assisted magnetic recording head transducer.
US09142228B2	Magnetic recording head having narrow write gap, and disk device provided with the same A recording head of a disk device includes a main magnetic pole, a write shield which faces the main magnetic pole with a write gap interposed therebetween, a coil configured to generate a magnetic field in the main magnetic pole, and a spin torque oscillator which is arranged in the write gap. The spin torque oscillator includes an intermediate layer formed on the main magnetic pole, a field generation layer formed on the intermediate layer, a spin injection layer, and an interface magnetic layer. The field generation layer and the spin injection layer are arranged in parallel to each other in the direction which intersects with the gap length direction of the write gap, and the spin injection layer is electrically connected with the write shield.
US09142225B1	Electronic system with actuator control mechanism and method of operation thereof An apparatus includes: a media; a head over the media; a primary-actuator coupled to the head; and control circuitry, coupled to the primary-actuator and a secondary-actuator, configured to limit a secondary-actuator slew rate.
US09142221B2	Noise reduction A signal processor for estimating noise power in an audio signal includes a filter unit for generating a series of power values, each power value representing the power in the audio signal at a respective one of a plurality of frequency bands; a signal classification unit for analysing successive portions of the audio signal to assess whether each portion contains features characteristic of speech, and for classifying each portion in dependence on that analysis; a correction unit for estimating a minimum power value in a time-limited part of the audio signal, estimating the total noise power in that part of the audio signal and forming a correction factor dependent on the ratio of the minimum power value to the estimated total noise power, the correction unit being configured to estimate the minimum power value and the total noise power over only those portions of the time-limited part of the signal that are classified by the signal classification unit as being less characteristic of speech; and a noise estimation unit for estimating noise in the audio signal in dependence on the power values output by the filter unit and the correction factor formed by the correction unit.
US09142215B2	Power-efficient voice activation A voice activation system is provided. The voice activation system includes a first stage configured to output a first activation signal if at least one energy characteristic of a received audio signal satisfies at least one threshold and a second stage configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to the first activation signal and, when in the second state, to output a second activation signal if at least a portion of a profile of the audio signal substantially matches at least one predetermined profile.
US09142213B2	Generating vocal user interface code from a data meta-model A method, computer program and system for generating code of the vocal interface of a software application by reading the persistent data of an application designed by a data meta model using a design language such as UML (Unified Modeling Language) defining a hierarchical organization of classes, their attributes and the relations between classes.Similarly to the wizard for graphical user interface the vocal interface code comprises dialog unit code, which is Forms when VoiceXML language is used, to allow at execution time, entry of data for the application in a guided way.
US09142206B2	System for interchangeable mounting options for a sonar transducer Systems and apparatuses for interchangeable mounting options for a transducer housing are provided herein. Such a system may provide for easy change of mounting to a watercraft, such as between transom mounting, portable mounting, trolling motor mounting, and thru-hull mounting. A system for interchangeable mounting options of a sonar transducer to a watercraft may comprise at least one transducer, a transducer housing configured to house the at least one transducer, and a mount adapter. The transducer housing may comprise at least one upper engagement surface configured to adjacently engage the mount adapter to facilitate mounting. The at least one upper engagement surface may be configured to releasably engage the mount adapter to allow the mount adapter to be detached and removed without damaging or altering the transducer housing.
US09142201B2	Distribution of audio sheet music within an electronic book A method of providing synchronized content to a user including: (i) an audio recording of a voice reading written language text and an audio recording of one or more pieces of music; (ii) written language text and music notation content, having elements that can be identified, displayed, and highlighted, the elements representing discrete segments of the written language and music notation content, each of the discrete segments having a beginning and end; and (iii) synchronization data marking beginning and end points in the audio recordings for each element. The method is implemented such that a user may play the audio recording of a voice reading the written language text, and the audio recording of the one or more pieces of music according to the EPUB format, and display the written language text and music notation content according to the EPUB format with synchronization.
US09142194B2	Transmission method for display device A transmission method for a display device is provided. The display device includes a one-to-many timing controller and a plurality of source drivers. The transmission method includes determining whether the plurality of source drivers being operated in different operational modes are switched on or off according to a command signal, to receive a display information of the one-to-many timing controller. The display information comprises at least a first control triggering signal, a first control signal, a first display information triggering signal, a first display signal, a second display information triggering signal and a second display signal, and the command signal is an internal setting signal or an external setting signal.
US09142186B2	Assistance for color recognition Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for processing a color image for a color blind person to perceive color variation within the color image. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a color image is received from an image capture device or other means. Each area of the color image having one of a specific color or color combination is determined. A pattern is generated based on the one of the specific color or color combination. A pattern overlay of the generated pattern is rendered on a display device.
US09142182B2	Device and control method thereof A device and a control method for the device are disclosed. A device and a control method for the device according to the present invention comprises a sensing unit; and a controller, if at least one of a second control command is received through the sensing unit while carrying out a control operation based on at least one of a first control command received through the sensing unit, generating a display signal based on a control command selected according to a predetermined criterion from the received multiple control commands of the first and the second control command. According to the present invention, a control command for generating a display signal can be effectively selected in the case that another control command is received while a particular control command is carried out.
US09142180B2	Display apparatus for adjusting a gray value of an image signal A display apparatus having improved display quality is disclosed. According to one aspect, the display apparatus includes a display panel including first to Mth data lines extending in a first direction, where M is an integer greater than 2, first to Nth scan lines extending in a second direction, where N is an integer greater than 2, and a plurality of pixel regions defined by one or more of the data lines and one or more of the scan lines. An image data processor is configured to process input image signals and output corrected input image signals, and a data driver is configured to receive the corrected input image signals and supply the same to the first to Mth data lines. The plurality of pixel regions include first to Mth pixel arrays extending in parallel, and the image data signal processor is configured to output the corrected input image signals to adjust a gray value applied to at least one of the first pixel array and the Mth pixel array.
US09142177B2	Electrooptical display apparatus that performs voltage sampling outside of a noise settling period, and electronic device The electrooptical display apparatus includes pixels, and scan lines and data lines arranged in a matrix. The apparatus further includes pixel switching elements each enabling, in response to application of a selection voltage to one scan line, application of a pixel voltage to one pixel in a pixel row corresponding to the one scan line through one data line, a voltage producing part producing a sampling voltage that is to be supplied to the data lines and that monotonously changes while the selection voltage is applied to the scan line, a voltage sampling part sampling the pixel voltage from the sampling voltage, a sampling number detecting part detecting number of pixels for which a same voltage is sampled, and a controller lowering a frequency of sampling of the pixel voltage when the detected number is a predetermined number.
US09142174B2	Method of driving a display panel and a display apparatus for performing the method A method of driving a display panel includes providing at least one gate line among a plurality of gate lines disposed in the display panel with a gate signal of a gate-on level during a vertical blanking period of a frame period and providing a data line disposed in the display panel with data voltages of a first polarity and a second polarity opposite to the first polarity during the vertical blanking period.
US09142173B2	Liquid crystal display apparatus The liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal modulation element including first and second electrode, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, a first alignment film disposed between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer, and a second alignment film disposed between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer. The apparatus further includes a controller that respectively provides first and second electric potentials to the first and second electrodes such that a sign of an electric field generated in the liquid crystal layer is cyclically inverted in a modulation operation state. The controller respectively provides third and fourth electric potentials to the first and second electrodes such that the sign of the electric field is fixed in a state other than the modulation operation state. The apparatus can avoid an influence by cumulated charged particles without adding a new member.
US09142163B2	Organic light emitting display device An organic light emitting display device includes a pixel unit including a plurality of pixels formed in regions where a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines cross each other, a first scan driving unit detecting a defect of the plurality of pixels by sequentially applying a first test signal to the plurality of scan lines, and a second scan driving unit detecting a defect of the plurality of pixels by simultaneously applying a second test signal to the plurality of scan lines.
US09142156B2	Control device, display device, electronic apparatus and control method A control device includes: a first storage device storing a dither matrix of two-dimensionally arranged dither values; a second storage device storing data of a-gradation levels; a first correction device that performs a first correction processing of calculating a first correction value for correcting gradation blurring-out from the target pixel to an adjacent pixel; a second correction device that performs a second correction processing of calculating a second correction value for correcting gradation blurring-in from the adjacent pixel to the target pixel; and a gradation value deciding device that decides a gradation value of the target pixel expressed in the b-gradation levels by using a value obtained by adding a corresponding one of the dither values stored in the first storage device, a corresponding one of the gradation values stored in the second storage device and at least one of the first correction value and the second correction value.
US09142155B2	Display device, signal converter for the display device, and method of operating the display device A display device includes a display panel including pixels for displaying four colors including a white color. The display device further includes a signal converter for generating four output signals pertaining to the four colors using three input signals pertaining to three non-white colors of the four colors. The display device further includes a signal processor for processing the output signals to generate data signals and to provide the data signals to the display panel for the pixels to display an image. The signal converter includes at least one adder and a plurality of bit shifters for calculating a white-signal candidate using signals related to the input signals. The signal converter may determine a white-related output signal of the output signals using the white-signal candidate.
US09142152B2	Display diagnostics using two-dimensional barcodes Techniques for performing diagnostics on an electronic display are described in various implementations. In one example implementation, a method may include receiving image data that depicts a test protocol being displayed on an electronic display, the test protocol comprising a two-dimensional barcode. The method may also include processing the image data to determine whether a message encoded in the two-dimensional barcode is corrupted. The method may also include generating a diagnostic result for the electronic display based on the determination.
US09142147B2	Map database generating systems, methods, and programs Systems, methods, and programs store feature information relating to features existing on a road and on the periphery of the road, each piece of feature information being associated with a unique identification symbol, each piece of feature information including disposition information expressing a spatial disposition of each feature independently of the road network, form information expressing a form of each feature, accuracy information expressing an accuracy of the information, and acquisition timing information expressing an acquisition timing of the information. The systems, methods, and programs (1) output the feature information stored in the feature database and input map information constituting the map database, the map information being generated based on the output feature information, or (2) generate map information constituting the map database on the basis of the feature information stored in the feature database.
US09142142B2	In-car driver tracking device Disclosed are a device and method for providing driver tracking and behavior analysis, initiated without concurrent user input, by the presence detection of one or more drivers of the vehicle. Vehicle motion inferred from a location aware device sensor, as well as other driver smartphone sensors and application use are logged and analyzed to determine risk factors associated with identified drivers. Internet data sources are further utilized for associating road conditions and traffic regulations with the logged locations of the vehicle. Logged and analyzed data from the identified drivers is aggregated for reporting on vehicle risk.
US09142140B2	Muscle memory training device A muscle memory training device for attaching to a joint of a user, such as, for example, a wrist joint. The training device includes a pair of opposing circuit boards for overlying first and second elements of the joint. The pair of circuit boards are pivotally connected with a pivot point configured to be placed over the joint. The circuit boards include individual contact traces which are configured and arranged such that when said traces are rotated past each other, the traces sequentially complete one of a sequence of circuits, providing a signal at each one of a plurality of contact positions depending on opposing circuit board rotation positions. In this manner, sensory input is provided to a user while practicing a movement.
US09142138B2	Development monitoring system A development monitoring system for monitoring the development of one or more subjects includes an administrative module. A client module and the administrative modules are configured to communicate with each other. The administrative module is configured to generate an interface and send the interface to the client module for rendering such that the interface permits the input of at least one of observation data and program data. The data input is written to a database. At least one of the observation data and the program data are retrieved from the database on receipt of a request from the client machine and a visual record representing said observation and image data is generated.
US09142134B2	System and method for providing predictive departure and arrival rates for an airport A system and method for determining estimated departure and arrival rates. The system and method including receiving predicted airport constraint information for a predetermined time period, querying historical airport data to determine historical time periods having similar constraint information and determining an estimated arrival rate and an estimated departure rate for the predetermined time period based on corresponding arrival rates and departure rates for the historical time periods having similar constraint information.
US09142130B1	Light emitting road safety device with sound activation An embodiment of the present invention includes a light emitting road boundary marking for activation upon road departure. The marker includes a photovoltaic cell unit mounted in a housing and having a photovoltaic cell plate and a battery. Further, a light emitting unit is mounted with the housing, and the light emitting unit has a light to be turned on and off based on electricity supplied from the photovoltaic cell unit and conditions of a control unit. The control unit includes a microphone to detect a soundwave generated by a wheel traveling over a rumble strip, a comparing circuit to substantially match the detected soundwave with a pre-programmed soundwave pattern, and a driver unit to activate the light emitting unit when the detected soundwave substantially matches the pre-programmed soundwave. Other embodiments may include a microprocessor, a transmitter and a receiver unit for relaying an activation signal to adjacent markers, a lamp flashing circuit, and switching circuits for roadway illumination lamps.
US09142125B1	Traffic prediction using precipitation Described herein is a framework to facilitate traffic prediction. In accordance with one aspect, training data including historical traffic information and precipitation data is received. An impulse response function may be determined based on the training data. One or more traffic parameters may be predicted by calculating a weighted linear system model based on the impulse response function.
US09142116B2	Smart caregiver platform methods, apparatuses and media A SCGP may provide a smart location guide (e.g., via GPS) to help keep the user from wandering off and getting lost. The SCGP may help the user travel independently via bus, car, and on foot. The SCGP may also notify the caregiver if the user wanders off or gets lost and may generate reports (e.g., via text, charts, graphs) showing the caregiver situations in which the user is likely to wander off or get lost. The SCGP may facilitate staying in touch with the user by allowing the caregiver to send the user reminders and important information, and to share pictures, videos, text messages, and voice messages with the user.
US09142115B2	Method and device for detecting fatigue A method for detecting fatigue is provided herein. The present invention includes the following steps: measuring a plurality of physiological feature data from a user in continuous time to generate a feature sequence; computing the rate of drop and/or calculating the difference of the rate of drop based on the feature sequence; and determining the fatigue level of the user by analyzing the rate of drop and the difference of the rate of drop. A fatigue detecting device is also disclosed here. The present invention can be utilized to effectively monitor the fatigue level of the user.
US09142114B2	Tracking group members' proximity Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for tracking group members' proximity include associating a plurality of sensors with an application installed on each of a plurality of user devices and assigning each of the sensors to a corresponding one of the user devices. Assignments received on one of the user devices are wirelessly communicated to at least one other of the user devices, and proximity of each of the sensors to the corresponding user device is monitored. Status information is communicated between two or more of the user devices, and the status information indicates proximity of sensors to the corresponding user device and/or sensor assignments.
US09142105B1	Haptic device capable of managing distributed force A haptic device operated alone or interacts with other physical or virtual devices of similar design that enable users to remotely image, analyze, or manipulate objects, either manually and or with the assistance of computer programs. The device extends and retracts “pins” in reaction to messages from a processor, and to external pressure applied to the pins' topical surface. A support structure provides a constant geometric plane. An operating system is provided that is capable of interaction for any one of a collection of devices of varying size and function. Multiple devices that are paired or otherwise positioned relative to one another, or scaled in size relative to one another, can be controlled to operate in cooperation with one another.
US09142103B2	Mass notification alarm and system with programmable color output A mass notification system including one or more alarms for notification of two or more emergency classes. Each alarm can include a lens, a strobe for illuminating the lens with a first light color during activation of the strobe, and a light source such as a light emitting diode for illuminating the lens with a second light color different from the first light color during activation of the light source. During activation of the lens with the light source, the lens appears to be the color emitted by the light source. The alarm can be configured to notify occupants of a first emergency class by activating only the strobe and to notify occupants of a second emergency class by activating both the strobe and the light source. An alarm configured to provide notification of two or more emergency classes can thus use a single lens and a single strobe.
US09142102B2	Method and apparatus for visualizing network security alerts A method and apparatus can be configured to perform the steps of displaying, on a display, a first visual representation of volume in three-dimensional space. The method can also display, on the display, a visual representation of a network security alert. The network security alert can correspond to a notification of a network attack, a network intrusion, or an unwanted activity. The representation of the network security alert can be positioned within the first visual representation of volume. The position of the representation of the network security alert within the first visual representation of volume reflects at least one characteristic of the network security alert.
US09142096B2	Methods and devices for authentication and licensing in a gaming network Methods and devices are provided for managing licenses in gaming networks. Some aspects of the invention are provided as a license manager module that operates as part of a server-based system for provisioning and configuring gaming machines. Security and authentication techniques are provided to prevent unauthorized gaming software usage. Such gaming software may be, for example, downloaded to gaming machines in the network under the control of a gaming establishment's game management server that is in communication with a license manager device. In preferred implementations, a gaming machine is prevented from executing software for a game of chance unless the license for that game is valid and has not expired.
US09142092B2	Gaming system with casino chip tracking A gaming system includes: an IC chip reader configured to read chip identification information which uniquely identifies a specific casino chip; journal data generation unit configured to generate journal data corresponding to a transaction of the chip operated during the reading, based on the chip identification information; a journal data DB configured to accumulate the journal data and capable of generating, based on accrual accounting, balance sheet data to be reflected onto a balance sheet in real time by using data indicating a financial condition and a profit-or-loss condition of a casino, based on the accumulated journal data; and a controller configured to control a process of a game and issue an instruction to a dealer based on the data read by the IC chip reader.
US09142086B2	Method and system for enabling gaming via a mobile device A method and system for enabling gaming via a mobile device are provided. A request is received from the mobile device to participate in gaming. Primary location information determined by the mobile device for the location of the mobile device is received with the request. The primary location information is verified with secondary location information for the geolocation of the mobile device determined using a location system external to said mobile device. Participation of the mobile device in a game is enabled if the primary location information is verified and if the mobile device at the location identified by the primary location information is eligible for the game.
US09142084B2	Wager recognition system A gaming table apparatus has a gaming table with a gaming table support surface. At least two token sensors are provided, which are electrically connected in series to a token sensor controller. The at least two token sensor units are physically restrained by the table support surface. The game controller is in communication with the token sensor controller, wherein the game controller is configured to associate player position data with transmitted wager data received from the token sensor controller.
US09142080B2	Dispensing consumer products A system for dispensing consumer products includes a product bin unit; a product ejector; a product trigger; and a controller. The product bin unit includes a product bin; an ejector aperture; and a trigger aperture. The product ejector is coupled to the product bin unit through the ejector aperture and adapted to drive the product package from the product bin upon receipt of a dispensing signal. The product trigger is coupled to the product bin unit through the trigger aperture. The controller is in communication with the product ejector and the product trigger and includes at least one memory and a processor. The memory stores a dispensing module. The processor is adapted to execute the dispensing module, and the dispensing module is operable when executed to receive a dispensing instruction and transmit the dispensing signal to the product ejector based, at least in part, on the dispensing instruction.
US09142072B2	Information shared between a vehicle and user devices Methods and systems for a vehicle system that include configuring a vehicle based upon information from devices accessed by a user. The vehicle system may include a vehicle and a configuration unit. The information may be based on a search performed by a user. The information accessed or generated by the user may be automatically sent to the vehicle for configuration of the vehicle.
US09142071B2	Vehicle zone-based intelligent console display settings Methods and systems are presented for accepting inputs into a vehicle or other conveyance to control functions of the conveyance. A vehicle control system can receive gestures and other inputs. The vehicle control system can also obtain information about the user of the vehicle control system and information about the environment in which the conveyance is operating. Based on the input and the other information, the vehicle control system can modify or improve the performance or execution of user interface and functions of the conveyance. The changes make the user interfaces and/or functions user-friendly and intuitive.
US09142068B2	Airbag control unit An airbag ECU includes a voltage detection section that detects a voltage in a power supply supplied to other control units (for example, front passenger seat occupancy sensing ECU). In addition, the airbag ECU includes a timer that measures an elapsed time after the voltage detected by the voltage detection section falls in a preset voltage range and a recording section that records the elapsed time measured by the timer on a memory when a failure of the other control units is detected.
US09142062B2	Selective hand occlusion over virtual projections onto physical surfaces using skeletal tracking A head mounted device provides an immersive virtual or augmented reality experience for viewing data and enabling collaboration among multiple users. Rendering images in a virtual or augmented reality system may include performing operations for capturing an image of a scene in which a virtual object is to be displayed, recognizing a body part present in the captured image, and adjusting a display of the virtual object based upon the recognized body part. The rendering operations may also include capturing an image with a body mounted camera, capturing spatial data with a body mounted sensor array, recognizing objects within the captured image, determining distances to the recognized objects within the captured image, and displaying the virtual object on a head mounted display.
US09142059B1	Systems and methods for coordinated editing of seismic data in dual model A system and method may model physical geological structures. Seismic and geologic data may be accepted. A three-dimensional (3D) transformation may be generated between a 3D present day model having points representing present locations of the physical geological structures and a 3D past depositional model having points representing locations where the physical geological structures were originally deposited. An indication may be accepted to locally change the 3D transformation for a subset of sampling points in a first model of the models. The 3D transformation may be locally changed to fit the updated subset of sampling points. A locally altered or updated version of the first model and, e.g., second model, may be displayed where local changes to the first model are defined by the locally changed 3D transformation. The transformation may also be used to extract geobodies in the past depositional model.
US09142049B2	Proactive monitoring tree providing distribution stream chart with branch overlay The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that displays performance data for a computing environment. During operation, the system first determines values for a performance metric for a plurality of entities that comprise the computing environment. Next, the system displays the computing environment as a set of nodes representing the plurality of entities. While displaying the nodes, the system displays a chart with a line illustrating how a value of the performance metric for the selected node varies over time, wherein the line is displayed against a background illustrating how a distribution of the performance metric for a reference subset of the set of nodes varies over time.
US09142047B2	Visualizing data transfers in distributed file system Data transfers within and between nodes in a distributed computing environment are visualized. In one aspect, the nodes are represented as geometrical shapes. The first part of the geometrical shape represents logic of the corresponding node. The second part of the geometrical shape represents storage of the corresponding node. A line connecting the first part and the second part represents data transfer between logic of a node and storage of a node. Both inter-node and intra-node transfers may be shown.
US09142046B2	Effective arrangement of data elements A plurality of data elements are analyzed, in one or more computers, to optimize an arrangement of slices in a pie chart, wherein a value for each of the data elements represents an area of a corresponding one of the slices in the pie chart, and the data elements are ordered by their values, so that labels and lines on placed on the pie chart without overlap.
US09142042B2	Methods and systems to produce continuous trajectories from discrete anatomical shapes A method of estimating changes in an anatomical structure over time. The method includes steps of obtaining a plurality of shapes of an anatomical structure from a plurality of points in time, wherein the plurality of shapes of the anatomical structure includes a baseline shape of the anatomical structure; continuously deforming the baseline shape of the anatomical structure using a growth model parameterized by acceleration; fitting the deformed baseline shape to at least one of the plurality of shapes of the anatomical structure; and using the deformed baseline shape to estimate at least one shape of the anatomical structure at a time corresponding to a time that is different than any of the plurality of points in time.
US09142033B2	Real time processing of video frames A method and system for real time processing of a sequence of video frames. A current frame in the sequence and at least one frame in the sequence occurring prior to the current frame is analyzed. The sequence of video frames is received in synchronization with a recording of the video frames in real time. The analyzing includes performing a background subtraction on the at least one frame, which determines a background image and a static region mask associated with a static region consisting of a contiguous distribution of pixels in the current frame, which includes executing a mixture of 3 to 5 Gaussians algorithm coupled together in a linear combination by Gaussian weight coefficients to generate the background model, a foreground image, and the static region. The static region mask identifies each pixel in the static region upon the static region mask being superimposed on the current frame.
US09142032B2	Method and apparatus for implementing motion detection A method for motion detection includes: obtaining a pixel value of an image to be detected in a video image sequence, a pixel average value of same positions in a preset number of frame images before the image to be detected, and scene luminance values of the preset number of frame images before the image to be detected; obtaining a pixel scene luminance value and an average scene luminance value by calculation according to the pixel value and the scene luminance values; obtaining P1 according to the pixel value and the pixel average value, and obtaining P2 according to the pixel scene luminance value and the average scene luminance value; and obtaining P3 by integrating the P1 and P2, and detecting, according to the P3, whether the image to be detected includes a motion image region.
US09142028B2	Image analysis for making animal measurements A computer-implemented image analysis process, including: accessing image data representing an image including an animal object representing an animal; selecting one more start points on a boundary of the animal object using an intensity gradient of the image; and generating boundary data, representing at least a portion of the boundary, starting at each of the selected one or more start points, using the intensity gradient.
US09142025B2	Method and apparatus for obtaining depth information using optical pattern Provided is an apparatus and method for obtaining depth information using an optical pattern. The apparatus for obtaining depth information using the optical pattern may include: a pattern projector to generate the optical pattern using a light source and an optical pattern projection element (OPPE), and to project the optical pattern towards an object area, the OPPE comprising a pattern that includes a plurality of pattern descriptors; an image obtaining unit to obtain an input image by photographing the object area; and a depth information obtaining unit to measure a change in a position of at least one of the plurality of pattern descriptors in the input image, and to obtain depth information of the input image based on the change in the position.
US09142023B2	Maintaining registration of spatially synchronized data for web products Techniques are described for maintaining synchronization of inspection data when a web roll is converted into intermediate smaller rolls prior to cutting the web into individual parts. A system comprises a database that stores anomaly data acquired from a manufactured web. The anomaly data specifies positions anomalies within a manufactured web relative to a set of fiducial marks on the manufactured web. A conversion processing line comprises a fiducial mark reader to output position information for the set of fiducial marks on the manufactured web, a slitter that cuts the manufactured web into slit rolls, and a fiducial mark printer to print a set of fiducial marks on each slit roll. A position monitoring system maintains spatial synchronization of the anomaly data by computing an updated position for the anomalies relative to the set of fiducial marks printed on the slit rolls.
US09142018B2	Method for three-dimensional localization of an object from a two-dimensional medical image A method for determining the three-dimensional location of an object in real-time from a two-dimensional medical image obtained with a medical imaging system is provided. For example, the three-dimensional location of an interventional medical device or a marker positioned on such a device may be determined from a two-dimensional x-ray image obtained with an interventional x-ray imaging system. Template images corresponding to the object under different imaging geometries and orientations are produced and are compared to images acquired with the medical imaging system. Similarity measures, such as normalized cross correlation and normalized similarity integral, are used to determine the similarity between a selected template image and the medical images in different stages of refining the position information for the object.
