Document Document Title
US09161339B2 Device, system and method of wireless communication over non-contiguous channels
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of wireless communication over non-contiguous channels. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit capable of transmitting symbols of a wireless communication packet to a wireless communication device over a plurality of non-contiguous wireless communication channels.
US09161335B2 Method and apparatus for candidate list generation for uplink V-MIMO
A method selects mobile station candidates for use with virtual multiple-input multiple-output (“V-MIMO”) in a communication system. The communication system includes at least one base station and a plurality of mobile stations. At least one downlink metric is determined for a first mobile station. The at least one downlink metric is used to determine eligibility for uplink V-MIMO candidate list selection. Responsive to determining that the first mobile station is eligible for uplink V-MIMO candidate list selection, the first mobile station is paired with a second mobile station eligible for uplink V-MIMO candidate list selection.
US09161330B2 Method of enabling single chain ranging operations
A system and method are disclosed for performing ranging operations between two wireless devices without employing cyclic shift diversity (CSD) compensation techniques. For some embodiments, a first wireless device sends a negotiation request frame requesting the second wireless device to respond to subsequently received frames of a specified type using a selected one of the transmit chains in the second wireless device. Thereafter, the first wireless device sends a data frame to the second wireless device to initiate a ranging operation. The second wireless device sends a response frame of the specified type to the first wireless device using the selected one of the transmit chains.
US09161324B2 Method of reporting phase offsets, user equipment and transmission point device using the method
A transmission point device, user equipment, and method of reporting phase offsets between signals received from a serving cell and neighbor cells in a communication system are disclosed. The method comprises steps of: quantizing the phase offsets using a predetermined number of bits; utilizing another bit to indicate constellation of the phase offsets; reporting the quantized phase offsets and the constellation to transmission point. The present disclosure may improve the signal combining gain from multiple transmission points with minimum overhead increasing.
US09161321B2 Method and apparatus providing signal metric for transmitter
The present invention provides a method and associated apparatus providing a signal metric for a transmitter of a communication system including: accumulating a plurality of power terms, each power term corresponding to a product of one of symbol amplitudes and one of scaling factors; and calculating the signal metric according to the accumulated power terms.
US09161320B2 Apparatus and method for determining gateway considering low power
An apparatus and a method for determining a gateway using lower power are provided. The method includes setting probing transmission power for setting the gateway, transmitting a probing request message to another mobile station existing in a cluster with the set probing transmission power, when a probing response message is received from the other mobile station, generating a probing response list for the mobile station having transmitted the probing response message, determining whether a cluster list for mobile stations existing in the cluster corresponds to the probing response list, and determining a gateway mobile station according to a result of the determination as to whether the cluster list for mobile stations existing in the cluster corresponds to the probing response list.
US09161308B2 Devices and methods for facilitating autonomous discontinuous transmission in access terminals
Access terminals are adapted to facilitate discontinuous transmission (DTX) employable during active transmissions. According to one example, an access terminal may be actively transmitting a plurality of frames on a reverse link channel. The access terminal can autonomously implement a DTX operation during the active reverse link transmissions, in which a transmitter circuit is powered down for periods of time less than a duration of one frame. As a result, reverse link transmissions are punctured during the powered down periods. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.
US09161294B2 Using motion to optimize place of relevance operations
The disclosure is directed to using a change in motion to improve place of relevance (PoR) detection. An aspect determines whether or not a motion state of a mobile device has changed to a new motion state, determines whether or not to trigger the mobile device to scan for available local wireless networks if the motion state has changed, and identifies a PoR based on the scanning.
US09161289B2 Selection of dynamic relays for cooperative communications in a mobile network
The invention relates to the selection of at least one dynamic node, in a mobile network, as a candidate for relaying a data communication signal between a transmitting entity and a receiving entity of the network. In terms of the invention: at least one first area around at least one first entity among the transmitting and receiving entities is defined, beyond which a data communication signal is attenuated beyond a first predetermined threshold; and the selection of nodes as possible candidates for relaying the communication signal on the basis of the definition of the first area is limited.
US09161285B2 Method and apparatus for cell reselection
A method and wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) are disclosed that is configured to perform cell reselection to another cell when the WTRU is in a CELL_FACH state using an Enhanced-Dedicated Channel (E-DCH). The cell reselection is based on internal measurements by the WTRU. Alternatively, the cell reselection can be WTRU based on the WTRU measurements reported to the network.
US09161276B2 Cell reselection and handover with multimedia broadcast/multicast service
A method and apparatus for providing wireless communication services, (e.g., multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS)), are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) detects a plurality of target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor a serving cell eNodeB. The WTRU evaluates cell reselection criteria and determines a neighboring target cell eNodeB to reselect. The WTRU receives and reads master information block (MIB) and system information messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB, and confirms that the determined neighboring target cell eNodeB is not part of a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN). The WTRU identifies the neighboring target cell eNodeB to the serving cell eNodeB. The WTRU then receives and reads MIB messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB again to determine whether the system information has changed and, if so, the WTRU reads the system information and reselects to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, which provides the wireless communication services.
US09161267B2 Performing neighboring cell searches while transitioning to connected-mode
Performing cell re-selection by a wireless user equipment (UE) device. A first cell on which to camp may be selected. The UE may camp on the first cell in an idle-mode. The UE may be configured to perform searches for neighboring cells according to an idle-mode timeline while camping on the first cell. The UE may transmit a connection request to the first cell in order to transition the UE from the idle-mode to a connected-mode via the first cell. One or more searches for neighboring cells may be performed according to a connected-mode timeline after transmitting the connection request, in response to transmitting the connection request. The one or more searches may be performed before the UE establishes the connected-mode with the first cell.
US09161263B2 End-to-end quality of service optimization based on network performance indicators
A system may be configured to receive information regarding a quality of service (“QoS”) objective for a network. The network may include a group of nodes through which network traffic traverses. Each node, of the group of nodes, may implement one or more queues that indicate an order in which traffic is processed by the node. The system may further identify scheduling information associated with one or more nodes of the network. The queues implemented by the one or more nodes may be based on the identified scheduling information. The system may receive performance information from at least one of the nodes, of the group of nodes; and may generate new scheduling information for at least one node, of the group of nodes, based on the information regarding the QoS objective, the scheduling information associated with the one or more nodes, and the performance information.
US09161262B2 Enhanced multicarrier transmission using orthogonal subcarriers
A device transmits and/or receives voice packets on a first plurality of subcarriers. There is no guard band between any two subcarriers in the first plurality of subcarriers. The device transmits and/or receives a first subset of data packets on a second plurality of subcarriers and a second subset of the data packets on a third plurality of subcarriers. The following limitations may apply: a) there is no guard band between any two subcarriers in the second plurality of subcarriers, and b) there is at least a guard band between at least two subcarriers in the third plurality of subcarriers.
US09161247B2 Method and apparatus for using channel output feedback in multi user wireless systems and hybrid-ARQ
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal using a channel output feedback in a wireless communication system and Hybrid-Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) are provided. The method and apparatus include a transmitter configured to transmit to a base station and a first packet on a precoder received from the base station. A receiver configured to receive, from the base station, a Channel Output Feedback (COF) of the transmitted first packet and information for transmitting a second packet. A controller configured to prepare a variant of the second packet using the COF and the received information for transmitting the second packet, and to control to transmit the prepared variant to the base station.
US09161242B2 Radio communication system and radio communication method
A radio communication system (101) includes plural base stations (131) connected over a network and a mobile station (111), such that the mobile station (111) has a mobile station radio communication unit (115) and a control unit (117) that tests radio communication on each base station (131) that has transmitted a radio signal receivable by the radio communication unit (115) and controls the radio communication unit (115) to transmit silent failure information including identification information on a base station presumed to have silent failure from the test result; each base station (131) has a base station radio communication unit (135), a communication unit (137) that communicates with other base stations, and a base station control unit that controls the communication unit (137), when the identification information does not indicate the present base station, transmits the silent failure information and request for silent failure detection to the corresponding base station.
US09161241B2 Reference signal design and signaling for per-user elevation MIMO
A method to use RSs for per-user elevation beamforming is described. An eNB sends, to a UE, an indication of which RSs in a plurality of RSs sound in the elevation dimension and which RSs in the plurality of RSs sound in the azimuthal dimension. Then, the eNB sends, to the UE, the plurality of RSs using a plurality of antenna. The UE separates the plurality of RSs into the first portion and the second portion based at least in part on the indication and sends elevation and azimuthal feedback based on the received RSs to the eNB. The eNB determines beamforming weights for the plurality of antenna based at least in part on the elevation feedback and the azimuthal feedback. Apparatus and computer readable media are also described.
US09161240B2 Method and apparatus for reporting a measurement result in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reporting a measurement result in a wireless communication system. A terminal configures a plurality of serving cells, and performs measurement on the plurality' of serving cells. When a measurement report is triggered, the terminal determines whether or not a quality of at least one serving cell from among the plurality of serving cells is lower than an auxiliary' threshold value. The measurement report includes the quality of a best neighboring cell at a serving frequency of the serving cell the quality of which is lower than the auxiliary threshold value.
US09161236B2 Method and apparatus for measurement for inter-cell interference coordination in radio communication system
A wireless communication system and, more specifically, a measurement method and apparatus for inter-cell interference coordination in a wireless communication system are disclosed. Herein, a method for supporting measurement of a User Equipment (UE) by a first base station in a wireless communication system includes the steps of acquiring information of downlink subframe configuration of a second base station, determining measurement objects of downlink resource of the first base station based on the downlink subframe configuration of the second base station; transmitting information of the measurement objects to the UE, and receiving measurement result for the measurement objects from the UE.
US09161235B2 Frequency band determination method in coexistence scheme
According to one embodiment of the present invention, provided is a frequency band (FB) determination method of a wireless access device which provides an access point to enable one or more terminals to wirelessly access a network. The method may comprise the steps of receiving database-related information from database servers which have database related to unused FBs of a television broadcasting band (TVBB), determining a database server to be accessed among the database servers on the basis of the database-related information, requesting the determined database server and receiving information on available FBs, and determining FBs, among the received operating FBs, for the one or more terminals. The operating FBs are determined by the database server so that the wireless access device can coexist with a neighboring homogeneous or heterogeneous wireless access device without mutual interference within the TVBB.
US09161229B2 Relating to communications
According to one embodiment of present invention, there is provided a method of controlling access to a communication network. The method includes receiving a request from a communication device to connect to the communication network, the request including a substantially unique identifier of the device, and determining whether the identifier is contained in a local device database of the network. Where it is determined that the identifier is not contained in the local database, the method further includes authorizing the device to connect to the network, and at a subsequent update of the local device database, determining the status of the identifier from a shared device database, and updating the status of the determined identifier in the local device database with the determined status.
US09161225B2 Authentication procedures for managing mobile device applications
Methods, systems, and computer programs for managing mobile device applications are described. In some aspects, a mobile device application is prevented from accessing resources of a wireless network. For example, a wireless network operator system can determine that one or more mobile device applications are disapproved for use in the wireless network. In some implementations, the wireless network operator denies the disapproved mobile device applications access to the wireless network resources. In some implementations, mobile devices disable access to the wireless network by the disapproved mobile device applications.
US09161217B2 Method and system for authenticating in a communication system
A method and system for authenticating in a communication system are provided. The method includes, in a first authenticator, sending an authenticator relocation request to a second authenticator transmitting a hash value for an authentication parameter of a Mobile Terminal (MT), a random parameter 1, and a random parameter 2 from the second authenticator to the first authenticator; in the first authenticator, transmitting the hash value received from the second authenticator and the random parameter 1 to an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server; in the AAA server, determining a validity of the hash value received from the first authenticator, and in the AAA server, transmitting the authentication parameter ever used at the time of authenticating the MT, to the first authenticator.
US09161215B2 Wireless device, registration server and method for provisioning of wireless devices
The present invention relates to auto-provision of wireless devices. A wireless device (1) has a device identifier and a first private key generated from the device identifier. A registration server (5) has an operator identifier and a second private key generated from the operator identifier. The wireless device (1) transmits the device identifier to the registration server (5), and the registration server (5) transmits a subscriber identifier to the wireless device (1). The wireless device (1) generates a shared key based on the operator identifier and the first private key, and the registration server (5) generates the shared key based on the device identifier and the second private key.
US09161210B2 Power setting
A basestation receives a table containing information about a plurality of other basestations of the cellular communications network. The basestation and the plurality of other basestations are connected to a local area network. The operation of receiving the table includes receiving the table over the local area network from one of the other basestations. The table contains information for use by the basestation in automatically configuring itself. In the event that the basestation changes its configuration, the basestation updates said table with changed information and rebroadcasts the updated table to the other basestations.
US09161208B2 System for selectively disabling cell phone text messaging function
A selective cell phone text messaging function disabling system prevents a cell phone user from text messaging while within a transmission zone. The user's cell phone text messaging functionality is turned off by a signal broadcasting system as the user enters a transmission zone. When the user exits the transmission zone, the cell phone resumes its texting capability, preserving text messaging functionality while the user is not within the transmission zone.
US09161204B2 System and method for determining mobile device location
A computer-implemented mobile device locating method is provided. The method includes determining a current cell sector of a mobile device and comparing the current cell sector with a cell sector list of previously determined cell sectors. A current location of the mobile device is determined if the current cell sector is not listed in the cell sector list. The current location is compared with a last determined location. The current cell sector is added to the cell sector list if the current location is substantially the same as the last determined location. The cell sector list is cleared if the current location is not substantially the same as the last determined location.
US09161200B2 Managing network data transfers in view of multiple data usage plans
Embodiments manage data transfers using a plurality of data usage plans available to a computing device. Each of the data usage plans has data usage statistics representing an amount of network data consumed under the data usage plan. For each data transfer request received from applications executing on the computing device, a service executing on the computing device or in a cloud defines a network data transfer configuration for performing the data transfer request. The network data transfer configuration is defined based on, for example, the data usage plans, the data usage statistics, and the data transfer request to reduce transfer costs and/or provide a particular quality of service (QoS).
US09161188B2 System and method for automatically suggesting diverse and personalized message completions
Disclosed is a system and method for suggesting messages that are automatically learned, personalized and diversified by leveraging messages sent by a large number of users in order to provide message completions that are as engaging as possible. The disclosed systems and methods learn from recurrent messages sent to a recipient, and suggest message completions based upon user behavior. The systems and methods compute a ranked list of suggested message completions after every key stroke or character input, and if the list satisfies a given confidence threshold, it is returned and displayed to the user.
US09161184B2 Alphanumeric address mapping for non-homogeneous short message networks
Text messages with alphanumeric addresses are delivered to mobiles and external short message entities (ESMEs) which do not support alphanumeric addressing, providing meaningful fallback handling. Additionally, the invention enables delivery of SMPP messages from ESME or SMPP networks which can only originate numeric addresses, yet provide for mapping to alphanumeric addresses for delivery to the mobile. A two-way mapping is provided between alphanumeric addresses and SMS short-codes to enable delivery of text messages with alphanumeric addressing in networks which contain mobiles and/or ESME's that lack support of alphanumeric addressing. An ESME can send a text message using an alphanumeric origination address, without knowing which handsets support the capability, and which do not, or whether handsets are on CDMA, or GSM, or UMTS, or networks, or can continue to send using a numeric origination address. The SMSC provides conversions to alphanumeric addresses on behalf of the ESME and the mobile.
US09161183B2 Method of performing and supporting handover in broadband wireless access system
A method for performing a handover between MBS zones of a mobile station receiving multicast and broadcast service (MBS) data in a wireless access system is disclosed. The method for performing the handover between first and second MBS zones of the mobile station in a wireless access system includes receiving the MBS from a first base station belonging to the first MBS zone which uses a first MBS zone identifier (ID), requesting the handover between the first and second MBS zones, receiving parameter information including a second MBS zone identifier (ID), from the first base station, and receiving the MBS from a second base station belonging to the second MBS zone, using the parameter information, wherein the second MBS zone uses the second MBS zone identifier (ID) which is needed to receive the MBS.
US09161181B2 Communication method, base station, communication system, and mobile terminal
In accordance with the present invention, in a case of using persistent scheduling, when detecting a transition from a talk state to a silent state, resources to be allocated during a silent state are allocated to a channel exclusive for silent period, and the resources which have been allocated to a mobile terminal during the talk spurt are released. Therefore, the useless allocation of resources can be reduced, and the throughput of the system can be improved.
US09161179B2 Enabling a wireless communication device to switch from one local network to a separate wide area network for a high priority multicast group communication
The disclosure is related to group communications over multimedia broadcast/multicast services (MBMS). An aspect determines whether a number of one or more user devices in an MBMS coverage area participating in a group call is less than a threshold, and delivers a media stream for the group call to a user device of the one or more user devices over a wireless local area network (WLAN) to which the user device is connected based on the number of the one or more user devices in the MBMS coverage area being less than the threshold.
US09161177B2 Method for transmitting and receiving multicast-data-related information by a machine-to-machine (M2M) device in a wireless communication system, and apparatus therefor
Disclosed is a method for transmitting and receiving multicast-data-related information by a machine-to-machine (M2M) device in a wireless communication system, and an apparatus therefor. The method for receiving multicast-data-related information by a machine-to-machine device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: receiving a first message including multicast traffic receiving timer information from a base station; receiving a paging message from the base station; and starting a multicast traffic receiving timer from the point in time indicated by the paging message or from the point in time of receiving the paging message, in accordance with the first message and the paging message. The multicast traffic receiving timer information may include information on a time interval during which the M2M device waits to receive the M2M multicast data in an idle mode.
US09161175B1 Location transition determination
Methods, systems, and computer program product for location transition determination are described. A mobile device can use location fingerprint data and sensor readings to determine a transition of the mobile device into or out of a portion of a venue by using particle filters. When the mobile device determines that the mobile device is located at a first portion of the venue, e.g., on a given floor, the mobile device can introduce candidate locations, or particles, on a second portion of the venue and candidate locations outside of the venue. If estimated locations at the first portion of the venue do not converge, the mobile device can increase weight of the candidate locations that are outside of the first portion of the venue to detect possible transition to the second portion of the venue or to outside of the venue.
US09161170B2 System and method for determining a magnetic field using a mobile device
A method and system are provided for determining a magnetic field using a mobile device. The method includes determining location information of the mobile device, obtaining magnetic field data based on the location information, determining orientation information of the mobile device and applying the orientation information to the magnetic field data to compute a magnetic field corresponding to the orientation of the mobile device.
US09161165B2 Obscuring true location for location-based services
A location of a client device may be obscured by using generated random offsets and/or a set of regions. In one implementation, the location of a client device may be obscured using a first random offset and a second random offset. A pseudo-location may be determined based on the location of the client device, the first random offset, and the second random offset. The pseudo-location may be transmitted to a third-party for a location-based service. In another implementation, the location of a client device may be obscured using a first random offset and a set of regions. An intermediate location may be determined based on the location of the client device and the first random offset. A region of the set of regions may be determined based on the intermediate location. A pseudo-location may be transmitted to a third-party for a location-based service based on the determined region.