US09142016B2	Methods for image processing An image processing method includes: obtaining an image that includes a ball image and a cone image; obtaining an estimate of a center of the ball image; converting the image to a converted image using a processor based at least in part on the estimate of the center of the ball image, wherein the converted image comprises a converted ball image that looks different from the ball image in the image, and a converted cone image that looks different from the cone image in the image; identifying the converted ball image in the converted image; and analyzing the converted ball image to determine a score that represents an accuracy of the estimate of the center of the ball image.
US09142013B2	Substrate storage condition inspecting apparatus and substrate storage facility having same A substrate storage condition inspecting apparatus includes an illumination device, an imaging device, and a substrate storage condition determining unit. The illumination device includes, on the front side of an opening of a transport container located at an inspecting position, a first illumination portion and a second illumination portion that are spaced apart in the width direction of the opening. The substrate storage condition determining unit detects a pair of high-luminance portions on an inspection image captured by the imaging device, the pair of high-luminance portions being generated in locations circumferentially spaced apart in the peripheral edge portion of the semiconductor substrate by light applied by the first illumination portion and the second illumination portion, and determines whether or not the storage orientation of the semiconductor substrate is abnormal on the basis of the positional correspondence in the vertical direction for the pair of high-luminance portions.
US09142010B2	Image enhancement based on combining images from multiple cameras Provided are systems and methods for image enhancement based on combining multiple related images, such as images of the same object taken from different imaging angles. This approach allows simulating images captured from longer distances using telephoto lenses. Initial images may be captured using simple cameras equipped with shorter focal length lenses, typically used on camera phones, tablets, and laptops. The initial images may be taken using two different cameras positioned a certain distance from each other. An object or, more specifically, a center line of the object is identified in each image. The object is typically present in the foreground portion of the initial images. The initial images may be cross-faded along the object center line to yield a combined image. Separating of the foreground and background portions of each image may be separated and separately processed, such as blurring the background portion and sharpening the foreground portion.
US09142002B2	FPGA packet processing engine A graphic processor device is implemented on a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) circuitry comprises a pipeline formatter that sets graphic commands and vertex data into structures, and a rasterizer that interpolates between vertices in the vertex data to generate lines and filling between at least one edge to generate a structure, wherein output of the rasterizer is a stream of fragments that become pixels. The graphic processor device further includes a frame buffer that receives a stream of fragments and blends a plurality of fragments before the plurality of fragments are stored in a frame buffer, and an output processor configured to retrieve a plurality of fragments from the frame buffer and transmits a plurality of pixels according to a predefined resolution.
US09141998B2	Unlocking coupon offers In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving an indication that a user selected social network data that is displayed, on a client device, concurrently with offer data that indicates a coupon offer; wherein prior to receiving the indication, the user of the client device is incapable of accessing the coupon offer; in response to receiving the indication that the user selected the social network data, allowing the user to access the coupon offer, and causing a message to be sent to each user of a plurality of users that are identified, in a social network, as connected to the user, wherein the message includes data about the coupon offer or a coupon provider that initiated the coupon offer; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
US09141995B1	Driving trip and pattern analysis A driving analysis server may be configured to receive vehicle location data and/or operation data from one or more vehicle systems, identify driving trips and/or driving patterns based on the vehicle data, determine risk assessment values corresponding to the driving trips and driving patterns, and calculate driver scores based on the analyzed driving trip and driving pattern data. Destination locations may be identified for a vehicle's driving trips, and information relating to the destination locations may be retrieved and analyzed to determine risk factors and risk assessment values associated with driving to and from the destination, as well as parking at the destination. Specific driving trip types or purposes may be identified, and driving scores may be calculated based on the vehicle location and time data, including the risk factors, risk assessment values, and the determined trip types or purposes.
US09141979B1	Virtual stand-in computing service for production computing service Provided are methods of providing a virtual service that may provide partial real time service to clients of a production computing service that is unavailable. Methods may include generating, based on transaction data corresponding to a production computing service that is available, a production computing service model that includes multiple request types and multiple confidence values that correspond to ones of the request types. Methods may include responding to a request received from a client of the production computing service with a model-generated response to the request in response to the production computing service being unavailable. The production computing service is updated with the request received from the client and the model-generated response responsive to the production computing service being available after being unavailable.
US09141973B2	System and method for license plate frame advertising verification and validation Advertisement is a multi-billion dollar business in US (per year). Here, we use license plate frames for the advertisement. One example of the application describes a license-plate-frame-based advertisement verification system. In order to validate and verify the correct placement/mounting of a license plate frame advertisement at a given location over time, it is necessary to validate that both (a) the ad is correctly placed on the vehicle, and (b) to verify that the ad is at a given location at that time. The method required to verify these includes some control systems and components. Different variations and examples are also presented here.
US09141972B2	Peer-to-peer access of personalized profiles using content intermediary A method for personalizing content for a particular user in a computing system comprising a user interface configured to display content. The method comprises identifying a content item accessed by a user, identifying features associated with the content item; using the features of the content item to identify one or more third party profiles that substantially match a content profile of the content item, and displaying a list of the identified third party profiles.
US09141970B2	Call tracking system and method Methods and systems for capturing and tracking call information relating to a call from a user to a merchant are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a request for a call to a merchant from a user on a device is received and a data connection is initiated with a call analytics platform over which user information is sent from the device to the platform. A unique number allowing the device to call the platform is then passed back to the device. The device calls the platform, call context data is captured, and the call is processed to the merchant. Information relating to the user and merchant call is tracked and logged.
US09141968B2	System and method for redeeming an electronic promotion code at a point of sale An authentication device and a mobile device work together for redeeming an electronic promotion code at a point of sale. Upon receipt of an electronic promotion code, the authentication device encrypts the electronic promotion code and transmits the encrypted promotion code to the mobile device. In response, the mobile device decrypts the encrypted promotion code and determines whether the decrypted promotion code satisfies one or more predefined conditions. If so, the mobile device displays a message, indicating a successful redemption of the promotion code at the point of sale. In some implementations, the message includes a confirmation code, which is provided to the authentication device for generating a transaction log record. In some implementations, the mobile device also generates a separate transaction log record for the promotion code and transmits the transaction log record to a remote server for further processing.
US09141967B2	Method and system for managing reward reversal after posting A system for managing reward reversal is provided. The system includes a device that is capable of adjusting the accumulation and redemption levels of rewards after a purchase or return transaction.
US09141964B1	Method and system for automatically creating an image advertisement A system and method for generating an electronic document are provided. A request to generate an electronic document associated with a concept is received. Content for the electronic document is suggested based on the concept. A selection of the suggested content is received. An electronic document is automatically generated using the selected suggested content.
US09141963B2	System and method for providing advertisement to wireless network service user Provided are a system and method for providing a wireless network service to a user terminal free of charge, by providing a doorway page for exposing an advertisement on the user terminal provided with the wireless network service through an access point. Accordingly, the user terminal may be provided with the wireless network service free of charge, other than the cost of viewing the advertisement exposed on the doorway page. An advertiser and a proprietor may expose the advertisement at the cost of providing the free wireless network service.
US09141956B2	Using biometric tokens to pre-stage and complete transactions A system that supports multi-stage transactions through the use of biometric tokens, such as fingerprint images or iris scans. A user pre-stages a transaction by providing transaction details that can be used a later time to complete the transaction, and the system stores the transaction details in a transaction record that is identified by a biometric token captured from the user. In some systems, the biometric token is captured as part of the pre-staging process. In other systems, the biometric token is retrieved from a data store after the user has provided authentication information, such as a bank card or user-identification code coupled with a secret PIN code. When the user is ready to complete the pre-staged transaction, the system captures a second biometric token from the user and matches the second token to the one identifying the user's transaction record. The transaction details contained in that transaction record are then used to complete the user's transaction.
US09141953B2	Personal token read system and method A system for facilitating secure transactions between a purchaser and a vendor is provided. The system might include a purchaser token data capture device for reading token data into the system, an encryption module for encrypting the token data and a network based vendor input form for communicating the encrypted token data to the vendor. The system might further include a purchaser terminal for routing the encrypted token data to a transaction processing network or a vendor for providing payment and confirmation to the vendor of an authorized token.
US09141952B2	EGM authentication mechanism using multiple key pairs at the bios with PKI Executable applications on a gaming machine are verified before they can be executed, for security purposes and to comply with jurisdictional requirements. Unlike in prior systems for authenticating the executable applications, embodiments allow for new executable applications to be provided and verified over time with different private and public key pairs, even after the operating code of the gaming machine is certified by the jurisdiction and deployed in the field.
US09141946B2	Dynamic payment service Systems and methods may provide for implementing a dynamic payment service. In one example, the method may generate a request communication including purchase detail information relating to an item to request credit from a vendor to conduct a transaction relating to the item, determine a scope of credit to be issued to conduct the transaction relating to the item based on the purchase detail information, and generate a payment communication including the transaction information to complete the transaction relating to the item.
US09141936B2	Systems and methods for simulating a resource constrained process Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for simulation of a resource constrained process. Controlling entity definition data is received, wherein a controlling entity is configured to control resources using a control hierarchy. Resource definition data is received and populated into a resource data structure, wherein the resource is configured to control other resources using the control hierarchy. The resource constrained process is simulated, wherein simulating the resource constrained process includes propagating the controlling entity through the simulation of the resource constrained process, wherein the resource constrained process contains a plurality of stages, at a stage, associating a first resource with the controlling entity using the control hierarchy when the first resource is not allocated to another entity and the first resource fulfills the one or more resource rules, and generating simulation metrics as the controlling entity propagates through the simulation of the resource constrained process.
US09141928B2	System and method for vendor and customer management in a supply chain A method of managing a supply chain comprises providing at a customer interface module a plurality of order fulfillment options to a customer, and receiving from the customer a selection of a particular order fulfillment option. The method also includes receiving a first order from the customer, and receiving a first inventory status from a first distribution center. A first distribution center sends a first product to the customer in response to determining that the particular order fulfillment option comprises a fill-partial order fulfillment option, and a duration between the time that the first product is directed to be sent and the time when the first product is actually sent is determined. An alert is generated if the duration is greater than a predetermined duration.
US09141925B2	System and method for creating building information modeling geometry breakdown structure Disclosed herein is a system and method for generating a BIM geometry breakdown structure. The system includes a geometry breakdown system (GBS) range setting module, a GBS geometric object coding module, and a GBS geometric object coding module. The GBS range setting module sets the range of a GBS based on BIM framework variables. The GBS element definition module generates “standard information breakdown property information” that is used to manage work-type breakdown and location breakdown, “project numbering system (PNS) property information” that is used to manage a work breakdown system (WBS), a cost breakdown structure (CBS), and a standard-method-of-measurement (SMM) breakdown structure (MBS), and “GBS property information” that is used to define geometric information. The GBS geometric object coding module matches geometric objects to the “standard information breakdown property information” and the “PNS property information”, and assigns numbers corresponding to the “GBS property information” to the matched geometric objects.
US09141920B2	Project modeling using iterative variable defect forecasts Project modeling is conducted using variable defect arrival rate or variable defect rate density parameters. These defect rates may be updated on an iteration by iteration basis and may be used to provide remediation and further project modeling, remediation, and prediction.
US09141919B2	System and method for object migration using waves A system and method for information technology (IT) migration includes determining a relationship among objects to be migrated such that the relationship includes a set of objects having at least one of a common feature or dependency between the objects in the set. The objects are grouped into a plurality of migration waves such that cross-wave relationships are minimized among the plurality of migration waves. The objects are migrated wave by wave.
US09141909B2	Turning probability prediction apparatus and method A turning probability prediction apparatus for predicting a turning probability at an intersection at an end of a new road is disclosed. The turning probability prediction apparatus includes a route search device and a prediction device. The route search device retrieves a route that, while extending along a prestored road, leads from the intersection at one end of the new road to the intersection at the other end of the new road. The prediction device predicts the turning probability at the intersection at the end of the new road, based on the probabilities that the turns are made at first to n-th intermediate intersections, wherein the first to n-th intermediate intersections are defined as intersections arranged in the route retrieved by the route search device.
US09141907B2	Network driven actuator mapping agent and bus and method of use A network driven actuator mapping agent is provided. A system includes a sensor configured to sense an event in a first environment. The system also includes an actuator configured to perform an action in a second environment. Moreover, the system further includes a mapping manager configured to map the sensed event to the actuator to provide a custom interaction in the second environment.
US09141903B2	Indicating ultrasonic data tag movement Indicating a movement of an ultrasonic tag is accomplished by a transducer operable to provide electrical signals caused by the movement. The movement can cause mechanical vibrations, sound vibrations, or pressure in the transducer, to generate the electrical signals. A controller can detect the electrical signal from the transducer generated by the movement, whereupon the controller obtains tag data and modulates the tag data to be supplied to a powered up emitter. The emitter transmits the modulated tag data in a transmission to an ultrasonic tag reader using an ultrasonic carrier sound wave.
US09141902B2	Smart card module for a smart card A smart card module for a smart card, comprising a chip having electrical contacts at a front side; a first laminate layer, wherein a rear side of the chip is connected to the first laminate layer, the rear side of the chip opposite the front side; a second laminate layer; a first conductive layer, wherein the electrical contacts of the chip are connected to the first conductive layer and the first conductive layer is arranged between the chip and the second laminate layer; and an adhesive material arranged between the chip and the conductive layer and/or the second laminate layer.
US09141898B2	Printing control apparatus controlling a printing unit to print an image corresponding to print medium size A printing control apparatus prints an image in a size corresponding to a print medium size candidate if a candidate of a print medium size acquired by detecting a print medium size with a sensor is included in a plurality of sizes acceptable for printing in print setting.
US09141895B2	Information processing apparatus, data editing method, and computer program product An information processing apparatus includes a first controller, a data editor, and a second controller. The first controller is configured to display a data editable preview window based on job data created from input data and receive data editing operation through the preview window. The data editor is configured to edit the job data in accordance with the data editing operation received through the preview window. The second controller is configured to transmit, to an output device, output data converted from the edited job data and request the output device to execute job processing.
US09141894B2	Image formation apparatus, image formation system and image formation method An image processing method includes a page layout adjustment step of converting image data to create print data having a page layout such that, when printed sheets each of which has a specified number of pages are discharged from an image formation apparatus thereby forming a stack of the printed sheets in the discharged order and in a case where the stack of the printed sheets are cut into the specified number of separated stacks corresponding to the page layout, the stack order of the cut printed sheets in each of the separated stacks corresponds to a sequence page order.
US09141893B2	Image forming apparatus and method for controlling the same In the invention, an inclination amount of sensors is reflected in positional deviation correction patterns, and for correcting formation positions of images of various colors, the positional deviation correction patterns are formed on a conveying belt. The positional deviation correction patterns are detected by the sensors. A control unit calculates positional deviation correction amounts based on detection results of the positional deviation correction patterns. Based on the calculated positional deviation correction amounts, the control unit performs calculation for correcting the positional deviation correction patterns, and cancels the inclination amount reflected in the calculation results to obtain final positional deviation correction amounts. Skew correction is performed based on the final positional deviation correction amounts, and thus, the positional deviations are corrected.
US09141884B2	Method of automatic management of images in a collection of images and corresponding device The present invention relates to the field of management of image data in data storage. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and device for automatic detection of duplicate images in data storage and corresponding device while taking into account user perception of what he considers to be duplicate images, which method and device are particularly efficient with regard to the personalized, automatic management of large amounts of image data.
US09141883B1	Method, hard negative proposer, and classifier for supporting to collect hard negative images using a similarity map A method for supporting to collect hard negative image is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) a classifier receiving from a hard negative proposer, and classifying, hard negative image candidate corresponding to a certain label candidate or a specific label candidate judged to have semantic or visual relationship with a target object; and (b) the classifier (i) allowing the hard negative proposer to select an additional label candidate whose similarity to the certain label candidate or the specific label candidate exceeds a preset degree of similarity, if a percentage or a number of the hard negative image candidate mistaken for having the target object is judged to satisfy a prefixed condition, (ii) receiving at least one additional hard negative image candidate corresponding to the selected additional label candidate and (iii) classifying the additional hard negative image candidate.
US09141879B2	Pattern matching method, image processing device, and computer program In order to provide a computer program, an image processing device, and a pattern matching method that perform pattern matching at a high level of accuracy without relying on edge deformation, contrast fluctuations, etc., in one embodiment, the disclosed pattern matching method and device perform pattern matching over an image using a template produced on the basis of the below mentioned design data. The pattern matching method and device determine the characteristic quantities of the image for an inner region and/or an outer region that are divided by a line that defines the contour of a pattern, and determine positions at which said characteristic quantities satisfy predetermined conditions to be matching positions, matching position candidates, or erroneous matching positions.
US09141877B2	Method for context aware text recognition A method for context-aware text recognition employing two neuromorphic computing models, auto-associative neural network and cogent confabulation. The neural network model performs the character recognition from input image and produces one or more candidates for each character in the text image input. The confabulation models perform the context-aware text extraction and completion, based on the character recognition outputs and the word and sentence knowledge bases.
US09141875B2	Method and system for correcting gaze offset A method of correcting gaze offset in an image of at least one individual having eyes is disclosed. The method comprises: processing the image to extract location of at least one eye over the image, processing the image to replace imagery data associated with each location of each eye with replacement data thereby providing a corrected image, and transmitting the corrected image to a display device. The replacement data are preferably previously-recorded imagery data which respectively correspond to the same eye but a different gaze.
US09141867B1	Determining word segment boundaries Some examples include segmenting text of a content item to include a plurality of segments or words. For instance, a module for segmenting a content item using a context-based segmenter into a plurality of segments, identifying segment boundary hints stored in the content item, and adjusting segments of the plurality of segments based on the identified segment boundary hints. Some additional examples include inserting segment boundary hints into a content item. For instance a module that segments the content item using a first segmenter and a second segmenter and inserting segment boundary hints into the content item where the results of the first and second segmenter differ.
US09141856B2	Clothing image analysis apparatus, method, and integrated circuit for image event evaluation In an image evaluation apparatus, a clothing recognition unit performs, for each person appearing in each of images included in an image group generated by an image group generation unit, recognition of clothing that the person is wearing. An image event evaluation unit, according to types of clothing recognized by the clothing recognition unit and a frequency of appearance of each type of clothing in the images in the image group, collectively evaluates the images included in the image group.
US09141853B1	System and method for extracting information from documents Various embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for extracting information from digital documents, including physical documents that have been converted to digital documents. For example, some embodiments are configured to extract information from a field in a digital document by identifying a block of tokens before (i.e., a prior block) and a block of tokens after (i.e., a post block) the field from which the information is to be extracted, where both the prior block and post block are known to be associated with the field type of the field (e.g., name, address, phone number, etc.).
US09141839B2	System and method for reading code symbols at long range using source power control A system and method are presented for improving the performance of code scanners in the extended and far ranges. At these distances, the intensity of the laser beam reflected off the code symbol can be markedly decreased, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a successful reading of the code symbol by the code scanner. The system provides for dynamic power increases to the laser source to generate a greater dynamic range.
US09141835B1	Card reader for providing swipe feedback A card reader includes a body including a slot that is configured to receive a swipe of a card along a first axis with an edge of the card abutting a bottom surface of the slot, the slot including at least one region that is configured to increase frictional drag on the card in response to a longitudinal axis of the card varying from parallel to the bottom surface of the slot; and a reader interface positioned in the body and configured to read a magnetic stripe on the card as the card is swiped through the slot along the first axis.
US09141834B2	Ultrasonic identification of replaceable component for host system A system, method and device are provided for detecting the presence of, and/or obtain information about, a replaceable component for a host system. A host system has an ultrasonic transducer pair that detects the presence of, and/or obtains information about, a replaceable component for a host system through receipt or non-receipt of an ultrasonic signal. The replaceable component includes a key or other feature that either allows the transmission of a transmitted ultrasonic signal, or which does not allow the reception of the transmitted ultrasonic signal, depending on the host configuration.
US09141830B2	Avionics gateway interface, systems and methods Systems and methods are provided for FAA-certified avionics devices to safely interface with non-certified mobile telecommunications devices before, during, and after flight. Data transmitted to the certified devices do not affect functionality of the certified device unless and until a user acknowledges and/or confirms the data on the certified device. Thus, the integrity of the certified device is maintained.
US09141818B2	Information providing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium having stored information for each marker image identification information An information providing apparatus includes following components. A storing unit stores marker image identification information, an image feature of a marker placed area, related information, and disclosure limitation information indicating whether the related information is to be disclosed to specific users in an image information memory. A user information memory stores user identification information identifying a user and privilege information indicating a privilege of the user. An obtaining unit obtains, from an information terminal, user identification information and a target image. A search unit searches the image information memory for marker image identification information of a marker image having an image feature similar to that included in the target image. A providing unit provides, if the corresponding disclosure limitation information indicates limited disclosure and the corresponding privilege information indicates that access to the retrieved related information is permitted, the corresponding related information to the information terminal.
US09141813B2	Ordered deletion of content in storage systems A computer-implemented method for storing an object includes providing an object, an ordering vector of the object, the ordering vector being associated to a lexicographic order having at least one dimension, and base keys associated to each dimension of the lexicographic order; deriving a key by retrieving the base key associated to the first dimension of the lexicographic order for which the ordering vector has a value different from the smallest value, and applying a one-way function a number of times corresponding to the value of the ordering vector for the last dimension of the lexicographic order; encrypting the object with the key; and storing the object as encrypted.
US09141809B2	Method and apparatus for deterring a timing-based glitch attack during a secure boot process Disclosed is a method for deterring a timing-based glitch attack during a secure boot process of a device having a device-specific number. In the method, the device generates a pseudorandom number specific to a particular execution of a secure boot process. The device combines the device-specific number and the pseudorandom number to generate a diversity value. The device may change a timing of at least one process step of the secure boot process based on the diversity value. Also, the device may change an order of process steps of the secure boot process based on the diversity value.
US09141807B2	Security remediation A method is provided to remediate defects in first computer program code that can be used to configure a computer to produce code for use by the same or a different computer configured using second computer program code to use the produced code to produce output information, the method comprising: configuring a computer to perform static analysis of the first program to produce an information structure in a non-transitory computer readable storage device that associates a respective code statement of the first program code with a respective context, wherein the context associates a parser state with a potential defect in the produced code; identify a defect in the first computer program code that is associated with the respective code statement; and determining a remediation for the identified defect.
US09141804B2	Processor boot security device and methods thereof A method of securing network authentication information at a data processing device includes determining a boot source from which to boot the device and comparing the boot source to an expected source. If the boot source is not the expected source, access to the network authentication information is inhibited, such as by disabling access to the portion of memory that stores the authentication information. Further, if the boot source is the expected source, boot code authentication information is retrieved from memory and verified during the boot sequence. If the device authentication information is not authenticated, access to the network authentication information is inhibited. Accordingly, access to the network authentication information is allowed only if the data processing device is booted from an expected source, and only if the boot code is authenticated, thereby reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access to the network authentication information.
US09141795B2	Techniques for detecting malicious activity Techniques for detecting malicious activity are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for detecting malicious activity including receiving information indicating a first process being executed, the first process including a plurality of first process components, receiving information specific to at least one of the plurality of first process components, determining whether the first process exhibits malicious behavior; and identifying which of the plurality of first process components is responsible for the malicious behavior based on the received information.
US09141786B2	Malicious mobile code runtime monitoring system and methods Protection systems and methods provide for protecting one or more personal computers (“PCs”) and/or other intermittently or persistently network accessible devices or processes from undesirable or otherwise malicious operations of Java TN applets, ActiveX™ controls, JavaScript™ scripts, Visual Basic scripts, add-ins, downloaded/uploaded programs or other “Downloadables” or “mobile code” in whole or part. A protection engine embodiment provides for monitoring information received, determining whether received information does or is likely to include executable code, and if so, causes mobile protection code (MPC) to be transferred to and rendered operable within a destination device of the received information. An MPC embodiment further provides, within a Downloadable-destination, for initiating the Downloadable, enabling malicious Downloadable operation attempts to be received by the MPC, and causing (predetermined) corresponding operations to be executed in response to the attempts.
US09141779B2	Usable security of online password management with sensor-based authentication A multi-party security protocol that incorporates biometric-based authentication and withstands attacks against any single party (e.g., mobile phone, cloud, or the user). The protocol involves the function split between mobile and cloud and the mechanisms to chain-hold the secrets. A key generation mechanisms binds secrets to a specific device or URL (uniform resource locator) by adding salt to a master credential. An inline CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) handling mechanism uses the same sensor modality as the authentication process, which not only improves the usability, but also facilitates the authentication process. This architecture further enhances existing overall system security (e.g., handling untrusted or compromised cloud service, phone being lost, impersonation, etc.) and also improves the usability by automatically handling the CAPTCHA.
US09141777B2	Authentication method and code setting method and authentication system for electronic apparatus The present invention relates to an authentication method for electronic apparatus and authentication system, which comprises the steps of: enabling an electronic apparatus to be moved by a user from a first position to a second position; enabling an inertial sensor embedded in the electronic apparatus to detect and thus constructing a three-dimensional continuous trajectory of the electronic apparatus's movement from the first position to the second position in a Cartesian coordination system composed of a first-direction axis, a second-direction axis and a third-direction axis; and enabling a processor embedded in the electronic apparatus to perform either a process for registering the three-dimensional continuous trajectory as a standard movement trajectory; or a comparison between the three-dimensional continuous trajectory and a previously registered standard movement trajectory so as to authenticate the correctness of the three-dimensional continuous trajectory and thus authenticating the electronic apparatus.
US09141774B2	Method and system for controlling access to applications on mobile terminal Various embodiments provide methods and systems for controlling an access to applications on a mobile terminal. In an exemplary method, an opened application can be scanned and an application identification can be obtained. The application identification can be compared with a pre-stored target application identification. When the application identification is compared to be consistent with the pre-stored target application identification, an unlock interface can be displayed. An unlock command can be obtained to run the application on the mobile terminal. An exemplary system for controlling an access to an application on a mobile terminal can include a scanning module, a comparing module, a displaying module, and an executing module.
US09141772B2	Trust conferencing apparatus and methods in digital communication A conferencing application executing on a computerized appliance from a machine-readable medium, the computerized appliance coupled to one or more networks is provided, the application including functionality for responding to requests to join a conference, and for enabling requesters as participants, functionality for receiving and rendering text, voice or video data from each registered participant as text, voice or video data to be transmitted to individual ones of other participants, functionality for controlling which received text, voice or video data is transmitted to which participants, and functionality for receiving and executing instructions from a trust authority.
US09141771B1	Methods and systems for embedded licensing from multiple license sources In embedded licensing from multiple license sources, a hardware device sends a capability request when a new licensed capability or modification to an existing licensed capability is desired. The hardware device transmits a first capability request to a first server and receives a first capability response from the first server. The hardware device then transmits a second capability request to a second server and receives a second capability response from the second server. When the first server and the second server are the same, regenerative licensing is activated by the hardware device, and an authorized capabilities list of the second capability response replaces an authorized capabilities list of the first capability response. When the first server and the second server are distinct, cumulative licensing is activated by the hardware device, and an authorized capabilities list of the second capability response is added to an authorized capabilities list of the first capability response.
US09141765B2	Distribution of infusion pumps Some embodiments described herein provide for a number of portable infusion pumps to be distributed to a pump user via a pharmacy system or like.
US09141764B2	System and method for online integrated multiple tablet ordering A system and method for ordering a plurality of tablets is described. The system comprises a server accessible via a network by at least one client. An online application is hosted on the server and accessible by the client. The online application comprises a user interface configured to receive a first input associated with a first tablet. The first input comprises a first schedule for consumption of the first tablet. The user interface is also configured to receive a second input associated with a second tablet. The second input comprises a second schedule for consumption of the second tablet. The user interface is further configured to display an integrated schedule comprising the schedule for consumption of the first tablet and the schedule for consumption of the second tablet.
US09141761B2	Apparatus and method for assisting user to maintain correct posture An apparatus for assisting a user to maintain a correct posture is provided. The apparatus includes a determining unit configured to determine whether the user is using a portable terminal in a correct posture based on a user's face image captured by the portable terminal, an angle of inclination of the portable terminal, or any combination thereof, and an alarming unit configured to provide a predetermined alarm according to a result of determination by the determining unit.
US09141760B2	System and method for selection of stored dialysis therapy prescriptions In an embodiment, an automated peritoneal dialysis (“APD”) machine includes at least one pump, a logic implementer storing a plurality of therapy prescriptions by which to operate the at least one pump, each therapy prescription pre-approved for a particular patient, and an input device operating with the logic implementer to allow the patient to select one of the therapy prescriptions for a particular therapy. In another embodiment, the input device operating with the logic implementer allows a doctor/clinician to select or approve one of the therapy prescriptions to be run on the APD machine. In a further embodiment, the logic implementer is programmed to select or suggest one of the therapy prescriptions to be run on the APD machine.
US09141755B2	Device and method for selecting genes and proteins The present invention provides a device, method and program for selecting genes or proteins from a set of candidate genes or proteins so that the selected genes or proteins have a stronger relevance to a specific subject. The device of the present invention contains a storage device, an input device and a processor. The storage device stores a data warehouse that contains a data about a collection of genes or proteins, with which annotations are associated. The input device receives an input of the set of candidate genes or proteins. The processor (a) gathers annotations that are associated with the candidate genes or proteins, (b) chooses annotations that are associated with the candidate genes or proteins more than a threshold number of times or frequencies, and (c) selects genes or proteins, with which at least one of the chosen annotations is associated.
US09141753B2	Method for placing operational cells in a semiconductor device There is provided a method of placing a plurality of operational cells of a semiconductor device within a semiconductor layout, comprising determining timing data for each of the plurality of operational cells, determining switching activity from RTL or design constraints for each of the plurality of operational cells, determining power grid switch locations relative to each of the plurality of operational cells, deriving a cost function based upon the determined timing data, determined switching activity from RTL/design constraints and determined relative power grid switch locations and initially placing the plurality of operational cells according to the derived cost function.
US09141751B2	Method of forming a pattern A method of forming a pattern includes defining a plurality of patterns, defining a plurality of pitch violating patterns that contact the plurality of patterns and correspond to regions between the patterns, classifying the plurality of pitch violating patterns into a first region and a second region that is adjacent to the first region, selecting one of the first region and the second region, and forming an initial pattern defined as the selected first or second region. The selecting includes performing at least one of i) selecting a region that contact dummy patterns, ii) selecting a region of a same kind as one region, and iii) selecting a region that contacts a concave part of an enclosure from the first region and the second region.
US09141746B1	System and method to drag instance master physical shell A system and method for enabling the display and movement of a boundary box of an instance master inclusive of specific predetermined geometric figures, including master pins, master halo and master boundary edges, is provided. The system and method provides for improved utilization of computer resources and enables users of the present invention to be able to drag and use instance master in their designs more efficiently and rapidly.
US09141743B1	Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for providing evolving information in generating a physical design with custom connectivity using force models and design space decomposition Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufactures for providing evolving information in generating a physical design with custom conductivity using force models and design space decomposition by first presenting a layout area in an interface. The interface then displays the evolution of the physical design in the interface to reflect temporal states of the physical design during generation of the physical design after the system receives an input for the physical design and a request for creating the physical design.
US09141738B2	Sequential non-deterministic detection in hardware design The use of X's in RTL design is widely common for improving synthesis results and, in some cases, verification effectiveness. However, it has certain implications on verification completeness. Human design error or flawed synthesis may lead to undesirable non-determinism on design outputs, not always detected consistently by simulators. This disclosure presents a framework for formalizing observable behavior on digital design output, and a proof methodology for detecting non-determinism or proving correctness with respect to observable X, using a model checker.
US09141737B1	Analysis of stress impact on transistor performance Roughly described, a method for approximating stress-induced mobility enhancement in a channel region in an integrated circuit layout, including approximating the stress at each of a plurality of sample points in the channel, converting the stress approximation at each of the sample points to a respective mobility enhancement value, and averaging the mobility enhancement values at all the sample points. The method enables integrated circuit stress analysis that takes into account stresses contributed by multiple stress generation mechanisms, stresses having vector components other than along the length of the channel, and stress contributions (including mitigations) due to the presence of other structures in the neighborhood of the channel region under study, other than the nearest STI interfaces. The method also enables stress analysis of large layout regions and even full-chip layouts, without incurring the computation costs of a full TCAD simulation.
US09141732B2	Simulation execution method, program, and system A technique for increasing the speed of parallel running of logical processes without sacrificing the accuracy of data update timing in a parallel discrete event simulation system.A logical process involving a longer receiving time lag than that of sending is executed by an amount of initial shift for a predetermined period before the simulation. The initial shift is set to be one-half of a value of difference between the receiving time lag and the sending time lag. The logical process executed with timing displaced by the amount of initial shift runs by exchanging null messages with each other. Each null message is delivered to a correspondent logical process after the predetermined time lag, and each logical process further sends the correspondent logical process a null message upon receipt of the null message. Thus, there is a progression of simulation by synchronizing them through the null messages.
US09141731B2	Symmetry of discovered geometric relationships in a three dimensional model Systems and methods for identifying symmetry relationships in product data management (PDM) systems. A method includes receiving a 3D model including a plurality of components and identifying a plurality of target components from the plurality of components. The method includes identifying a symmetry plane in the 3D model and determining the location of each of the target components with respect to the symmetry plane. The method includes adding the target components to respective groups according to the determined locations, and creating an equivalence class for each group of target components. The method includes storing a symmetry relationship between the created equivalence classes.
US09141722B2	Access to network content A method and system for improving access to network content are described. Aspects of the disclosure minimize the delay between a navigation event and a network response by prerendering the next navigation event. For example, the method and system may predict a likely next navigation event during web browsing to preemptively request content from the network before the user selects the corresponding link on a web page. The prediction operation may identify correlations between metadata associated with a navigation history. The metadata may include the relationship of the selected navigation events to a web page. By making predictions using link page relationships links may be accurately predicted in circumstances where two links share common relationships to their source page but different destination addresses.
US09141721B2	User specific desktop hyperlinks to relevant documents A method and system for displaying a list of documents on a desktop background on a computing device including assigning each user from a group of users to a group membership being selected from among a plurality of group memberships. An electronic file may be determined for users assigned to the selected group membership. The electronic file may be assigned as a desktop background on a computing device of each user assigned to the group membership, the assignment of the electronic file operable to cause the electronic file to be displayed as the desktop background, the electronic file including a predetermined listing of links of documents associated with the group membership.
US09141712B2	Sequential website moving system using voice guide message A sequential website moving system using a voice guide message comprises: a web server management module which receives registered information on a web page operated on a web server in a web server DB; a web server keyword management module which is provided with a keyword of the web page, in a keyword DB; a web browser analysis module which recognizes the content of the web page displayed on a web browser of a client terminal, selects a word or the context of the web page as a representative word in a representative word DB; a voice guide message generation module which compares the representative word with the keyword, links the web page registered on the web server with the corresponding keyword if the matched keyword exists, and generates the linked page as a voice guide message of the displayed web page; and a voice guide message display module.
US09141709B1	Relevant file identification using automated queries to disparate data storage locations Relevant files are determined for a user upon detecting a user action such as save, load, open, view, share, or comparable ones associated with a file. The relevancy may be determined through one or more queries based on, a number of criteria, where the queries are executed on local or remote data stores related to the user. For example, files on the local computing device of the user, files in an enterprise network associated with the user, files on a social network subscribed by the user may be evaluated for various relevancy criteria. Files determined to be relevant may be prioritized, ordered, and/or grouped for suggestion to the user and presented through a user interface of an application performing the detected action.
US09141695B2	System and method for creating, managing, and publishing audio microposts A system and method for creating, managing, and publishing audio microposts is provided. An audio micropost comprises a short audio segment recorded and/or captured based on voice, speech, and/or other sound, which may be shared with and/or published to subscribers and/or other users. The system may enable creating a discussion and playlist based on the audio microposts. The discussion may be generated by identifying and/or selecting an audio micropost that may pose a question and/or topic for a discussion and/or debate. The system may further enable granting the ability to participate in the discussion to a selected group of participants. The playlist of audio microposts may be created by adding individual posts into the playlist and/or by using hashtags and/or keywords to search for audio microposts of interest.
US09141691B2	Method for automatically indexing documents Methods and Systems for automatically indexing a set of base documents. Data defining all elements respectively contained within the base documents is indexed. The elements comprise an element to be checked and surrounding elements that surround the element to be checked. The received data is evaluated as to whether the element to be checked has the corresponding meaning, wherein training has been performed based on a training sample generated for base documents in which the element to be checked is surrounded by the surrounding elements and has the corresponding meaning. For those base documents where elements have been found to have the corresponding meaning, building an index indexing the base documents, the index comprising the elements having the corresponding meaning with a corresponding reference to the document in which each element is contained.
US09141688B2	Search in network management UI controls A network search function is disclosed. A network administrator enters a search term. The search function determines whether any items or network devices listed in a network control user interface match the search term. The network administrator can stipulate whether the match be either an explicit match or an implicit match. All of the matches, if any, are automatically highlighted and selected. Thereby, the network administrator can perform an operation on these matches based on the search function, without having to manually locate and then manually click to select the desired items or network devices.
US09141687B2	Identification of data objects within a computer database Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for identifying matching objects in a computer database. In one representative technique, a set of attribute-value pairs corresponding to a query data object are input, with individual ones of the attribute-value pairs including an identified attribute and a value for the identified attribute; multiple characteristic fingerprints are assigned to individual ones of the attribute-value pairs in the set, the characteristic fingerprints having been selected from an attribute-specific field of available characteristic fingerprints based on the value for the identified attribute; a subset of at least one characteristic fingerprint is selected from across the characteristic fingerprints for the query data object, based on a selection criterion, and a database is queried using the subset of at least one characteristic fingerprint to identify any matches.
US09141685B2	Front end and backend replicated storage An existing primary data copy can be maintained on an existing primary front end server node. One or more existing secondary data copies can be maintained on one or more existing secondary front end server nodes to minor the existing primary data copy (such as by making synchronous changes to the secondary data copies). One or more existing backup data copies can be maintained on an existing backend server node to mirror the existing primary data copy (such as by making asynchronous changes to the one or more backup data copies). The existing backend server node can be accessible by one or more of the front end nodes. In response to detecting a failure of the existing primary data copy, one of the one or more secondary data copies can be designated as a new primary data copy in place of the existing primary data copy.
US09141681B2	Creating a column family in a database A mechanism for providing messages for Java message service (JMS). A method includes receiving, by a Java message service (JMS) server executed by a processing device, key-value data pair. The key-value data pair is sent by a client. The method also includes extracting, by the processing device, destination information of a JMS message from the value data of the key-value data pair. The destination information is either a JMS queue or a JMS topic. The method further includes storing, by the processing device, the key-value data pair in a column family of not only structured query language (NoSQL) database when one of the JMS queue or the JMS topic associated with the received key-value data pair exists in the column family of the NoSQL database. The column family includes a plurality of stored key-value data pairs.
US09141673B2	Cloud-based phone system with methodologies for suggesting account configuration settings A cloud-based phone system with methodologies for suggesting account configuration settings is provided. In one embodiment, for example, techniques are provided for suggesting how a particular user should configure a particular account configuration parameter of a plurality of account configuration parameters available to the particular user. One or more parameters of the plurality of account configuration parameters that are related to the particular parameter are identified. One or more other users are identified that have configured the one or more parameters similar to how the particular user has configured the one or more parameters. A suggestion of how the particular user should configure the particular parameter is made based on settings for the particular parameter made by the one or more other users.
US09141672B1	Click or skip evaluation of query term optionalization rule Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for click or skip evaluation of optionalization rules. In one aspect, a method includes accessing query log data that identifies, for an initial search query, one or more revised search queries that were identified by designating a query term of the initial search query as optional according to one or more optionalization rules, and a particular search result selected by the user. A determination is made, using the query log data, that the particular search result corresponds to the one or more revised search queries that were identified by designating the query term of the initial search query as optional according to one or more optionalization rules. In response to this determination, a click count is incremented for the one or more optionalization rules that corresponds to the particular search result.
US09141670B2	Methods and systems for hardware acceleration of streamed database operations and queries based on multiple hardware accelerators Embodiments of the present invention provide a hardware accelerator that assists a host database system in processing its queries. The hardware accelerator comprises special purpose processing elements that are capable of receiving database query/operation tasks in the form of machine code database instructions, execute them in hardware without software, and return the query/operation result back to the host system.
US09141669B2	Configuring an origin server content delivery using a pulled data list An exemplary system and method for generating a data list of websites and configuring at least one server computer coupled to a communications network for an origin server website content delivery may comprise a network storage device communicatively coupled to a network and storing a routing table for a CDN, the routing table map one or more edge server IP addresses for one or more edge servers to each of one or more geographic regions. The network storage device may be configured to transmit the routing table to one or more DNS servers communicatively coupled to the network.
US09141656B1	Searching using access controls Techniques include: identifying one or more first entities who have connections to more than a threshold number of other entities; identifying first content in the search index that is authored by the first entities; and associating author restricts with the first content, where the author restricts include data identifying entities who authored corresponding content. The techniques may also include: identifying one or more second entities who have social connections to one or more entities who authored second content, where the one or more second entities have connections to less than the threshold number other entities; associating searcher restricts with the second content; and providing the search index updated with searcher and author restricts.
US09141654B2	Executing user-defined function on a plurality of database tuples According to an example, in a method for executing a user-defined function on a plurality of database tuples, the user-defined function and an analysis function may be obtained. In addition, the plurality of database tuples may be divided into parts by a processor, the processor may be caused to execute the analysis function on each of the parts, and the processor may be caused to execute the user-defined function on at least one of the parts for which the analysis function returned a true predicate.
US09141653B2	Real-time data management for a power grid A real-time data management system, a system, method, apparatus and tangible computer readable medium for accessing data in a power grid are described for controlling a transmission delay of real-time data delivered via a real-time bus, and for delivering real-time data in a power grid. A unified data model covering various organizations and various data resource is described. Further, a management scheme for clustered data is described to provide a transparent and high speed data access. The solutions described may efficiently manage the high volume of real-time data and events, provide data transmission with a low latency, provide flexible extension of both the number of data clusters and the number of databases to ensure high volume data storage, and achieve a high speed and transparent data access. Additionally, rapid design and development of analytical applications, and the near real-time enterprise decision-making business may be enabled.
US09141652B2	Method and system for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories Systems and a method for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories are described. The method receives a selection that identifies a parent category and a first category based on the parent category. The method further identifies the plurality of data items based on a link from the first category to a second category. The data items are not user-classifiable under the first category and are user-classified under the second category. The method finally communicates a user interface, over a network, that includes the plurality of data items.
US09141645B2	User interfaces for controlling and manipulating groupings in a multi-zone media system In general, user interfaces for controlling a plurality of multimedia players in groups are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a user interface is provided to allow a user to group some of the players according to a theme or scene, where each of the players is located in a zone. When the scene is activated, the players in the scene react in a synchronized manner. For example, the players in the scene are all caused to play a multimedia source or music in a playlist, wherein the multimedia source may be located anywhere on a network. The user interface is further configured to illustrate graphically a size of a group, the larger the group appears relatively, the more plays there are in the group.
US09141640B2	Methods and systems of advanced real estate searching The invention provides systems and methods for advanced features for online mapping, searching, and planning driving tours. A multiple listing service (MLS) system may include a map search feature. A user interface for a real property listing may include a geographic map, which may enable a user to define a destination search area. The destination search area may be displayed on the geographic map. The MLS system may enable a user to conduct a search utilizing spatial and/or non-spatial filters. A search entry interface may be provided on a user interface in conjunction with the geographic map. The geographic map and map search features may also be able to include additional geographic information.
US09141639B2	Bitmap selection for remote copying of updates In one embodiment of the present description, a copy relationship is established between a storage location at a first site and a storage location at a second site in a data storage system, wherein a dynamically assignable bitmap preset to one of a plurality of different predetermined bit patterns is selected as a function of both the availability of the selected bitmap and the type of predetermined bit pattern identified for the selected bitmap. The selected bitmap may be assigned as an out-of-sync bitmap wherein updates to the storage location at one site, which are to be copied to the storage location at the other site, are indicated in the selected bitmap, and data writes being written to the storage location at the one site, are copied to the storage location at the other site, using the selected bitmap as an out-of-sync bitmap. Other aspects are described.
US09141634B2	Method for automatic data replication and terminal Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for automatic data replication and a terminal. The method includes: after a data link to a peer end is established, send to the peer end a search request used for searching for a second folder whose folder name is the same as that of a first folder, where the search request includes a folder name of the first folder; when the peer end determines that the peer end includes the second folder, receiving attribute information of each piece of second data in the second folder, where the attribute information of each piece of second data is sent by the peer end; when the attribute information of the second data is inconsistent with attribute information of first data in the first folder, sending a replication request to the peer end.
US09141626B2	Volume having tiers of different storage traits A volume system that presents a volume having an extent of logical addresses to a file system. A volume exposure system exposes the volume to the file system in a manner that the volume has multiple tiers, each offering storage of different traits. This is performed using multiple heterogenic underlying storage systems, each having different storage system-specific traits. Each underlying storage system may be hardware, software, or a combination thereof that permits each storage system to expose storage having the particular storage system-specific traits to the file system. The volume system supports each tier by mapping logical addresses of the tier to portions of underling storage systems that are consistent with the tier traits.
US09141624B2	Managing the storage of media content A method for managing media storage. The method includes determining, by a computer, that storage space is needed on a storage device, wherein the storage device stores one or more media files. The method includes determining a likely viewing device for a media file selected from the one or more media files and converting the media file from a first format to a second format, based on the determined likely viewing device.
US09141589B2	Method and an apparatus to provide a personalized page A method and an apparatus to provide a personalized page to a user have been disclosed. In one embodiment, a user is identified as a member of a first group and a member of a second group. The first group's level of interest (LOI) in a first item is identified, as well as the second group's LOI in a second item. The user's LOI in at least one of the first and the second items is identified.
US09141588B2	Communication using handwritten input Technologies are generally described for transmitting a handwritten input. In some examples, a method performed under control of a handwriting device may include receiving a handwritten input including a first part including a text message, recognizing the text message, identifying a user of the handwritten input, determining an emotion attribute of the identified user based on the handwritten input, determining a font information regarding a font of the first part based on the emotion attribute, generating a data file including the text message and the font information and transmitting the data file to a receiving device.
US09141572B2	Direct memory access controller A system has at least one bus, a central processing unit (CPU) coupled with the bus, a memory coupled with the bus, a direct memory access (DMA) controller having a plurality of DMA channels and operating independently from the CPU and being coupled with the bus, wherein for access to the bus the DMA controller is programmable in a first mode to have priority over the CPU and in a second mode in which at least one DMA channel of the DMA controller is suspended from accessing the bus.
US09141569B2	Tracking a relative arrival order of events being stored in multiple queues using a counter An order controller stores each received event in a separate entry in one of at least two queues with a separate counter value set from an arrival order counter at the time of storage, wherein the arrival order counter is incremented after storage of each of the received events and on overflow the arrival order counter wraps back to zero. The order controller calculates an absolute value of the difference between a first counter value stored with an active first next entry in a first queue from among the at least two queues and a second counter value stored with an active second next entry in a second queue from among the at least two queues. The order controller compares the absolute value with a counter midpoint value to determine whether the first counter value was stored before the second counter value.
US09141565B2	Memory bus attached input/output (‘I/O’) subsystem management in a computing system Memory bus attached Input/Output (‘I/O’) subsystem management in a computing system, the computing system including an I/O subsystem communicatively coupled to a memory bus, including: detecting, by an I/O subsystem device driver, a hibernation request; setting, by the I/O subsystem device driver, a predetermined memory address to a value indicating that the I/O subsystem is not to service system requests; detecting, by the I/O subsystem device driver, that the I/O subsystem device driver has been restarted; and setting, by the I/O subsystem device driver, the predetermined memory address to a value indicating that the I/O subsystem can resume servicing system requests.
US09141550B2	Specific prefetch algorithm for a chip having a parent core and a scout core Embodiments relate to a method, system, and computer program product for prefetching data on a chip having at least one scout core and a parent core. The method includes saving a prefetch code start address by the parent core. The prefetch code start address indicates where a prefetch code is stored. The prefetch code is specifically configured for monitoring the parent core based on a specific application being executed by the parent core. The method includes sending a broadcast interrupt signal by the parent core to the at least one scout core. The broadcast interrupt signal being sent based on the prefetch code start address being saved. The method includes monitoring the parent core by the prefetch code executed by at least one scout core. The scout core executes the prefetch code based on receiving the broadcast interrupt signal.
US09141543B1	Systems and methods for writing data from a caching agent to main memory according to a pre-clean criterion Systems and methods for writing data from a caching agent to a main memory in a computer system are provided. In systems and methods for writing data from a caching agent to a main memory in a computer system, a notice of an occurrence of a triggering event is received. In response to the receipt of the notice, data is retrieved from a storage array of the caching agent in accordance with a pre-clean criterion. The pre-clean criterion identifies the data that is being retrieved from the storage array prior to receiving a command on the data. The data is written to the main memory, where the writing of the data causes a memory address associated with the data to have identical contents in the storage array and in the main memory.
US09141540B2	Garbage collection of interned strings Provided are techniques for a garbage-collected interned string table. Reference objects that each reference strings in the interned string table are created. The reference objects and the strings referenced by the reference objects in the interned string table are marked with a current generation. Garbage collection is performed by: advancing the current generation to a next generation; in response to the reference objects in a previous generation from the current generation advancing to an acquired references state, promoting the reference objects and the strings referenced by the reference objects in the previous generation to the current generation; and deleting the strings that are marked with the previous generation in the interned string table.
US09141537B2	Magnetic random access memory journal A flash memory system comprises a logic block interface operable to receive a write command to store data from a host computer, a flash memory device operable to store the data in response to the write command, and a non-volatile memory communicatively coupled to the flash memory device and the logic block interface operable to temporarily store the data, and to provide the stored data to be written to the flash memory device in the event of a disruption during execution of the write command.
US09141533B2	Data storage device and flash memory control method for performing garbage collection A data storage device and a Flash memory control method. A data storage device comprises a Flash memory and a controller. The controller controls the Flash memory in accordance with firmware. When the firmware is available for at least a predetermined time period without being requested by a host, the controller, driven according to the firmware, performs a garbage-collection operation on the Flash memory without a request from the host.
US09141531B1	Data flush from cache to disk based on track limit A disk drive having a disk, a head actuated over the disk, a volatile semiconductor memory (VSM), a command queue, and control circuitry operable to receive a plurality of write commands from a host, store the plurality of write commands in the command queue, store write data for the plurality of write commands in the VSM, and flush, from the VSM to the disk, a portion of the write data corresponding to a predetermined number of tracks.
US09141530B2	Data writing method, memory controller and memory storage device A data writing method for controlling a rewritable non-volatile memory module having a plurality of physical erase units is provided. The method includes: receiving a write command which instructs writing data to a first logical address, wherein the first logical address is mapped to a second physical erase unit; determining whether the second physical erase unit is in a sequential writing state which represents that the physical programming units over a predetermined ratio in the second physical erasing unit have been successively written sequentially within a predetermined time; if yes, writing the data into a third physical erasing unit in a first programming mode, wherein the first programming mode represents that a plurality of upper physical programming units are non-programmable. Accordingly, the data writing rate is increased.