US09161159B2 System and method for connecting to a peripheral device with access credentials and rotating pin using an NFC remote control
A system and method for connecting to a peripheral device utilizes a near field communication (“NFC”) enabled remote control to acquire a rotating access pin that is transmitted to an NFC enabled computing device in order to establish a connection between the computing device and the peripheral device.
US09161144B2 Method for determining a transmission quality when receiving audio signals and receiving unit
There is provided a method of determining a transmission quality when receiving audio signals which are transmitted over a frequency-modulated path in analog form. For that purpose a frequency-modulated audio signal is received and IQ demodulation of the input signal is implemented. The I- and the Q-path of the demodulated baseband signal are subjected to analog/digital conversion. Alternatively the input signal can first be digitized and then subjected to IQ demodulation. A multiplicity of N samples is detected. The amount of the N samples is formed. A reference value is determined from the amount of the N samples. Each of the N samples is standardized to the reference value. A measurement in respect of the fluctuations in the standardized amounts is determined. The measurement in respect of the fluctuations indicates the quality of the transmission path.
US09161135B2 Thermoacoustic chip
A thermoacoustic chip includes a substrate, a sound wave generator, a first electrode, and a second electrode, and an integrated circuit chip. The substrate has a first surface. The sound wave generator is located on the first surface of the substrate. The first electrode and a second electrode are spaced from each other and electrically connected to the sound wave generator. The integrated circuit chip is located on the substrate and electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode.
US09161134B2 Acoustic generator, acoustic generating device, and electronic device
An acoustic generator according to an aspect of an embodiment includes an exciter, a vibrating body, and a damping member. The exciter receives input of an electric signal and vibrates. The exciter is attached to the vibrating body, and the vibrating body vibrates together with the exciter with vibration of the exciter. The damping member is attached so as to vibrate together with the vibrating body and the exciter and has a non-uniform thickness in a direction orthogonal to a vibration surface of the vibrating body.
US09161133B2 Crosstalk reduction in a headset
A method for reducing crosstalk in a headset connected to an audio device, in which the includes a left headphone, a right headphone and a common ground for the left headphone and the right headphone includes determining a frequency dependent impedance of the headset. The method also includes determining a frequency dependent impedance of the common ground, and determining a frequency dependent substantially optimum cross feed for attenuating crosstalk in at least one of the left headphone and the right headphone based on the impedance of the headset and the frequency dependent impedance of the common ground. The method further includes applying the frequency dependent substantially optimum cross feed to attenuate the crosstalk in the at least one of the left headphone and the right headphone.
US09161132B2 Audio processing apparatus with selection to and from multi-room mode
An audio processing section generates at least a left-front audio signal, a right-front audio signal, a second left audio signal that is the same as a left-front audio signal, and a second right audio signal that is the same as the right-front audio signal based on a left-front audio signal and a right-front audio signal supplied from an audio selector, and outputs these signals to a main output terminal, and supplies the second left audio signal and the second right audio signal also to a switch section. When a first mode is selected, the switch section selects the audio signal from the audio processing section, and supplies it to a ZONE2 output terminal. On the other hand, when modes other than the first mode are selected, the switch section selects an audio signal from the audio selector, and supplies the selected audio signal to the ZONE2 output terminal.
US09161126B2 Systems and methods for protecting a speaker
In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods may include a controller configured to be coupled to an audio speaker, wherein the controller receives an audio input signal, and based on a displacement transfer function associated with the audio speaker, processes the audio input signal to generate an output audio signal communicated to the audio speaker, wherein the displacement transfer function correlates an amplitude and a frequency of the audio input signal to an expected displacement of the audio speaker in response to the amplitude and the frequency of the audio input signal.
US09161125B2 High dynamic microphone system
The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products associated with a microphone system for receiving a sound and producing an output signal representing the sound. The microphone system has a first microphone having a first dynamic range, the first microphone to receive the sound and produce a first sound signal based on the received sound. It also has a second microphone having a second dynamic range, the second microphone to receive the sound and produce a second sound signal based on the received sound, wherein the first dynamic range and the second dynamic range overlap thereby forming a transition dynamic range and processing logic operatively coupled to the first microphone and the second microphone. The processing logic is configured to receive the first sound signal from the first microphone, receive the second sound signal from the second microphone, and generate the output signal by combining the first sound signal and the second sound signal.
US09161124B2 Method and electronic device for determining headset line sequence
A method and an electronic device for determining headset line sequence are disclosed in this application, where a third pin and a fourth pin on a headset plug are connected to a direct-current power supply to form a power supply branch, and a bias resistor is connected onto the power supply branch in series. This application obtains a second voltage between the third pin and the fourth pin, compares the second voltage with a preset first threshold, and according to a comparison result, determines a signal type of a signal transmitted by the third pin and a signal type of a signal transmitted by the fourth pin.
US09161119B2 Phi-based enclosure for speaker systems
A speaker system with an enclosure having a spiral pathway is presented. The speaker system includes an electro-acoustic transducer that generates sounds according to an audio input. The speaker system also includes an enclosure having an interior pathway defined by a wall that is curved substantially as a spiral. The speaker system is configured such that the sound generated by the electro-acoustic transducer travels along at least a portion of the curved pathway before leaving the enclosure.
US09161118B2 Earphone having an acoustic tuning mechanism
An earphone comprising an earphone housing having a body portion, the body portion having an acoustic output opening to output sound from a driver positioned therein into an ear of a user. An acoustic tuning member is positioned within the body portion. The acoustic tuning member defines a back volume chamber of the driver and includes an acoustic output port for outputting sound from the back volume chamber of the driver to improve an acoustic performance of the earphone.
US09161115B2 Case with headset retraction device
A headset retraction device for a portable media player generally includes a base and an arbor, wherein the arbor is configured to rotate within a cavity defined by the base, and the arbor and base are cooperatively configured to wind a cord of the headset in a single plane.
US09161111B2 Wireless speaker and wireless speaker system thereof
Disclosed is a wireless speaker having a structure with the outer cover. The outer cover can be easily detached from the speaker body, facilitating user's mounting external electronic products as desired, for example, various types of bulbs, such as an LED or energy-saving lamp, and a wireless router or a camera. Also disclosed is a wireless speaker system, where the wireless set and the wireless speaker use wireless transmitting and receiving modules, or may use WiFi, Bluetooth or other wireless transmission modes. The wireless set supports a plurality of wireless speakers, and the wireless receiving speaker may be mounted on the ceiling, wall, or hidden place in a kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom or even bar, and restaurant; or even mounted on a table or floor lamp, or transportation means such as trains and planes, serving as a video and audio center for households and entertainment places by free combinations.
US09161091B2 Portable media processing unit in a media exchange network
A method for communication includes performing by one or more circuits integrated within a single chip in a first communication device, functions that include storing media and meta-data corresponding to the stored media. The storing may occur at a first location of the first communication device. A channel guide including representations of the stored media that can be selected for presentation on a television in a second location, may be caused based on the meta-data corresponding to the stored media when the first communication device is communicatively coupled to a second communication device at the second location. In response to receiving a selection via the presented channel guide, at least one media file corresponding to the received selection may be displayed based on the meta-data corresponding to the stored media, on one or both of the television and/or a media player in the second location.
US09161089B2 Method and apparatus for internet protocol television media content sharing
A method and apparatus for enabling IP service subscribers to share media contents with other IP service subscribers or Internet users in either a secured or open fashion are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention enables the sharing of home movies, pictures, and other media contents, where media could be stored media or media created in real-time. Namely, the present method allows IP service subscribers to effectively create their own TV station, e.g., complete with stored or live content programming and content scheduling. In turn, the method allows a viewing subscriber to select and view a shared media program created by another subscriber.
US09161087B2 User controlled multi-device media-on-demand system
A method for providing configurable access to media in a media-on-demand system also can include delivering the media to a first client device in a format compatible with the first client device; interrupting the delivery of the media; recording a bookmark specifying a position in the media where the interruption occurred; and resuming delivery of the media to a second client device, the resumed delivery beginning at a position in the media specified by the recorded bookmark. The method further can include identifying device properties for each of the first and second client devices; delivering the media to the first client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the first client device; and, delivering the media to the second client device in a format compatible with the identified device properties for the second client device.
US09161079B1 Television advertisement system and method
An information processing method combining television viewing and shopping generally includes (i) storing commercial information in a business server, (ii) broadcasting a television program according to a television program schedule from a broadcast server to a television server thereby enabling viewing of the television program by a consumer, (iii) storing the television program schedule in one of the television server and the personal server, (iv) transmitting an information request from one of the television server and the personal server to the business server, the information request including an identification of the television program and a timestamp, (v) transmitting a portion of the commercial information to one of the personal server and the television server, wherein the commercial information portion is related to the television program and the timestamp, and (vi) displaying items of the commercial information portion and a means for purchase of said items to the consumer.
US09161068B2 Remotely accessed virtual recording room
An audio/video stream recording, storage, and delivery system 10 utilizes an Internet-based browser connection. The system 10 includes recording software 20, storage memory 30, a code generator 40, and a user interface 50. Preferably, the recording software 20 is located on the host back end 60 where it processes and records audio and video material that originates from the user front end 70 and is streamed to the host back end. The storage memory 30, which is also located on the host back end 60, stores the recorded audio and video material. The user interface 50 to the system provides a user located at the user front end 70 with remote access to a virtual recording room. The user interface 50 further enables the user to record audio and video material streamed from the user front end 70 by activating the recording software 20 located on the host back end 60. This is accomplished without requiring recording functionality on the user front end 70. The code generator 30 produces code associated with the recorded audio and video material. This code can be easily copied and pasted to an additional location 80, such as an auction website. Activating the code pasted at the additional location 80 provides access to the recorded audio and video material from the additional location while allowing the recorded audio and video material to remain stored at the host back end 60.
US09161062B2 Image encoding and decoding using color space
Embodiments of the present disclosure can include devices for storing and exchanging color space encoded images. The encoded images can store input data into high capacity multi-colored composite two-dimensional pictures having different symbols organized in specific order using sets in a color space. The encoding can include performing two-level error correction and generating frames based on the color space for formatting and calibrating the encoded images during decoding. The decoding can use the frames to perform color restoration and distortion correction. The decoding can be based on a pseudo-Euclidean distance between a distorted color and a color in a color calibration cells. In some embodiments, an encoded image can be further divided into sub-images during encoding for simplified distortion correction.
US09161053B2 Recording medium having recorded thereon coded information using plus and/or minus rounding of images
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon an image decoding program which, when executed by a computer, implements operations including: extracting motion vector information, and rounding method information from input information to be decoded; synthesizing a prediction image by performing motion compensation using the motion vector information and a reference image which is a previously decoded image; and synthesizing a decoded image by adding the prediction image to an error image; wherein a rounding method used for pixel value interpolation in performing the motion compensation for synthesizing the prediction image is one of a positive rounding method and a negative rounding method which is different from a one of a positive rounding method and a negative rounding method used for pixel value interpolation in performing the motion compensation for synthesizing a last prediction image.
US09161042B2 Quantization control method and apparatus, program therefor, and storage medium which stores the program
A quantization control method used in a video encoding which encodes a video image and performs control for making an encoding bit rate approach a predetermined target bit rate. The quantization control method includes measuring a differential amount of code between a target amount of code and an amount of generated code; determining whether or not a predetermined condition has occurred; determining, when it is determined that the condition has occurred, a variation for an amount of feedback which increases or decreases a quantization step size, and changing the amount of feedback based on the determined variation; and increasing or decreasing the quantization step size based on the measured differential amount of code and the changed amount of feedback. If there are a plurality of the predetermined conditions, a final variation for the amount of feedback may be determined by applying a specific operation to variations for the amount of feedback, which are determined for the individual conditions.
US09161040B2 Adaptive block partitioning with shared bit-budget
In the inventive embedded block coding (EBC) image coding system, sub-block partitioning is selected based on the image content. For example, decisions based on image content can include spatial considerations, such as differences between the right and left portions of the block, texture differences or color component differences. The inventive method then shares the available bit budget between these partitioned sub-blocks.
US09161036B2 Image decoding method and image decoding apparatus
An image decoding method includes: dividing a current block into sub-blocks; deriving, for each sub-block, one or more prediction information candidates; obtaining an index; and decoding the current block using the prediction information candidate selected by the index. The deriving includes: determining whether a neighboring block neighboring each sub-block is included in the current block, and when not included in the current block, determining the neighboring block to be a reference block available to the sub-block, and when included in the current block, determining the neighboring block not to be the reference block; and deriving a prediction information candidate of the sub-block from prediction information of the reference block; and when the number of prediction information candidates is smaller than a predetermined number, generating one or more new candidates without using the prediction information of the reference block till the number of prediction information candidates reaches the predetermined number.
US09161035B2 Flexible band offset mode in sample adaptive offset in HEVC
A Flexible Band Offset (FBO) apparatus and method of performing Sample Adaptive Offset (SAO) filtering within encoders and decoders, such as according to the High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard, and similarly configured coding devices. The number of Band Offset (BO) modes and the number of necessary offsets is reduced. The invention beneficially provides simpler coding, reduces temporary buffer size requirements, and can yield a small performance gain over existing SAO techniques of HEVC test model HM 5.
US09161029B1 Systems and methods for detecting defective pixels in a video sequence
Systems and methods for detecting defective pixels in a video sequence having a plurality of frames, the method comprising determining one or more frames of a single scene and determining a plurality of buffers of each frame related to the single scene, detecting one or more candidate pixels for a first predefined number of frames, tracking the detected one or more candidate pixels for a second predetermined number of frames, validating the one or more candidate pixels for presence of defect and marking a candidate pixel from the one or more candidate pixels as a defective pixel based on one or more predefined conditions.
US09161023B2 Method and system for response time compensation for 3D video processing
An interleaved multi-view video stream is received. The interleaved multi-view video stream includes one or more first view frames, one or more second view frames, and blanking frames in a sequential pattern. The blanking frames separate the first view frames from the second view frames in the sequential pattern. The interleaved multi-view video stream is displayed in the sequential pattern. In one embodiment, the blanking frames are detected, and operation of a viewing device is synchronized based at least in part on the blanking frames being detected.
US09161015B2 Image processing apparatus and method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes an image obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of images, which are images of the same subject captured from different viewpoints; an image offset correction unit configured to modify the plurality of images obtained by the image obtaining unit on the basis of parameters for correcting image offset and generate a correction image for each of the obtained images; an evaluation value calculation unit configured to calculate, as an evaluation value, an integration value, for an entire screen, of an error amount indicating a degree at which association in a parallax direction among the plurality of correction images generated by the image offset correction unit is not possible; and an update unit configured to change a parameter that is necessary for association in the parallax direction among the parameters so as to update the parameter so that the evaluation value becomes a minimum.
US09161013B2 Quality of experience reporting for combined unicast-multicast/broadcast streaming of media content
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe devices, methods, computer-readable media and systems configurations for monitoring and reporting quality of experience (QoE) metrics that are associated with an access method. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09161008B2 Personal video recording device and method for saving a program in a temporary recording
The present invention is a set top box or other content management device that can convert television programming stored in a temporary buffer into a persistent event. The present invention may also trim data from a temporary buffer, such as an input buffer, without requiring additional software, RAM and other hardware normally associated with general purpose computers.
US09161006B1 Systems and methods for efficient screen capture
Systems and methods are provided for efficient screen capture and video recording on mobile and other devices. The video is recorded using a graphics rendering pipeline that includes a primary frame buffer, a secondary frame buffer, and a video writer module that encodes and writes data to a video file. The frame buffers include multiple textures to which graphics data can be rendered or copied, with at least the secondary frame buffer textures backed with memory that is quickly accessible by a central processing unit. In operation, a frame is rendered into a texture in the primary frame buffer, and the contents of the rendered frame are copied to a texture of the secondary frame buffer as well as to a default graphics rendering pipeline for output to a display. The contents of the rendered frame are then provided from the secondary frame buffer to the video writer for output to a video file.
US09160995B2 Image display device and light emission timing control method
An image display device includes: excitation light source (5), fluorescent screen (6) provided with a plurality of phosphor regions (61, 62, 63) that are arranged periodically in the in-plane direction, the regions between phosphor regions being retroreflective regions (64) that bend incident light in the direction opposite the direction of incidence of the light; scanning means (4) that scans fluorescent screen (6) with a light beam from excitation light source (5); optical detection means (2, 3) that detects retroreflective light (7) that is reflected by retroreflective regions (64); and control means (1) that causes scanning by scanning means (4), detects boundaries between each phosphor region (61, 62, 63) and retroreflective region (64) on fluorescent screen (6) based on output of optical detection means (2, 3), and controls the light emission timing of excitation light source (5) based on the detected boundaries.
US09160988B2 System and method for payload encoding and decoding
Systems, methods and apparatuses are disclosed for protecting encoded media data. A minimum set of information needed to encode a single message for an encoded audio signal is loaded separately from the media data into an encoder. A media license file is generated to protect the encoded data, where the underlying information relevant to the media data may be hidden through encryption or other means in order to foster security. The algorithm(s) for encoding may be provided using a shared library, combined with an encoding payload that provides the minimum information set required to form the single message. A partial decoder may apply pattern matching information in the encoded payload in order to confirm that the encoding is actually present and is proper. Accordingly, the payload must be successfully decoded and verified before the underlying data may be decoded.
US09160984B2 Mobile device with personalized content
Methods for automatically buffering and displaying video feeds associated with a live event are described. The video feeds displayed on the mobile device may comprise live video feeds or replays associated with the live event. A replay may comprise a playback of one or more buffered video feeds in a particular sequence and at a particular playback rate. The particular sequence may be determined based on the viewing behavior of the end user of the mobile device and/or the viewing behaviors of one or more other end users using other mobile devices at the live event. In some cases, the replay may comprise a shared replay in which a group of end users attending the live event may interact with each other while sharing a common replay.
US09160983B2 Method of controlling color lighting in vision system
A method of controlling color lighting in a vision system is provided which is capable of rapidly searching for a voltage value which allows an optimal product image to be obtained in a vision system including a plurality of lightings. In accordance with an embodiment, a voltage value allowing an optimal product image to be obtained can rapidly searched for in a vision system including a plurality of lightings.
US09160982B1 Trajectory matching across disjointed video views
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for matching trajectories across disjointed video views. In a particular embodiment, a method provides identifying a first trajectory associated with an object in video captured of a first region. The method further provides identifying a plurality of alternative views of the object from the video of the first region. The method further provides generating additional views for inclusion in the plurality of alternative views by copying and horizontally flipping at least one view of the plurality of alternative views. The method further provides using the plurality of alternative views of the object, selecting a second trajectory that corresponds to the first trajectory from a plurality of trajectories associated with a plurality of objects in video captured of a second region.