US09141527B2	Managing cache pools Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for managing cache pools. A storage request module monitors storage requests received by a cache. The storage requests include read requests and write requests. A read pool module adjusts a size of a read pool of the cache to increase a read hit rate of the storage requests. A dirty write pool module adjusts a size of a dirty write pool of the cache to increase a dirty write hit rate of the storage requests.
US09141526B2	Reclaiming units by searching units for a predetermined criterion and storing data from a valid subunit A method and apparatus for managing write operations in memory. The method includes a memory including units, each of the units including subunits. Data updates are written “out-of-place”, in that new data does not overwrite the memory locations (subunits) where the data is currently stored. The at least one subunit containing the outdated data is marked as invalid. As a result, a subunit can contain up to date data in a valid subunit next to invalid subunits. For reclaiming units for erasure, it is searched amongst the units to identify a unit or units that match a predetermined criterion. The data of valid subunits of such identified unit is rewritten to another unit or units.
US09141517B2	Public solution model test automation framework Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for testing data structures, such as for example business objects. In some implementations, there is provided a method. The method may include generating, at a test system, a test script including a test business object generated based on metadata describing aspects of a deployed business object at a target system; receiving, at the test system, a request to test the target system including the deployed business object; testing, based on the generated test script including the test business object, at least one of a data and an action of the deployed business object; and generating, at the test system, at least a result of the testing. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
US09141514B1	System, method, and computer program for automatically comparing a plurality of software testing environments A system, method, and computer program product are provided for automatically comparing a plurality of software testing environments. In use, a plurality of software testing environments to be compared are identified. Additionally, at least one comparison validation rule to be utilized on the plurality of software testing environments is identified. Further, the plurality of software testing environments are compared utilizing the at least one comparison validation rule. Moreover, a report is generated including a result of comparing the plurality of software testing environments utilizing the at least one comparison validation rule.
US09141497B2	Load-testing circuit for USB ports A load-testing circuit is used for simulating maximum standard load currents for different types of USB ports. The load-testing circuit includes a first electronic switch, a second electronic switch, and a current selection module including a plurality of current branch circuits. When one of the current branch circuits is activated, a voltage at a third terminal of the first electronic switch is supplied to a first terminal of the second electronic switch through the activated current branch circuit to turn on the second electronic switch. A current of the third terminal of the first electronic switch is approximately equal to a current of the activated current branch circuit.
US09141490B2	Graceful degradation designing system and method When information about a failed physical server is inputted, the number of processing programs which are insufficient to meet an availability requirement specified in advance is calculated for each subsystem executing on a computer system, and a graceful degradation which meets the availability requirement is determined by changing the quantity of computer resources allocated to processing programs.
US09141489B2	Failover procedure for server system A failover procedure for a computer system includes steps for routing traffic from a routing device to a first server, storing in the routing device data representing a fingerprint of the first server, receiving periodically at the routing device a status message from the first server, detecting at the routing device an invalid status message from the first server by absence of the fingerprint in a status message from the first server within a predetermined time period after last receiving a valid status message, and routing the traffic from the routing device to a second server in response to detecting the invalid status message from the first server. A redundant server system implementing the failover procedure may include servers each capable of generating its fingerprint by reading current system configuration data.
US09141482B2	Method, system, and apparatus for providing alert synthesis in a data protection system A method for diagnosing problems with protection of a data source and recovery of the same. The method includes diagnosing a copy of data located at the storage location and diagnosing a temporal version of the copy of data. Based on the diagnosis it is determined whether an error or a warning was detected. If either were detected a response is provided with a suggested solution.
US09141480B2	Handling failed transaction peers in a distributed hash table Data storage systems and methods for storing data are described herein. The storage system includes at least two data storage nodes for storing portions of a distributed hash table and related data. After a first node attempts to complete a write request at a second node and is unable to complete the request, the first node ceases responses to interactions from other nodes. Once the first node's failure to respond has caused a sufficient number of nodes to cease responding, the nodes enter a service mode to resolve the live lock. While in live lock, the nodes determine the oldest, unfulfilled request using a system-wide logical timestamp associated with write requests. Once the oldest request is determined, a removal vote to remove the non-responsive node from the group is initiated and, if other nodes agree, the non-responsive node is removed from the group of nodes.
US09141470B2	Decoding device A decoding device has a decoding section that has a plurality of decoding cores which decode a received packet (e.g., likelihoods generated as a result of demodulation), which will become data to be decoded, in parallel on a per-likelihood basis and in which a first decoding core and a second decoding core of a plurality of decoding cores can perform decoding in parallel and a control section that controls decoding, wherein the decoding section lets the second decoding core decode a second likelihood when the second likelihood is input in the middle of the first decoding core decoding the first likelihood of the data to be decoded, whereby another likelihood can be decoded by use of another decoding core in the middle of decoding of a certain likelihood. Thus, entire decoding speed is increased.
US09141463B2	Error location specification method, error location specification apparatus and computer-readable recording medium in which error location specification program is recorded A method for specifying an error location by an information processing apparatus that includes a plurality of devices connected to each other through a transmission path includes deciding, when an interrupt is generated, whether the interrupt is a periodic interrupt or an error interrupt, and storing, where the generated interrupt is a periodic interrupt, history information of errors of each of the devices, but analyzing, where the generated interrupt is an error interrupt, the stored history information of errors of the devices to specify a suspect location of the error.
US09141457B1	System and method for predicting multiple-disk failures Techniques for predicting multiple disk failures are described herein. According to one embodiment, first values of a predetermined diagnostic parameter collected from a set of known failed disks of a storage system are received. A quantile distribution graph of the first values against percentiles of a number of known failed disk is generated. In response to second values of the predetermined diagnostic parameter collected from a set of target disks, each of the second values is applied to the quantile distribution graph to determine a corresponding percentile for each of the target disks, which represents a failure probability of a corresponding one of the target disks. A failure probability of two or more of the target disks is calculated based on the determined percentiles of the target disks.
US09141454B2	Signaling software recoverable errors Embodiments of an invention for signaling software recoverable errors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes a first unit, a programmable indicator, and a second unit. The first unit is to detect a poison error. The programmable indicator is to indicate whether the poison error is signaled as a machine check error or as one of a fault and a system management interrupt. The second unit is to signal the poison error as one of a fault and a system management error responsive to the programmable indicator.
US09141450B2	Embedded application communication Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for embedded application communication. In one aspect, a method includes providing a first Application Programming Interface (API) in the host application, where the first API is configured to interact with a virtual machine object model of the virtual machine to allow the host application to set and get properties of one or more first class instances residing in a virtual machine memory space, and to invoke methods on the first class instances, and providing a second API in the virtual machine configured to interact with a host application object model in the host application.
US09141448B1	Lifetime management of socket resources A computer implemented method includes determining, by at least one processor executing code segments stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, if an application is de-activated; and one of killing, by the at least one processor, a socket associated with the application or pausing, by the at least one processor, the socket based on a flag set by the application.
US09141444B2	Inter-application communication on mobile platforms Applications executing in a mobile device utilize a protocol for inter-application communication to overcome restrictions of a sandboxed environment. Applications advertise their exposed capabilities using structured definition files, which are consumed by other applications. Applications can invoke the advertised capabilities by exchanging inter-application communication (IAC) messages in the form of URLs or other platform-specific mechanisms. URL messages are formatted according to parameters and URL schemes specified by the provided definition files.
US09141441B2	Managing computing resources through aggregated core management Systems, methods and computer program products manage computing resources for a system. A system includes a set of processors having multiple processor cores present in the computer system, where the processor cores form an aggregated set of processor cores for the system. A dependency analyzer determines dependencies among a set of workload components executing on the set of processor cores. A policy includes rules associated with managing one or more of power consumption, heat production, operating cost or workload balancing for the set of aggregated processor cores. In response to a workload event, a management component sets a state of one or more of the processor cores in accordance with the workload event, the policy and the set of dependencies.
US09141428B2	Information processing apparatus and information processing method An information processing apparatus executes an application program including an application resource and a runtime. The information processing apparatus includes a memory, and a processor that executes a procedure in the memory. The procedure includes generating a process space in the memory to invoke the application program, loading the runtime into the process space, loading the application resource into the process space into which the runtime is loaded, generating a process of the application program based on the application resource and the runtime which are loaded into the process space, and executing the process of the application program.
US09141424B2	Achieving continuous availability for planned workload and site switches with no data loss Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods, systems and computer program products for performing a planned workload switch. A method includes receiving a request to switch a site of an active workload and stopping one or more long running processes from submitting a new request to the active workload. The method also includes preventing a new network connection from accessing the active workload and processing one or more transactions in a queue of the active workload for a time period. Based on a determination that the queue of the active workload is not empty after the time period, the method includes aborting all remaining transactions in the queue of the active workload. The method further includes replicating all remaining committed units of work to a standby workload associated with the active workload.
US09141416B2	Virtualization congestion control framework for modifying execution of applications on virtual machine based on mass congestion indicator in host computing system Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing a virtualization congestion control framework. In one aspect, a method might include a hypervisor assigning application resources of a virtual machine (“VM”), which operates on a host computing system, with maximum allowable settings to each software application to be executed on the VM. The hypervisor or an orchestrator might determine a running mode of the host computing system, and might execute the software application(s) using running mode attributes of the determined running mode. The hypervisor or the orchestrator might monitor application resource utilization, and, based on a determination that application resource utilization has changed, might modify allocation of application resources to each of the software application(s). In some cases, the hypervisor or the orchestrator might monitor for mass congestion indicators, and, based on a determination that a mass congestion indicator is present, might modify the running mode of the host computing system.
US09141415B2	Method for dynamically transforming the bytecode of Java virtual machine bootstrap classes A method for dynamically transforming bytecode of Java Virtual Machine (JVM) bootstrap classes during program startup uses a JVM agent to intercept startup of a JVM compliant computer program to transform the bytecode of already loaded JVM bootstrap classes and store the resulting set of modified bootstrap classes. Subsequently, the JVM Agent intercepts all class loading events to transform the bytecode of classes declaring special program startup method “”, by inserting bytecode at the beginning of the method to invoke a callback method declared within the JVM Agent and passing the arguments passed to the JVM upon program startup as callback method parameters. Subsequently, when the callback method intercepts the execution flow of the computer program, the callback method starts a second JVM instance, passing parameters including the obtained input parameters, the main method arguments, and a JVM input argument for accessing the stored set of modified bootstrap classes.
US09141412B2	Terminal services application virtualization for compatibility Systems, methods and computer-readable storage media are disclosed for providing a virtual single-user session to a client in a terminal server session. In an embodiment, requests to a resource in the system-space of a system made by an application are intercepted. A determination is made as to whether to virtualize the resource for the application. Where the resource is to be virtualized, a user-specific virtualized resource is created or maintained in user-space and provided to the application.
US09141410B2	Pluggable allocation in a cloud computing system In one embodiment, a cloud computing system provides user extensibility by providing a plugin interface for major systems. Plugin interfaces for a compute service, object service, network service, authentication and authorization service, message service, and image service are disclosed. One or more of the plugin interfaces can be used to alter the allocation of virtual to physical resources across multiple services. Compound services and smart allocation facilities are possible with user-directed modification.
US09141403B2	Data-driven schema for describing and executing management tasks in a graphical user interface This disclosure describes a user interface (UI) conceptual model and a data model for quickly and easily developing and managing a GUI. The present methods and systems described herein provide for defining one or more UI elements in the UI conceptual model. The one or more UI elements may further reference one or more model objects in the data model. The one or more model objects may include one or more tasks, which may each be mapped to one or more commands for performing each task, or one or more data items, which may each be mapped to rules or conditions for transforming data. According to embodiments, graphics or functionality of a GUI may be easily and efficiently modified by adding, deleting, or modifying UI elements in the UI conceptual model or by adding, deleting, or modifying referenced model objects in the data model, thereby reducing management and development costs.
US09141401B2	Method for switching system state and portable terminal A method for switching system state and a portable terminal. The method is applied to a portable terminal comprising a first system and a second system. The second system has a second control module provided therein. The method comprises: obtaining, by the second system, state information of the first system through the second control module when at least one of the first system and the second system is in an inactive state; receiving, by the second control module, a system state switching event; switching, by the second control module, the second system to a state corresponding to the state information of the first system based on the state information of the first system. According to the embodiments of the present invention, when the system state is to be switched, it is not necessary that both systems are in the active state. Rather, the state information can be transmitted between the systems in the inactive state by using a control module provided in one or both of the systems, and the power consumption of the portable terminal can be reduced.
US09141400B2	Technique for deploying operating systems in a virtualized environment A guest disk may be setup through the assistance of a restore environment. A restore environment may be bundled with partitioning software, and the restore environment may be a small, lightweight Linux™ environment that is operating-system agnostic. The restore environment allows any operating system image file to be deployed on the guest disk. The guest disk may be created through the use of virtualization software and a guest operating system.
US09141398B2	System, device, and method for initializing a plurality of electronic devices using a single packet According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a semiconductor system may be disclosed. The semiconductor system according to the one embodiment may include, for example, a plurality of electronic devices and a host apparatus. The host apparatus may simultaneously initialize the plurality of electronic devices in units of group.
US09141397B2	Live initialization of a boot device Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include executing, by a processor, a software stack. A writeable boot device such as a storage device with a removable medium is detected, and upon reaching a boot level threshold for the software stack, the software stack is saved to the writeable boot device as a boot image.
US09141395B2	Display apparatus, control method thereof, upgrade apparatus, and display system A display apparatus including: a display device; an image processor processing an image signal received from an image source according to a preset image processing process to display an image on the display device; a connector to which an upgrade apparatus upgrades the image processing process is connected and to which a server is connected to communicate with; and a controller comparing a first pairing key with a second pairing key stored in the server and selectively allowing or blocking a booting operation according to a comparison result, the first pairing key being generated based on a pre-stored first identification of the display apparatus and a second identification of the upgrade apparatus obtained from the upgrade apparatus when the display apparatus starts booting up.
US09141385B2	Managing operating system components A plurality of operating system (OS) components is stored in a storage location on a computing device. A user may selected a set of OS components to use when the computing device boots. A boot location is created and links to the set of OS components are stored in the boot location. The computing device may boot using any one of a plurality of boot locations.
US09141381B2	Version control environment for virtual machines A method of maintaining update history of a virtual machine (VM) is disclosed. The VM includes a version number. The method includes continuously monitoring a state of the VM. The monitoring of the state including detecting updates in configurations and applications of the VM. The changes in a status of the applications and the configuration are captured and metadata of the VM is updated when a change in the configurations or in the applications is detected. The version number of the VM is then incremented.
US09141378B2	Method and system for evaluating a software artifact based on issue tracking and source control information A computer system includes a transceiver and a processor that is cooperatively operable with the transceiver. The processor gathers, over the transceiver, (i) issue tracking information stored in an issue tracking storage system, the issue tracking information having a history of issues filed against a plurality of artifacts, and (ii) source code management information stored in a source code management storage system, the source code management information having a history of code changes committed against another plurality of artifacts. The processor checks a combined history of the issue tracking information and the source code management information for a history of issues filed against an artifact and a history of commits and corresponding source code changes committed against the artifact. The processor provides an interpretation of the current state of the artifact based on the combined history of the issue tracking information and source code management information about the artifact.
US09141377B2	Visualization of code units across disparate systems A visualization tool that provides visibility of the functionality implemented with each system used by an institution(s) at code unit granularity can be used to overcome a variety of challenges that can occur in an environment with disparate systems. The visualization tool discovers and graphically displays functions/procedures/methods (“code units”) that satisfy a set of one or more criteria, as well as attributes of the discovered code units. Furthermore, the visualization tool can automatically provide visual annotations to identify targets for asset maintenance, targets to leverage for other systems, etc.
US09141367B2	Application management for a wireless communication device A wireless communication device receives a user request to download a software application and wirelessly receives the software application. The wireless communication device presents multiple application management tiers for the software application. The wireless communication device receives a user selection of a first application management tier for the software application. The wireless communication wirelessly transfers the user selection of the first application management tier for the software application and wirelessly receives a network selection of a second application management tier for the software application from the communication network. The wireless communication presents the second application management tier for the software application.
US09141366B2	Method, system, terminal and device management server for installing software components A method for installing software components includes: a terminal receives a software component package delivered by a Device Management (DM) server directly or a download address of the component package and a command instructing to download delivered by the DM server, where the software component package contains more than one software component; when the terminal receives the download address and the command instructing to download, the terminal downloads the software component package from the download address; the terminal installs the obtained software component package locally and generates management nodes and subnodes of the management nodes corresponding to the software components under a Deployed subtree of the Software Component Management Object (SCOMO) of the terminal. With the present invention, the process of installing software component is more reasonable. A system and apparatus for installing software components are also provided.
US09141355B1	Receiving and evaluating generalized input Generalized input for use in a computing environment. The generalized input can include freely mixed input types. The generalized input is received via a user interface. Each expression can include multiple types of input that can be processed as peers, without translation from one input type to another input type prior to parsing. The generalized input can include textual, numerical, graphical, and symbolic input as part an expression. The input can also include programs, scripts, methods, procedures, and the like or any combination thereof.
US09141352B2	Dynamically building locale objects at run-time Locale objects are dynamically built from locale source files when requested at run-time. When a locale object is dynamically built, it is stored in global memory so it may be read by multiple applications. Dynamically building locale objects when requested allows software to operate with a relatively small number of locale objects instead of with hundreds or thousands of locale objects, as is known in the art. The result is significant savings in system-wide resources while still allowing for access to a large number of possible locales.
US09141346B2	Layout management in a rapid application development tool The present application discloses systems, computer-readable media, and methods for aligning widgets and groups of widgets, and defining relationships between the widgets and groups of widgets. In a first case, a most significant sub-component border determination may be made for each widget. Then, a grouping relationship determined between each of a plurality of the widgets. Finally, for each widget in each determined group, the widgets may be aligned based on the determined most significant sub-component border of each widget in the group. In a second case, connections between widgets, groups of widgets, and/or edges of a page are determined, and an algorithm applied to infer whether a relationship exists, and if it does, to determine whether the relationship is one of a fixed-distance relationship and a proportional-distance relationship.
US09141341B2	Inversion of control for executable extensions in a run-time environment A system method and non-transitory computer readable medium implemented as programming on a suitable computing device, the system for inversion of control of executable extensions including a run-time environment configured to push data to one or a plurality of extensions, wherein said one or plurality of extensions are configured to comprise one or a plurality of signatures. Wherein said one or a plurality of extensions are compilable, designable and testable outside of the run-time environment, and wherein the run-time environment may be configured to accept an extension and to push data to that extension as per said one or a plurality of signatures.
US09141337B2	Floating point multiply accumulator multi-precision mantissa aligner A processing device is provided that includes a first, second and third precision operation circuit. The processing device further includes a shared, bit-shifting circuit that is communicatively coupled to the first, second and third precision operation circuits. A method is also provided for multiplying a first and second binary number including adding a first exponent value associated with the first binary number to a second exponent value associated with the second binary number and multiplying a first mantissa value associated with the first binary number to a second mantissa value associated with the second binary number. The method includes performing the exponent adding and mantissa multiplying substantially in parallel. The method further includes performing at least one of adding or subtracting a third binary number to the product. Also provided is a computer readable storage device encoded with data for adapting a manufacturing facility to create an apparatus.
US09141332B2	Masking sensitive information in a screen sharing session A system can mask specific components of an application, such as a web page, displayed during a screen sharing session. As the web page is being displayed on a first computer screen (i.e., screen), the system can automatically mask specific components of the web page. Thus, when the first screen is captured, and the capture is transmitted to a second screen, the specific components of the web page that have been masked will not be displayed at the second screen.
US09141321B1	Configurable printer server device In aspects of a configurable print server device, a print server device implements a print server manager that receives a print job request from a requesting device. When the print job request requires transcoding into a printer command set and/or printer language supported by a printer connected to the print server device, the print server manager transcodes the print job. The print server manager can download firmware for installation in a printer and download updated printer firmware from an update server over a network. The print server manager is configurable by executing a script with a script engine to manage print server operations of the print server device. Updated versions of scripts can be downloaded over a network from the update server.
US09141319B2	Imaging system with reduced function mode, and methods therefor A system and method for operating an imaging device is shown. The method includes detecting the malfunction when the imaging device is in a normal mode of operation; causing the imaging device to enter a reduced function mode following the detecting; enabling only one or more functions of the imaging device when in the reduced function mode, the one or more functions being less than all of the functions available when the imaging device is in the normal mode of operation. The one or more functions have operating points when the imaging device is in the reduced function mode that are different than the operating points of the one or more functions when the imaging device is in the normal mode of operation.
US09141318B2	Information processing system, information processor, non-transitory computer readable medium, and information processing method for establishing a connection between a terminal and an image processor An information processing system has a terminal apparatus, an information processor, and an image processor connected to one another. The information processor includes first and second virtual machines, a first receiving unit receiving a connection request from the image processor, a first forwarding unit forwarding the connection request to the first machine, a second receiving unit receiving another connection request from the terminal apparatus, and a second forwarding unit forwarding the another connection request to the second machine. The first machine includes an acquiring unit receiving from the image processor job information according to a job set by a user and acquiring second machine information based on the job information, a job transfer requesting unit requesting the second machine to transfer the job based on the second machine information, and a connecting unit receiving the job from the second machine and connecting the first machine and the image processor.
US09141316B1	Methods and systems for identifying paper-intensive processes A method of identifying a paper-intensive process may include receiving quantitative processing data associated with a production environment, receiving qualitative processing data associated with the processing activities in the production environment, and generating a visual depiction of the processing activities. The visual depiction may include at least a portion of the received quantitative processing data and the received qualitative processing data, and the visual depiction may illustrate at least one paper-intensive process, one or more of a most common purpose associated with the paper-intensive process and a most common fate associated with the paper-intensive process. The method may include presenting the generated visual depiction to a user.
US09141314B2	Systems and methods for updating a user interface for a printing device Systems and methods for updating a user interface that indicates printing capabilities for a printing device read one or more first printing capabilities from first printing capabilities data, generate a user interface that includes a plurality of interface elements, read one or more second printing capabilities from second printing capabilities data, the one or more second printing capabilities including at least one printing capability different from the one or more first printing capabilities, generate delta printing capabilities data indicating changed printing capabilities based on the one or more first printing capabilities and the one or more second printing capabilities, wherein the delta printing capabilities data includes the at least one printing capability different from the one or more first printing capabilities, and update one or more interface elements associated with the changed printing capabilities indicated by the delta printing capabilities data.
US09141307B2	Efficiently accessing an encoded data slice in a memory container utilizing a memory bin A method begins by receiving encoded data slices for storage. At least some of the encoded data slices have different data sizes. The method continues by accessing memory container information of the storage unit that includes a listing of virtual memory containers of the storage unit and, for each virtual memory container, bin identifier information. Each virtual memory contain is divided into bins, where the bins of a virtual memory container are of a substantially similar storage size. At least some of the virtual memory containers have different bin storage sizes. The method continues by mapping encoded data slices to virtual memory containers of the plurality based on data size of the encoded data slices and bin storage sizes of the virtual memory containers. The method continues by storing the encoded data slices in the virtual memory containers based on the mapping.
US09141306B2	Information processing apparatus and area release control method An information processing apparatus includes a controller. The controller performs a transfer source information generation process for generating transfer source information upon reception of an offload data transfer instruction from a host computer. The controller performs a reserved state setting process for setting, when an instruction to release a release area is received, an overlapping area to a reserved state so as to reserve release of the overlapping area, after issuing a completion response for the release instruction. The controller performs a pending state determination process for determining a pending state in which data transfer using the transfer information might be executed. The controller performs an area release process for releasing the overlapping area which is set to the reserved state and thus is reserved to be released, when the pending state is cancelled.
US09141303B2	Method for selectively performing a secure data erase to ensure timely erasure A method and computer program product are provided to ensure a timely secure data erase by determining an erasure deadline for each physical volume of a plurality of physical volumes and calculating a remaining time for each physical volume. The remaining time is calculated for each physical volume by comparing a current date to the erasure deadline of each physical volume respectively. The physical volumes may then be sorted based on the remaining time and the physical volume with a shortest calculated remaining time will be selectively secure data erased.
US09141290B2	Snapshot mechanism A memory management system for a thinly provisioned memory volume in which a relatively larger virtual address range of virtual address blocks is mapped to a relatively smaller physical memory comprising physical memory blocks via a mapping table containing entries only for addresses of the physical memory blocks containing data. The memory management system comprises a snapshot provision unit to take a given snapshot of the memory volume at a given time, the snapshot comprising a mapping table and memory values of the volume, the mapping table and memory values comprising entries only for addresses of the physical memory containing data. The snapshot is managed on the same thin provisioning basis as the volume itself, and the system is particularly suitable for RAM type memory disks.
US09141288B2	Chargeback based storage recommendations for datacenters Systems, computer readable media, and methods are provided. An example method can include classifying a plurality of storage mapping systems as a plurality of storage tiers in a datacenter, assigning a chargeback level to each of the plurality of storage tiers, analyzing a plurality of storage volumes of a plurality of servers in the datacenter to obtain characteristics of each of the plurality of storage volumes where the characteristics include one of the plurality of storage mapping systems, assigning the chargeback level to each of the plurality of storage volumes based on the storage mapping system for each of the plurality of storage volumes, and determining a storage recommendation for a number of configuration item (CIs) based on a criticality of the number of CIs where the criticality corresponds to at least one of the chargeback levels assigned to each of the plurality of storage tiers.
US09141286B2	Electronic device and method for displaying software input interface In a method for displaying an input interface on a touch panel of an electronic device, a first display area and a second display area are determined on the touch panel according to touch ranges of touch operations on the touch panel. The method obtains a first sub-keyboard and a second sub-keyboard of the input interface, displays the first sub-keyboard in the first display area by performing a zoom operation on the first sub-keyboard, and displays the second sub-keyboard in the second display area by performing the zoom operation on the second sub-keyboard.
US09141284B2	Virtual input devices created by touch input An input device is created on a touch screen in response to a user's placement of their hand. When a user places their hand on the touch screen, an input device sized for their hand is dynamically created. Alternatively, some other input device may be created. For example, when the user places two hands on the device a split keyboard input device may be dynamically created on the touch screen that is split between the user's hand locations. Once the input device is determined, the user may enter input through the created device on the input screen. The input devices may be configured for each individual user such that the display of the input device changes based on physical characteristics that are associated with the user.
US09141281B2	System and method for controlling the progression of multmedia assets on a computing device A system and method is provided for content presentation. In one or more implementations, at least one processor is operatively coupled to processor readable storage media. Further, at least one database provided with the processor readable storage media includes multimedia content. A first segment of the multimedia content is provided for presentation. At least a second segment and a third segment of the multimedia content are associated with the first segment of the multimedia content. User input is detected while the first segment of the multimedia is being presented, and the input is determined to be associated with the second segment of the multimedia content. The first segment ends, and the second segment is provided. Moreover, additional user input is detected while the second segment of the multimedia is being presented, and which is determined to be associated with the third segment of the multimedia content. The second segment is ended and the third segment of the multimedia content is provided for presentation.
US09141279B2	Systems and methods for providing a user interface A device may include a touch sensitive display and logic configured to control the touch sensitive display to display information to a user, provide a window of enlarged information via the touch sensitive display based on a determined position of input on the touch sensitive display, and receive a selection from the enlarged information based on a determined position of input within the provided window.
US09141276B2	Integrated interface for mobile device An integrated security system integrates broadband and mobile access and control with conventional security systems and premise devices to provide a tri-mode security network that with remote connectivity and access. The integrated security system includes a touchscreen providing security keypad functionality as well as content management and presentation, and is used as a security system interface and an interface for interacting with a network. The integrated security system delivers remote premise monitoring and control functionality to conventional monitored premise protection and complements existing premise protection equipment. The integrated security system integrates into the premise network and couples wirelessly with the conventional security panel, enabling broadband access to premise security systems. Automation devices can be added, enabling users to remotely see live video or pictures and control home devices via a personal web portal, mobile phone, or other client device. Users can receive notifications of detected events via electronic message.
US09141272B1	Panning application launcher with target based folder creation and icon movement on a proximity-sensitive display A computer-implemented user interface method includes displaying on a mobile device desktop a background image and one or more foreground items over the background image, receiving a user input to pan across the desktop, and panning the background images and one or more foreground images in a parallax manner relative to each other.
US09141270B1	Smart scroller user interface element A navigational user interface element includes a navigational bar displaying thereon labels associated with a plurality of sections, and a highlight indicating a section of a page that a user is currently viewing. The navigational user interface element is configured to allow a user to click on the highlight and drag it to effect navigation to a section associated with a displayed label. The navigational user interface element is configured to, when the highlight is clicked and dragged and then released, snap the highlight to the section label the highlight is closest to when the highlight is released, and display that same section. The navigational user interface element is configured to, when a label is clicked, effect navigation to the section corresponding to that label.
US09141269B2	Display system provided with first display device and second display device A display system includes an image forming device and a mobile communication terminal. In the display system, the mobile communication terminal accepts a flick manipulation to move the screen, and transmits flick information on the accepted flick manipulation to the image forming device. The image forming device decides an area, which is a part of the screen of the mobile communication terminal and in which display is changed when the screen is moving, and sequentially transmits to the mobile communication terminal positional information on the decided area and screen data of the screen before the movement is completed since the movement is started, which is decided based on the flick information in the decided area. The mobile communication terminal displays the screen in the area of the transmitted positional information based on the transmitted screen data.
US09141263B2	Method of modifying a toolbar The present invention comprises a method of and apparatus for simplifying the process of access to a network for a roaming computer user, divides the responsibility of servicing a given user wanting to access the network between multiple parties and minimizes the possibility of improper dissemination of email header data as well as improper use of network resources (including server systems) by non-clients.
US09141258B2	Method and system for automatically associating a cursor with a hotspot in a hypervideo stream using a visual indicator Methods and systems are described for automatically linking a cursor to a hotspot in a hypervideo stream comprising a plurality of video frames that are associated with at least one user selectable hotspot. One method includes establishing an association between a selectable hotspot in a first activation region of a first video frame received for presentation in a video presentation space and a cursor when a first position of the cursor is within the first activation region corresponding to the selectable hotspot. The method also includes receiving a second video frame that includes the selectable hotspot in a second activation region different from the first activation region, and determining whether a second position of the cursor is outside of the second activation region of the second video frame. Responsive to the determination, the second video frame is presented with a visual indicator associating the cursor with the selectable hotspot based on the association between the cursor and the selectable hotspot.
US09141257B1	Selecting and conveying supplemental content Base items of content may be conveyed by a user computing device. These base items of content may be enhanced with enhancement content, such as sounds, songs, video clips, animations, images, multimedia content, and the like. Characteristics and enhancement objects may be identified in a portion of the base item of content, and enhancement content may be assigned to that portion automatically by a content enhancement service. In one embodiment, enhancement sounds or songs may be provided and conveyed to enhance an audiobook or electronic book.
US09141252B2	Web-based architectural color selection system A computer implemented method includes: providing a database of digital images of colors and metadata related to the colors; using one or more search criteria to identify one or more of the digital image colors; displaying the digital images of the identified colors; selecting a color of interest from the displayed colors; using the metadata to identify additional information related to the color of interest; displaying the digital image of the selected color and the additional information; and using the displayed digital image of the selected color and the additional information to make a final color selection. An apparatus that can be used to implement the method is also provided.
US09141243B2	Electronic device including touch-sensitive display and method of detecting touches An electronic device includes a display controller, first drive electrodes operably coupled to the display controller to drive the first drive electrodes to detect touches on a display while the electronic device is operating in a normal power condition, a touch controller operably coupled to the display controller, second drive electrodes operably coupled to the touch controller to drive the second drive electrodes to detect touches on the display while the electronic device is operating in a reduced power condition, and sense electrodes operably coupled to the touch controller.
US09141239B2	Touch screen device, and driving device and driving method for touch panel using predetermined binary sequences A driving circuit outputs driving waveforms to operation signal lines. The waveforms are formed by combining a first-mode waveform for charging a node capacitor with a positive voltage and a second-mode waveform for charging the node capacitor with a negative voltage in a predetermined binary sequence. A sensing circuit is electrically connected with a plurality of sense signal lines and measures sense voltages delivered to one integration capacitor from a plurality of node capacitors which are electrically connected with the sense signal lines. A sense detector adds or subtracts the sense voltages which are measured by the sensing circuit at driving time points to measure capacitances of the node capacitors. Accordingly, an autocorrelation technique which is generally used in communication systems is applied to driving a touch screen device.
US09141238B2	Flexible touch screen panel having a flexible polarizing film including a polarizer, a phase difference compensating layer, and a transparent adhesive, and flexible display device including the same A flexible touch screen panel includes a polarizing film having an active region and a non-active region, the non-active region being along an outline of the active region, and the polarizing film having a polarizer, a phase difference compensating layer defining a first surface of the polarizing film, and a transparent adhesive between the phase difference compensating layer and the polarizer, the transparent adhesive being configured to support the polarizer, sensing patterns on the first surface of the polarizing film, the sensing patterns being in the active region, and sensing lines on the first surface of the polarizing film, the sensing lines being in the non active region and being coupled to the sensing patterns.
US09141237B2	Capacitive sensing pattern A capacitive input device includes a plurality of receiver sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a first axis proximate to a sensing region of the capacitive input device. The capacitive sensing device also includes a plurality of transmitter sensor electrodes oriented substantially parallel to a second axis proximate to the sensing region and configured to be capacitively coupled with the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes. The at least one receiver sensor electrode of the plurality of receiver sensor electrodes is disposed in a configuration forming multiple crossings with a line that is parallel to the second axis, the multiple crossings occurring proximate to the sensing region.
US09141230B2	Optical sensing in displacement type input apparatus and methods In an input apparatus, an input system includes a displaceable member movable in an operational zone and a tracking surface that moves in correlation with movement of the displaceable member. An optical sensor has a field of view of at least a portion of the tracking surface during movement of the displaceable member in the operational zone and generates optical data in response to light received from the tracking surface. A processing system produces motion measures indicative of movement of the tracking surface from the optical data. In an input method, optical data is generated in response to light received from a field of view of at least a portion of a tracking surface that moves in correlation with movement of a displaceable member during movement of the displaceable member in an operational zone. Motion measures indicative of movement of the tracking surface are produced from the optical data.
US09141229B2	Coordinate input device and touch panel device A coordinate input device and a touch panel device determine a correction value with a plurality of output values obtained from a plurality of sensors arranged in a touch panel based on the output value of a 1st peak sensor that outputs the largest output value, the output value of a 2nd peak sensor having the second largest output value, the output value of a 3rd peak sensor having the third largest output value, and the output value of a 4th peak sensor having the fourth largest output value.
US09141222B2	Display apparatus, drive circuit, driving method and electronic apparatus with touch detection periods, sequential display and AC signal modifications A display apparatus includes: a display device; a touch detection device; and a driver unit driving the display device so as to sequentially display M horizontal lines in each of plural unit drive periods forming one frame period and driving the touch detection device in N touch detection periods provided in each unit drive period, in which N is lower than M.
US09141220B2	Device for detecting and displaying movements The invention relates to a device for detecting and displaying movements, whereby the device comprises a housing and position detection means, which are placed on the housing and provided for detecting the current position data of a reference point of the device. The inventive device also comprises data processing means for processing position data detected by the position detection means, and comprises a display device, which is provided on the housing while serving to display an image consisting of detected and processed position data.
US09141216B2	Method and device for dual-differential sensing A method and device for dual-differential sensing is disclosed. The sensing information can be generated from signals provided by a sensing device with a plurality of sensors. Each value of the sensing information corresponds to signals of three sensors, respectively. The sensing device is flexible and configured on a display. The noise effect of the display on the signal of each sensor corresponds to the distance between the display and the sensor. Besides, the noise effect of the display on each value of the sensing information corresponds to the distances between the display and the three sensors, respectively.
US09141209B2	Touch panel, display device, and electronic apparatus A touch panel includes: first electrodes extending in a first direction; second electrodes extending in a direction intersecting the first direction; and an insulating layer insulating and separating the first electrodes from the second electrodes. The second electrodes are strip-shaped electrodes which include first island-shaped electrodes formed in the same layer as the first electrodes and relay electrodes electrically connecting two adjacent first island-shaped electrodes to each other and crossing over the first electrodes. The insulating layer has contact holes at positions corresponding to both ends of each of the relay electrodes in a longitudinal direction. A distance between two contact holes provided so as to correspond to both the ends of each of the relay electrodes in the longitudinal direction is the same as or shorter than a distance between two first island-shaped electrodes coming into contact with both the ends of each of the relay electrodes.
US09141205B2	Input display device, control device of input display device, and recording medium An input display device including (i) a display screen for displaying information and (ii) a sensor for detecting an input to the display screen, and being capable of accepting input with a pen, is configured such that a control section (i) determines whether or not an input region detected by the sensor is a pen tip input region in which an input is carried out with a pen or a palm region in which an input is carried out by touching a hand holding a pen, in accordance with a size of the input region and (ii) switches a display direction of information on the display screen in accordance with a relative position of the pen tip region and the palm region, the pen tip region and the palm region in which a pen tip input and a palm input are determined to be carried out, respectively.
US09141203B2	Key free mouse device A mouse device includes an upper cover, an intermediate cover, a lower cover, a circuit board, and two switches. Two protrusion posts of the upper cover are respectively penetrated through two perforations of the intermediate cover. Two first pivotal parts of the upper cover are respectively connected with two second pivotal parts of the intermediate cover. The upper cover is fixedly connected to an annular sidewall of the lower cover. The circuit board and the two switches are disposed on the lower cover. When the upper cover is rotated relative to the intermediate cover through the two first pivotal parts and two second pivotal parts, one of the two switches is triggered by the corresponding protrusion post so as to generate a corresponding electronic signal. The use of the present mouse device can prevent from introducing foreign matters, reduce the depressing force and avoid erroneously triggering the switch.
US09141192B2	Interactive digital catalogs for touch-screen devices A computer implemented method, system and computer program product features “Info Dial UI,” a degree-based and tactilely-initiated dialing gesture for providing product information to a user. This feature allows the user to tactilely control the amount of product information displayed to the user as the user tactilely moves an indicia along an arc. It also features a related “Circle a Product” feature. This method, system and computer program product provides the user with prompts and guidance for improving product purchases via mobile encoding technology and personal computing devices.
US09141191B2	Capturing photos without a camera Implementations generally relate to capturing photos without a camera. In some implementations, a method includes determining a gaze of a user using a device that is operable to track the gaze. The method also includes receiving an indication from the user that the user desires a photo corresponding to the gaze. The method also includes providing the photo to the user based on the indication.
US09141187B2	Interactive vehicle synthesizer A method of operating an audio entertainment system in a vehicle includes detecting an operating parameter of the vehicle. A sensor signal corresponding to the detected operating parameter is transmitted. Music that is audibly produced within the vehicle is musically modified dependent upon the sensor signal.
US09141180B2	Method and apparatus for a zero voltage processor sleep state Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for a zero voltage processor sleep state. A processor may include a dedicated cache memory. A voltage regulator may be coupled to the processor to provide an operating voltage to the processor. During a transition to a zero voltage power management state for the processor, the operational voltage applied to the processor by the voltage regulator may be reduced to approximately zero and the state variables associated with the processor may be saved to the dedicated cache memory.
US09141178B2	Device and method for selective reduced power mode in volatile memory units An information processing device comprises a first memory, a second memory, data transfer circuitry, power gating circuitry, and a controller. The first memory comprises at least two volatile memory units. The controller receives or generates a request for setting the information processing device into a reduced power mode; in response to the request, it selects specific memory units among the memory units; controls the data transfer circuitry to transfer data from the selected memory units to the second memory; and controls the power gating circuitry to power down the selected memory units.
US09141167B2	Apparatus and method to manage energy usage of a processor In an embodiment, a processor includes at least one processor core and power control logic having energy usage logic to predict an energy usage of the processor and a voltage regulator coupled to the processor, during a low power period according to a first voltage regulator control mode and a second voltage regulator control mode, and to control the voltage regulator based at least in part on the predicted energy usage. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09141166B2	Method, apparatus, and system for energy efficiency and energy conservation including dynamic control of energy consumption in power domains An apparatus, method and system is described herein for dynamic power control of a power domain. A power limit over a time window is provided. And over a control loop period a power interface determines energy consumption of the power domain, intelligently budgets power among devices within the power domain based on the energy consumption, converts those budgets to performance maximums for the power domain, and limits performance of devices in the power domain to the performance maximums utilizing a running average power limit.
US09141163B2	Portable terminal, recording medium A portable terminal supplies power to a chip card therein with host power off. A power controller supplies power from a battery to a host, the chip card, and a CLF; a first switch opens/closes a power supply channel to the chip card, branching from a power supply channel from the power controller to the host; a second switch opens/closes a power supply channel to the chip card, branching from a power supply channel from the power controller to the CLF; a switch controller opens the first switch and closes the second switch if the CLF detects a contactless RF signal, if the host is off or if the portable terminal is in a low battery mode, and if the contactless RF signal conforms to the communication method of the chip card, and the switch controller closes the first switch and opens the second switch if the host is on.
US09141162B2	Apparatus, system and method for gated power delivery to an I/O interface Techniques and mechanisms for managing a delivery of power to a resource of an input/output (I/O) interface. In an embodiment, a first link of a plurality of communication links is monitored. Of the plurality of links, a first set of resources of the I/O interface is to support communication only via the first link. One or more other resources of the I/O interface are for supporting communications of another link of the plurality of links. In another embodiment, a resource of the first set of resources is decoupled from a power supply in response to detecting a total number of active lanes of the first link, decoupling.
US09141159B2	Minimizing aggregate cooling and leakage power with fast convergence A mechanism is provided for minimizing system power in the data processing system with fast convergence. A current aggregate system power value is determined using a current thermal threshold value. For each potential thermal threshold value in a set of potential thermal threshold values, a determination is made as to whether there is a potential thermal threshold value that results in a potential aggregate system power value that is lower than the current aggregate system power value. Responsive to identifying an optimal potential thermal threshold value from the set of potential thermal threshold values that results in minimum aggregate system power value that is lower than the current aggregate system power value, the optimal potential thermal threshold value is set as a new thermal threshold value.
US09141156B2	Compute node cooling with air fed through backplane A computing system includes a chassis, one or more backplanes coupled to the chassis. Computing devices are coupled to the one or more backplanes. The one or more backplanes include backplane openings that allow air to pass from one side of the backplane to the other side of the backplane. Air channels are formed by adjacent circuit board assemblies of the computing devices and the one or more backplanes. Channel capping elements at least partially close the air channels.
US09141145B2	Security apparatus with a modular system for accessories A security apparatus for securing a portable device includes a housing having a first housing portion configured to partially surround a first portion of the portable device, and a second housing portion configured to partially surround a second portion of the portable device. The second housing portion is selectively secured to the first housing portion when the housing is engaged with the portable device. The security apparatus also includes an attachment device extending from the housing. The attachment device is configured to engage a locking head. The security apparatus further includes a modular accessory coupled to the housing. The modular accessory is connected to the housing when the first and second housing portions are secured together to surround the portable device. The modular accessory is only removable from the housing when the first and second housing portions are disconnected from the portable electronic device.
US09141131B2	Methods and systems for performing exponentiation in a parallel processing environment An automated method of performing exponentiation is disclosed. A plurality of tables holding factors for obtaining results of Exponentiations are provided. The plurality of tables are loaded into computer memory. Each factor is the result of a second exponentiation of a constant and an exponent. The exponent is related to a memory address corresponding to the factor. A plurality of memory addresses are identified for performing the first exponentiation by breaking up the first exponentiation into equations, the results of which are factors of the first Exponentiation. The exponents of the equations are related to the memory addresses corresponding to the factors held in the tables. A plurality of lookups into the computer memory are performed to retrieve the factors held in the tables corresponding to the respective memory addresses. The retrieved factors are multiplied together to obtain the result of the first exponentiation.
US09141125B2	Bandgap reference voltage generating circuit and electronic system using the same A bandgap reference voltage generating circuit for providing a reference voltage is disclosed. The bandgap reference voltage generating circuit includes four-terminal current source circuit, a regulator circuit and a temperature-compensating circuit. The four-terminal current source circuit outputs a first voltage, a second voltage and a first current which are independent of variation of a first system voltage. The regulator circuit receives the first voltage and the second voltage and when the first system voltage is larger than a threshold voltage value, the regulator circuit outputs the reference voltage independent of variation of the first system voltage via voltage-difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. The temperature-compensating circuit receives the first current and compensates a temperature curve of the reference voltage outputted from the regulator circuit.
US09141123B2	Maximum power point tracking controllers and associated systems and methods A maximum power point tracking controller includes an input port for electrically coupling to an electric power source, an output port for electrically coupling to a load, a control switching device, and a control subsystem. The control switching device is adapted to repeatedly switch between its conductive and non-conductive states to transfer power from the input port to the output port. The control subsystem is adapted to control switching of the control switching device to regulate a voltage across the input port, based at least in part on a signal representing current flowing out of the output port, to maximize a signal representing power out of the output port.
US09141120B2	Voltage regulator A voltage regulator includes an operational amplifier that compares a feedback voltage that is proportional to an output voltage and a predetermined reference voltage that corresponds to a desired output voltage. The operational amplifier controls the conduction state of an output transistor according to the comparison. A detecting circuit monitors the operating state of the operational amplifier, and in the case that the operational amplifier is not operating, outputs a signal which causes the output transistor to be placed in a non-conductive state.
US09141119B2	Reducing output voltage ripple of power supplies Reducing output voltage ripple of power supplies. In some embodiments, an electronic circuit may include a first node configured to receive an input signal proportional to an output voltage produced by a power supply, a second node configured to receive a reference voltage configured to alternate between two voltage values during operation of the power supply, and a third node configured to output an enabling signal configured to control the operation of the power supply in response to a comparison between the input signal and the reference voltage. In other embodiments, a method may include turning on a power supply in response to a falling ripple being smaller than a first reference voltage value, and turning off the power supply in response to a rising ripple being greater than a second reference voltage value, where the second reference voltage value is smaller than the first reference voltage value.
US09141116B2	Auxillary switch for multiplexed control and ground signal from a thermostat An auxiliary switch is provided that allows a thermostat to use full wave rectification for power while still communicating control information to the auxiliary switch over a multiplexed ground-control line to control associated equipment.
US09141112B1	Caravan management Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a system for forming and managing a caravan of vehicles. The system may include computing devices in a plurality of vehicles belonging to a caravan. The computing devices participating in the caravan may communicate various information to each other. This information may be used to generate and manage a route for the caravan. The system may also be used to select a leader and/or order of the caravan for a particular trip. During the trip, the system may monitor the caravan and analyze inputs from participants and vehicles. Further, the system may modify the route based on such inputs and distribute the modified route to participating computing devices so that the caravan may be maintained.
US09141110B2	Robot cleaner, docking station, robot cleaner system including robot cleaner and docking station, and method of controlling robot cleaner A robot cleaner system is described including a docking station to form a docking area within a predetermined angle range of a front side thereof, to form docking guide areas which do not overlap each other on the left and right sides of the docking area, and to transmit a docking guide signal such that the docking guide areas are distinguished as a first docking guide area and a second docking guide area according to an arrival distance of the docking guide signal. The robot cleaner system also includes a robot cleaner to move to the docking area along a boundary between the first docking guide area and the second docking guide area when the docking guide signal is sensed and to move along the docking area so as to perform docking when reaching the docking area.
US09141108B2	Unmanned vehicle controller with interchangeable function bridge modules Handheld, unmanned vehicle controllers including interchangeable function bridge modules attached to the grip handles of the controllers are described herein. Interchangeable function bridge modules can include, but are not limited to, a display screen module, a pushbutton module, and a keyboard module. An operator may quickly and easily swap modules, using different modules to perform various tasks.
US09141106B2	Method for operating a field device Method for operating a field device of process automation technology, wherein the field device is connected for communication with at least one servicing tool. In the case of a request by a servicing tool for access to the field device, the access allowed by the field device depends on the particular servicing tool which places the access request, and on the operating state, in which the field device is located.
US09141105B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring or controlling a machine tool system A system for remotely monitoring one or more machine tool systems is disclosed. The system may monitor a plurality of machine tool systems which are associated with different customers and at a plurality of facilities. A remote user may access information regarding the machine tool system through a user interface and specific that notifications be sent upon the occurrence of various conditions. A system for updating software of a machine tool system is also disclosed.
US09141102B2	Method and system for scheduling appliance operation during off-peak demand periods A method for scheduling an appliance operation is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of signals. Each signal has an on-peak signal. Based upon the plurality of signals, a predicted on-peak time value is determined. The predicted on-peak time value can be used to determine when to execute an appliance operation in order to avoid operating the appliance during an on-peak time period.
US09141101B2	Wireless battery-powered remote control with glow-in-the-dark feature A glow-in-the-dark night light for a control device allows the control device to be easily found when the control device is located in a dark space. The night light may be provided on an actuator of the control device and may comprises a glow-in-the-dark material that has a luminance spectrum that decays with time after initial excitation. The night light is illuminated by an electromagnetic-energy-generating element to periodically recharge the glow-in-the-dark material with adequate energy to keep the glow-in-the-dark material visible in low ambient light conditions. The electromagnetic-energy-generating element draws relatively little current, such that the night light may be provided in a battery-powered remote control that has an acceptable battery lifetime.
US09141098B2	Integrated optimization and control for production plants The present invention provides novel techniques for optimizing and controlling production plants using parametric multifaceted models. In particular, the parametric multifaceted models may be configured to convert a first set of parameters (e.g., control parameters) relating to a production plant into a second set of parameters (e.g., optimization parameters) relating to the production plant. In general, the first set of parameters will be different than the second set of parameters. For example, the first set of parameters may be indicative of low-level, real-time control parameters and the second set of parameters may be indicative of high-level, economic parameters. Utilizing appropriate parameterization may allow the parametric multifaceted models to deliver an appropriate level of detail of the production plant within a reasonable amount of time. In particular, the parametric multifaceted models may convert the first set of parameters into the second set of parameters in a time horizon allowing for control of the process plant by a control system based on the second set of parameters.
US09141097B2	Adaptive and automatic determination of system parameters A method of automatically determining process parameters for processing equipment includes processing at least one first substrate in the processing equipment at a first time; and processing at least one second substrate in the processing equipment at a second time. The method includes collecting data on process monitors for the at least one first substrate; and the at least one second substrate. The method includes receiving the data by a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) optimization system. The method includes revising a sensitivity matrix, by a MIMO optimizer, using the data and an adaptive-learning algorithm, wherein the adaptive-learning algorithm revises the sensitivity matrix based on a learning parameter which is related to a rate of change of the processing equipment over time. The method includes determining a set of process parameters for the processing equipment by the MIMO optimizer, wherein the MIMO optimizer uses the revised sensitivity matrix to determine the process parameters.
US09141095B2	System and method for efficiently operating multiple flywheels A flywheel assembly may include first and second flywheels having respective first and second flywheel parasitic load profiles. Operating speeds of the first and second flywheels may be selected based at least in part on the first and second flywheel parasitic loads. The operating speeds may be determined such that an aggregate of the first and second flywheel parasitic loads is minimized, thereby increasing the efficiency of the flywheel assembly.
US09141090B2	Access code management systems In a method of managing access codes, a product is provided with an access restricting mechanism configured to permit operation of the product in response to entry of either one of first and second access codes using a code interface. The first access code is displayed on the product without displaying the second access code on the product. The second access code is identified to a user in response to user input of at least one of the first access code and a serial number into a terminal in communication with an electronically accessible code storage unit associating the second access code with the at least one of the first access code and the serial number.