US09160979B1 Determining camera position for a photograph having a displaced center of projection
An image depicting an object has a center that is not on an optical axis of a camera used to capture the image. The image is on an image plane, and the object is in an object space. A method implemented for automatically determining the position of the camera relative to the object includes displaying the image via a user interface, receiving vanishing point information from the user interface, such that the vanishing point data indicates a respective location on the image plane of each of a first vanishing point, a second vanishing point, and a third vanishing point, and automatically determining the position of the camera based on the first vanishing point, the second vanishing point, and the third vanishing point.
US09160971B2 Content access
Techniques are described to provide content access. In an implementation, a determination is made at a client that a high-definition channel has content that matches content provided by a standard-definition channel. Access is provided to the content via the high-definition channel and access is restricted to the content via the standard-definition channel up the client is capable of outputting the content and high definition.
US09160969B2 Moderator methods, systems and program products for managing video conferences
A video conference system in which a plurality of users communicate video to one another over a data network in a video conference and at least one moderator that moderates the video conference. At least one conference server links users and at least one moderator over a data network so users can communicate at least one video data stream to others. A hierarchical arrangement of control parameters control communications between the users over the at least one conference server. Moderator control parameters in the hierarchical arrangement permit the at least one moderator to specify control parameters from the hierarchical arrangement for one or more of the plurality of users and/or participation rights of one or more of the plurality of users. Computer program products provide a moderator with control or participation of users in accordance with a user set of parameters.
US09160968B2 Apparatus and method for managing telepresence sessions
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, determining a latency area of a network based on latency testing, identifying a configuration of a network route of a telepresence session exchanging media content between media processors of first and second users at first and second locations based on the latency area, determining a first latency associated with a first presentation of the media content at the first location, determining a second latency associated with a second presentation of the media content at the second location, and determining one of a first delay for the first presentation, a second delay for the second presentation or both based on one of the first latency, the second latency or both. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09160967B2 Simultaneous language interpretation during ongoing video conferencing
A video conference session is established between a plurality of meeting clients, where each meeting client includes a computing device that communicates via a network and at least one host server with computing devices of other meeting clients. A presenter is established for the video conference session, where the presenter includes at least one of the meeting clients, and audio and video content generated from the presenter is provided to other meeting clients within a base room of the video conference session, where the presenter provides audio content to the base room in a first language. In response to at least one meeting client selecting a translation of the audio content from the presenter from the first language into a second language, audio content is provided to the at least one meeting client in the second language during the ongoing video conference session.
US09160964B2 Online terminal
The present disclosure discloses an online terminal comprising a wireless signal transceiver unit, a wireless signal codec unit, an audio format conversion circuit, an encoding display conversion circuit, a conversion control circuit, a man-machine interface, an audio interface, and a display interface; the wireless signal transceiver unit is configured to receive and transmit a wireless signal; the wireless signal codec unit is configured to decode the wireless signal received by the wireless signal transceiver unit, encode the wireless signal to be transmitted and modulate the encoded wireless signal into the wireless signal; the audio format conversion circuit is configured to convert an audio format supported by the online terminal to an audio format supported by a television; the encoding display conversion circuit is configured to convert an video format supported by the online terminal to an video format supported by the television; the conversion control circuit is configured to implement the switching between a television signal and the output signal of the online terminal. The online terminal provided by the present disclosure is inexpensive and has powerful online function.
US09160958B2 Method of reading out an image sensor with transfer gate boost
An image sensor includes photosensitive regions, transfer transistors, and one or more shared charge-to-voltage mechanism. A method for reading out the image sensor includes enabling a first transfer transistor to transfer photo-generated charge from a first photosensitive region to a shared charge-to-voltage mechanism. The method also includes no more than partially enabling a second transfer transistor to partially turn on the second transfer transistor to increase a capacitance of the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism while the photo-generated charge is transferred from the first photosensitive region to the shared charge-to-voltage mechanism.
US09160955B2 Solid-state imaging device and camera
A solid-state imaging device which includes a plurality of pixels in an arrangement, each of the pixels including a photoelectric conversion element, pixel transistors including a transfer transistor, and a floating diffusion region, in which the channel width of transfer gate of the transfer transistor is formed to be larger on a side of the floating diffusion region than on a side of the photoelectric conversion element.
US09160943B2 Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program
There is provided an imaging apparatus including a correction section configured to amplify an addition pixel value, which is a value obtained by adding results of photoelectric conversion on a plurality of pixels, according to an amplification factor set based on a number of defective pixels included in the plurality of pixels, and output the amplified addition pixel value as a corrected addition pixel value.
US09160933B2 Luminance based image capturing methods and apparatus
In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with content distribution. In embodiments, one or more frames may be displayed on a display, and the frame or frames with the highest luminance level of those frames may be identified. A camera may be configured to capture an image at a point in time based at least in part on display of the frame with the highest luminance level. In some embodiments, the luminance level of the frames may be identified based at least in part on analysis of the frames by a device prior to display of the frames. In other embodiments, the luminance level of the frames may be identified based at least in part on the receipt of luminance data from a server.
US09160932B2 Fast gating photosurface
An embodiment of the invention provides a camera comprising a photosurface having a substrate comprising photopixels and associated storage pixels and a controller that controls the photosurface to image a scene by maintaining a bias between the photopixels and their respective storage pixels at all times during an exposure period of the photosurface so that photocharge, substantially upon its generation in a photopixel by light from the scene incident on the photopixel moves towards the photopixel's storage pixel.
US09160928B2 Image capture apparatus sensing image capturing condition, image processing method, and storage medium
An image capture apparatus includes an output unit, a first horizon maintaining assistance processing unit, and a second horizon maintaining assistance processing unit. The output unit sequentially outputs and displays captured images on a display screen. The first horizon maintaining assistance processing unit and the second horizon maintaining assistance processing unit determines whether it is difficult to identify a capturing condition of the captured image that is sequentially outputted and displayed by the output unit by way of the output unit. Furthermore, in a case in which it is determined that it is difficult to identify the capturing condition in the captured image by way of visual recognition of the display screen, the first horizon maintaining assistance processing unit and the second horizon maintaining assistance processing unit display a guidance relating to the capturing condition on the display screen or executes correction processing on the captured image.
US09160927B2 Mobile terminal and controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes photographing a plurality of images consecutively, determining an unchangeable region having a variation equal to or smaller than a reference value and a changeable region having the variation greater than the reference value in each of a plurality of the photographed images using the variations among a plurality of the photographed images, and creating a moving image by merging an image generated from combining the changeable regions in a plurality of the photographed images with the unchangeable region. Accordingly, the present invention provides a user with a moving image created in a manner of analyzing a region having a considerable variation in a plurality of photos taken before and after a photographing timing point and using a photo at the photographing timing point and a result from editing the analyzed region separately.
US09160925B2 Driving device and image instrument comprising this driving device
A driving device moves a movable lens in a plane direction intersecting at right angles with an optical axis to correct a shake. The driving device includes a movable frame which holds the movable lens, a fixed frame facing the movable frame, three balls held between the movable frame and the fixed frame, a single tension spring which pulls the movable frame toward the fixed frame to press the three balls, and VCMs which move the movable frame relative to the fixed frame. The tension spring is located inside a triangle that connects the centers of the three balls and outside a holding region where the movable frame holds the movable lens.
US09160921B2 Portable electronic equipment with automatic control to keep display turned on and method
Apparatus and method provide a hold on function in a mobile phone or other portable electronic equipment keeps the display thereof turned on in spite of a screensaver or other power saving feature while a user is reading or watching the display and allows activating of power saving facilities of the mobile phone or equipment only when a user no longer is reading or watching the display. Also, a computer program product stored in a storage medium, includes a storage medium, a computer program including face recognition software to recognize whether an input image represents that of a human face, and a control program to control operation of portable electronic equipment depending on whether or not an input image represents a human face.
US09160916B2 Focus adjustment apparatus with a size detector
In a focus position control apparatus, a control unit performs, when a size changing amount of an object image is larger than a predetermined amount during control for driving a focus lens according to a distance change of an object image in an optical axis direction based on a determination result of a determination unit, a following driving operation corresponding to the distance change as a driving control, and limits the following driving operation corresponding to the distance change when the size changing amount of the object image smaller than the predetermined amount. The predetermined amount is changed according to an imaging parameter and an object status.
US09160913B2 Image matching system, providing apparatus, imaging apparatus, image matching method, and program
An image matching system in which an imaging apparatus configured to capture an image and a storage unit configured to store matching information are connected to each other via a network and the imaging apparatus performs matching between the matching information and the captured image includes a selection unit configured to select, from among the matching information stored in the storage unit, matching information corresponding to predetermined time, and an updating unit configured to update the matching information to be used by the imaging apparatus to perform matching with the captured image with the matching information selected by the selection unit.
US09160900B2 Systems and methods for compressive light sensing using multiple spatial light modulators
Systems and methods for capturing light field information including spatial and angular information using an image pickup device that includes an image sensor and at least one spatial light modulator (SLM) take multiple captures of a scene using the at least one SLM to obtain coded projections of a light field of the scene, wherein each capture is taken using at least one pattern on the at least one SLM, and recover light field data using a reconstruction process on the obtained coded projections of the light field.
US09160889B2 Method for real-time compositing of encrypted video streams without decryption
A system, method and device for real-time compositing of encrypted video streams without having to decrypt each video stream is disclosed herein. A shared encryption key is derived to encrypt multiple incoming video streams to an encrypted master video stream, while retaining full interoperability with popular incumbent video encryption standards. Compositing video is then possible without having to decrypt the master video stream, thereby preserving the security of the copyrighted material. The invention preferably genlocks a digital video source to a master video stream.
US09160886B2 Image processing apparatus and method for controlling the same
An image processing apparatus for forming an image with a plurality of recording element arrays, grouped together on a plurality of recording heads, on a same area of a recording medium. The image processing apparatus sets recording data of each of the recording element arrays from input image data, and a halftone processing unit generates halftone image data to be recorded by each of the recording element arrays by performing halftone processing on the recording data of each of the recording element arrays, which is set by the setting unit. Halftone image data pieces corresponding to at least a pair of recording element arrays located on a same recording head are in phase with each other in a wider frequency band than halftone image data pieces corresponding to at least a pair of recording element arrays located on different recording heads.
US09160885B2 Skew detection
Presented is a skew detection apparatus. In one form, the apparatus estimates skew based on the locations of a set of foreground content pixels or a set of edge pixels that are nearest to the side of an image of a document. In another form, the apparatus includes a skew estimation unit adapted to estimate skew based on the orientation of foreground or background content in the interior of a document. In another form, the apparatus estimates skew using segments of an image of a document. Also presented is a document image processing apparatus including the skew detection apparatus.
US09160884B2 Image processing apparatus, line detection method, and computer-readable, non-transitory medium
There are provided an image processing apparatus, line detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can precisely detect boundaries of a document from a read image. The image processing apparatus includes an edge pixel extractor for extracting edge pixels from an input image, a line candidate detector for extracting a line candidate from the extracted edge pixels by using Hough transformation, and a line detector for detecting a line from edge pixels within a predetermined distance from the line candidate by using the least square method.
US09160882B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a document box, a communication unit, a console unit, a referencing entity management table, and a control unit. The console unit accepts a delete operation of inputting a delete instruction to delete document data stored in the document box. The referencing entity management table allows information about another image forming apparatus referencing document data stored in the document box to be registered therein as referencing entity information. The control unit determines whether or not the document data to be deleted designated by the delete instruction input by the delete operation is referenced by another image forming apparatus, based on the referencing entity management table. The control unit, if the document data to be deleted is referenced by another image forming apparatus, causes the communication unit to transmit the document data to be deleted to the another image forming apparatus based on the referencing entity information.
US09160879B2 Light guiding body, illuminating device, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
A light guiding body includes a long translucent body, a light incident surface formed at an end of the body in a longitudinal direction of the body, a light emitting surface formed on one side surface of the body along the longitudinal direction of the body, and a light emitting quantity adjusting portion formed on the other side surface of the body along the longitudinal direction of the body so as to be opposite to the light emitting surface. The light guiding body guides, in the body, light incident to the light incident surface, reflects the light by the light emitting quantity adjusting portion, and emits the light from the light emitting surface. A width of the light emitting quantity adjusting portion of the body in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the body is varied according to a position in the width in the longitudinal direction.
US09160878B2 Server apparatus that enables easy use of image input apparatus, information processing apparatus, methods of controlling the apparatuses, control program, and storage medium
An arrangement for enabling a user to easily use an image input apparatus. A server apparatus capable of communicating with an information processing apparatus creates a list of image input apparatuses found through a search by the information processing apparatus, and provides the list to the same. The server apparatus provides script information including information for configuring operation settings of an image input apparatus selected from the provided list, to the information processing apparatus, and transmits a job message to the same, for causing the image input apparatus to operate according to the operation settings, in order to cause the information processing apparatus to transfer the job message to the image input apparatus. Image data input by the operation of the image input apparatus according to the job message is acquired via the information processing apparatus, and is stored in the server apparatus.
US09160876B2 Electronic device with pyroelectric infrared sensor for detecting object
An image forming apparatus includes: a sensor section, an oscillation mechanism, a control section, and an object determination section. The sensor section has a pyroelectric infrared sensor detecting presence of an object based on an infrared ray change. The oscillation mechanism turns the sensor section. The control section, upon the detection of the object by the sensor section, makes the oscillation mechanism start the turning operation. The object determination section, after the turning operation of the sensor section starts from a predefined initial position, determines that the object exists in a case where a state in which the object is detected by the sensor section continues for a predefined first period of time, and determines that the object does not exist in a case where the state in which the object is detected does not continue for the first period of time.
US09160861B2 Managing held telephone calls at the call-forwarding system
A method and an apparatus are disclosed that manage the held calls for an off-premises terminal at the system that extends calls to the terminal, such as a private branch exchange or other type of data-processing system, instead of at the system that is receiving the extended calls, such as a mobile switching center at which a cell phone is registered. The disclosed technique is based on the observation that the extending system knows of an incoming call to an off-premises terminal before the receiving system. As a result, the extending system can advantageously select the calls that it holds versus the calls that it sends to the receiving system. The extending system can control the routing costs and provide a consistent look-and-feel of call control to the off-premises terminal user.
US09160854B1 Reviewing call checkpoints in agent call recordings in a contact center
A real-time speech analytics system (“RSTA system”) detects speech during a call involving a contact center agent and a remote party. Upon detecting the speech, an event message is generated by the RTSA system and transmitted to a checkpoint and alert reporting module, which is configured to generate and update a checkpoint widget displayed to the agent. The checkpoint widget provides visual information regarding the status of the checkpoints encountered during the call. Checkpoint widgets may be stored for each call handled by an agent, and subsequently may be requested for display to a supervisor for reviewing of the agent's performance. Upon providing appropriate filter information, the selected widgets associated with the agent are displayed. By selecting a particular checkpoint indicator on a widget, audio from the call associated with that checkpoint is retrieved and streamed to the supervisor, thus allowing auditory review of that portion of the call.
US09160849B1 System, method, and computer-readable medium that facilitate voice biometrics user authentication
A system, method, and computer readable medium that facilitate user authentication via voice biometrics in a network system featuring interactive voice response system access is provided. The voice biometric authentication mechanisms alleviate identity theft occurring via specific interactive voice response transactions. A voice biometrics authentication system interfaces with an interactive network platform and may be hosted by a third party provider of voice biometric technologies.
US09160847B2 Visual translation for an IVR system
The invention is a method of creating a dialstring for use with mobile smartphones and other computer-enabled telephones. A software app designed to implement the method recognizes input from the user that identifies an organization to be called, and accesses a stored representation of a corresponding IVR phone tree. The app then presents a graphical representation of all or part of the phone tree on the display of the telephone in a language that is different than the language used in the phone tree. The user can then respond by providing selective inputs that cause the app to synthesize all or part of the dialstring needed to navigate the phone tree to the desired destination. Once a dialing option has been synthesized to the user's satisfaction, the user may provide additional input that the system interprets as an instruction to open a phone call and dial the synthesized number.
US09160837B2 Interactive streaming content apparatus, systems and methods
Apparatus, methods, and systems that operate to provide interactive streaming content identification and processing are disclosed.
US09160836B2 Smartphone-controlled active configuration of footwear, including with one or more of chambers, compartments, bladders and internal sipes
A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, having encoded thereon an app for a smartphone or mobile computer device. The app causes the device to actively control a configuration of one or more bladders, compartments, chambers or internal sipes located in a footwear sole or a removable inner sole insert of both right and left shoes or other footwear of a user of the device. One or more sensors are provided in the footwear soles or the removable inner sole insert of both of the right and left shoes or other footwear of the device user and at least one sensor including a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer in the device. Instructions of the app cause the device to process data from the sensors of the shoes or other footwear and at least one sensor in the device, and use the processed data to cause alteration of the configuration.
US09160834B2 Case with embedded electronics to provide interface between glucose sensor and smartphone
A mobile phone case with an embedded wireless interface for enabling communications between a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor and a mobile phone is described. The mobile phone case includes an autonomous battery and an autonomous alarm speaker for enabling communication with a CGM sensor in situations where the mobile phone is unavailable.
US09160827B2 Automatically adjusting country and area codes when doing a business card or telephone number exchange
A telephone number is automatically adjusted in the context a business card or other telephone number exchange. The country code, area code, or other prefix portion is added, removed, or modified based on a location associated with the telephone number and/or a location associated with the recipient. In one example, a sending device looks up location information by contacting the service provider, using locally-stored information, or otherwise, and, based on this information, includes an appropriate prefix. The sending device can also use a location associated with the recipient in determining an appropriate prefix or adjusting a received prefix, for example, based on the recipient's own telephone number. Adjustments to telephone numbers can also be made by recipient devices, intermediary devices, and any other devices that may be involved in the exchange of telephone numbers, business card information, or related activities, and in other contexts as well.
US09160826B2 Docking station for portable communication device
A docking station for a portable communication device includes a body portion and a guide portion which is formed to accommodate various exterior shapes of the portable communication device and detachably coupled to the portable communication device.
US09160823B2 Handheld electronic device that has a keypad which can be rendered ineffective, and associated method
An improved handheld electronic device is movable among a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration. Several different exemplary embodiments are described, some having two members, others having more. In one embodiment, certain features or objects are unavailable in a retracted configuration but are available in a deployed configuration or an overtravel configuration. A method of responding to predetermined events comprises detecting a movement of a handheld electronic device away from a first configuration toward a second configuration without reaching the second configuration.
US09160822B2 Connector device
A device includes a first leg including a first connector. The first connector includes multiple electrical contacts. The device includes a second leg substantially parallel to the first leg and configured with a connector, a set of conductors, or both. The device includes a transverse portion connected to the first leg and to the second leg. Together, the transverse portion and the first and second legs form a substantially rigid or semi-rigid body. The transverse portion includes multiple conductors electrically coupling respective connectors on the first and second legs.
US09160821B2 Communication device and method
There is provided a communication device performing communication by breaking up a frame into a plurality of links, the communication device includes a dividing means for dividing the frame into units of a predetermined size, a distributing means for distributing the units to a plurality of links, a plurality of storing means for storing the units distributed by the distributed means in payloads of transfer frames for the respective plurality of links, a timer means for measuring a timeout time based on a priority of the frame, and a transmission means for transmitting the transfer frames to another communication device via the plurality of links in one of a case where the units included in the payloads of the transfer frames becomes to a predetermined amount and a case where the timeout time measured by the timer becomes to a predetermined value.
US09160815B2 Method and apparatus for virtual machine interoperability
This disclosure relates generally to a system and method for translating between virtual machines. A network adaptor can be configured to be communicatively coupled to a server, the server comprising a first virtual machine having a first format, the network adaptor to receive input from the server. A translator can be configured to identify, from the input from the server, the first format of the first virtual machine and generate an output, compatible with a second format of a second virtual machine, based on the input from the server, the second format being incompatible with the first format.
US09160814B2 Intuitive data transfer between connected devices
Techniques for sharing or transferring content between connected devices via dynamic collaboration user interfaces. An embodiment involves creating a first collaboration user interface between a first device and a second device. Via the first collaboration user interface, selecting content to be made available to a third device, where the selected content is currently available to the first device and not currently available to the third device. A second collaboration user interface is created between the second device and the third device. State information may be provided to a user via at least one of the first collaboration user interface and the second collaboration user interface. The second collaboration user interface causes the selected content to be available to the third device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09160810B2 Partitioning of a transmission control protocol window in a virtual system
A mechanism for partitioning of a transmission control protocol (TCP) window in a virtual system is disclosed. A method includes estimating effective bandwidth of a communication link between a group of client devices at a first location and at least one host machine at a second location, wherein each client device of the groups of client devices maintains a communication session over the communication link with one of the at least one host machine, partitioning a transport control protocol (TCP) window of the communication link into portions based on quality of service (QoS) policy data of the communication sessions, where each portion is associated with one of the communication sessions, and sending, to each client device in the group of client devices, a parameter identifying the portion of the TCP window partitioned for the client device, the parameter sent to communication endpoints of each communication session.
US09160809B2 DNS overriding-based methods of accelerating content delivery
An exemplary method accelerating content delivery via DNS overriding may comprise the steps of generating a routing table for a content delivery network (CDN), the routing table map one or more edge server IP addresses to each of one or more geographic regions, transmitting the routing table to one or more DNS server computers, receiving a request from a registrant of a domain name to subscribe the domain name to the CDN, and designating said domain name as subscribed to the CDN in a DNS zone for the domain name.
US09160808B2 Transmitting product information
The present disclosure provides a method and device for transmitting recommended product information. In one embodiment, a system retrieves product evaluation records given by one or more users. Each of the product evaluation records includes an identification of the user (user ID), an identification of the product (product ID), and evaluation information. The system uses the user ID and the product ID as a primary key, and then, based on intervals of the primary key, divides the product evaluation records into several subsets of records, and assigns these subsets of records into multiple calculation nodes. The system retrieves such SVD calculation results of the multiple subsets of records from the multiple calculation nodes. The recommended product information is sent to a client terminal based on the SVD calculation results. The present disclosure implements the distribution processing of SVD calculation, reduces the calculation complexity, and saves the calculation time.
US09160807B2 System and method for deriving a name for association with a device
Electronic devices without device names are provided with an application for retrieving a data point from the device from which a name can be deduced. A match for the data point is searched for in the contacts list in the device, and when found, the name corresponding to the contact entry, in which the data point has been found, is used to derive the device name. The derived device name (or information from which the device name may be derived) may be transmitted to a remote server which may be used for managing multiple such devices.
US09160804B2 Web storage optimization
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for Web storage optimization and cache management. In one embodiment, a method of client side cache management using Web storage can include first registering a client browser session in a content browser as a listener to events for Web storage for a particular domain. Subsequently, notification can be received from the content browser of an event of a different client browser session associated with the Web storage. For instance, the notification can result from the different client browser adding a new cache entry to the Web storage, or from the different client browser periodically at a specified time interval indicating a state of one or more cache entries in the Web storage. Finally, in response to the notification, a cache entry in the Web storage can be invalided such as through cache entry removal or compression.
US09160803B2 Web storage optimization
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for Web storage optimization and cache management. In one embodiment, a method of client side cache management using Web storage can include first registering a client browser session in a content browser as a listener to events for Web storage for a particular domain. Subsequently, notification can be received from the content browser of an event of a different client browser session associated with the Web storage. For instance, the notification can result from the different client browser adding a new cache entry to the Web storage, or from the different client browser periodically at a specified time interval indicating a state of one or more cache entries in the Web storage. Finally, in response to the notification, a cache entry in the Web storage can be invalided such as through cache entry removal or compression.
US09160798B2 Clustering for high availability and disaster recovery
Embodiments are directed towards managing within a cluster environment having a plurality of indexers for data storage using redundancy the data being managed using a generation identifier, such that a primary indexer is designated for a given generation of data. When a master device for the cluster fails, data may continue to be stored using redundancy, and data searches performed may still be performed.
US09160791B2 Managing connection failover in a load balancer
A method for managing communications for a group of servers is disclosed. A processor sends requests to the group of servers for connection information for generating a set of mappings for a load balancer of the group of servers to replace another set of mappings for another load balancer of the group of servers. Responsive to receiving a communication from a client device for the group of servers, the processor determines whether a route to a server in the group of servers can be identified from the set of mappings for the load balancer. If the route cannot be identified from the set of mappings for the load balancer, the processor forwards the communication to a sub-group of the group of servers that have not yet responded to the requests for connection information for generating the set of mapping so that only the one correct server responds.
US09160787B2 Collaboration and interaction with system terminals
A technique is provided for session aggregation in a distributed architecture having a server connected to blades. A master session is generated for collaboration by user clients, and the master session corresponds to one or more terminal sessions on the distributed architecture of the server connected to the blades. The one or more terminal sessions on the distributed architecture are aggregated in the master session. A determination is made that the user clients agree for one user client of the user clients to be authorized as a current command line user name, in response to requests that are sent to the user clients. The one user client is granted authorization to the current command line user name in the master session based on an agreement by the user clients.
US09160786B1 Method for media sharing based on location proximity
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for sharing songs stored on a cloud music storage. One method includes identifying a first user and a second user who are connected to their respective music accounts and identifying the configuration data for each of the first and second users. The configuration data identify sharing privileges as respectively defined by the first and second users. The method also includes monitoring the location proximity between the first user and second user and initiating the sharing privileges for certain songs between the first and second users when the monitored location proximity changes to be within a distance threshold. A notification to the first user is provided when the sharing privileges of the second user identify songs that are sharable with the first user.
US09160783B2 Robot system that operates through a network firewall
A remote controlled robot system that includes a robot and a remote control station that communicate through a communication network. Communication with the robot is limited by a firewall coupled to the communication network. A communication server establishes communication between the robot and the remote control station so that the station can send commands to the robot through the firewall.
US09160774B1 Methods and apparatus for targeting communications using social network metrics
A method for a computer system includes receiving a first user communication, determining a first group of users, determining a target number of users, determining whether the first group of users includes the target number of users, and if not, providing the communication to the first group of users, determining a hierarchal mapping of groups of users in response to user memberships, determining a second group of users from the hierarchal mapping, determining a plurality of social network relationship factors for the second group of users with respect to the first user, and providing the communication to at least a subset of users in the second group of users in response to the first plurality of social network relationship factors.
US09160770B2 Tagging VoIP originated traffic
A network node receives a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or H.323 signaling packet associated with data traffic, and determines if the data traffic originated from a source node or source network as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic. The network node tags a header of the SIP or H.323 signaling packet with a tag that identifies the data traffic as a VoIP originated call based on the determination, and sends the tagged SIP or H.323 signaling packet towards a destination. The network node further sends data identifying the data traffic as a VoIP originated call to an administrative system for at least one of call billing, rating, settlement or taxation purposes.
US09160767B2 System and method for device management security of trap management object
The present invention relates to a system and method for device management security, and more particularly to a system and method for device management security of a trap management object (Trap MO), which can prevent a non-authorized device management server from indirectly controlling device management of a mobile terminal through use of the Trap MO defined in Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA DM). To this end, when a DM client receives a request to register a notification target MO as a recipient node registration from a DM server, the DM client determines if the DM server has authority for both addition and execution and allows only an authorized DM server to register a recipient node in the Trap MO, so that only a DM server having authority for execution of an MO can execute the MO and control the device management of a mobile terminal. Accordingly, it is possible to enhance device management security of the mobile terminal against non-authorized DM servers.
US09160765B1 Method for securing endpoints from onslaught of network attacks
A method for protecting endpoints from network attacks is provided. The method includes blocking a first data unit, in response to matching a portion of the first data unit to a specified exploit pattern, the matching occurring at a layer of a communication model below an application layer. The method includes collecting attributes of the first data unit at the application layer and blocking at least one further data, in response to the at least one further data unit matching at the application layer a subset of the collected attributes of the first data unit.
US09160749B2 System and method for providing whitelist functionality for use with a cloud computing environment
A system and method for providing whitelist functionality for use with a cloud computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, software applications being deployed to the cloud are restricted from using certain classes or application program interfaces (APIs). During provisioning by, e.g., a Java cloud services (JCS) infrastructure, or another component of the cloud environment, an application's resources, such as its classes or API calls, can be matched against a whitelist of acceptable resources. If the application fails to be validated against the whitelist, it will not be deployed to the cloud, and the customer/user notified accordingly. In accordance with an embodiment, a whitelist functionality can be packaged within a software development kit (SDK), which customers/users can use during development of their applications, to verify that the applications will comply with, or successfully validate against the whitelist, prior to attempting to deploy the applications to the cloud.
US09160745B1 Data counter measures
Techniques to block unwanted third party calls are disclosed. In various embodiments, an indication is received that third party code included on a web page is attempting to write to the web page content associated with an unauthorized third party call. The unauthorized third party call is blocked. In some embodiments, the unauthorized third party call is blocked by blocking the web page content associated with the unauthorized third party call from being written to the web page.
US09160734B2 Service activation using algorithmically defined key
Systems and methods for service activation using algorithmically defined keys are disclosed. A consumer who has a relationship with a first party may wish to enroll in a service provided by a third party. The first party can maintain control of such enrollments through the use of algorithmically defined keys. The algorithmically defined keys also allow the third party service provider to verify data provided by the consumer as matching data stored by the first party. The verification provides for data synchronization without requiring the third party to have access to the first parties data systems.
US09160726B1 Authentication system with selective authentication method based on risk reasoning
Authentication systems are provided that select an authentication method to be applied to a given transaction from among a plurality of available authentication methods based on risk reasoning. An authentication request from an authentication requestor for a given transaction is processed by receiving the authentication request from the authentication requester and selecting an authentication method to be applied to the given transaction from among a plurality of available authentication methods based on an evaluation of one or more predefined risk reasons with respect to the available authentication methods. The predefined risk reasons associated with a given transaction comprise, for example, a set of risk reasons that contribute to a risk score that has been assigned to the given transaction. The evaluation may employ one or more of rule-based, heuristic and Bayesian techniques.
US09160724B2 Devices, systems, and methods for device provisioning
Systems, devices, and methods for provisioning a device receive authentication information from a user interface; send the authentication information to an identity provider device; receive a token at the registration device from the identify provider device; send the token, device information of a new device, and a provisioning request from the registration device to a provisioning service; receive an activation code at a user interface of the new device; send the activation code and the token from the new device to the provisioning device; and receive a key from the provisioning device, the key being associated with the device identifier of the new device.
US09160703B2 Request routing management based on network components
Systems and methods for managing requesting routing functionality associated with resource requests for one or more resources associated with a content provider are provided. A content delivery network (“CDN”) service provider, on behalf of a content provider, can process domain name service (“DNS”) requests for resources by computing devices and resolve the DNS requests by the identification of a network address of a computing device that will provide the requested resources. Based on the processing of DNS queries initiated by a client computing device, the CDN service provider can measure CDN service provider latencies associated with the generation of DNS requests by network components associated with the client computing devices. Examples of the network components can include DNS resolvers associated with the client computing device.
US09160699B2 Client responsibilities in messaging systems
A method of distributing messages from a server system to a plurality of client systems comprises defining a quality of service (QoS) level for messages provided by the messaging system to the client system, defining a message processing capacity provided by a client to the messaging system, and degrading the QoS level of messages in the event that the client system does not provide the defined message processing capacity to the messaging system.
US09160695B2 Minimizing the effects of email attachments on communication networks
A first computer receives a first message that includes an electronic attachment from a second computer over a communications network. The first computer saves the electronic attachment in a storage device. The first computer removes the electronic attachment from the first message. The first computer adds a link to the first message; wherein the link permits access to download the saved electronic attachment. The first computer sends to a third computer the first message including the link that permits access to download the saved electronic attachment.
US09160688B2 System and method for selective direct memory access
A method of selective direct memory access (DMA) in a computer system having a network interface card (NIC), a processor subsystem, and a memory accessible to the subsystem, including the steps of the NIC receiving a plurality of packets from an external source; the NIC decoding a portion of each packet and determining whether the packet should be accepted by the computer system based on a predefined rule; and if the packet is accepted, selectively truncating the packet based on the predefined rule, and storing the truncated packet in the memory.
US09160685B2 Large interconnect fabrics
In one embodiment, a network switch includes multiple chips communicably coupled together and a buffered crossbar. Each chip is coupled to every other chip with two bi-directional serial channels and includes a slice of the buffered crossbar. One or more input ports, one or more output ports, and an input logic module are coupled to the plurality of chips, and the input logic module is configured to receive a packet of data, allocate the packet of data into one or more data fragments, and distribute the packet of data to the buffered crossbar. An output logic module is coupled to the chips and configured to retrieve the packet of data from the buffered crossbar, reconstruct the packet of data from the data fragments according to a gather scheme, and transmit the packet of data.
US09160678B2 Flow control credits for priority in lossless ethernet
In one embodiment, a system includes an initiator port adapted to receive a traffic flow having a plurality of packets and a hardware processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being adapted to classify the traffic flow into a traffic class based on at least one criteria related to the traffic flow, the traffic class being selected from a plurality of traffic classes and transmit one or more packets of the traffic flow to a target port designated by the one or more packets of the traffic flow until an amount of flow credits allocated to the target port is insufficient to service additional packets. Other systems, methods, and computer program products for providing credit-based flow control are described in more embodiments.
US09160664B1 Determining a network node whether a received packet fragment should be transmitted
A method of controlling transmission of data units in a network node includes receiving a current fragment of a data unit at the network node, the data unit having been fragmented into an ordered sequence of fragments prior to the current fragment being received at the network node. The method also includes determining, at the network node, whether the current fragment is expected. Determining whether the current fragment is expected includes determining a position of the current fragment within the ordered sequence of fragments. The method also includes, in response to determining that the current fragment is expected based on the determined position of the current fragment within the ordered sequence of fragments, transmitting the current fragment via a network link.
US09160662B2 Uplink buffer status reporting of relay stations in wireless networks
The present disclosure is directed to a method for reporting uplink buffer status of a relay station to a base station in a wireless network. The method includes monitoring an uplink buffer of the relay station communicating with the base station, where the uplink buffer comprises data to be transmitted from one or more user terminals to the base station. The method further includes sending an uplink buffer status report from the relay station to the base station, where the uplink buffer status report includes occupancy status information of the monitored uplink buffer and a number of user terminals having data queued up at the relay station to be transmitted to the base station.
US09160660B2 Router apparatus, communication system and packet transfer method
A router apparatus connecting a first network and a second network including a storage unit which stores association information associating an address of one of a plurality of second router apparatuses with an address of a corresponding one of a plurality of server apparatuses with an identical address, each of the plurality of second router apparatus connecting the first network to each of a plurality of third networks to which the respective plurality of server apparatuses is connected, a receiving unit which receives a packet transmitted from a terminal apparatus and transferred via the second network, an encapsulating unit which encapsulates the packet received into a packet with a destination address corresponding to the address of the second router apparatus associated with an address of the packet based on the association information, and a transmitting unit which transmits the packet encapsulated by the encapsulating unit to the first network.
US09160657B2 Anycast-based internet protocol redirection to alleviate partial routing tables
Systems and methods are described that instruct routers having constrained hardware/memory to redirect all outbound traffic to a helper router. The helper router contains a full routing table that can forward any packet to its destination. In a large service provider network, helper routers may be distributed at multiple locations across the network. Since packets must detour through the helper router, the distributed helper routers minimize latency.
US09160655B2 Method, system, and device for establishing pseudo wire
A method, a system, and a device for establishing a pseudo wire are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a switching provider edge at a bifurcation position, a label mapping message, obtaining information of the switching provider edge at the bifurcation position and information of at least two next hops or outgoing interfaces of the switching provider edge through parsing, comparing the information of the switching provider edge at the bifurcation position with information of a local device, and if the information of the switching provider edge at the bifurcation position matches with the information of the local device, establishing at least two pseudo wires from the switching provider edge according to the information of at least two next hops or outgoing interfaces.
US09160653B2 Dynamic redirection of network traffic within a system under test
Redirecting network traffic within a system under test (SUT) can include receiving, within a proxy included within the SUT, a request sent from an upstream component that is directed to a downstream component, wherein the upstream component is configured to direct communications through the proxy. Within the proxy, the request can be redirected from the downstream component to a simulation component according to a routing rule within the proxy using a processor. A response can be received, within the proxy, from the simulation component and sent to the upstream component.
US09160643B2 Systems and methods for statistically profiling channels in MIMO communications
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating a statistical profile of a MIMO channel. Packets of information may be transmitted over an interval of time to a plurality of stations using a plurality of MIMO modes. Each packet may be binned and a goodput value corresponding to the bin, the station and the MIMO mode may be determined stored.
US09160642B2 Network user usage profiling
Methods, systems, devices, and software are disclosed for generating a network usage profile. Certain embodiments of the network usage profile include a devices-by-node profile, indicating the set of customer devices available for use in communicating with a customer-side network node located at a customer side of an access network over a period of time, where some of the customer devices are not in operative communication with the customer-side network node during a portion of that time. Other embodiments associate the network usage profile with customer information to generate device-by-customer profiles. Still other embodiments associate the network usage profile with network traffic information to generate traffic-by-device profiles. Even other embodiments associate the multiple sources and types of information to generate traffic-by-customer profiles and/or traffic-by-device-by-customer profiles. Any of the profiles may then be accessed by one or more parties for use in affecting various network services, including targeting content delivery.