US09141086B1	Magnetic actuated attachment mechanisms for wearable devices A band for a wearable device includes first and second band links. The first band link includes one or more magnetic pins and the second band link includes one or more magnets and one or more apertures. In a first position, the first and second band links mechanically and magnetically couple by the magnet pulling the magnetic pin into the aperture. In a second position, the first and second band links mechanically and magnetically decouple by the magnetic pin being forced from the aperture. In this way, the band links may be easily and quickly coupled to and/or decoupled from each other.
US09141082B1	Process cartridge and image forming apparatus using the process cartridge A process cartridge includes an image holding body assembly that includes an image holding body, a developing assembly that includes a developer holding body, an urging member, a contacting and separating mechanism, and a gap forming mechanism. The image holding body assembly is inserted into and pulled from an assembly receiving portion. The urging member urges the developing assembly so that the developer holding body is pressed against the image holding body. The contacting and separating mechanism is disposed on the front side and operated to separate the image holding body assembly and the developing assembly from each other against an urging force. The gap forming mechanism forms a gap between the image holding body and the developer holding body on the rear side against the urging force. The size of the gap is larger than that existing before the image holding body assembly is pulled.
US09141080B2	Drawer member having image fixing unit, and image forming apparatus having same A drawer member that is capable of being drawn out from an image forming apparatus body and that includes a fixing unit that heats and fixes an image onto a recording medium, a first flow path that is formed around the fixing unit and that causes air that is heated by heat, which is discharged from the fixing unit, to circulate, and a second flow path that is formed adjacent to the first flow path on a side opposite to the fixing unit and in which air having a temperature lower than a temperature of air, which circulates in the first flow path, circulates.
US09141074B2	Image forming apparatus having side cover including finger receiving portion An image forming apparatus includes a pair of side covers, a finger receiving portion, a connection member, and a fitting member. One of the pair of side covers defines one of right and left outer side-surfaces of the image forming apparatus and the other defines the other of the right and left outer side-surfaces of the image forming apparatus. The finger receiving portion is inwardly recessed in each of the side covers with respect to a right-left direction and comprises an upper wall that has an insertion opening penetrating through the upper wall with respect to an top-bottom direction. The connection member is configured to connect the side covers with each other. The fitting member is a separate part from the connection member and is fitted to each of the finger receiving portions from an inner side of each of the side covers. The fitting member comprises a protrusion that protrudes downward therefrom. The protrusion protrudes downward from the upper wall of the finger receiving portion via the insertion opening.
US09141073B2	Waste-developer collecting device and image forming apparatus including the waste-developer collecting device A waste-developer collecting device includes a developing device that develops a latent image with developer, a storage section that stores the developer transported from the developing device, and a path section extending from the developing device to the storage section, and including a downward path through which the developer in the developing device flows together with air in the developing device, the downward path guiding the flowing developer downward. An opening is provided on an upper side and an upstream side of a lowermost level of the downward path so that a part of the air flowing in the path section is released out through the opening.
US09141068B2	Image forming device having main body and holder holding developer cartridges An image-forming device includes: a main body; a plurality of developer cartridges; a holder; and a plurality of urging members. The main body has a plurality of engaging parts. Each developer cartridge has a photosensitive drum. The holder is configured to move between a position inside the main body and a position outside the main body and to hold the developer cartridges such that the developer cartridges are arranged in a row along a first direction. Each urging member is configured to urge a corresponding developer cartridge toward a corresponding engaging part when the holder holding the developer cartridges is at the position inside the main body.
US09141061B2	Image forming apparatus Disclosed is an image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section, a control section, and a magnification factor adjusting section.The control section employs an index signal based on a detected result of a light beam irradiation, for controlling an operation timing of the image forming section in the toner image area; and when forming the band-shaped toner image on the area between the toner image areas being adjacent to each other, while controlling the magnification factor adjusting section to implement an operation for adjusting the image magnification factors in parallel, the control section employs a timing signal, created otherwise without depending on the detected result of the light beam irradiation, for controlling the operation timing of the image forming section.
US09141056B2	Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same A fixing device includes a plurality of separation assemblies disposed opposite a fixing rotary body to separate a recording medium from the fixing rotary body. Each separation assembly includes a separator separatably contacting the fixing rotary body, a contact biasing member anchored to the separator to bias the separator against the fixing rotary body, an arm separatably contacting the separator to isolate the separator from the fixing rotary body, and an actuator connected to the arm to separate the arm from the separator. A controller is operatively connected to the actuator of each separation assembly to control the actuator of at least one of the plurality of separation assemblies to separate the arm from the separator so as to bring the separator into contact with the fixing rotary body by the contact biasing member.
US09141053B2	Heating device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus Provided is a heating device that heats a belt which transports a medium on which a non-fixed image to be fixed onto the medium through heating is formed, the heating device including a heating element, a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer that are arranged to nip the heating element, a first supporting layer that comes into contact with the first insulating layer and a second supporting layer that comes into contact with the second insulating layer, both of which are arranged to nip the first insulating layer, the heating element, and the second insulating layer, and a connection member that connects the first supporting layer and the second supporting layer in a normal direction of the first supporting layer and the second supporting layer.
US09141049B2	Image forming apparatus and temperature control method in fixing device thereof for controlling temperature of fixing device to be at target temperature after execution of non-image formation device Image forming apparatus including: first executing unit executing image formation mode of forming image by transferring toner image from image holder onto recording sheet, and then, in fixing device, causing fixing member, heated to fixable temperature by heater, to thermally fix toner image; second executing unit executing non-image-formation mode not involving thermal fixing performed by fixing device; instructing unit selectively instructing to execute image formation mode or non-image-formation mode; and controller controlling power supply to heater of fixing device in accordance with execution state of image formation and non-image-formation modes, the controller performing first control of decreasing temperature of fixing member by stopping or reducing power supply to heater when non-image-formation mode starts, and second control of stopping first control at predetermined timing during execution of non-image-formation mode and increasing temperature of fixing member so as to reach predetermined target temperature at end of execution of non-image-formation mode.
US09141048B2	Fixing device and image forming apparatus A fixing device, corresponding to a plurality of sheet passing widths, includes a rotating member configured to convey a recording medium, rise in temperature, and fix toner; temperature sensors configured to detect the surface temperature of the rotating member; heating members including at least one heat generating unit, provided inside the rotating member; and a control unit configured to control a heating state obtained by the heating members. The heat generating units are provided not to overlap each other in the direction of the sheet passing width orthogonal to the recording medium conveying direction. The temperature sensors are only placed at positions corresponding to the heat generating units used when printing on the recording medium having a minimum width. The control unit controls the heating state in accordance with the surface temperature, a sheet passing width, and an operational state of the rotating member that changes with time.
US09141040B2	Image forming apparatus and fixing device An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording material; an endless belt member; a pressure member that applies pressure to the belt member; a pressing member that presses the belt member from an inner side of the belt member towards the pressure member; and an adjusting section that adjusts a position of an end portion of a nip part at a downstream side in a movement direction of the recording material and a position of a curved portion of the belt member by moving or deforming the pressing member, the nip part being formed by the belt member and the pressure member, the curved portion of the belt member being formed by an end portion of the pressing member at a downstream side in the movement direction of the recording material.
US09141032B1	Developing device and image forming apparatus A developing device includes: a first transport member that transports developer in a developer container; a second transport member that transports the developer in a direction opposite to a direction of transport by the first transport member; an inflow portion provided at a downstream end in the direction of transport by the second transport member and on an outer side with respect to an end of a developer carrying body, the inflow portion allowing the developer to flow from a second housing into a first housing; a high-speed transport portion provided in a range corresponding to the inflow portion and that transports the developer at a higher speed; and a regulating member provided at a position corresponding to a downstream end of the high-speed transport portion in the direction of transport by the first transport member and that regulates a height of a mound of developer in the first housing.
US09141029B2	Developing device and electrophotographic image forming apparatus having the same An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a main body having an opening; a developing cartridge, detachably installed in the main body through the opening in a first direction, which includes a photosensitive drum and a cleaning member for removing a toner remaining in the photosensitive drum; and a toner recycle unit, detachably installed in the developing cartridge through the opening in the first direction, which recovers the toner removed by the cleaning member, filters the recovered toner, and supplies the toner again to the developing cartridge.
US09141027B1	Cleaning device, and image forming apparatus A cleaning device that cleans a residual toner from a cleaning target includes a cleaning blade that blocks the residual toner containing toner particles and an external additive on the cleaning target and scrapes the residual toner from the cleaning target, a measurement unit that measures an amount of the external additive in the residual toner which is blocked by the cleaning blade and remains on the cleaning target, and a control unit that increases an amount of a toner that is supplied to the cleaning target based on a measurement result obtained by the measurement unit.
US09141010B2	Particulate material production apparatus, and particulate material production method A particulate material production apparatus is disclosed. The particulate material production apparatus includes a droplet ejector to eject droplets of a particulate material composition liquid or a melted particulate material composition in a droplet ejection direction from nozzles; a solidifying device to solidify the droplets; a first airflow forming device to form a first airflow to feed the ejected droplets to the solidifying device with the first airflow; and a second airflow forming device to form a second airflow to apply the second airflow the droplets before the droplets are fed by the first airflow. The second airflow forming device forms the second airflow by supplying a pressed gas from a slit, and the traveling direction of the first airflow is substantially perpendicular to the droplet ejection direction.
US09141008B2	Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, electrophotographic apparatus, and imide compound An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a support, an undercoat layer formed on the support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the undercoat layer, in which the undercoat layer contains a polymerized product of a compound represented by the formula (1) or a polymerized product of a composition containing a compound represented by the formula (1).
US09141004B2	Lithographic apparatus and method A lithographic apparatus includes: an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a deformation sensor to determine deformations of an object of the lithographic apparatus, wherein the deformation sensor includes at least one optical fiber arranged on or in the object, the optical fiber including one or more Bragg gratings, and an interrogation system to interrogate the one or more Bragg gratings.
US09141002B2	Z-stage with dynamically driven stage mirror and chuck assembly having constraint Substrate support apparatus and methods are disclosed. Motion of a substrate chuck relative to a stage mirror may be dynamically compensated by sensing a displacement of the substrate chuck relative to the stage mirror and coupling a signal proportional to the displacement in one or more feedback loops with Z stage actuators and/or XY stage actuators coupled to the stage mirror. Alternatively, a substrate support apparatus may include a Z stage plate a stage mirror, one or more actuators attached to the Z stage plate, and a substrate chuck mounted to the stage mirror with constraints on six degrees of freedom of movement of the substrate chuck. The actuators impart movement to the Z stage in a Z direction as the Z stage plate is scanned in a plane perpendicular to the Z direction. The actuators may include force flexures having a base portion attached to the Z stage plate and a cantilever portion extending in a lateral direction from the base portion. The cantilever portion may include a parallelogram flexure coupled between the base portion and a free end of the cantilever portion.
US09141001B2	Mask support frame and mask assembly having the same A mask support frame for supporting a mask is provided. The frame is configured to secure both ends of a mask and apply tension to the mask in a first direction. The frame includes a frame main body defining an opening for exposing a patterned opening area of the mask and an end tensioner coupled to the frame main body, and configured to apply tension to one of both ends of the mask in a second direction crossing the first direction.
US09140997B2	Control apparatus, lithography apparatus, and method of manufacturing article The present invention provides a control apparatus including a feed-forward controller configured to perform feed-forward control of a controlled object, the apparatus being configured to obtain a first response data sequence of the controlled object measured by applying a first manipulated variable to the controlled object, and determining, assuming that a second response data sequence of the controlled object to be obtained if a second manipulated variable data sequence, obtained by respectively multiplying the first manipulated variable by gains as variables which can vary with time, is applied to the controlled object, is expressed as a linear combination of the first response data sequence with the gains as coefficients of the liner combination, the gains so that a discrepancy between the second response data sequence and a target data sequence falls within a tolerance.
US09140992B2	Illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus An illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus capable of reducing a light quantity loss when a mask is illuminated with a polarized illumination light. An illumination optical system for illuminating a reticle with an illumination light and a projection optical system for projecting the pattern image of the reticle onto a wafer are provided. An illumination light emitted from an exposure light source in a linearly polarized state in the illumination optical system passes through first and second birefringent members having different fast axis directions and is converted into a polarized state that is substantially linearly polarized in a circumferential direction with the optical axis as the center in an almost specific annular area, and them illuminates the reticle under an annular illuminating condition after passing through a fly-eye lens.
US09140984B2	Radiation-sensitive composition A radiation-sensitive composition includes a polymer composition and a radiation-sensitive acid generator. The polymer composition includes a first polymer and a second polymer. The first polymer includes a repeating unit shown by a following formula (1). The second polymer includes a repeating unit shown by a following formula (2) and does not include a repeating unit shown by the formula (1).
US09140980B2	Method of manufacturing a transfer mask and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device In a mask blank for manufacturing a transfer mask, the mask blank has a light-shielding film on a transparent substrate. The light-shielding film is made of a material containing tantalum as a main metal component and includes a highly oxidized layer which has an oxygen content of 60 at % or more and which is formed as a surface layer of the light-shielding film. The highly oxidized layer is placed on a side opposite to a transparent substrate side.
US09140972B2	Display system comprising a screen comprising an array of diffractive patterns The general field of the invention is that of display systems comprising an image projector and an associated display screen, the said display system being designed to be used by an observer situated at a given location, the said display screen comprising two transparent and substantially parallel faces, the said display screen comprising, on at least one of its transparent faces, a plurality of regularly distributed light-scattering patterns. The image projector according to the invention illuminating the screen under a plurality of angles of incidence determined by the position and the size of the display screen, the said angles of incidence being centered on a mean angle of incidence, the scattering patterns comprise a diffractive structure in order to diffract the light rays having at least the mean angle of incidence in one or more directions corresponding to the said given location of the observer.
US09140966B2	Projection device and method for operating a projection device A projection device (1; 24), comprising a base (2), a support (3) and a projection head (4; 27), the support (3) being rotatable relative to the base (2) and relative to the projection head (4; 27) wherein a light guide system (10-18) is accommodated in the support, (3) and at least one wavelength-converting luminophore (22) for converting at least part of a light beam (L) generated by the at least one light source (5) is accommodated in the projection head (4; 27).
US09140963B2	Portable projector and screen support system having foldable frame assembly A portable projection and display system can include a frame assembly having one or more folding trusses, a counterweight bar arranged on a rearward bottom portion of the frame to help provide a stable base, and an adjustable boom. A projector can be mounted on one end of an adjustable boom. The boom can be configured to be capable of adjusting a distance between the projector and the display screen. The boom can be mounted to the frame with a hinged connection to permit it to act as a lever to raise and lower the projector. An adjustable boom bar can further be provided. The adjustable boom bar can be attached to an end of the boom opposite the projector such that adjustment of the boom bar raises and lowers the projector via a lever action about a fulcrum.
US09140947B2	Array substrate, method for repairing the same and display apparatus Embodiments of the present invention provide an array substrate, a method for repairing the array substrate and a display apparatus. The array substrate comprises: a thin film transistor; a pixel electrode; a gate line and a data line crossing with each other; and a repairing layer connected electrically to the pixel electrode, wherein the repairing layer has an area within a preset area range of the repairing layer which depends on an area of a repairing light spot, and wherein the repairing layer has a pattern comprising at least one hollow portion.
US09140944B2	Nanocrystal display including black matrix between common electrode and data line in boundary between pixel areas A nanocrystal display device includes a plurality of pixels; a gate line extended in a row direction; a data line extended in a column direction; and a second insulating layer on the data line. Each pixel includes first and second pixel areas adjacent to each other in the column direction; first and second pixel electrodes on the second insulating layer of the first and second pixel areas; a first black matrix on the second insulating layer, and having a step difference greater than that of the first and second pixel electrodes; a common electrode extended in the row direction, contacting the first black matrix and spaced apart from the second insulating layer in the first and second pixel areas, and a tunnel-shaped cavity between the common electrode, the first black matrix and the second insulating layer; and a liquid crystal layer in the tunnel-shaped cavity.
US09140938B2	Liquid crystal display device In one embodiment, a first substrate includes a gate line, a source line, a switching element electrically connected with the gate line and the source line, and a pixel electrode including a sub-pixel electrode electrically connected with the switching element in the shape of a belt, and a main pixel electrode electrically connected with the sub-pixel electrode. A first alignment film covers the pixel electrode. A second substrate includes a common electrode having a pair of main common electrodes arranged on both sides sandwiching the main pixel electrode. A second alignment film covers the common electrode. A liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules is held between the first substrate and the second substrate. Volume resistivity values of the first and second alignment films are lower than that of the liquid crystal layer.
US09140936B2	Blue phase liquid crystal panel and display device A blue phase liquid crystal panel and a display device provide a transflective mode blue phase liquid crystal panel with a single cell gap so as to simplify the process. The blue phase liquid crystal panel comprises: a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed opposite to each other so as to form a liquid crystal cell; a blue phase liquid crystal layer between the two substrates; gate lines and data lines arranged to intersect the gate lines to define pixel regions on an inner side of the first substrate. The blue phase liquid crystal panel has a single cell gap, and the pixel regions are divided into transmission regions and reflection regions. The light for display in the transmission region and the light for display in the reflection region of a same pixel region generate the same phase retardation after passing through the blue phase liquid crystal layer.
US09140931B2	Backlight module and liquid crystal display device The present invention relates to a backlight module and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and the backlight module comprises: a back plate disposed at the bottom of the backlight module; light emitting diode (LED) light sources disposed on the back plate; and a diffusion plate disposed on a light output surface of the backlight module. There are different distances between the LED light sources disposed in different areas of the back plate and the diffusion plate. By adopting different height of LED light sources in different areas of the back plate, the display quality of the backlight module and the LCD device according to the present invention can be increased.
US09140918B2	Structure of liquid crystal module The present invention provides a structure of a liquid crystal module, which includes a backlight module, a mold frame mounted on the backlight module, a liquid crystal display panel mounted on the mold frame, an adaptor mounted to the backlight module, and a bezel mounted on the adaptor. The adaptor includes a connection board and a positioning board perpendicularly connected to the connection board. The connection board is mounted to the backlight module. The liquid crystal display panel is positioned against the positioning board. The bezel is fixedly connected to the positioning board. Through the arrangement of the adaptor for positioning the liquid crystal display panel, the distance between an edge of an opening of the bezel that is mounted to the adaptor and an edge of a black matrix of the liquid crystal display panel can be kept constant.
US09140916B2	LCD panel and LCD device The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and an LCD device. The LCD panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate oppositely arranged to the first substrate, and each of oppositely arranged surfaces of the two substrates are layered with one or more material layers. The edge of the oppositely arranged surface(s) of the first substrate and/or the second substrate is layered with protrusions and/or recesses, the edge layered with the protrusions and/or recesses is bonded with sealant, and the first substrate is bonded and fixed to the second substrate by the sealant.
US09140910B2	Eyeglasses with changeable image display and related methods Eyeglasses may include a frame body and at least one lens carried by the frame body, and at least one display carried on at least one exterior surface of the frame body and configured to display a changeable image thereon. The at least one display may be conformal to the at least one exterior surface. The eyeglasses may further include a communications interface carried by the frame body, and a controller carried by the frame body and coupled to the at least one display and the communications interface. The controller may be configured to receive display data via the communications interface, and selectively change the image on the at least one display based upon the received display data to thereby change an external visual appearance of the frame body.
US09140898B2	Hermetically sealed MEMS device and its fabrication A hermetic package comprising a substrate (110) having a surface with a MEMS structure (101) of a first height (102), the substrate hermetically sealed to a cap (120) forming a cavity over the MEMS structure; the cap attached to the substrate surface by a vertical stack (130) of metal layers adhering to the substrate surface and to the cap, the stack having a continuous outline surrounding the MEMS structure while spaced from the MEMS structure by a distance (140); the stack having a bottom metal seed film (131) adhering to the substrate with a first width (131a), and further a top metal seed film (132) adhering to the cap with a second width (132a) smaller than the first width, the top metal seed film tied to a layer (135) including gold-indium intermetallic compounds, layer (135) having a height greater than the first height.
US09140893B1	Electrowetting array substrate and display device The disclosure of the present invention relates to an electrowetting array substrate and a display device. The electrowetting array substrate comprises a plurality of pixel units. Each pixel unit comprises a common electrode layer, a pixel electrode layer, a hydrophobic dielectric layer provided between the two electrode layers, a non-polar liquid layer spreading on the hydrophobic dielectric layer, and an aqueous electrolyte layer provided between the non-polar liquid layer and the common electrode layer. a surface of the hydrophobic dielectric layer, on which the non-polar liquid layer spreads, is provided with a groove, and the pixel electrode layer is provided with a through hole the position of which corresponds to that of the groove. With such structure, the spread-contract path of the non-polar liquid can be shortened and thus the response rate can be improved. Furthermore, the non-polar liquid can be confined within the pixel unit.
US09140876B2	Photographing lens assembly A photographing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element, the third lens element and the fourth lens element have refractive power. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, wherein the surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one of the surfaces thereof has at least one inflection point thereon. The sixth lens element with negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, wherein the surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one of the surfaces thereof has at least one inflection point.
US09140873B2	System and method for compensating for distortions in optical fibers An apparatus and method for compensating for mode-profile distortions caused by bending optical fibers having large mode areas. In various embodiments, the invention micro-structures the index of refraction in the core and surrounding areas of the inner cladding from the inner bend radius to the outer bend radius in a manner that compensates for the index changes that are otherwise induced in the index profile by the geometry and/or stresses to the fiber caused by the bending. Some embodiments of an apparatus and method include a fiber having a plurality of substantially parallel cores, the fiber including a straight section and a curved section; guiding signal light primarily in a second core in the straight section; guiding the signal light from the second core into a first core between the straight section and the curved section; and guiding the signal light primarily in the first core in the curved section.
US09140871B2	Optical fiber carrier An optical fiber carrier is provided, for routing given optical fibers from a bundle of the given optical fibers, the given optical fibers having a given minimum bend radius, the optical fiber carrier comprising: a planar surface comprising vertical edges; downwards curved rungs projecting from the planar surface and vertically aligned between the vertical edges, each of the downwards curved rungs peaking in an upward direction, and comprising a respective radius that is greater than or equal to the given minimum bend radius; and exit conduits located at the vertical edges, respective exit conduits located between respective adjacent downwards curved rungs, the downwards curved rungs and the exit conduits for routing an excess of each of the given optical fibers from the bundle, guided by one or more of the downwards curved rungs, and through one of the exit conduits.
US09140856B2	Ultra-high power multimode combiner An ultra-high power fiber laser system includes a multimode combiner which is configured with a plurality of low mode fibers bundled together and tapering toward its downstream end. A clad mode absorber extends along the tapered downstream end and over a portion of the combiner's output fiber. The absorber is configured with adjacent zones which are provided with respective refractive indices. In a forward propagating direction of signal, the upstream zone includes polymeric material with the refractive index higher than that of the cladding of the combiner end fiber. The intermediate zone includes polymeric material configured with a refractive index lower than that of the cladding of the combiner output fiber. The downstream zone is configured with polymeric material having a refractive index lower than that of the cladding of the combiner output fiber and impregnated with a plurality of light diffusers.
US09140855B2	Waveguide structure based on low frequency surface plasmon polaritons A structure of a low frequency surface plasmon polariton waveguide includes multiple unit cell blocks arranged at a sub-wavelength period to line up in a one-dimensional line-up direction to form a hollow metallic block periodic structure. Each unit cell blocs includes a body, a penetration section, and an open slot. The penetration section is formed in the unit cell block by extending in a direction perpendicular to the one-dimensional line-up direction so as to define a channel space in the unit cell block. In a low frequency spoof surface plasmon polariton transmission mode, in case of serving as a structure of an antenna, each unit cell block has an electromagnetic field distribution mostly confined in a channel space of the unit cell block; and in case of serving as a waveguide, the electromagnetic field is mostly distributed between two adjacent unit cell blocks with minority distributed in the channel space.
US09140839B2	Lighting module and optical fiber lighting device using the same A lighting module comprises a first light source, a second light source and a phosphor element is provided. The first light source emits a first exciting light. The second light source emits a second exciting light. The phosphor element converts the first exciting light and the second exciting light to an emission light. The first exciting light and the second exciting light are input to the phosphor element in different directions of incidence.
US09140838B2	Polarizing plate for OLED and OLED display including the same A polarizing plate for an OLED and an OLED display, the polarizing plate including a polarizer; a first retardation layer on a lower side of the polarizer; a second retardation layer on a lower side of the first retardation layer; and a pattern layer on a lower side of the second retardation layer, the pattern layer including a plurality of engraved patterns on a lower side thereof.
US09140837B2	Optical member and display device including the same Disclosed are an optical member and a display device including the same. The optical member includes a wavelength conversion layer to convert a wavelength of an incident light, and an impact absorbing layer on the wavelength conversion layer.
US09140833B2	Retroreflective sheeting including a low refractive index layer having a plurality of voids Retroreflective articles and constructions are disclosed. One exemplary retroreflective article or construction includes a retroreflective layer and a low refractive index layer. In one exemplary embodiment, the low refractive index layer is adjacent to at least a portion of a retroreflective structured major surface of the retroreflective layer.
US09140828B2	Apparatus and associated methods related to detection of electromagnetic signalling In one or more embodiments described herein, there is provided an apparatus including a first layer for detecting electromagnetic signalling, and a second layer positioned proximate to the first layer. The first layer includes graphene, and the second layer is configured to undergo plasmonic resonance in response to receiving electromagnetic signalling. This plasmonic resonance that the second layer undergoes thereby sensitizes the graphene of the first layer to detection of particular spectral characteristics of received electromagnetic signalling corresponding to the particular plasmonic resonance of the second layer.