US09160641B2 Monitoring domain allocation performance
Systems and methods for monitoring the performance associated with fulfilling resource requests and determining optimizations for improving such performance are provided. A processing device obtains and processes performance metric information associated with processing a request corresponding to two or more embedded resources. The processing device uses the processed performance metric information to determine an allocation of one or more domains to be associated with the two or more embedded resources. In some embodiments, in making such a determination, the processing device assesses performance metric information collected and associated with subsequent requests for the two or more embedded resources using each of a variety of alternative allocations of domains associated with the two or more embedded resources. The processing device may also consider a number of factors, including domain selection criteria obtained from an original content provider. Aspects of systems and methods for generating recommendations to use a particular allocation of domains to process a subsequent request corresponding to the two or more embedded resources are also provided.
US09160632B2 Controlling registration floods in VOIP networks via DNS
A mechanism controls global synchronization, or registration floods, that may result when a large number of endpoints in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network such as an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) come online simultaneously after a catastrophic failure. The mechanism allows the Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure to efficiently control the overload condition by registering user end points with backup border elements, and by staggering and by randomizing the time-to-live (TTL) parameter in registrations with backup border elements.
US09160626B2 Method and apparatus for object grouping and state modeling for application instances
Various exemplary embodiments relate to an operational group in a network element of a communication network, where the operational group is associated with monitored objects and monitoring client objects such that the status of the operational group is a function of the operational status of the monitored objects or services. Monitoring client objects can monitor the status of the operational group such that the status of each of the monitoring client objects reflects the status of the operational group.
US09160624B2 Linked list scripting engine
A system and a method are creating a linked list scripts for a networking device. The system receives a set of nodes defining script functionality and generates a script by coupling the nodes in a nodal structure based on desired order of execution, wherein a leaf node is an standalone node with no child node, and wherein a nugget node includes one or more child nodes, each child node being a nugget or leaf node. The system then determines an execution path through a subset of nodes in the nodal tree structure based on one or more input values. The system also compiles the subset of nodes into a linked list of operations, which follows the execution path, and executes the path of operations within the compiled linked list of operations.
US09160618B2 Active IP forwarding in an event driven virtual link aggregation (vLAG) system
In one embodiment, a method for managing virtual link aggregation (vLAG) includes coupling a first networking switch with a second networking switch using an interswitch link (ISL), wherein the first networking switch is positioned at a boundary between Layer-2 (L2) and Layer-3 (L3), and wherein the second networking switch is positioned at the boundary between L2 and L3; creating a virtual link aggregation (vLAG) comprising connections between the first and second networking switches and an access switch in L2, wherein each networking switch comprises a virtual router redundancy protocol (VRRP) module; and interacting and modifying a VRRP state machine to perform active internet protocol (IP) forwarding when a connection between one of the networking switches and the access switch fails or one of the networking switches does not function properly.
US09160617B2 Faulty core recovery mechanisms for a three-dimensional network on a processor array
Embodiments of the invention relate to faulty recovery mechanisms for a three-dimensional (3-D) network on a processor array. One embodiment comprises a multidimensional switch network for a processor array. The switch network comprises multiple switches for routing packets between multiple core circuits of the processor array. The switches are organized into multiple planes. The switch network further comprises a redundant plane including multiple redundant switches. Multiple data paths interconnect the switches. The redundant plane is used to facilitate full operation of the processor array in the event of one or more component failures.
US09160616B2 Multicast packet transmission method, related device and system
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a multicast packet transmission method, and also a related device and system. A multicast packet transmission method may include receiving a first Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) protocol packet; creating an active multicast topology according to the first PIM protocol packet; receiving a second PIM protocol packet; creating a standby multicast topology according to the second PIM protocol packet, where the second PIM protocol packet carries a standby multicast identifier; setting the standby multicast topology to a disabled state; determining the active multicast topology as faulty; and enabling the standby multicast topology after the active topology is determined as faulty.
US09160613B1 Ranking plural cookies
A system and machine-implemented method for ranking cookies. A plurality of cookies associated with accessing web content is identified. For each cookie of the identified plurality of cookies, one or more attributes of the cookie are determined, and a weight is assigned to the cookie based on the determined one or more attributes of the cookie. The plurality of cookies are ranked relative to each other based on the their respective assigned weights.
US09160606B2 Remote access system for using scientific algorithms in local data processing
A remote access system for processing local data with a computing algorithm stores information on various computing algorithms available via the system. A remote user at a user system selects an algorithm, which is then encrypted and downloaded to the user system. The downloaded algorithm is decrypted and stored in host memory in a controlled manner. Alternatively, the selected algorithm may be offered through cloud processing, in which case the user uploads local data for cloud processing. In this case, the system manages the cloud processing at remote providers and tracks heuristic, caching, and performance. In either case, the local data is processed with input parameters from the user, and visual results are provided to the user along with a cost for storing final results of the processing. Once the user makes the required payment, the final results can be stored locally at the user system.
US09160604B2 Systems and methods to explicitly realign packets
Methods and systems to explicitly realign packets are described. The system includes a first communications device that receives a first stream of bytes comprising a first packet and generates realignment information for the first packet based on an alignment restriction. The first communications device further transmits a second stream of bytes over the data path comprising the first packet and the realignment information. The transmitting of the first byte of the first packet over the data path being in accordance with the alignment restriction that is associated with an interface. The realignment information identifies a difference between a time that the first byte of the first packet would have been transmitted by the first communications device without the alignment restriction and a time of transmission of the first byte of the first packet by the first communications device in accordance with the alignment restriction.
US09160603B2 Additives and methods for reducing hexavalent chromium in cement
A method for reducing hexavalent chromium in cement comprising the addition, to said cement, of antimony(III) compounds as reducing agents.
US09160594B1 Peak detection in signal processing
An apparatus for peak detection includes a peak identification unit configured to determine an identifier of a peak location; a first differential filter configured to provide coefficients for a first polynomial; a fractional locater configured to determine a fractional location of a peak based on the coefficients for the first polynomial and the identifier of the peak location; and a first fractional interpolator to determine a first peak amplitude based on the fractional location of the peak and the coefficients for the first polynomial.
US09160593B2 System and method for controlling combined radio signals
A method for controlling a combined waveform, representing a combination of at least two signals having orthogonal frequency multiplexed signal components, comprising: receiving information defining the at least two signals; transforming the information defining each signal to a representation having orthogonal frequency multiplexed signal components, such that at least one signal has at least two alternate representations of the same information, and combining the transformed information using the at least two alternate representations, in at least two different ways, to define respectively different combinations; analyzing the respectively different combinations with respect to at least one criterion; and outputting a respective combined waveform or information defining the waveform, representing a selected combination of the transformed information from each of the at least two signals selected based on the analysis.
US09160590B2 Diversity with a coded signal
A communications device configured to generate a first diversity signal comprising: a first single coded signal spanning a first frequency sub-band, and a second single coded signal contemporaneous with the first single coded signal spanning a second frequency sub-band offset from the first frequency sub-band such that the total bandwidth of the first diversity signal is greater than the bandwidths of either of the first and second frequency sub-bands alone; and a signal transmitter configured to transmit the first diversity signal to a first counterpart communications device; the first and second single coded signals each having properties such that, after undergoing a procedure comprising being: transmitted, received, shifted into a receiver frequency sub-band spanning a narrower bandwidth than the total bandwidth of the first diversity signal, and cross-correlated with a replica signal based on the transmitted signal, a single significant peak corresponding to the most direct transmission path is produced.
US09160582B1 System and method for phase recovery with selective mitigation of timing corruption due to digital receiver equalization
A system and method are provided for phase recovery of a signal received by a receiver having digital equalization. A sample acquisition unit periodically acquires a plurality of I and Q samples of the received signal. The sample acquisition unit includes a delay portion to enable selective mutual comparisons between a current I sample ID0, a first preceding I samples ID1, and a second preceding I sample ID2. A transition detection unit generates at least one transition detect signal responsive to the ID1, ID0, and Q samples. The transition detect signal indicates a logic state transition in the received signal between the ID1 and ID0 samples. A transition filtering unit generates an equalization detect signal indicative of excessive equalizing correction of the received signal at the ID0 sample, and selectively passes in response the transition detect signal as a timing output signal.
US09160577B2 Hybrid SAIC receiver
Systems and methods of receiving data in a communication system are disclosed. The methods include equalizing a plurality of samples to suppress intersymbol interference and provide a first set of detected bits based on a first set of reference bits comprising a training sequence on a first iteration. The methods further include suppressing co-channel interference in the plurality of input samples and provide a set of suppressed samples based on a second set of reference bits comprising the first set of detected bits on a second iteration. The methods further include equalizing the set of suppressed samples to suppress intersymbol interference and provide a second set of detected bits based on the second set of reference bits on the second iteration.
US09160568B2 Systems and methods for creating and updating reputation records
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method is provided for generating a reputation record and filtering electronic messages, each reputation record including a reputation score and a reputation key. The method includes receiving at least one incoming event notification, including a reputation key; determining, based on the reputation key, whether a corresponding reputation record exists; creating a new reputation record if the corresponding reputation record does not exist; determining a trust determination function based on the incoming event notification; calculating a reputation score based on the determined trust determination function, the incoming event notification, and an attribute associated with the reputation key; storing the calculated reputation score along with the reputation key in either the new reputation record or the corresponding reputation record; and filtering one or more electronic messages based on the calculated reputation score.
US09160567B2 Method, apparatus, and system for establishing a virtual local area network connection
A method for establishing a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) connection is provided, which includes: receiving a first signaling message, in which the first signaling message includes an unused VLAN ID and explicit routing information; registering the VLAN ID by using the at least one unused VLAN ID; and sending the first signaling message according to the explicit routing information. Several node apparatuses and several systems are also provided in the present invention. Therefore, automatic VLAN configuration is performed in an environment without a spanning tree protocol, and traffic engineering is supported simultaneously.
US09160552B2 System and method for providing smart grid communications and management
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request for a service that involves phasor measurement unit (PMU) data; identifying a service device in a network to perform the service; and multicasting one or more results of the service to a group of subscribers identified by a multicast group address. In more particular embodiments, particular PMU data is redirected to the service device via a service insertion architecture (SIA) protocol. In addition, the service can include replicating packets and masking a subset of traffic for forwarding to a first hop router of the network. In certain example instances, metadata is used in order to apply the service to certain traffic propagating in the network.
US09160550B1 Systems and methods for enabling dialog amongst different participant groups
An electronic communication system, such as a question-and-answer service, is provided in which a user submitting a question specifies one or more recipients of the question. Authenticated responses by a recipient are published to the asker and other recipients. Responses may be made available to external users, with content contributors being either publicly identified or anonymous.
US09160549B2 Method and apparatus for providing bridgeless conferencing services
A system and method for making a VoIP-based and other types of group calls includes a user interface adapted for use by a group call administrator via the Internet, a database manager connected to the user interface, and a database connected to the database manager. In one embodiment of the invention, the group call administrator identifier and one or more group call invitee identifiers is a telephone number. A method includes using call information from the database to initiate conference call connections and an administrator call connection to facilitate a conference call in which the administrators call connections and the participants connections are joined to allow communications between the participants and the administrator.
US09160547B2 Method and devices for managing a data flow transfer
A method is provided for managing a transfer of a data stream received by a mobile terminal of a first network to a second network, the terminal having subscribed to at least one multicasting group receiving the data stream, and being connected to the first network by way of an access router for the first network, termed the first router. The method comprises: detecting, by an access router for the second network, termed the second router, an arrival of the terminal in the second network; obtaining, by the second router, information relating to at least one multicasting group to which the terminal has subscribed, on the basis of a reading of a subscription table; and receiving the data stream by the second router, on the basis of the information obtained, and retransmission to the terminal.
US09160544B2 Providing secure access to computing resources in a cloud computing environment
A security device may receive a request, associated with a user, to access a particular device. The security device may authenticate the user based on the request. The security device may determine a key, from a set of keys stored by the security device, that is unassigned, and may assign the key to the user. The security device may mark the key as assigned. The security device may provide the key to the particular device, which may cause the particular device to validate the key by comparing the key to a set of valid keys. The set of valid keys may be stored in a memory accessible by the particular device based on having been previously provided to the particular device by the security device. The security device may establish a session with the particular device, and may provide the user with access to the particular device via the session.
US09160540B2 Preventing playback of streaming video if ads are removed
A digitally signed manifest file includes metadata that specifies whether a policy regarding the digital signature should be enforced. The policy is then used to generate additional metadata associated with the program and ad content of the video stream. The metadata is tamper resistant so that any modification or removal of the metadata will prevent the video stream from playing. If the metadata indicates that the policy should be enforced, the digital signature of the manifest is verified by the client, and an invalid or missing signature prevents the video stream from being played back. The metadata defines which media players are allowed and/or not allowed to play back a video stream, including media players that are configured to skip or remove ads, and/or includes an encryption key identifier for verifying the digital signature. The ad content is digitally signed to prevent modification or replacement of the ad content.
US09160535B2 Truly anonymous cloud key broker
Embodiments of systems and methods for providing anonymous cloud encryption are provided. One embodiment of a method for providing anonymous cloud encryption includes communicating an anonymizing token to a key broker. Additionally, the method may include communicating at least one encryption key associated with the anonymizing token to the key broker. The method may also include conducting a secure anonymous transaction with a cloud service using at least one of the encryption keys associated with the anonymizing token.
US09160534B2 Authenticator, authenticatee and authentication method
According to one embodiment, an authenticatee includes a memory configured to store a plurality of pieces of secret information XY and a plurality of pieces of secret information XYE which are created by encrypting the plurality of pieces of secret information XY, a generation module configured to generate a random number A, a generation module configured to generate a random number D which is composed of at least a part of the generated random number A and a random number B which is received, a calculating module configured to generate data C by executing a compression operation with respect to at least the random number D and the secret information XY loaded from the memory, a generation module configured to generate data ν, and a bit-by-bit addition module configured to calculate an result Z from the data ν to the data C.
US09160533B2 Random number generation
A system for random number generation may include non-volatile memory, and a random number stored on the non-volatile memory. The system may also include a key linked to the random number. The system may further include a computer-apparatus designed to use the random number based upon the key.
US09160522B2 System and method for verifying the identity of an individual by employing biometric data features associated with the individual
The invention relates to a system for verifying the identity of an individual by employing biometric data features associated with the individual, which system comprises at least one or more hardware components, an enrollment means, and a verifying means, wherein said enrollment means are arranged in deriving a first biometric template data, said first biometric template data being secret and associated with a first set of first biometric data features of said individual, and in receiving a further set of first biometric data features of said individual, and in deriving a further biometric template data associated with said further set of first biometric data, and wherein said verifying means are arranged in comparing the first biometric template data with the further biometric template data to check for correspondence, wherein the identity of the individual is verified if correspondence exists. The invention aims to provide a solution to the above identified drawbacks and thereto at least one of said hardware components is provided with at least one component specific data feature associated therewith and wherein said enrollment means are arranged in associating at least one of said component specific data features with said biometric template data.
US09160506B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting SRS in LTE TDD system
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting and receiving an uplink Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). The method includes determining a number of single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) symbols in an uplink pilot time slot (UpPTS); receiving index information for a sounding reference signal (SRS); determining an SRS offset, based on the index information; and transmitting the SRS, based on the SRS offset. If the index information includes an integer from 0 to 9, if the UpPTS includes two SC-FDMA symbols, a first symbol is indicated by SRS offset 0 and a second symbol is indicated by SRS offset 1, and if UpPTS includes one SC-FDMA symbol, the first symbol is indicated by the SRS offset 1. If the index information includes the integer from 0 to 9, the SRS offset indicated by the index information is based on: IndexOffset 00, 1 10, 2 21, 2 30, 3 41, 3 50, 4 61, 4 72, 3 82, 4 9 3, 4.
US09160503B2 Method and apparatus supporting improved wide bandwidth transmissions
A method for transmitting information in a wireless system is provided. In this method, the traffic on a plurality of channels can be determined. A bandwidth for a packet can be selected based on the traffic and available channel bandwidths. A modulation and a coding rate can be selected from a plurality of modulations and associated coding rates. The modulation and coding rate can be applied to a segment of the packet, wherein each segment includes one or more bandwidth units. The packet including the selected modulation and coding rate therein can be transmitted on at least one channel.
US09160480B2 Symmetric coherent OFDMA-PON configuration with low-speed ONU-side
A method by an optical network unit ONU includes, for downstream transmission, using a first tunable laser for coherent detection on a sub-band basis to increase receiver sensitivity and reduce analog-to-digital conversion ADC and digital signal processor DSP requirements within the ONU, and for upstream transmission, using a second tunable laser and using an optical signal beating between the first and second tunable lasers to generate a tunable radio frequency RF signal source for upstream multi-band OFDMA signal generation thereby avoiding need for an otherwise more costly RF clock source within the ONU, enabling low-speed digital-to-analog conversion DAC operation and rendering the ONU colorless in both optical and radio frequency RF domains.
US09160472B2 Clock synchronization over a switched fabric
Devices and methods for synchronizing devices over a switched fabric. A master device maintains a global time, determines a mapping between the global time and a counter of a switch over a memory-mapped fabric, and sends the mapping to a slave device. A slave device maintains a local time, determines a first mapping between the local time and a counter of a switch, receives a second mapping between the counter and a global time of the master device, and synchronizes its local time to the global time based on the first and second mappings. The master and slave device may map their times to the counter by sending respective request packets to the switch and receiving respective completion packets including respective counter values from the switch. The master and slave device may determine respective time values corresponding to the respective counter values based on in-switch delays of the packets.
US09160467B2 Method and system for assigning definitions to media network channels
An approach for assigning definitions to media network channels is described. A demand for program content of a media network channel associated with a first definition relating to resolution of the program content is determined. A second definition is assigned to the media network channel for the program content in response to the demand, wherein the second definition relates to the resolution of the program content and is higher in resolution than the first definition.
US09160461B2 Systems and methods for minimizing spurs through duty cycle adjustment
A frequency source, such as for a wireless communications device, configured to have a duty cycle adjustment. A selected harmonic spur resulting from operation of the frequency source at one duty cycle may be avoided or minimized by operating the frequency source at a second duty cycle. Determination of the appropriate duty cycle may be based on measuring the amplitude of the harmonic spur as it appears in the output of a receive chain of the wireless device. Alternatively, the duty cycle may be set to desired value to avoid or minimize a given harmonic.
US09160459B2 Equalization signal processor, optical receiver including the same, and method for equalization signal processing
It becomes difficult to perform the optimum equalization signal processing in coherent receiving systems if a channel response in an optical fiber transmission line includes a factor without temporal centrosymmetry, therefore, an equalization signal processor according to an exemplary aspect of the invention includes an equalization filter means configured to receive digital signals by coherent receiving systems; a coefficient control means configured to control coefficients defining characteristics of the equalization filter means; a significant coefficient holding means configured to hold significant coefficients of significant values among initial values of the coefficients; a significant coefficient positioning means configured to determine a significant coefficient position, a position of the significant coefficients in the initial values, so that equalization characteristics of the equalization filter means may be optimized; and a significant coefficient setting means configured to allocate the significant coefficients to the significant coefficient position.
US09160458B2 Optical signal detection circuit and optical receiver
An optical signal detection circuit (10) includes an amplification circuit (11) that differentially amplifies an electrical signal (Tout) corresponding to the pulse train of an optical signal (Pin) and outputs a differential output signal (Aout), and a comparator (12) that compares the voltage value of the positive-phase signal of the differential output signal (Aout) with the voltage value of the negative-phase signal and outputs a pulsed comparison output signal (Cout) corresponding to the comparison result. The amplification circuit (11) includes a current addition circuit (11E) that adjusts a DC load current to generate a positive-phase signal (Aout+) and a negative-phase signal (Aout−) of the differential output signal (Aout) in accordance with an adjusted voltage value from an external adjusted voltage source (Vadj) and adjusts the DC bias of the positive-phase signal (Aout+) and the DC bias of the negative-phase signal (Aout−).
US09160457B2 Adaptive compensation circuitry for suppression of distortions generated by the dispersion-slope of optical components
A distortion compensation circuit compensates for the distortions generated by the dispersion-slope of an optical component and the frequency chirp of an optical transmitter. The dispersion compensation circuitry can be utilized in the optical transmitter, the optical receiver and/or at some intermediate point in a fiber-optic network. One embodiment of the compensation circuit utilizes a primary electrical signal path that receives at least a portion of the input signal and a delay line; and a secondary signal path in parallel to the primary path that receives at least a portion of the input signal and including: an amplifier with an electrical current gain that is proportional to the dispersion-slope of the optical component, an optional RF attenuator, an optional delay line, a “squarer” circuit, and a “differentiator” circuit. Another embodiment of the disclosure performs simultaneous, and independent, compensation of second-order distortions generated by both the dispersion-slope of a first optical component and the dispersion of a second optical component. Other embodiments of the disclosure perform adaptive predistortion for compensation of distortions generated by the dispersion-slope of a first optical component and the dispersion of a second optical component to maintain optimum compensation even if the dispersion properties of the optical components change with time.
US09160455B2 External cavity laser array system and WDM optical system including same
An external cavity laser array system may be used in a WDM optical system, such as a WDM-PON, for transmitting optical signals at multiple channel wavelengths. The system generally includes a plurality of laser emitters (e.g., gain chips) optically coupled to and separated from respective exit reflectors (e.g., tunable narrow-band reflectors), thereby forming an array of external cavity lasers with extended lasing cavities. The exit reflectors may be distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) located in the waveguides in an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG). The laser emitters emit a range of wavelengths including multiple channel wavelengths and the DBRs reflect a subset of channel wavelengths including at least a channel wavelength associated with the laser emitter such that lasing occurs at the subset of channel wavelengths. The AWG then filters the emitted laser light at the associated channel wavelengths.
US09160454B2 Hamming coded modulation
An optical system may include a digital signal processor (DSP) to receive first samples of a digital signal. The first samples may be Hamming encoded. The DSP may correlate the first samples to multiple groups of second samples to determine multiple correlation values. Each of the multiple groups of second samples may correspond to respective code words. Each of the multiple correlation values may correspond to a correlation measurement between the first samples and each of the multiple groups of second samples. The DSP may determine a particular code word, of the multiple code words, corresponding to one of the correlation values of the multiple correlation values; determine output bits based on bits of the particular code word and the one of the correlation values; and provide the output bits. The output bits may include data associated with the digital signal.
US09160449B2 Local power management for remote antenna units in distributed antenna systems
Power management for a remote antenna unit(s) (RAUs) in a distributed antenna system. Power can be managed for an RAU configured to power modules and devices that may require more power to operate than power available to the RAU. For example, the RAU may be configured to include power-consuming RAU modules to provide distributed antenna system-related services. As another example, the RAU may be configured to provide power through powered ports in the RAU to external power-consuming devices. Depending on the configuration of the RAU, the power-consuming RAU modules and/or external power-consuming devices may demand more power than is available at the RAU. In this instance, the power available at the RAU can be distributed to the power-consuming modules and devices based on the priority of services desired to be provided by the RAU.
US09160443B2 Multi-beam satellite telecommunications system and method for forming beams
A multi-beam telecommunications satellite, intended to be placed in orbit around the earth, and adapted to relay data between terrestrial terminals and at least one ground station and to form beams on a user link between the satellite and terrestrial terminals, includes a module for forming beams on board in the satellite, a module for processing beams in the ground station, and a module for routing signals received from the ground station and/or from terrestrial terminals, signals of beams formed on board being routed towards the on-board beam forming module, and signals of ground-formed beams being routed towards the ground-formed beam processing module. A telecommunications system including the multi-beam satellite, a ground station and a beam management center adapted to divide the beams into one group of ground-formed beams and one group of beams formed on board, as well as a method for forming beams are disclosed.
US09160441B2 Rotation pointed antenna for fixed wireless wide area networks
An apparatus and method for combining signals received from a direct broadcast satellite system with signals received from a wireless network, includes a satellite antenna for receiving the signals from the direct broadcast satellite system; and a wireless network antenna, co-located with the satellite antenna, for receiving the signals from the wireless network. The wireless network antenna includes an antenna assembly that is rotated by a controller based on characteristics of the signals received from the wireless network. The controller energizes and de-energizes a motor to mechanically rotate the antenna assembly to properly align the wireless network antenna to communicate with the wireless network. The wireless network antenna comprises a closed cylinder, wherein the antenna assembly is rotatably mounted within the closed cylinder, such that, upon command from the controller, the motor engages the antenna assembly to mechanically rotate the antenna about a central axis of the closed cylinder.
US09160439B2 Method, base station, and system of configuring relay link resources
A method, a base station, and a system of configuring relay link resources are provided. The method of configuring relay link resources includes: receiving an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM symbol number reported by a relay node RN, in which the OFDM symbol is used by a physical downlink control channel PDCCH of a multimedia multicast broadcast single frequency network MBSFN subframe where a relay link of the RN is located; and configuring relay link resources according to the OFDM symbol number, an offset, and a length of a PDCCH in an eNB subframe, in which the offset is an offset of an RN frame relative to the time when the RN frame is initially synchronized with an eNB frame, and is smaller than a sum of a length of the PDCCH of the MBSFN subframe where the relay link of the RN is located and a first idle time.
US09160430B2 Millimeter-wave transceiver with coarse and fine beamforming with interference suppression and method
Embodiments of millimeter-wave transceivers with coarse and fine beam steering with interference suppression are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a millimeter-wave transceiver configured for multipath reception of multicarrier signals and includes RF circuitry to receive multicarrier signals through at least two independently controllable sub-arrays from first and second directions, a channel-estimation block to generate a set of weighting coefficients for each sub-array based on channel characteristics determined from each sub-array, the weighting coefficients generated for inter-channel interference (ICI) suppression, and maximum-ratio combining (MRC) circuitry to apply a set of the weighting coefficients to baseband signals from each sub-array and to combine the weighted baseband signals from each sub-array to generate combined baseband signals that represent a single data stream.
US09160427B1 Transmit diversity with formed beams in a wireless communications system using a common pilot channel
A method and apparatus are provided that allows beamforming to be used on a user-specific signal together with a sector-wide pilot signal in a communication system, such as a CDMA system. In one embodiment, the invention includes transmitting a pilot signal with a wide beamwidth to a remote terminal from a first array, transmitting a first traffic signal with a narrow beamwidth directed to the remote terminal from the first array, and transmitting a second diversity traffic signal with a second narrow beamwidth directed to the remote terminal from a second array. In some examples, the invention may also include transmitting a second pilot signal from the second antenna array.
US09160424B2 Bluetooth® system and Bluetooth® bonding process
Disclosed are a method and a system for Bluetooth communication. In the Bluetooth system, a Bluetooth device includes: a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader for reading out RFID information from the RFID Tag within an effective transmission and receiving range and outputting the RFID information; a control unit for activating the RFID reader when a request for Bluetooth connection using the RFID is inputted by a user in a Bluetooth communication mode, extracting the bonding information from the RFID information inputted from the RFID reader, and outputting the bonding information; and a Bluetooth module for receiving the bonding information outputted from the control unit, pairing the first Bluetooth device using the bonding information, and performing Bluetooth communication.
US09160423B2 Die-to-die inductive communication devices and methods
Embodiments of inductive communication devices include first and second IC die and an inductive coupling substrate. The first IC die has a first coil. The inductive coupling substrate has a second coil and a first signal communication interface (e.g., a third coil or a contact). The second IC die has a second signal communication interface (e.g., a fourth coil or a contact). The first IC die and the inductive coupling substrate are arranged so that the first and second coils are aligned across a gap between the first IC die and the inductive coupling substrate. A dielectric component is positioned within the gap between the first and second coils to galvanically isolate the first IC die and the inductive coupling substrate. During operation, signals are conveyed between the first and second IC die through inductive coupling between the coils and communication through the signal communication interfaces.
US09160421B2 Method and apparatus for controlling wireless power transmission and reception, and wireless power transmission system
Provided are a transmission system and a wireless power transmission and reception controlling method. According to an embodiment, a wireless power receiver may include: a target communication unit configured to receive, from a wireless power transmitter, a wake-up request signal and synchronization information with respect to wireless power transmission, and to transmit a response signal with respect to the wake-up request signal to the wireless power transmitter; a load path switch configured to activate based on timing information included in the synchronization information; and a target resonator configured to receive wireless power from a source resonator of the wireless power transmitter, when the load path switch is activated.
US09160418B2 Near field communication method and apparatus thereof
A method for facilitating a secured data transmission in near field communication is provided. The method includes dynamically interleaving data to be transmitted, using randomization and transmitting the dynamically interleaved data and the interleaved settings/parameters to the destination. Further, a receiver device performs dynamic de-interleaving of received data using the received interleaved settings/parameters. Further, in order to ensure security to the data transmission, the system may use Random Skip Count (RSC) values. If necessary, new dynamic interleaving settings/parameters are calculated based on an RSC value and the new settings/parameters are used to dynamically interleave the data. The process of interleaving can be performed in 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional formats. Further, in the 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional interleaving schemes, data can be first dynamically interleaved in the form of sub matrices and the sub matrices can be further dynamically interleaved to form the final dynamically interleaved data matrix.
US09160409B2 Communication apparatus
A charging system supplies charging power from a charging station to an in-vehicle system through a power line. The charging station and the in-vehicle system further include communication devices, which communicate through the power line. The in-vehicle system includes a detecting circuit for detecting impedance of the power line. The in-vehicle system includes a control circuit, which controls switching-over of the communication device between a waiting state and an operating state based on the impedance detected by the detecting circuit. For example, the control circuit detects connection of the cable based on the impedance change of the power line. The control circuit switches the communication device from the waiting state to the operating state in response to the connection of the cable.
US09160407B2 Method for detecting leakage in digitally modulated systems
In a method for detecting leakage in a digital cable system, at least one first signal is inserted on the cable system. The at least one first signal has an amplitude multiple tens of dB below the digital channel power of the digital channels carried on the cable system. A second signal containing the first signal is received. The second signal is converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The IF signal is digitized and samples of the digitized IF signal are obtained. Digitized samples of a third signal at the nominal frequency of the first signal at maximum amplitude converted to the IF are provided. The digitized IF signal and the digitized samples of a third signal at the nominal frequency of the first signal at maximum amplitude converted to the IF are correlated. The presence of the inserted first signal is detected based upon the result of the correlation. In another method, a pair of first signals are inserted on the cable system. The pair of first signals are spaced apart a fixed frequency and with amplitudes multiple tens of dB below the digital channel power of the digital channels carried on the cable system. A second signal containing the first signal is received and converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The IF signal is digitized, samples of the digitized IF signal are obtained, and a large scale Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is applied to the samples to generate an FFT output. The FFT output is examined for generally equally sized signals separated from each other by the fixed frequency in the FFT output. If generally equally sized signals separated from each other by the fixed frequency are detected in the FFT output, a decision is made that the second signal represents detected leakage from the digital cable system.
US09160403B2 Signal transmission circuit, signal transmission system, and signal transmission method
A signal transmission circuit includes a driver circuit that includes complementary inverters, each of the complementary inverters including a plurality of transistor switches, each of the plurality of transistor switches including a pair of transistors, one of the pair of transistors operating in a saturation region and another of the pair of transistors operating in a triode region to cause a certain impedance, and that drives each of the plurality of transistor switches in accordance with complementary signals so as to output complementary voltages to a transmission line; and first voltage sources that supply operating voltages to the driver circuit so as to adjust amplitudes of the complementary voltages output from the driver circuit to the transmission line.
US09160401B2 Method and apparatus for frequency assignment in a frequency hopping mode of a wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus are provided for transmitting and receiving uplink data in a wireless communication system. The method includes transmitting an uplink grant including resource allocation information and frequency hopping information; determining a resource for the uplink data based on the resource allocation information and a packet transmission number, if the frequency hopping information indicates that a predefined hopping pattern is enabled; and receiving the uplink data mapped on the determined resource. Mirroring is alternatively applied for determining the resource based on the packet transmission number.
US09160397B2 High-frequency module
A compact high-frequency module that increases isolation between a transmission-side circuit and a reception-side circuit of a duplexer includes a switch element and duplexers. The duplexers include transmission-side SAW filters and reception-side SAW filters. The transmission-side SAW filters are mounted near one edge of a multilayer body. The reception-side SAW filters are mounted near another edge opposite to the one edge of the multilayer body. The switch element is mounted at the center of the multilayer body.
US09160391B2 Mobile phone and data processing method thereof
A mobile phone and a data processing method thereof are disclosed. The method comprises: reading an ID of a secondary SIM card and determining whether the secondary SIM card is locked out if the secondary SIM card is locked out, then determining whether to copy data of the secondary SIM card according to a user's choice; and if the user chooses to copy the data of the secondary SIM card, then copying the data of the secondary SIM card to the mobile phone or to the primary SIM card of the mobile phone, or to both the mobile phone and the primary SIM card of the mobile phone.
US09160390B2 Method and system for impairment shifting
Methods and systems for impairment shifting may comprise receiving radio frequency (RF) signals in a receiver, downconverting the signals to baseband frequencies, and synchronizing the receiver to received signals. The frequency of a local oscillator (LO) may be adjusted to shift residual impairments to fall between desired baseband signals where they are least visible. The received RF signals may comprise analog, satellite, or cable, television signals. The LO frequency may be adjusted to configure the DC offset impairments to fall between luminance and chrominance harmonics. The LO frequency may be adjusted to configure I/Q imbalanced impairments from residual in-phase and quadrature mismatch of a picture carrier signal to fall about 300 kHz from a sound carrier signal in the analog television signals. The LO frequency may be adjusted to configure the I/Q imbalanced impairments from residual I/Q mismatch of a sound carrier signal to fall between luminance and chrominance harmonics.
US09160388B2 Receiver architecture with complementary passive mixer and complementary common-gate tia with low-noise gain control
A circuit for a low-power and blocker-tolerant mixer-amplifier stage may include a complementary mixer formed by transmission gates having complementary structures. The complementary mixer may be configured to receive one or more radio-frequency (RF) signals and to convert the one or more RF signals to intermediate frequency (IF) current signals. A complementary TIA may be coupled to the complementary mixer and may be configured to receive the IF current signals and provide IF voltage signals. The complementary TIA may be formed by coupling an NMOS-TIA and a PMOS-TIA to a common load. A first portion of the complementary mixer may be coupled to the NMOS-TIA and a second portion of the complementary mixer may be coupled to the PMOS-TIA.
US09160379B2 Transmitter and transmitting method
A transmitter according to the present invention includes a level detector that detects the level value of an input signal, from among a predetermined number of level values; an upstream-side signal adjusting unit that amplifies the input signal and shifts the input signal for an offset amount based on an output signal of the level detector; a digital-sigma modulator having a quantizer that quantizes an output signal of the upstream-side signal adjusting unit with a predetermined number of bits, and a downstream-side signal adjusting unit that amplifies an output signal of the delta-sigma modulator and shifts the output signal of the delta-sigma modulator for an offset amount based on the output signal of the level detector.
US09160378B2 Control method and equipment for radio-frequency signal
The present invention describes a RF signal control method and device that changes the gain attenuation in real time and uses the changed gain attenuation to adjust the RF input signal. The RF signal control method and device also uses determined linear filter parameters for linearity improvement on the digital signal that results from a down-conversion and analog-to-digital converter on the RF input signal. The adjusted and improved signal is output after a digital pre-distortion and power amplification operation. In comparison with existing technologies, the adjusted gain attenuation is used to make adjustment on the RF input signal and improve linearity the RF input signal such that the resulting RF signal has better quality. Thus, the current application improves the linearity effect of a digital pre-distorter and the dynamic effect of a power amplifier for the RF signal, thereby enhancing coverage of the RF output signal.
US09160373B1 Systems and methods for joint decoding of sector and track error correction codes
Systems and methods are provided for decoding data stored on a storage device. A decoding method is described for retrieving data from the storage device, wherein the retrieved data are encoded using a product code having a first dimension and a second dimension. The decoding method includes processing at least one codeword from the first dimension to form detector soft information, decoding the at least one codeword from the first dimension based on the detector soft information to form a first decoder soft information, and decoding at least one codeword from the second dimension based on the first decoder soft information to form a second decoder soft information.
US09160368B1 Systems and methods for near-codeword detection and correction on the fly
Systems and methods are provided for enhancing the performance and throughput of a low-density parity check (LDPC) decoder. In some embodiments, the enhanced performance and throughput may be achieved by detecting and correcting near-codewords before the decoder iterates up to a predetermined number of iterations. In some embodiments, a corrector runs concurrently with the decoder to correct a near-codeword when the near-codeword is detected. In alternate embodiments, the corrector is active while the decoder is not active. Both embodiments allow for on-the-fly codeword error corrections that improve the performance (e.g., reducing the number of errors) without decreasing the throughput of the decoder.
US09160363B2 Run length encoding with non-sequential input
A method for updating a run length encoded (RLE) stream includes: receiving an element having an insertion value to be inserted into the RLE stream at an insertion position, the insertion value having one of a plurality of values, the RLE stream having elements arranged in runs, and each of the elements having one of the values; identifying a run containing the insertion position; determining whether the insertion value is the same as the value of the element at the insertion position; when the insertion value is different from the value of the element at the insertion position: determining whether the insertion position is adjacent to one or more matching runs of the runs, each element of the matching runs having a same value as the insertion value; and extending one of the matching runs when the insertion position is adjacent to only one of the matching runs.