US09140797B2	System for determining precise position including a chirp receiver utilizing phase precessed chirp signals A system for determining precise position includes a chirp receiver that processes broadcast chirp signals in the frequency domain to distinguish direct path signals from multipath signals. The chirp receiver processes the received chirp signals, which consist of respective pulsed frequency sweeps, by combining a received chirp signal with a synchronized locally generated chirp signal and phase adjusting and concatenating the results over multiple sweeps, based on estimated clock phase errors and expected phase rotations of the direct path signals, to produce a sine wave. The phase adjustment and concatenation allows the use of longer Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) that, in turn, provide increased accuracy of frequency estimation and separate component signals that are very close in frequency. The phase adjustment and concatenated signals are processed in the frequency domain using an FFT and a frequency corresponding to the direct path signal is identified by the lowest frequency bin in which power is above a predetermined noise threshold. The receiver then determines a time delay based on the identified frequency and uses the time delay to calculate accurate clock phase error. The system may then determine position based on associated pseudorange measurements.
US09140796B2	System and method for effectively performing enhanced mobile-device location procedures A system and method for effectively performing enhanced device location procedures to determine the current physical location of a mobile device includes a plurality of satellites that wirelessly transmit satellite beacon signals, a plurality of base stations that wirelessly transmit pilot signals, and a plurality of access points that wirelessly transmit access-point beacon signals. A location detector of the mobile device coordinates a device location procedure by measuring the satellite beacon signals, the pilot signals, and the access-point beacon signals to generate corresponding satellite information, base station information, and access point information. The location detector analyzes the satellite information, the base station information, and the access point information to select an optimal system configuration from the most effective satellites, base stations, and access points. The location detector then utilizes the optimal system configuration to accurately calculate the current physical location of the mobile device.
US09140774B2	Voice analyzer, voice analysis system, and non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program A voice analyzer includes a plate-shaped body, a plurality of first voice acquisition units that are placed on both surfaces of the plate-shaped body and that acquire a voice of a speaker, a sound pressure comparison unit that compares sound pressure of a voice acquired by the first voice acquisition unit placed on one surface of the plate-shaped body with sound pressure of a voice acquired by the first voice acquisition unit placed on the other surface and determines a larger sound pressure, and a voice signal selection unit that selects information regarding a voice signal which is associated with the larger sound pressure and is determined by the sound pressure comparison unit.
US09140768B2	Vibration isolation for superconducting magnets A mounting plate for locating under a superconducting magnet structure, between the superconducting magnet structure and a supporting surface of a mobile carrier, is controllable between two different states. In a first state, the mount provides rigid attachment and precise location of the superconducting magnet structure onto the supporting surface of the mobile carrier. In a second state, the mount provides vibration isolation between the superconducting magnet and the mobile carrier.
US09140766B2	Temperature compensating magneto-resistive sensor for measuring magnetic fields A magneto-resistive sensor for measuring a magnetic field based on an anisotropic magneto-resistive (AMR) effect or a gigantic magneto-resistive (GMR) effect comprises a substrate and a plurality of resistors that include first magneto-resistive layer strips arranged in form of a bridge circuit on the substrate. The plurality of resistors have a resistance value that depends on a magnetic field strength. At least one second layer strip is connected in series with the first magneto-resistive layer strips of at least one of the plurality of resistors. The first magneto-resistive layer strips have a resistance that depends on temperature according to a first positive temperature coefficient; and the at least one second layer strip has a resistance that depends on temperature according to a second temperature coefficient different from the first temperature coefficient, the second temperature coefficient being non-negative.
US09140763B2	Wireless power transfer test system A testing system for wireless power transfer systems, including a stationary plate, a rotating plate, and a driver to rotate the rotating plate with respect to the stationary plate.
US09140758B2	Method and device for indicating an electric discharge inside a bearing of an electric drive system The present invention relates to a method for indicating an electric discharge in a non-conducting medium (22) between a rolling element (20) and a raceway (16, 18) in a bearing (12) of an electric drive system (10). The method comprises: remotely detecting radio frequency signals emitted from the electric drive system, which signals comprise a radio frequency signal associated with an electrical discharge in the non-conducting medium, processing the detected radio frequency signals to estimate the electric discharge, and indicating the estimated electric discharge. The present invention also relates to a corresponding device (30, 50, 70, 90) for indicating an electric discharge in a non-conducting medium between a rolling element and a raceway in a bearing of an electric drive system.
US09140757B2	Testing a circuit assembly that contains a piezoelectric switch A method of testing a circuit assembly that includes a piezoelectric switch may include driving a DC current into the piezoelectric switch. The method may further include measuring the time interval it takes to develop a predetermined voltage across the piezoelectric switch and comparing the measured time interval with a first predetermined time interval and a second predetermined time interval. The method may include identifying the circuit assembly as defective when the measured time interval is either less than the first predetermined time interval or more than the second predetermined time interval, and otherwise identifying the circuit assembly is operational.
US09140753B2	Monitoring functional testing of an integrated circuit chip A method of validating functional testing of system circuitry on an integrated circuit chip, the system circuitry configured to perform a plurality of functions, the integrated circuit chip further comprising debugging circuitry under the control of a debug controller, the debugging circuitry comprising at least one debug unit. The method comprises: at the system circuitry, performing one of the plurality of functions; applying a debug configuration to the at least one debug unit; and at the at least one debug unit, monitoring for a characteristic in the system circuitry's performance of the one of the plurality of functions according to that debug configuration, and reporting to the debug controller.
US09140749B2	Test apparatus An existing test head is made best use of and a capital investment is reduced. A test apparatus for testing a plurality of devices under test includes: a plurality of test heads for retaining therein at least one test board to test devices under test; a connecting section mounted on upper surfaces of the plurality of test heads and is independently fixed to each of the plurality of test heads; and a DUT board on which the plurality of devices under test are mounted, the DUT board being mounted to the connecting section, where the at least one test board is mountable and removable through a side surface of each of the plurality of test heads while the connecting section is mounted to the test head.
US09140747B2	Sense amplifier offset voltage reduction A circuit includes a plurality of transistors responsive to a plurality of latches that store a test code. The circuit further includes a first bit line coupled to a data cell and coupled to a sense amplifier. The circuit also includes a second bit line coupled to a reference cell and coupled to the sense amplifier. A current from a set of the plurality of transistors is applied to the data cell via the first bit line. The set of the plurality of transistors is determined based on the test code. The circuit also includes a test mode reference circuit coupled to the first bit line and to the second bit line.
US09140745B1	System and method for cloud testing and remote monitoring of integrated circuit devices In a system and method for cloud testing and remote monitoring of IC devices on a computerized test platform, the computerized test platform sends to a cloud server unit, which stores test programs corresponding respectively to different test items, a test request, which includes respective device codes of the IC devices and one (s) of the test items, via a communication network. The cloud server unit sends to the computerized test platform a test response, which includes one (s) of the test programs corresponding to the one (s) of the test items. The computerized test platform products test data corresponding to the device codes of the IC devices in response to execution of the one (s) of the test programs.
US09140742B2	Method of measuring a silicon thin film, method of detecting defects in a silicon thin film, and silicon thin film defect detection device A method of measuring conductivity of a silicon thin film is provided. By the method, a capacitive sensor is positioned over a silicon thin film sample with an air-gap between the sensor and the sample, a size of the air-gap is measured using the capacitive sensor while an excitation light source module is turned off, an excitation light is illuminated on the silicon thin film sample by turning on the excitation light source module, where the excitation light is an ultraviolet light, a conductivity change of the silicon thin film sample is measured using the capacitive sensor, and a measurement error due to a deviation of the air-gap is eliminated by normalizing the conductivity change based on a measurement result of the size of the air-gap.
US09140737B2	Capacitive touch sensor An apparatus including a first layer having a first substrate, first capacitive sensors on the first substrate and first electrical leads on the first substrate; and a second layer having a second substrate, second capacitive sensors on the second substrate and second electrical leads on the second substrate. The first layer is located on top of the second layer. The first capacitive sensors are arranged in a substantially ring-shaped pattern. The second capacitive sensors are arranged in a pattern sized to fit under the first layer within an inside perimeter of the substantially ring-shaped pattern of the first capacitive sensors. The second layer includes electrically conductive material spaced from the second capacitive sensors and the second electrical leads. The electrically conductive material is sized and shaped to be located under the first capacitive sensors and the first electrical leads.
US09140732B2	Arc resistance performance evaluation device, arc resistance performance evaluation system, and arc resistance performance evaluation method The present device includes a high frequency induction thermal plasma generation unit 10; a second tube portion 20, which is connected to a first tube portion 13 and which includes window 25 on at least one side surface; and a testing subject installing pedestal 23 configured to be fixedly attached at a reference position in the second tube portion 20, wherein the testing subject installing pedestal 23 includes a seating portion for installing the testing subject 40, and a hold-down portion for fixing the installed testing subject 40 with a part of the testing subject exposed; and an ablated vapor generated from the testing subject is observed through the window from an outer side of the second tube portion.
US09140722B2	Contact and connector A contact for electrically connecting two electric components, includes a first end portion which contacts an object to be contacted; a second end portion for passing a signal from the first end portion; an elastic portion which connects the first end portion with the second end portion while pushing the first end portion and the second end portion in an opposing direction, the elastic portion having a meandering shape from the first end portion to the second end portion and having a curved/bent structure provided with an open portion where a width of the open portion is different from the maximum inner width of the curved/bent structure of the elastic portion when seen from the opposing direction; and a housing portion which surrounds the elastic portion, wherein the first end portion, the second end portion, the elastic portion and the housing are formed by bending a single conductive plate.
US09140713B2	Method for operating an automated sample workcell A method of operating the automated sample workcell for processing one or more biological samples is presented. The method comprises receiving one or more biological samples. Each biological sample is contained in a sample tube. Each sample tube is a tube type. If a test order was received for at least one of the biological samples, the test order being indicative of one or more first processing steps, the workcell can automatically execute the one or more first processing steps. If the test order was not received, one or more second processing steps can be determined based on the tube type of the sample tube that contains the at least one biological sample and the one or more second processing steps can then be executed.
US09140708B2	Diagnostic methods Described herein are methods for identifying a mammal having a heightened susceptibility to enamel erosion, together with kits therefor and uses and methods related thereto.
US09140701B2	Fibrinogen immune complexes to diagnose and guide therapy in rheumatoid arthritis Compositions and methods are provided for prognostic classification of rheumatoid arthritis disease patients into subtypes, which subtypes are informative of the patient's need for therapy and responsiveness to a therapy of interest.
US09140700B2	Device for determining at least one analyte capable of being contained in a liquid sample A device for determining the presence and/or amount of at least one analyte contained in a liquid sample, includes a capillary diffusion element (2) materialized on which are a zone (3) for depositing the liquid sample, an upstream release zone (4) and at least two capture zones (5). The device (1) also includes at least one downstream release zone (6) located downstream of at least one of the capture zones, which downstream release zone (6) includes at least one detection reagent conjugated to a visible and/or measurable marker; and the detection reagent of a release zone and/or the capture reagent of the additional capture zone(s), located directly downstream of the release zone, are suitable for binding specifically with the analyte and/or for binding specifically with one another, in order to form a complex that enables the determination of the analyte in the liquid sample at the additional capture zone(s).
US09140697B2	Device for capturing circulating cells The present invention provides devices and methods for capturing rare cells. The devices and methods described herein can be used to facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of metastatic cancers.
US09140679B2	Process for characterizing corrosivity of refinery feedstocks A method for characterizing refinery feedstocks according to their corrosivity is provided. The characterization is based on any of: dissociation of acids in the crude, breakup of naphthenic acid molecular associations, and/or dissociation of sulfur compounds in the feedstocks. In one embodiment, the characterization is done via vibrational spectroscopic measurements over a range of temperature, e.g., from ambient to 700° F. The method can be practiced in any of refinery, terminal, and laboratories. It can be used in conjunction with models and hardware to optimize the usage of refinery feedstocks in the blending and valuation of the feedstocks.
US09140678B2	Integrated circuit arrangement, device and gas detection method An integrated circuit arrangement (100) is disclosed comprising a substrate (210); and a gas such as a CO2 sensor comprising spatially separated electrodes including at least an excitation electrode (132) and a sensing electrode (142); a volume (120) in contact with said pair of electrodes, said volume including a chemical compound for forming a reaction product with said gas in an acid-base reaction; a signal generator (212) conductively coupled to the excitation electrode and adapted to provide the excitation electrode with a microwave signal; and a signal detector (214) conductively coupled to the sensing electrode and adapted to detect a change in said microwave signal caused by a permittivity change in said volume, said permittivity change being caused by said reaction product. A device comprising such an IC arrangement and a method of sensing the presence of a gas using such an IC arrangement are also disclosed.
US09140676B2	Smoke detection system and method for operating a smoke detection system A smoke detection system includes at least one smoke detector which is installed in a first partial region of a region to be monitored by way of the smoke detection system. The smoke detection system further includes at least one fluid injection device which is configured to inject a fluid into the region to be monitored by way of the smoke detection system in a direction of at least one smoke detector such that in an emergency case, when smoke is present in a second partial region of the region to be monitored the smoke is transported to the at least one smoke detector.
US09140665B2	Method for an operational test measurement of a lambda probe, and device for carrying out method A method for the operational test measurement of a lambda probe, particularly for the purpose of calibrating and/or determining the status of the lambda probe, wherein pure air is circulated around a probe head of the lambda probe is disclosed. The method has the following steps:, —insertion of the lambda probe into a flow receptacle which is separate from an engine construction, in such a manner that an air stream (L) can be circulated around the probe head; generation of an air stream (L) in the flow receptacle; evaluation of probe measurement signals (S), wherein a calibration value is obtained and/or a heating current of the lambda probe is evaluated. A device for carrying out the method, as well as a system, is also disclosed herein.
US09140662B1	Preventing stray currents in sensors in conductive media A sensor is provided. The sensor includes a conductive substrate having side-walls; a dielectric layer overlaying a first surface of the conductive substrate, the dielectric layer including a gate dielectric having a first thickness and a field dielectric having a second thickness; a sensing layer overlaying a first surface of the gate dielectric; a non-conductive carrier wherein a second surface of the conductive substrate overlays a portion of the non-conductive carrier; and an insulating layer conformally coating at least the side-walls of the conductive substrate, wherein a first surface of the sensing layer is uncoated by the insulating layer.
US09140658B1	Fluid detection device Provided is a fluid detection device. The fluid detection device may be used to detect body fluids, for example, blood or urine. The fluid detection device includes a first conductive member on a first side of a non-conductive member which is fluid absorbent, and a second conductive member on a second side of the non-conductive member, wherein the first and second conductive members are arranged across a thickness of the non-conductive member. A voltage is applied across the two conducting members. When body fluid is absorbed by the non-conductive member, its resistance decreases so that measurable current flows between the conducting members and can be sensed and used for alarm or other purposes.
US09140652B2	Light measurement method and measurement apparatus using an optical field enhancement device Performing a measurement using an optical field enhancement device which includes a transparent substrate having a transparent fine uneven structure on a surface and a metal film formed on a surface of the fine uneven structure on the surface of the substrate, in which a subject is placed on the metal film of the optical field enhancement device, then excitation light is projected onto an area of the optical field enhancement device on which the subject is placed, and light generated by the projection of the excitation light is detected from a back surface side of the transparent substrate.
US09140644B2	Method and apparatus for detecting a gas concentration with reduced pressure dependency This invention relates to a method that makes the measurement of a trace gas concentration invariant or at least less affected to pressure variations in the gas and atmospheric pressure changes. This method neither requires a pressure sensor nor a pressure calibration routine. Furthermore, the method can be applied to other gas species present in the background gas or to the background gas itself that cross-interfere with the target gas of interest. This allows removing any pressure dependency of cross-interference parameters of other gas species and/or the background gas. The new method for accurately measuring a gas concentration is based on optimizing the wavelength modulation amplitude of the laser to minimum pressure dependency.
US09140635B2	Assay for measuring enzymatic modification of a substrate by a glycoprotein having enzymatic activity Methods of conducting an assay for measuring enzymatic modification of a substrate by a glycoprotein having enzymatic activity are provided. The methods include concentrating the glycoprotein having enzymatic activity by capturing the glycoproteins from the input sample on a solid support, washing the glycoproteins captured on a solid support to remove unbound portions of the input sample, adding an enzyme substrate to the output sample comprising glycoproteins having enzymatic activity, and measuring enzymatic modification of the substrate. In some examples, the capturing of the glycoprotein and subsequent washing steps are performed in one or more droplets in oil.
US09140634B1	Heating and magnet module for a device for the purification of nucleic acids A heating and magnet module for a device for the purpose of purifying nucleic acids, having a plate assembly which has a heating plate, and a magnet carrier plate. The heating plate and the magnet carrier plate can be moved vertically relative to each other between two end positions, in opposition to a spring force. A vessel arrangement is placed on the heating plate, having row or matrix form vessels. One magnet of the magnet carrier plate is functionally assigned to each of these.
US09140632B2	Handling of sample tubes comprising geometric tube data A method for handling a sample tube containing a biological sample is presented. A tube label can be attached to the sample tube. The tube label can carry tube data. The tube data can comprise at least geometric tube data descriptive of at least one geometric property of the sample tube. At least the geometric tube data can be read from the tube label by a reader device. At least the geometric tube data from the reader device can be transmitted to a processing device. The processing device for handling the sample tube can be controlled in accordance with the at least one geometric property described by the read geometric data.
US09140629B2	Assembly for testing the performance of a component An assembly for testing performance of a component includes a rotatable turret having component handling heads each of which can hold a component and a rotatable head assembly that includes a rotatable head having one or more nests. Each nest has an electrical contact and can receive a component that electrically connects to the nest's electrical contact. Each nest can hold a component that remains electrically connected to the electrical contact, as the head rotates. The rotatable head is adjacent to the turret to pass a component directly from a component handling head on the turret to a nest on the head. A processor is in electrical communication with the electrical contact(s) of the nests such that the processor can send command signals to a component held in a nest and receive response signals from the component. The processor determines the performance of the component from the response signals.
US09140622B2	System and method for controlling a firing sequence of an engine to reduce vibration when cylinders of the engine are deactivated A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a vibration prediction module and a firing sequence module. The vibration prediction module predicts a vibration response of a vehicle based on a firing sequence of an engine when a cylinder of the engine is deactivated. The firing sequence module adjusts the firing sequence of the engine based on the predicted vibration response of the vehicle.
US09140617B2	Sensor arrangement comprising magnetic index encoder in a bearing seal The invention relates to a sensor arrangement including a torque sensor for measuring the torque acting on a first shaft and including a rotational angle index unit. The first shaft is supported by at least one bearing, the seal of the bearing including a magnetic index encoder that is detected by at least one magnetic sensor element.
US09140616B2	Electronic socket An electronic socket is provided. The electronic socket includes a body, a strain gauge, an electronic control module, and a display unit. The body has a driving groove and a passive groove. The driving groove and the passive groove are connected to each other through a channel, wherein the body includes a containing space located on an outside and a recessed groove located in the containing space corresponding to the channel. The strain gauge is disposed in the recessed groove. The electronic control module and a display unit are disposed in the containing space, and the display unit is for showing a data sensed by the electronic control module which obtains from the strain gauge.
US09140609B2	Infrared presence detector for detecting a presence of an object in a surveillance area The present invention relates to a detection device and a method for detecting a presence of an object in a surveillance area. The device comprises at least one infrared radiation sensing element each adapted for generating a sensor signal related to a quantity of infrared radiation received from within the surveillance area by the infrared radiation sensing element, a processing unit and an output means for outputting a determined presence of the object and/or a property derived therefrom. The processing unit is adapted for: obtaining the at least one sensor signal; generating at least one contrast value by comparing the at least one sensor signal to at least one reference value; determining the presence of the object by evaluating a condition on said at least one contrast value; and adjusting the at least one reference value such that negative feedback is applied to the at least one contrast value.
US09140607B2	Observer metameric failure reduction method A method for color correcting an input color image having input color values adapted for display on a reference display device having a plurality of input color primaries to account to provide reduced observer metemaric failure on a narrow-band display device. A metamerism correction transform is applied to the input color image to determine an output color image having output color values in an output color space appropriate for display on the narrow-band display device. The metamerism correction transform modifies colorimetry associated with the input colors to provide output color values such that an average observer metameric failure is reduced for a distribution of target observers, and is formed responsive to a distribution of perceived color differences for a set of input colors that are determined for a set of target observers.
US09140605B2	Configurable combination spectrometer and imager An imaging transform spectrometer, and method of operation thereof, that is dynamically configurable “on demand” between an interferometric spectrometer function and a broadband spatial imaging function to allow a single instrument to capture both broadband spatial imagery and spectral data of a scene. In one example, the imaging transform spectrometer is configured such that the modulation used for interferometric imaging may be dynamically turned ON and OFF to select a desired mode of operation for the instrument.
US09140596B2	Method and device for detecting abnormal state of medical container A method for detecting abnormal state of medical container contains steps of: enabling a weight detecting unit to detect weight of a medical container which is coupled with a patient to acquire content change data; enabling an inclination detecting unit to detect inclination state of the medical container to acquire inclination data; receiving the content change data and the inclination data by a controlling unit; and comparing the content change data and the inclination data with preset content data and initial inclination data respectively, such that when the content change data is different from the preset content data, a warning unit is started by the controlling unit; or when the inclination data is different from the initial inclination data, the warning unit is started by the controlling unit. In addition, a device for detecting abnormal state of the medical container matches is used to execute above-mentioned steps.
US09140593B2	Smooth bore, chordal transit-time ultrasonic meter and method A flow element for an ultrasonic flowmeter having a plurality of transducers for analyzing fluid flow in a pipe. The flow element includes a housing having a bore with an internal diameter and a surface through which fluid flows and a plurality of cavities each of which has an opening in the surface. Each of the cavities has one of the plurality of transducers disposed in it. The flow element includes a liner that covers the openings of the cavities which prevents fluid flowing through the bore from entering the cavities.
US09140589B2	Instrument panel cluster An instrument cluster assembly is disclosed and includes at least one gauge. The gauge includes a dial surface having a primary scale and a secondary scale. A needle indicator assembly comprising a primary needle and a secondary needle is rotatable about an axis and spaced from the dial surface. The tip of the primary needle is positioned to indicate on the primary scale, and the tip of the secondary needle is positioned to indicate on the secondary scale. The gauge further includes a primary light source for illuminating the primary needle and a secondary light source for illuminating the secondary needle. The primary light source and the secondary light source are independently illuminable.
US09140586B2	Removable sensor port insert apparatus An apparatus configured for insertion into a sensor port of a flow cell is described herein. The apparatus includes an insert body, a sensor located in the cavity of the insert body, and an insert body holding nut and a sensor holding nut threaded to the interior surface of the sensor port.
US09140583B2	Remote location monitoring A remote location monitoring system, for example, a home monitoring or weather monitoring system may include one or more sensors and/or receivers at a remote location such as a residence or business to be monitored. The sensors and receivers may communicate with a central server via a gateway device, and may be controlled by users locally or remotely via the server. Users may register to receive remote notifications of weather events and other home monitoring events. Users may also access remotely sensors and receivers to configure alerts, notifications, and automatic responses for the devices and integrated appliances at the remote location.
US09140579B2	Low power inductive proximity sensing system A low power inductive proximity sensing system in which a DC voltage to the inductors is only applied for a short time period needed to detect the presence or absence of an appropriate object. After the detection time period is over, DC voltage is no longer applied to the inductors.
US09140568B2	Multi-screen vehicle system A navigation system integrated into a materials transport vehicle for use by an operator, the system including a plurality of display devices each having a screen; a location determining component operable to determine the current location of the materials transport vehicle; a memory operable to store one or more modules, the memory including vehicle operator transport preferences comprising time periods available for operating the materials transport vehicle and materials transport requirements comprising a materials transport destination; and a processor operable to execute the one or more modules to determine a transport schedule for use by the materials transport vehicle operator, the transport schedule based on the materials transport requirements and the vehicle operator transport preferences, determine a transport route from the current location to the materials transport destination using the transport schedule, and present the transport route on one of the display devices.
US09140562B2	System and method for transferring vehicle operating data to an external navigation system A vehicle information system is provided that includes an interface module configured to receive operating data from a vehicle information system. The interface module is also configured to transfer the operating data to a navigation system that is not built-in to the vehicle to facilitate vehicle position determination without using external positioning signals received or processed by the vehicle.
US09140546B2	Apparatus and method for three dimensional inspection of wafer saw marks An apparatus (1) and a method for the three dimensional inspection of saw marks (2) on at least one surface (3) of a wafer (4) are disclosed. At least one camera (6) is required to capture an image of the entire surface (3) of the wafer (4). At least one line projector (8) provides a light bundle (5), centered about a central beam axis (9). The line projector (8) is arranged such that the central beam axis (9) is at an acute angle (α) with regard to the plane (P) of the wafer (4). A line shifter (12) is positioned in the light bundle (5) between each line projector (8) and the surface (3) of the wafer (4). A frame grabber (14) and an image processor (16) are used to synchronize and coordinate the image capture and the position of the pattern (20) of lines (22) on the front side (3F) and/or the back side (3B) of the wafer (4).
US09140544B2	Optical system and method for measuring in patterned structures An optical system is presented for use in measuring in patterned structures having vias. The optical system comprises an illumination channel for propagating illuminated light onto the structure being measured; a detection channel for collecting light returned from the illuminated structure to a detection unit; and an attenuation assembly accommodated in the illumination and detection channels and being configured and operable for selectively attenuating light propagating along the detection channel, the attenuation creating a predetermined condition for the selectively attenuated light, said predetermined condition being defined by a predetermined ratio between a first light portion corresponding to a dark field condition and a second light portion corresponding to a bright field condition in said selectively attenuated light, detected selectively attenuated light being therefore indicative of at least one parameter of the via being illuminated.
US09140541B2	Image measuring apparatus and image measuring method Disclosed is an image measuring apparatus including an image capture unit which captures an image of a measurement subject, an import unit which imports the image of the measurement subject which is captured by the image capture unit, a binarization unit which binarizes the image which is imported by the import unit, a contour detection unit which recognizes graphic information in the image which is binarized by the binarization unit and detects a contour of the graphic information, a corner detection unit which detects corners of the graphic information based on the contour which is detected by the contour detection unit, a setting unit which respectively sets edge detection tools on lines of the contour including the corners detected by the corner detection unit and a measurement unit which measures the graphic information by the edge detection tools which are set by the setting unit.