US09160347B1 System and method for countering the effects of microphonics in a phase locked loop
A method and apparatus for operating an electronic device is provided. The electronic device, which includes a phase lock loop (PLL) receives sensor indicators from at least one sensor. Upon receiving sensor indicators, the device identifies a motion indicator based on the sensor indicators. A parameter of the PLL is adjusted based on the motion indicator, the PLL having at least one component susceptible to microphonics. When the PLL includes a charge pump, a parameter that may be adjusted is a pump current of the charge pump. When the PLL further comprises an oscillator for generating a reference signal, the parameter that may be adjusted is a trim of the oscillator.
US09160325B2 Systems and methods for fast kilovolt switching in an X-ray system
Various of the disclosed embodiments contemplate systems and methods in an X-ray imaging system, such as a CT system, facilitating more crisp switching between high and low voltages at an X-ray tube. Certain embodiments circuits which store and discharge energy to improve voltage rise and fall times. These circuits may mitigate the effects of losses, hysteresis cycles, and leakage currents. More controlled voltage rise and fall times may improve X-ray emission and detection synchronization.
US09160318B2 Data processing circuit and solid-state imaging device
A data processing circuit that holds a state of a clock signal of each phase of an input multi-phase clock at a timing of an input latch clock, the multi-phase clock including clock signals of a plurality of phases sequentially shifted at certain intervals determined in advance, and generates a digital signal obtained by digitizing the states of the phases of the multi-phase clock at a timing at which the latch clock is input, the data processing circuit including: a latch portion including n latch unit groups (n is an integer of a power of 2) including the same number and a plurality of latch units, each latch unit holding the state of the clock signal of the corresponding phase of the multi-phase clock and outputting an output signal indicating the held state of the clock signal.
US09160315B2 Ring oscillator and semiconductor device
There are provided a ring oscillator having a plurality of delay circuits to be ring-connected. At least one of the plurality of delay circuits has a delay element formed in a layout region including the same layout shape as the layout shape of an SRAM cell, and a path circuit connected in parallel to the delay element. The delay element outputs an output signal to a delay circuit in the next stage within the plurality of delay circuits in response to one of rise transition and fall transition of a signal input to the input terminal of the delay element from a delay circuit in the previous stage within the plurality of delay circuits. The path circuit outputs an output signal to the delay circuit in the next stage in response to the transition other than the one transition.
US09160313B2 Compensated temperature variable resistor
A front-end circuit for measurement devices, for example oscilloscopes or digitizers, may implement DC gain compensation using a programmable variable resistance. A MOS transistor may be configured and operated as a linear resistor with the ability to self-calibrate quickly, while compensating for temperature variations. An integrated CMOS-based variable resistor may be thereby used for an analog adjustable attenuator. Master and slave CMOS transistors may be operated in linear mode, and temperature effects on the linear transistors may be compensated for by using an integral loop controller (current controller) configured around the master MOS transistor. Circuits implemented with the compensated variable resistance have a wide range of adjustment with a control voltage, and may be used in the front-end (circuits) of an oscilloscope or digitizer, or in any other circuit and/or instrumentation benefitting from an adjustable attenuator.
US09160311B2 Semiconductor device with amplification circuit and output buffer circuit coupled to terminal
The present invention is directed to solve a problem that, in a semiconductor device capable of generating a clock signal by coupling a quartz oscillator to an external terminal to which an I/O port is coupled, leak current of the I/O port which is in the inactive state disturbs activation of a clock. The semiconductor device has a first terminal, an amplification circuit coupled to the first terminal, and an output buffer whose output terminal is coupled to the first terminal. The output buffer has first and second transistors of a first conduction type coupled in series via a first node between a first power supply line and an output terminal, and the conduction states of the first and second transistors of the first conduction state are controlled in response to a first control signal which is applied commonly to the gate of each of the first and second transistors.
US09160310B2 Linearity compensator for removing nonlinear distortion
The present invention is an improved linearizer that implements more complex transfer functions to provide the necessary linearization performance with a reasonable amount of signal processing resources. Particularly, the linearizer operates on an analog-to-digital converter and comprises a distortion compensator and one or more factored Volterra compensators, which may include a second-order factored Volterra compensator, a third-order factored Volterra compensator, and additional higher-order factored Volterra compensators. Inclusion of factored Volterra distortion compensators improves linearization processing performance while significantly reducing the computational complexity compared to a traditional Volterra-based compensator.
US09160308B2 Synchronous charge sharing filter
A signal processing device has a first discrete time analog signal processing section, which has an input, an output, a plurality of charge storage elements, and plurality of switch elements coupling the charge storage elements. The device has a controller coupled to the first signal processing section configured to couple different subsets of the charge elements of the first signal processing section in successive operating phases to apply a signal processing function to an analog signal presented at the input of the first signal processing section and provide a result of the applying of the signal processing function as an analog signal to the output of first signal processing section. The signal processing function of the first signal processing section comprises a combination of a filtering function operating at a first sampling rate and one or more modulation functions operating at corresponding modulation rates lower than the first sampling rate.
US09160306B2 Duplexer and method for increasing the isolation between two filters
A duplexer includes an antenna terminal, a transmission amplifier terminal and a reception amplifier terminal. The transmission amplifier terminal is coupled to the antenna terminal via a transmission filter. The reception amplifier terminal is coupled to a reception filter and the reception filter is coupled to the antenna terminal via a band-stop filter.
US09160298B2 Acoustic wave device
An acoustic wave device includes: a substrate; a lower electrode that is located on the substrate; a piezoelectric film that is located on the lower electrode and made of aluminum nitride of which a ratio of a lattice constant in a c-axis direction to a lattice constant in an a-axis direction is smaller than 1.6; and an upper electrode that is located on the piezoelectric film and faces the lower electrode across the piezoelectric film.
US09160294B2 Virtual pre-amplifier and effects system and methods for customizing and using the same in live performances
The technology in one embodiment includes an audio-processing unit, for processing an input audio signal using a pre-established audio feature. The unit includes a processor, an audio-device input in operative communication with the processor, and a system-user interface being in operative communication with the processor. The unit also includes a computer-readable medium being in operative communication with the processor and comprising a tone-manipulation component and computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The operations include presenting, using the system-user interface, a graphical-user-interface (GUI) display including an identifier associated with the tone-manipulation component, receiving, from the system-user interface, a user signal indicating a user selection of the tone-manipulation component from the GUI display, receiving the input audio signal from the audio-device input, and manipulating, using the tone-manipulation component, the input audio signal, yielding a manipulated signal.
US09160292B2 Load compensation in RF amplifiers
Methods and systems for reducing parasitic loading on a power supply output in RF amplifier arrangements used in multiband and/or multitude RF circuits are presented. Such RF circuits can comprise a plurality of RF amplifiers of which only one is activated for a given desired transmission mode and/or band.
US09160282B2 Interference reduction between RF communications bands
Radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) circuitry and a PA envelope power supply are disclosed. The RF PA circuitry receives and amplifies an RF input signal to provide an RF output signal using an envelope power supply signal, which is provided by the PA envelope power supply. The RF PA circuitry operates in either a normal RF spectral emissions mode or a reduced RF spectral emissions mode. When reduced RF spectral emissions are required, the RF PA circuitry operates in the reduced RF spectral emissions mode. As such, at a given RF output power, during the reduced RF spectral emissions mode, RF spectral emissions of the RF output signal are less than during the normal RF spectral emissions mode. As a result, the reduced RF spectral emissions mode may be used to reduce interference between RF communications bands.
US09160274B2 FinFET varactor
The present disclosure relates to a FinFET varactor circuit having one or more control elements that control a relationship between capacitance and voltage of a FinFET MOS varactor without introducing changes to process parameters used in fabrication of the FinFET MOS varactor. In some embodiments, the FinFET varactor circuit has a FinFET MOS varactor with a first terminal connected to a gate terminal of the FinFET MOS varactor and a second terminal connected to connected source and drain terminals of the FinFET MOS varactor. One or more control elements are connected to the first or second terminals of the FinFET MOS varactor and vary one or more operating characteristics of the FinFET MOS varactor. Using the control elements to vary the operating characteristics of the FinFET MOS varactor, allows for the characteristics to be adjusted without making changes to process parameters used in the fabrication of the FinFET MOS varactor.
US09160268B2 System for controlling a voltage inverter supplying power to a multiphase electrical motor of a motor vehicle
A system for controlling a voltage inverter, or supplying power to a multiphase electric motor of an automobile vehicle, including: a mechanism generating values of power supply voltages for each phase of the electric motor, together with an amplitude value of the power supply voltages; a phase-splicing determination mechanism; and a controller controlling the phase splicing cooperating to control transmission to the voltage inverter of duty cycles generated by determining the duty cycles, as a function of values of power supply voltages for each phase of the electric motor, and also of the amplitude value of the power supply voltages.
US09160264B2 Initial rotor position detection and start-up system for a dynamoelectric machine
A method for detecting an initial rotor angular position and starting a dynamoelectric machine having a stator and a rotor includes the steps of driving the dynamoelectric machine into partial magnetic saturation to determine the initial rotor angular position of the dynamoelectric machine, and starting the dynamoelectric machine utilizing the initial rotor angular position previously determined.
US09160258B2 Cooling system with increased efficiency
A cooling system is disclosed. The cooling system may have an evaporator, an evaporator fan, a condenser, and at least one compressor. The compressor may be either a single speed or a variable speed compressor. In addition, the system can use a mechanical or electrical pulsed operation refrigerant flow control valve for controlling refrigerant flow to the evaporator.
US09160257B2 Soft starter system and method of operating same
A system and method for automatically defining and tuning operating parameters for a motor control device with minimal or no operator input is disclosed. The system includes a motor control device electrically connectable to an AC motor and a controller that is programmed to define a motor start-up function based on a rated current of the motor, the motor start-up function comprising an initial torque factor and an initial ramp time. The controller also triggers switching devices of the motor according to the motor start-up function to inject current into the motor during a first trial run, monitors operating conditions of the motor and motor control device during the first trial run, modifies the motor start-up function based on the monitored operating conditions, and triggers the plurality of switching devices according to the modified motor start-up function to inject current into the motor during a subsequent trial run.
US09160254B2 Piezoelectric device and electronic apparatus
A piezoelectric device includes an insulating substrate, a piezoelectric vibration device that is mounted on a device mounting pad, a metal lid member that seals the piezoelectric vibration device in an airtight manner, an external pad that is arranged outside the insulating substrate, an oscillation circuit, a temperature compensation circuit, and a temperature sensor. The lid member and the temperature sensor or the lid member and the IC component are connected to each other so as to be heat-transferable, and a heat transfer member having thermal conductivity higher than that of the material of the insulating substrate is additionally included.
US09160252B1 For cooling an avionics device with a fan utilizing a single phase AC motor
A system is disclosed which utilizes a non-pulse width modulated signal, which provides a fully rectified sinusoidal modulated DC link to a single phase AC motor to emulate a variable single phase AC power line. The system provides for reduced EMI and reduced size when compared to a controller with a PWM drive signal.
US09160248B2 Voltage multiplier
A voltage multiplier 10 comprises a series of multiplier stages 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d. Each multiplier stage, for example 12b, comprises a first input 16b, a second input 14b, a first output 16c and second output 14c. The first and second outputs of a preceding multiplier stage are interconnected with first and second inputs of a subsequent multiplier stage. Furthermore, each multiplier stages, for example 12b, comprises two series connected diode elements D5, D6 having the same current conducting direction. The two series connected diode elements D5, D6 interconnect the first input 16b and the first output 16c. The second output 14c is coupled between the two series connected diode elements D5, D6. Each multiplier stage, for example 12b, comprises a buffer capacitor C6 interconnecting the respective first input 16b and the respective first output 16c. At least some multiplier stages, for example 12b, comprise a push-pull capacitor C4 interconnecting the respective second input 14b and the respective second output 14c. The first input 16a of a first multiplier stage 12a and the first output 16e of a last multiplier stage 12d provide outputs for a load 42. The second input 14a of the first multiplier stage 12a provides an input for an AC voltage source. The buffer capacitor C3 of the first multiplier stage 12a comprises two series connected buffer capacitor parts C3a, C3b. An input 20 for the AC voltage source 34 is provided between the two buffer capacitor parts C3a, C3b.
US09160244B2 Magnetic integration double-ended converter
A magnetic integration double-ended converter with an integrated function of a transformer and an inductor includes an integrated magnetic member having a magnetic core with three magnetic columns having at least three windings (NP, NS1, NS2) and at least one energy storage air gap, where a primary winding (NP) and a first secondary winding (NS1) are both wound around a first magnetic column or are both wound around a second magnetic column and a third magnetic column, and a second secondary winding (NS2) is wound around the second magnetic column; an inverter circuit with double ends symmetrically working, acting on the primary winding (NP); and a group of synchronous rectifiers (SR1, SR2), gate electrode driving signals of which and gate electrode driving signals of a group of power switch diodes (S1, S2) of the inverter circuit with the double ends symmetrically working complement each other.
US09160234B2 Switching power supply apparatus
In a switching power supply apparatus, a low-side switching device is connected in series with a primary winding. A high-side switching device and the primary winding define a closed loop. A voltage induced in a high-side drive winding is applied to the high-side switching device to turn on the high-side switching device. A transistor, which is turned on/off in accordance with the voltage across a capacitor charged by the voltage induced in the high-side drive winding, is connected to the gate terminal of the high-side switching device. When the capacitor is charged and the transistor is turned on, the high-side switching device is turned off. The capacitor is discharged by the voltage induced in the high-side drive winding, during the ON period of the low-side switching device.
US09160227B2 Power supply apparatus with low standby power consumption
An electronic apparatus is removed from a power supply apparatus and that can be certified by detecting a secondary-side transformer coil by a no-load detecting unit. The no-load detecting unit is configured to turn off an output switch unit and a power factor correction and pulse width modulation controller. An intermittent driving unit is configured to drive a start unit once a pre-determined time. The start unit is configured to drive the power factor correction and pulse width modulation controller. A load detecting unit is configured to detect that the electronic apparatus is connected to the power supply apparatus. The load detecting unit is configured to drive the intermittent driving unit. The intermittent driving unit is configured to drive the start unit. The start unit is configured to drive the power factor correction and pulse width modulation controller.
US09160225B2 High voltage inverter device
A high voltage inverter device uses, as an input voltage (Vin), a DC voltage or a voltage composed of a DC component with a pulsating current superposed thereon, switches the input voltage by a switching element (Qsw) to apply an exciting current to an excitation winding (NP) of a resonant transformer (10) and output an alternating-current high voltage (Vout) from an output winding (NS) of the resonant transformer. An abnormal voltage detection circuit (7) including a varistor (12) detects an abnormal voltage generated in the excitation winding (NP) of the resonant transformer (10), and when the abnormal voltage is detected, its signal is transmitted by a photocoupler (11) to a control circuit (20), thereby causing the control circuit (20) to stop its oscillation operation to stop a switching operation of the switching element (Qsw).
US09160214B2 Cooling structure for electric vehicle
Provided is an electric motorcycle including a traveling motor, and a power supply circuit of an inverter and the like, in which a non-conducting cooling oil is supplied to be brought into direct contact with at least one of an electromagnetic coil of the traveling motor and a circuit board of the inverter. A radiator is disposed outside cases of a power plant and a power control controller so as to allow a traveling wind to pass by. Cooling oil is circulated between the radiator and a case of at least one of the power plant and power control controller. A cooling structure for an electric motor and the like that can obtain a higher cooling efficiency than a conventional art while having a simple structure which hardly causes increases in size, weight, cost, and the like can be provided.
US09160206B2 Permanent-magnet-excited electric motor with heating device, and operating method
The aim of the invention is to provide an electric motor which has a high torque at low rotation speeds and a high power at high rotation speeds. The invention therefore proposes an electric motor with permanent-magnet excitation having a first active part (10), which is fitted with permanent magnets (11), and a second active part (10), which can be moved in relation to the first active part (10) by magnetic force of the permanent magnets (11). The electric motor also has a heating device (12) with which the magnetic field of at least one of the permanent magnets (11) can be weakened by heating the permanent magnets as a function of a speed of the first active part (10) in relation to the second active part (8).
US09160204B2 Bidirectional wireless power transfer device
The present invention relates to a bidirectional wireless power transfer device, which includes: a first transfer unit; a second transfer unit; a selector that includes a first signal terminal, a second signal terminal, and a power input terminal; a power supply unit, which is electrically connected to the power input terminal of the selector and is also electrically connected to the first transfer unit and the second transfer unit; and a circuit board, on which the first transfer unit, the second transfer unit, the selector, and the power supply unit are mounted.
US09160199B2 System for cutting off standby power
A system for cutting off standby power of the present invention comprises: a plurality of electronic products that are controlled devices; and a main system commonly controlling the same, wherein each of the plurality of electronic products is equipped with a standby power cut-off unit, which is controlled by the main system to open or cut off the power supply path of the power input of a corresponding electronic product, thereby cutting off standby power, and wherein the main system is equipped with a device selection and actuation unit which controls the action of the standby power cut-off unit of each of the electronic products to supply or cut off power to each of the plurality of electronic products.
US09160196B2 Communication apparatus and operation method thereof
A communication apparatus includes a communication coil, a power receiving portion, a charge control portion, a first switch portion, a second switch portion, a communication circuit, and a processor. A voltage detection circuit of the power receiving portion generates first control signal of first state when a terminal voltage of the communication coil exceeds power supply threshold voltage. The first switch portion is controlled to turn on between first terminal and third terminal in response to first control signal. The voltage detection circuit generates second control signal of third state when a terminal voltage of the communication coil exceeds first and second charge threshold voltages during a period to charge the secondary cell. The second switch portion is controlled to turn off in response to second control signal.
US09160195B2 Charging device
A charging device used for charging a storage battery includes a first circuit that generates a current which depends on a charging current of the storage battery; a second circuit in which charge is accumulated by periodical supply of the current which depends on the charging current; and a third circuit that outputs a signal indicating completion of charge of the storage battery when the potential of the second circuit reaches a reference potential. The second circuit includes a capacitor and a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used for a channel formation region. The transistor is turned on or off in response to a pulse signal input to a gate of the transistor. The capacitor accumulates charge when the current depending on the charging current flows through the transistor.
US09160191B2 Battery pack and method for minimizing cell voltage deviations
In one aspect, a battery pack and a method of minimizing voltage deviations between battery cells within the battery pack is disclosed. The battery pack comprises a plurality of battery racks where each of the battery racks in turn comprises a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack also comprises a bidirectional inverter and a plurality of switch sets, where each of the switch sets are connected to one of the battery racks and is configured to electrically connect the bidirectional inverter and the battery racks. The battery pack additionally comprises a plurality of battery rack management systems, where each of the battery rack management systems is electrically connected to one of the battery racks and is configured to minimize voltage deviations between the battery cells. The battery rack management systems are also connected to a main battery management system configured to minimize voltage deviations between the battery racks.