US09140539B2	Optical system and method for measurement of one or more parameters of via-holes Obtaining at least one of a cross-section profile, depth, width, slope, undercut and other parameters of via-holes by a non-destructive technique using an optical system having an illumination system for producing at least one light beam and directing it on a sample in a region of the structure containing at least one via-hole, a detection system configured and operable to collect a pattern of light reflected from the illuminated region, the light pattern being indicative of one or more parameters of said via-hole, and, a control system connected to the detection system, the control system comprising a memory utility for storing a predetermined theoretical model comprising data representative of a set of parameters describing via-holes reflected pattern, and a data processing and analyzing utility configured and operable to receive and analyze image data indicative of the detected light pattern and determine one or more parameters of said via-hole.
US09140533B2	Measuring device for a pipe-cutting machine The invention relates to a measuring device for precisely determining the length of at least one longitudinal profile between two measuring arms opposite of one another, with said two measuring arms opposite of one another and a measuring stamp, which can be moved in one of the measuring arms by means of a linear guide. The longitudinal profile can be positioned such that one end abuts against the measuring stamp. The linear guide comprises a guide channel extending in a guiding direction and a guide element having an outer wall, which guide element can be moved back and forth in the guide channel along the guiding direction. The guide element comprises a first guide length and a first guide width and forms a first width/length ratio. On the outer wall, in a cross-section that is vertical to the guiding direction, indentations and/or protrusions are provided circumferentially in the guide section direction, each having an additional guide length, an additional guide width and an additional width/length ratio, wherein the additional width/length ratios are smaller than the first width/length ratio.
US09140532B2	Measuring head for a coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object A measuring head for a coordinate measuring machine for determining spatial coordinates on a measurement object has a coupling part for detachably receiving a measurement tool. The coupling part has a number of first bearing elements, a magnet and a retaining pin. The measurement tool has a disk with a number of second bearing elements, an anchoring plate and at least one adjustable locking element. The magnet is configured to attract the anchoring plate so as to bring the first and second bearing elements into engagement with one another. The first and second bearing elements, in the engaged state, define a defined position of the measurement tool on the coupling part. The at least one locking element secures the measurement tool to the retaining pin. The anchoring plate is detachably secured to the disk and the at least one locking element retains the anchoring plate on the retaining pin.
US09140525B2	Foldable shield A deployable and foldable shield with improved stability, when it is to protect the carrier against weapons and thrown objects, comprising an elongated base plate having attachment means for attaching the base plate along the forearm of a person, and a plurality of substantially triangular and at least substantially equal-sided shield plates, supported by the base plate, which have a top angle (α) smaller than 40° and are pivotally mounted at a triangle corner enclosing the top angle (α) to a pivot projecting from the base plate, said shield plates forming a stack supported by the base plate when the shield is folded and forming a deployed shield surface supported by the base plate when pivoted away from the base plate. In order to improve the stability of the shield, when it is to protect the carrier against weapons and thrown objects, the shield plates are arranged in two stacks with a respective pivot for mounting and pivoting of the shield plates. The shield plates in one stack are deployed by pivoting in a first direction and those in the other stack by pivoting in the opposite direction, and connecting devices are provided for connecting these two shield plates.
US09140523B2	Method and apparatus for armor having integrated battery power Methods and apparatus for battery armor including a first ballistic protection layer comprising a non-conductive material to provide ballistic protection, and a second ballistic protection layer abutting the first ballistic protection layer, the second ballistic protection layer including a battery layer. Exemplary embodiments for battery armor include layers of non-conductive and conductive materials to provide ballistic protection and electrical power.
US09140517B2	Elastic band projectile toy gun and method of assembly A toy gun comprising a plurality of pre-cut thin layer members along with a plurality of pin members, wherein the toy gun is adapted to store a number of elastic bands and to shoot the stored elastic bands in rapid succession. A barrel top notch is adapted to receive front end of a stretched elastic band that will be fired by the toy gun. The stock comprises a series of recesses each of which is adapted to accommodate the rear end of a stretched elastic band. The fore-end member is movable and includes a series of secondary recesses along its back end, staggered in relation to the stock recesses, wherein any particular secondary recess is slightly below the corresponding stock recess and functions to transfer each elastic band from its stock recesses to an adjacent stock recess in the upward direction, toward the firing recess.
US09140511B2	Barrel and suppressor sleeves and heat resistant weapon accessories Suppressor sleeves and gun barrel sleeves and covers have longitudinal interior splines and venting valleys and exterior ribs arranged at angles relative to the interior splines. One or more sleeves and caps are combined to provide suppressor sleeve assemblies and gun barrel covers and related weapon accessories.
US09140505B2	Slide bearing component for pistol with light alloy body structure This invention relates to countering of the weight caused by high temperature and pressure that arise during the firing of the pistol by this component, instead of the aluminum alloy body; by inserting, into the pistol with light alloy body structure, a bearing component that is all-steel, independent of the body of the pistol, and that can be assembled and disassembled when necessary; elimination of deformations of the aluminum alloy body caused by the high temperature and high pressure; and lengthening the working life of the pistol by increasing the rate of fire.
US09140504B1	Performance testing apparatus for microclimate cooling unit A testing apparatus measures cooling power of an electrically-powered Microclimate Cooling Unit (MCU) at the point of use of the MCU. The tester includes fluid supply and return ports for fluidly connecting to the MCU. A fluid heater provides a heat load to fluid in the tester. Fluid temperatures upstream and downstream of the heater are measured. The fluid flow rate is adjustable and measurable. A digital processor extracts the temperature and fluid flow rate data and computes cooling watts. The computed cooling watts are compared to the manufacturer's specifications to determine if the MCU is operating properly.
US09140503B2	Energy measurement system for fluid systems A primary fluid flow loop and a secondary fluid flow loop fluidly coupled to the primary fluid flow loop. The secondary fluid flow loop exchanges heat with at least one of a heat source and a heat load. The secondary fluid flow loop includes an inlet and an outlet fluidly coupling the primary fluid flow loop to the secondary fluid flow loop. A fluid flow meter coupled to the primary fluid flow loop. A first temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the first temperature sensor measures the temperature of a fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop upstream of the inlet of the secondary fluid flow loop. A second temperature sensor coupled to the primary fluid flow loop, the second temperature sensor measures the temperature of the fluid flowing in the primary fluid flow loop downstream of the outlet of the secondary fluid flow loop.
US09140493B2	Apparatus and process for concentrating a separable component of a slurry Methods and apparatuses are provided for separating a slurry mixture into its constituent melted liquid form and solid frozen form. This involves forcing the slurry mixture through an inlet into a vessel and through the vessel to an opening, wherein the vessel comprises a plurality of perforations dimensioned to receive a liquid flow from the slurry mixture to dry the slurry mixture; vibrating the vessel and the slurry mixture within the vessel to shake the material in the melted liquid form out through the plurality of perforations to dry the slurry mixture; and, extracting the dried slurry mixture from the opening.
US09140483B2	Refrigerator A refrigerator may allow the inner space of a storage box to be sealed by a gasket disposed between the shelf and the storage box and adjust humidity of the sealed inner space of the storage box by disposing a moisture-permeable membrane on the shelf. The refrigerator includes a body, a storage compartment arranged in the body, a shelf arranged in the storage compartment and provided with an extension portion, a storage box coupled to a lower portion of the shelf, the storage box being provided with an edge portion, a plurality of rails provided at sidewalls of the storage compartment to guide the storage box, the rails being provided with an inclined portion, a gasket coupled to the extension portion of the shelf to seal an inner space of the storage box, and a moisture-permeable membrane arrange at the shelf.
US09140478B2	Synchronous temperature rate control for refrigeration with reduced energy consumption Methods of operation for refrigerator appliance configurations with a controller, a condenser, at least one evaporator, a compressor, and two refrigeration compartments. The configuration may be equipped with a variable-speed or variable-capacity compressor, variable speed evaporator or compartment fans, a damper, and/or a dual-temperature evaporator with a valve system to control flow of refrigerant through one or more pressure reduction devices. The methods may include synchronizing alternating cycles of cooling each compartment to a temperature approximately equal to the compartment set point temperature by operation of the compressor, fans, damper and/or valve system. The methods may also include controlling the cooling rate in one or both compartments. Refrigeration compartment cooling may begin at an interval before or after when the freezer compartment reaches its lower threshold temperature. Freezer compartment cooling may begin at an interval before or after when the freezer compartment reaches its upper threshold temperature.
US09140475B2	Receiver tank purge in vapor compression cooling system with pumped refrigerant economization A cooling system includes a cooling circuit having an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, an expansion device, a liquid pump, and a receiver/surge tank coupled between the condenser and the liquid pump. The cooling system has a direct expansion mode and a pumped refrigerant economizer mode. When the cooling system switches from the direct expansion mode to the pumped refrigerant economizer mode, refrigerant is flushed from the refrigerant/surge tank so that the cooling circuit is overcharged when it begins operating in the pumped refrigerant economizer mode.
US09140470B2	Ejector An ejector has a primary inlet (40), a secondary inlet (42), and an outlet (44). A primary flowpath extends from the primary inlet to the outlet. A secondary flowpath extends from the secondary inlet to the outlet. A mixer convergent section (114; 300; 400) is downstream of the secondary inlet. A motive nozzle (100) surrounds the primary flowpath upstream of a junction with the secondary flowpath. The motive nozzle has a throat (106) and an exit (110). An actuator (204) is coupled to the motive nozzle to drive a relative streamwise shift of the exit and convergent section.
US09140466B2	Fluid heating system and instant fluid heating device A fluid heating system may be installed for residential and commercial use, and may deliver fluid at consistent high temperatures for cooking, sterilizing tools or utensils, hot beverages and the like, without a limit on the number of consecutive discharges of fluid. The fluid heating system is installed with a tankless fluid heating that includes an inlet port, an outlet port, a drain port, at least one heat source connected with the inlet port, and a valve manifold connected to the at least one heat source, the drain port, and the outlet port. A temperature sensor is downstream of the at least one heat source and connected to the valve manifold. The valve manifold is operated so that an entire volume of a fluid discharge from the fluid heating system is delivered at a user-specified temperature (including near boiling fluid) on demand, for every demand occurring over a short period of time.
US09140465B2	Electrolysis device and heat-pump-type water heater provided with same An electrolysis device is configured such that water flowing into a container from an inlet flows from an upstream side to a downstream side in the container and flows out from an outlet. A first electrode pair is arranged on the upstream side than a second electrode pair. In the electrolysis device, in order to suppress a decrease in current density due to electrolyte concentration in the water in the second electrode pair arranged on the downstream side than the first electrode pair, the current density in the second electrode pair is adjusted.
US09140464B2	Heating medium utilizing apparatus In a heating medium utilizing apparatus utilizing heating medium heated by a heating device, it is aimed to provide a pipe which achieves both of the strength of a connection part to an external pipe and the ease of pipe layout without increasing a manufacturing time. On a tip portion of an internal pipe through which the heating medium or fluid to be heat-exchanged with the heating medium flows, a pipe expanding process to expand a pipe diameter and a pipe shrinking process to shrink the pipe diameter are carried out, thereby forming the connection part to be connected to the external pipe connected to external equipment by work hardening.
US09140458B2	Cooktop-interface having projection display device A cooktop-interface includes at least one display device, a display sign layer with at least one display sign provided in connection with the display device and back illumination lighting for projecting the display sign to the lower side of a cooktop-panel arranged upstream the back illumination lighting and the display sign layer.
US09140457B2	Dual fuel heating system and air shutter A dual fuel heating system can be used in a gas appliance. The system can have an air shutter to regulate an amount of air that can mix with the fuel for combustion. The air shutter can be configured to have different positions depending on the type of fuel to be used.
US09140450B2	Retrofitted corrosive resistant venting system A venting system and a method for installing the venting system. A non-flexible metallic venting pipe comprises a chase. A first end of the vent pipe is positioned adjacent an appliance installation and a second end positioned at an exit to an external region of a home. A flexible vent tube comprising a sealed non-corrosive material, having a first end and a second end, is positioned between the first end of the venting pipe and the second end of the venting pipe. Adapters are positioned at the ends of the venting pipe. A method comprises routing a flexible venting tube comprising sealed, corrosion resistant venting material through an existing non-flexible double-walled vent comprising non-sealed material.
US09140447B2	Two stage dry feed gasification process A dry feed two stage gasification system and process is disclosed for gasifying feedstock such as carbonaceous materials with improved energy efficiency, along with reductions in feedstock consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. The feedstock is first dried and pretreated with the hot syngas in the upper section of the gasifier to generate a dry char that is low in volatile-matter content. This dry char is sent to the first stage of a two stage gasifier where it reacts with oxygen in the presence of steam to produce a hot syngas stream.
US09140444B2	Wearable device for disrupting unwelcome photography This invention is a wearable device and method for disrupting unwelcome photography by a proximal imaging device in order to protect a person's privacy. This invention can be embodied in a device worn by the person whose privacy is to be protected comprising: a wearable light source; an ambient light sensor; an inbound light guide that harvests light from an ambient light source; a data processing unit that selects the use of light from the wearable light source, from the ambient light source, or from both the wearable light source and the ambient light source to disrupt unwelcome photography; and an outbound light guide that directs light from the wearable light source, from the ambient light source, or from both the wearable light source and the ambient light source toward the proximal imaging device in order to disrupt unwelcome photography.
US09140442B2	Low-profile illuminated switch assembly The present invention relates to an illuminated switch assembly that includes a case; a circuit board disposed inside the case; a light-emitting diode mounted on the circuit board to emit light downward; a light-guiding member configured to transmit the light emitted downward by the light-emitting diode to a position above the circuit board; and an operation member disposed in an upper part of the case to be operable as a switch, the operation member being configured to be illuminated with light received from the light-guiding member.
US09140434B2	Structure combining soft core with soft head for LED christmas light with four connection pins The present invention proposes a LED Christmas light, using an LED bulb with four connection pins to insert in a soft core configured with four slots allowing the four connection pins to be passed through and bended configured on the bottom thereof, and the soft core being inserted in a soft head with four V-typed convex plates in pairs face-to-face and extended to the bottom face thereof configured on the inside thereof, where an engagement partitionment groove is formed between each two adjacent convex plates in the soft head, allowing four metal conducting sheets with a conducting wire to be respectively engaged therewith, thereby allowing one LED Christmas light unit to use an LED bulb with a light source of more than four colors.
US09140424B2	Vehicle headlamp A multi-lamp type vehicle headlamp is configured to combine illumination by a first lamp unit and illumination by second lamp units so as to provide a low beam light distribution function and a high beam light distribution function. The first lamp unit is configured to form at least a cutoff line of a light distribution pattern for a low beam. The second lamp units have a resolution that is lower than that of an illumination region which can be provided by the first lamp unit.
US09140423B2	Multi-array LED chip for vehicle and head lamp having the same The present invention relates to a multi-array chip for a vehicle, including a plurality of LED element having different sizes arranged and installed to emit light, and a head lamp having the multi-array chip for a vehicle. Accordingly, with variable LED elements which are individually turned on and off so as to correspond to a location of an oncoming vehicle, and have different sizes, visibility at the front side of a vehicle may be secured, and light blindness to a driver in the oncoming vehicle, may be prevented.
US09140413B2	Light emitting diode light bulb and incandescent lamp conversion apparatus Apparatus and methods separate the functions of light emission, heat dissipation, and power conversion in LED lighting. Doing so may facilitate cost-effective LED lighting and enable the conversion of existing incandescent lamps to LED service. An LED light bulb includes a thermal path from LED dies to a thermal transfer contact having an externally available surface. The LED light bulb and an incandescent lamp adapter are consumer-installable in an incandescent lamp. A heat spreader component of the lamp adapter contacts the thermal transfer contact of the LED light bulb to dissipate heat originating at the LED dies. A lamp adaptable LED power supply plugs into a standard AC power outlet and includes a receptacle to accept insertion of a lamp cord plug to deliver power to the LED light bulb. A lock-in safety device prevents retraction of the lamp cord plug from the LED power supply once inserted.
US09140411B2	Compressed air supply device for commercial vehicles A compressed air supply device for a commercial vehicle is electrically connected to an electronic control device. The compressed air supply device includes a control valve which is actuated via the control device. The control valve has an inlet, vent and outlet connections. A control line, which is connected to the outlet of the control valve, is connected to a control inlet of a compressor and/or, for regeneration, to an air filter. A supply line can supply compressed air to the control valve inlet. A venting line connects to the control valve vent. A backup valve is provided, wherein an inlet of the backup valve is connected to the supply line and an outlet can be connected to the venting line. The backup valve opens pneumatically when a pressure which corresponds to or exceeds a predetermined opening pressure is present in the supply line.
US09140405B2	Multi-axis pivot system and method Some embodiments provide a pivot mechanism and/or system that includes a support member defining a cavity and an extension member at least partially located within the cavity. In some cases one or more inner surfaces of the cavity can provide one or more pivots defining multiple pivot axes about which the extension member is generally pivotable through corresponding pivot ranges. The extent of the pivot ranges can be defined by the cavity within the support member. In some cases cooperating clamp members engage the extension member and the support member to retain the extension member within the cavity. The clamp members may also include sliding surfaces that slidingly engage with the support member to provide frictional resistance to pivoting movement of the extension member. Electronic display pivoting and positioning systems are also provided as are methods for positioning and pivoting electronic displays.
US09140404B1	Rigging system adaptor A rigging system adaptor which creates an infinite number of adjustability positions for a line array, wherein the adaptor is particularly well suited for use with a spine frame. The adaptor comprises a main frame having a longitudinally extending body to which a first attachment member, a second attachment member, and a mount are attached. The first attachment member may be fixed onto the main frame via a pair of lateral rods, wherein the lateral rods are oppositely situated from each other relative to the main frame. The second attachment member and the mount may be slidably engaged with the lateral rods such that they can move along the main frame and can be repositioned to meet the specific needs of a user.
US09140398B2	Air aspiration device Embodiments of the invention provide an air aspiration device to release trapped air in a pipe containing a solution that is to be delivered to a nozzle body. The air aspiration device can include an air port in fluid communication with the air and the solution, an exit port, and a passageway in fluid communication with the air port and the exit port. The air aspiration device can also include a main body and a female pipe fitting forming an end cap for one end of the pipe.
US09140391B2	Coupler method and apparatus for installing pipe with a protective cover into borehole A coupler apparatus for installing a pipe and a protective cover into a borehole includes a first coupler half and a second coupler half. Both halves include a leading edge and at least one slot disposed in an outer surface configured to allow a fluid to pass by the coupler apparatus as the coupler apparatus is pulled through the borehole. A fastening means joins the first coupler half to the second coupler half about the pipe and the protective cover. The coupler apparatus formed by the first coupler half joined to the second coupler is configured to capture the protective cover at a location on the pipe for the installation of the pipe with the protective cover into the borehole. A method is also described.
US09140388B2	Bi-directional seal assembly A bi-directional seal assembly for sealing the annulus between an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member comprises an annular seal which in cross section includes a generally U-shaped first portion having a radially inner first leg and a radially outer second leg and a generally U-shaped second portion having a radially inner third leg and a radially outer fourth leg. The second and third legs are joined together such that the first leg engages the inner tubular member and the fourth leg engages the outer tubular member. Pressure below the seal urges the first leg into sealing engagement with the inner tubular member and forces the second and third legs radially outwardly to thereby urge the fourth leg into sealing engagement with the outer tubular member. Also, pressure above the seal urges the fourth leg into sealing engagement with the outer tubular member and forces the second and third legs radially inwardly to thereby urge the first leg into sealing engagement with the inner tubular member.
US09140387B2	Firestop collar A firestop collar including a support band made of sheet metal and an intumescent strip that runs along the support band and is connected to it. The support band is provided with several pre-defined cutting zones which are at a distance from each other in the lengthwise direction and which run crosswise to the lengthwise direction. The intumescent strip has cutting areas that are oriented in the same manner and in which the intumescent strip is thinner than it is in the adjacent areas in the lengthwise direction. The cutting areas coincide with the cutting zones of the support band.
US09140385B2	Envelope element for a pipeline, mold for manufacture thereof, and method for covering a pipeline A plastic envelope element for an underwater pipeline comprises at least one local spring portion manufactured integrally with the envelope element. The envelope element is modular in circumferential direction of the pipeline. The local spring portion is at least formed by a wall portion of the envelope element in the relaxed condition projecting on the inner side of the envelope element. In its tensioned condition, the local spring portion does not project, or projects to a lesser extent than in the relaxed condition, on the inner side of the envelope element, such that in its fitted condition the local spring portion presses under its spring force against the pipeline. The projecting wall portion extends bridgingly between two mutually parallel and mutually spaced hinge edges of the projecting wall portion. Between the non-adjoining portion of other edges, on the one hand, and remaining portions of the envelope element located next to the spring portion, on the other hand, in the relaxed condition at least one passage is formed in the envelope element.
US09140380B2	Valve assembly A valve assembly, in particular a reducing valve assembly, comprises a first energy dissipating means with a plurality of apertures, a second energy dissipating means with a plurality of apertures and a valve closing means for opening and closing the valve assembly. The geometry of the plurality of apertures of the first energy dissipating means and the geometry of the plurality of the apertures of the second energy dissipating means is such that independently of the opening state of the valve assembly, the pressure drops at the first and second energy dissipating means are better balanced to be able to reduce the effect of cavitation on the housing of the valve assembly.
US09140374B2	Directional exhaust valve A directional exhaust valve for controlling a flow of exhaust gas includes a housing having an inlet port and at least two outlet ports. Arranged movably within the housing is a control element which has a passageway to connect the inlet port with at least one of the outlet ports while closing at least in part the other one of the outlet ports. The control element is configured in the form of a hollow cylinder which is closed on one end and has an outer surface area formed with an opening, with the passageway extending between an open end face of the control element and the opening.
US09140370B2	Channel switching valve and heat pump system using the same A rotary type channel switching valve for use in a heat pump system is provided. The channel switching valve provides a plurality of channel switching means required when switching connection of a plurality of devices to parallel/series connection, e.g., in a system including the plurality of devices including inlet/outlet ports for a fluid. The channel-switching valve can play a role of a plurality of channel switching means which are required when connecting a plurality of heat exchangers in parallel when a refrigerant is passed in a normal direction, and when connecting a plurality of heat exchangers in series when the refrigerant is passed in a reverse direction, for example, in a heat pump including the plurality of heat exchangers, and thereby, can realize simplification of a configuration of the heat pump, reduction in an occupied space, cost and energy consumption, or the like.
US09140365B1	Outer seal Disclosed is a seal comprising a first sealing surface with a first lip at a terminus of the first sealing surface and a second lip spaced axially apart from the first lip. A third lip is spaced radially apart from the second lip flexes away from the third lip when the seal is installed.
US09140360B2	Parking mode manually releasing device for shift-by-wire type automatic transmission A parking mode manually releasing device for a shift-by-wire type automatic transmission is provided. The parking mode manually releasing device includes a housing that has a translational motion in interlock with rotation of a shift control lever of the automatic transmission. Additionally, a rod member is arranged to slide as far as a predetermined stroke relative to the housing and has a locking part and a locking clip is fastened to the housing. When the locking part is locked by the locking clip, the translational motion of the housing is generated in interlock with the sliding motion of the rod member, and the rod member is connected to a cable which is pulled when a parking mode is released manually.
US09140358B2	Automatic transmission An automatic transmission includes an input member, a planetary gear set, a plurality of engagement mechanisms, an output member, a shift position detecting unit, an input rotational speed detecting unit, a control unit, and a switching mechanism. When a shift position is changed from a forward drive range to a reverse drive range, the control unit performs a reverse preparation mode in which a rotational speed of an element to be fixed by the switching mechanism is lower than or equal to a predetermined speed by setting an engagement mechanism in one of a connection mode and a fixed mode. Upon performing the reverse preparation mode, the control unit engages the engagement mechanism that connects the element fixed by the switching mechanism to the input member and, thereafter, engages the engagement mechanism that makes the rotational speed of the input member lower than or equal to the predetermined speed.
US09140354B2	Shift/tilt locking apparatus and method for shift lever of automatic transmission A shift/tilt locking apparatus for shift lever of automatic transmission may include a shift knob, a main shaft slidably and rotatably disposed in a housing such that shift knob is slidable; a crossbar having shift knob at the upper end to tilt; a shift restriction device that allows shift knob to slide by selectively restricting sliding of main shaft; and a tilting restriction device controlling shift knob to tilt by selectively restricting the tilting of shift knob by using a third solenoid, which is controlled by a shift mode determining step that determines a shift mode by checking the position of shift knob and a lever locking step that restricts/releases shift knob by selectively operating first solenoid to third solenoid.
US09140350B2	Wave gear device The interior space of a cup-shaped flexible externally toothed gear of a cup-type wave gear device is divided into a front interior space and a rear interior space by a partition mechanism. A lubricant is filled in the front interior space at the side of a wave generator, to which lubrication is required. The volume of the front interior space is set so that a necessary amount of lubricant is filled. Since the lubricant is not necessary to fill in the entire interior space of the flexible externally toothed gear, the amount of lubricant to be filled can be reduced.
US09140349B1	Compact axle assembly with locking differential An axle assembly having a carrier housing, a locking differential assembly, a pair of differential bearing and an actuator assembly. The carrier housing includes a cavity. The locking differential assembly includes a differential case that is received in the cavity. The differential case includes a bearing bore into which an outer race of the differential bearing is received. The actuator assembly includes a sleeve that is movable between a first sleeve position, which is configured to cause the locking differential assembly to operate in an unlocked mode, and a second sleeve position that is configured to cause the locking differential assembly to operate in a locked mode. The sleeve is at least partly radially in-line with the differential bearing when the sleeve is in the first and/or second sleeve positions such that a plane taken perpendicular to the axis extends through both the sleeve and the differential bearing.

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