US09160190B2 System and method for assessing ADC operation and voltage of a battery pack
Systems and methods for assessing operation of analog digital converters (ADCs) of a battery pack supplying power to a vehicle are disclosed. One example system comprises, a first ADC for determining a voltage of at least one battery cell; a second ADC for determining a voltage of a plurality of battery cells; and a controller performing an action in response to comparing an output of said first ADC to an output of said second ADC.
US09160182B2 Wireless power charging timing and charging control
Exemplary embodiments are directed to timing and control of wireless power transfer. A wireless power charging device includes at least one transmitter and a processor in communication with the at least one transmitter. The transmitter is configured for transmitting wireless power to one or more electronic devices, and the processor is configured to deactivate the transmitter during a pre-determined time interval. The charging device may include charging modes that a user may select between from an interface of the charging device. Charging modes may be related to times of operation such as those based on a user schedule, based on energy rates, or with modes programmed by a user. A charging schedule may be created by a user through the interface of the charging device or from an external device in communication with the charging device.
US09160173B2 Photovoltaic inverter with swinging line filter inductors
The invention is a high efficiency single-phase or poly-phase DC-to-AC power converter apparatus and power conversion method which includes a line filter inductor or line filter inductors to integrate or filter pulse modulated waveforms into substantially sinusoidal waveforms wherein (i) the line filter inductor or inductors have inductance values that swing substantially from zero current to peak rated current and (ii) a pulse width modulation technique is used that varies both pulse width modulation duty cycles and periods as a function of the predicted instantaneous line filter inductance and the predicted di/dt across the line filter inductor or inductors in order to minimize power converter switching losses while maintaining AC power quality. With the invention, substantial CEC power conversion efficiency enhancements should be achievable and with an overall reduction in power converter parts cost.
US09160167B2 Power supply device
A power supply device includes a fuel-cell power device which supplies a direct current (DC) power to one or more load devices using fuel cells as an input source; and a control unit which controls an output from the fuel-cell power device. In the power supply device, when a load current supplied to the load device is changed, an output characteristic of the fuel-cell power device is shifted so that a rate of change in an output current of the fuel-cell power device becomes lower than a preset value. With the power supply device, even though the fuel-cell is used as a power source, a DC power supplied to the load devices can be gradually changed and therefore reduce environmental load.
US09160165B2 Semiconductor device including short-circuit protection
A semiconductor device includes a load current path operable to carry a load current from a supply terminal having a supply voltage to an output circuit node. The device further includes a voltage comparator configured to compare the supply voltage with a voltage threshold and to signal a low supply voltage when the supply voltage reaches or falls below the voltage threshold. An over-current detector is configured to compare a load current signal that represents the load current with an over-current threshold and to signal an over-current when the load current signal reaches or exceeds the over-current threshold. Furthermore, the semiconductor device includes a control logic unit that is configured to deactivate the load current flow when an over-current is signalled and to reduce the over-current threshold from a first value to a lower second value as long as the voltage comparator signals a low supply voltage.
US09160160B2 Power supply with output protection and control method of the power supply
The present invention relates to a power supply with output protection and a control method of the power supply. The invention mainly provides a pre-protection value lower than a default over-current protection value. When a present output current of the power supply is higher than or equal to the pre-protection value and is lower than the over-current protection value, the method firstly determines whether the power supply has abnormal conditions. When the power supply has abnormal conditions, the method can automatically provide or stop providing a working voltage to a load. When the present output current is further higher than or equal to the over-current protection value, the method takes an over-current protection action. By multi-level monitoring of the current values, the invention properly provides an over-current protection.
US09160157B2 Electronic circuit
An electronic circuit is provided that has a function of protecting an IC element (10) from excess current cause by latch-up. The electronic circuit includes an IC element (10) having a terminal (N1) connecting to power voltage (VCC) and a terminal (N2) connecting to ground voltage, and an automatic reset fuse (11) that is connected to either of the terminals.
US09160155B2 Bus bar module
A bus bar module includes a holding member for holding the plural bus bars with a mutual distance between the bus bars maintained. The holding member includes a first holding member for holding the plural bus bars in one electrode line of the plural battery cells, a second holding member for holding the plural bus bars in the other electrode line of the plural battery cells, and a joining member for structurally joining the first holding member to the second holding member. The joining member is formed in an arch shape upwardly projected from inside ends of the first holding member and the second holding member. The joining member has a rigid part adapted to maintain the arch shape and a flexible part adapted to vertically bend by a load from above.
US09160154B2 Bus bar and electrical junction box having the same
A bus bar is made by punching a single metal plate and by folding two-dot chain line portions. The bus bar includes: a power input portion into which the power is inputted; a tuning-fork-shaped terminal into which a relay terminal is inserted; a plurality of substrate connecting portions soldered to a printed circuit board; and a routing portion. The routing portion includes: a trunk portion extended in a band shape from the power input portion; a plurality of branch portions branching off from the trunk portion to the tuning-fork-shaped terminal and the substrate connecting portions. A width of the trunk portion is formed gradually narrower as extending away from the power input portion. Namely, widths of the trunk portion further away from the power input portion than the branch portion are formed narrower than a width from the power input portion to the branch portion.
US09160153B2 Side-open wet-location electrical box and cover
An electrical box includes a back wall and a front wall, configured to be essentially parallel to a mounting surface when the base is installed to the mounting surface, and a pair of interchangeable top and bottom walls. Each interchangeable top and bottom wall is connected to the back wall and the front wall. The electrical box includes a side wall connected to each of the other walls and an open end opposite the side wall that is configured to receive an electrical device therein. A standoff extends laterally from the back wall. The standoff is configured to provide a mounting structure and to position the electrical box away from the mounting surface. The electrical box is configured to receive a top-mounted hood to cover the open end when the base is installed with the open end positioned to face either of the right side or the left side.
US09160152B2 Transmission cable installation device
A transmission cable installation device is provided, which includes a protective sheath surrounding at least one transmission cable and having at least one longitudinal recess. A rigid element is inserted in one of said at least one recess. Also provided are a protective sheath and a profiled support suitable for being inserted in a recess in the protective sheath.
US09160146B2 Spark plug
A spark plug includes an electrode wherein a plurality of fusion regions are formed by melting to each other a circular noble metal tip having a diameter of not less than 2 mm and a base material disposed around an outer periphery of the noble metal tip. In a particular tip cross section, a total length of the portions passing the fusion region on the circumference of a circle A concentric to an outline of the tip and having a diameter of 90% of the length of the tip is not less than 30% of the length of the circumference of the concentric circle A, and a total length of the portions on which a circumference of a concentric circle B, having the same diameter as that of the outline passes, is not less than 30% of the length of the circumference of the concentric circle B.
US09160145B2 Insulator for spark plug and spark plug
An insulator for spark plug with a main constituent of alumina and containing silicon includes a grain boundary phase positioned between alumina particles. The grain boundary phase contains: a group 2A element; a rare earth element; and at least one kind of zirconium, titanium, chrome, niobium, manganese, and iron (a first element). Assuming that a total amount of the rare earth element is X (mass %), a total amount of the group 2A element is Y (mass %), and a total amount of the first element is Z (mass %), the following are met: 0.40≦Y/X≦2.00 0.10≦Z/X≦0.40.
US09160141B2 Method for controlling wavelength-tunable laser
The method for controlling a wavelength-tunable laser comprises a first step of acquiring a driving condition of the wavelength-tunable laser for laser oscillation at a first wavelength, and a second step of calculating according to the driving condition of the first wavelength and a wavelength difference between the first wavelength and a second wavelength different from the first wavelength a control value or target value of a wavelength characteristic of the second wavelength in the wavelength detection unit, so as to calculate a driving condition for driving the wavelength-tunable laser, the second step including a step of selecting according to the wavelength difference one of etalon slopes having respective gradients identical and opposite to a gradient of an etalon slope used for controlling the first wavelength.
US09160137B1 Method and device for creating supercontinuum light pulses
A method of spectrally broadening light pulses includes the steps of providing the light pulses with a laser source, said light pulses having a pulse duration below 1 ps, in-coupling the light pulses into a hollow optical waveguide device, and spectrally broadening the light pulses propagating along the pulse guiding medium by subjecting them to a Raman nonlinearity via excitation of a Raman polarization having a first Raman period, wherein the optical waveguide device subjects the light pulses to anomalous group velocity dispersion which combines with the spectral broadening of the light pulses to result in a Raman-enhanced self-compression of the light pulses, and the light pulses further propagate along the optical waveguide device such that the Raman-enhanced self compression results in a further excitation of a Raman polarization having a second Raman period which is faster than the first Raman period.
US09160130B2 Optical/electrical composite connector and manufacturing method thereof
In an optical/electrical composite connector including a male connector and a female connector, the male connector includes a ferrule provided at an end portion of an optical fiber on a side of the male connector which is connected to the female connector, and an electrode terminal. The female connector includes a core to transmit an optical signal, a cladding to cover the core, an electric wiring provided on an outer wall surface of the cladding, a sleeve in which the ferrule is fitted, the sleeve provided at an end portion of the cladding on a side of the female connector which is connected to the male connector, and a lens provided in the sleeve. When the ferrule and the sleeve are fitted together, the electrode terminal and the electric wiring are electrically connected and the optical fiber and the core are optically connected through the lens.
US09160126B2 Apparatus and method of zeroing a test instrument
An apparatus and method for shorting together a plurality of electrical leads. The apparatus includes an electrical conductor that extends between first and second ends and a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface. The electrical conductor includes a central bight that is disposed between the first and second ends and has a concave contour that defines a portion of the first surface. The electrical conductor also includes first and second bights that have convex contours that define portions of the first surface. The first bight is disposed between the central bight and the first end and the second bight is disposed between the central bight and the second end. The electrical conductor also includes a first and second contact segments that are respectively disposed between the first and second bights and the first and second ends.
US09160120B2 Spark plug connector
A spark plug connector (1) including a connector body (21) formed as an insulator having a spark plug high voltage contact (35) for producing a connection to and with a spark plug (6). The connector body (21) has a connection point (23) for receiving, mounting and/or connection of a spark plug connector (1) extending structural element (22). The structural element (22) is arranged at the junction (23) in such a manner such that the structural element (22) lengthens the connector body (21) on the side remote from the spark plug high voltage contact. The ignition cable (3) is held or guided along the length of the structural element (22) and the material of the structural element has a higher rigidity and strength and/or a lower density with at the same time less material than the material of the connector body (21).
US09160119B2 Connector plug having an LED activated by a user's touch
An improved apparatus for charging a cell phone battery in the dark. An LED and its control circuitry including a control switch are included in a USB connector to automatically illuminate a cell phone and its charging port or receptacle or jack, which happen to be located in an unlit or pitch black space, when a user attempts to insert a USB connector plug into the charging port for purposes of charging the battery. The LED is automatically energized by the user's mere touching of the overmold of the USB connector at its flat or bottom side, without otherwise manually operating the control switch, and thereby eliminating hunting in the dark for a control switch on the USB connector. This apparatus is useful with both standard charging equipment and with dongle charging equipment.
US09160113B2 Electrical connector with engaging arms formed on cover
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a number of contacts retained in the insulative housing and a cover shielding the insulative housing. The insulative housing includes a top wall, a pair of side walls and a plug-receiving cavity formed thereby. Each contact includes a resilient contacting portion extending into the plug-receiving cavity. The cover includes a top plate covering the top wall and a pair of side plates respectively covering the pair of side walls. Each side plate includes an engaging arm extending inwardly therefrom. The insulative housing defines a pair of cutouts formed at boundaries of the top wall and the pair of side walls. The pair of engaging arms extend into the plug-receiving cavity through the pair of cutouts, respectively.
US09160108B2 Lever connector
A fitting lever (30) includes a pair of lever bodies (31), shaft fitting holes (32) which are formed on opposed inner surface (31a) of a pair of lever bodies (31) and in which lever supporting shafts (11) of a firs connector housing (10) are pivotably fitted, cam grooves (34) which are formed to open at the end edges of the lever bodies (31) at the side of a second connector housing (20) and which act a moving force in a fitting direction on action receiving shafts (23) with the pivoting of the lever bodies (31) when the fitting lever (30) is pivoted while the connector housings are aligned at a fitting start position.
US09160096B2 High speed connector
A connector assembly includes a shell, an insulator held by the shell and a center contact held by the insulator. The center contact has a terminating segment. The connector assembly also includes a compound dielectric surrounding the terminating segment. The compound dielectric is positioned between the terminating segment and the shell. The compound dielectric includes a first dielectric layer that at least partially surrounds the center contact. The compound dielectric also includes a second dielectric layer at least partially surrounding the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer has a different dielectric constant than the dielectric constant of the first layer.
US09160090B2 Electrical connector module
An electrical connector module for electrically connecting at least one connector to a printed circuit board of an electronic device includes at least one shielding jack having a top wall, two opposite side walls and at least one common wall. The walls of the shielding jack collectively define at least a slot therewithin for receiving the connectors and a front end and an opposite rear end. The slot is divided by the common wall. The side walls and the common wall have a plurality of press fit terminals extending toward the circuit board. The common wall has a plurality of offset latch arms engaged with different connectors. When the connectors are inserted to the slots, the offset latch arms respectively secure the connectors in the corresponding slots.
US09160087B2 Board connecting terminal
A board connecting terminal includes a contact which comes into contact with a mate side terminal, and a solder part soldered to a pad part formed in a circuit board and connected to the contact. The solder part includes a solder part main body soldered to the pad part, a first engaging piece extended from the solder part main body and a second engaging piece extended from the solder part main body. The solder part main body is soldered to the pad part under a state that the first engaging piece and the second engaging piece are engaged with the circuit board.
US09160061B2 Mobile device cover including at least one antenna
Embodiments of systems and methods for providing in-mold laminate antennas are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09160057B2 Unsymmetrical dipole antenna
An unsymmetrical dipole antenna includes a grounding element, a radiating element, and a feed-in wire. The grounding element includes a first short side metal plane and a first long side metal plane. The radiating element includes a second short side metal plane and a second long side metal plane. The feed-in wire includes a metal wire, coupled to the second short side metal plane for transmitting a feed-in signal; an insulation layer, covering the metal wire; a metal weave, covering the insulation layer, having one terminal coupled to the first short side metal plane of the grounding element, and another terminal coupled to a system ground of the wireless communication device; and a protective layer, covering the metal weave. A size of the grounding element and a size of the radiating element are irrelative.
US09160054B2 Radio frequency identification tag and diaper, absorber and sensing system using the same
A radio frequency (RF) identification tag including a substrate, a planar antenna, an RF chip, a plurality of signal conductors and a plurality of ground conductors is provided. The RF chip receives an RF signal from the planar antenna to generate an identification code. The signal conductors are coupled to the planar antenna. The ground conductors, interlaced on two opposite sides of the signal conductors, and the signal conductors are adjacent to each other and disposed on the substrate to form a coplanar waveguide structure which includes an impedance match portion and a transmission portion. The impedance match portion has an input end coupled to the signal conductors and a ground plane coupled to the ground conductors. The RF chip is disposed between the input end and the ground plane. The transmission portion is connected between the impedance match portion and the planar antenna.
US09160052B2 Lange coupler and fabrication method
A Lange coupler comprises an unbroken peripheral ground conductor surrounding input, through, coupled and isolated conductor strips coupled to input, through, coupled and isolated ports of the Lange coupler respectively, wherein the peripheral ground conductor and input and through conductor strips are arranged on a first metal layer.
US09160047B2 Coupling apparatus for dividing receiving and transmitting signals and control method thereof
The present invention is directed to a coupling apparatus for dividing a radio frequency (RF) transmitting signal and an RF receiving signal in a transceiver with a transmitting unit and a receiving unit sharing an antenna, comprising: a four-port circuit having ports 1-4; a through path formed between the port 1 and the port 2; a first signal input to the port 1 being coupled to the port 4; a second signal input to the port 2 being coupled to the port 3; an isolation path formed between the port 1 and the port 3 and between the port 2 and the port 4; an attenuator attenuating a signal output from the port 4; and wherein the RF transmitting signal is input to the port 1, the RF receiving signal is input to the port 2, and outputs of the port 3 are provided to the receiving unit.
US09160045B2 Reconfigurable bandpass filter based on a planar combline filter comprising varactor diodes
A reconfigurable bandpass filter including at least a tunable planar combline filter including varactor diodes arranged on a carrier board. For automatic calibration of adjustment of blocking voltage during operation, the reconfigurable bandpass filter includes a filter control offering an external abstracted interface. A memory is connected with the filter control. The memory stores calibration data. For approximating of the best possible filter characteristic, the filter control determines, based on memorized data, the best configuration of tuning voltages.The reconfigurable bandpass filter can be used in the field of secondary radar systems.
US09160044B2 Millimeter waveband filter and method of manufacturing the same
A transmission line which allows electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency range of a millimeter waveband to propagate in a TE10 models formed by a first waveguide and a second waveguide. A resonator is formed by electric wave half mirrors fixed to the first waveguide and the second waveguide. The second waveguide has a structure in which a first transmission line forming body has a plate shape and has a square hole forming the first transmission line formed to pass therethrough from one surface toward an opposite surface, a second transmission line forming body has a plate shape and has a square hole forming the second transmission line formed to pass therethrough from one surface toward an opposite surface, and the first transmission line forming body and the second transmission line forming body are connectable and separable.
US09160041B2 Battery heating circuits and methods using resonance components in series and bridging charge storage components
According to certain embodiments, a battery heating circuit is provided, comprising a first switch unit 11, a second switch unit 12, a third switch unit 13, a fourth switch unit 14, a switching control module 100, a damping component R1, a current storage component L1, and a charge storage component C1; the damping component R1 and the current storage component L1 are configured to connect with the battery in series to form a branch; the first switch unit 11 and the second switch unit 12 are connected in series with each other and then connected in parallel with the branch; the third switch unit 13 and the fourth switch unit 14 are connected in series with each other and then connected in parallel with the branch.
US09160039B2 Battery cell of excellent heat dissipation property and middle or large-sized battery module employed with the same
Disclosed herein is a battery cell constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure is mounted in a battery case formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer while the electrode assembly is connected to electrode terminals extruding out of the battery case, wherein the battery cell is constructed in a structure to accelerate heat dissipation by the heat conduction through at least some of a sealing part of the battery case where the electrode terminals are not located.
US09160030B2 Mandrel for preparation of jelly-roll type electrode assembly
Disclosed herein is a mandrel configured to be used in a winding process for manufacturing a jelly roll type electrode assembly using a long sheet type stack of a cathode/separator/anode structure, wherein the mandrel is oval in a section perpendicular to a rotational central axis of the mandrel, a length ratio of a major axis to a minor axis of the mandrel being 1.5 or more, and a tilt of an outer side of the mandrel is continuously changed from an end of the minor axis of the mandrel to an end of the major axis of the mandrel in the section perpendicular to the rotational central axis of the mandrel.
US09160024B1 Grafting of biomolecules onto microbial fuel cells
A method for enhancing a microbial environment for a fuel cell can include the initial step of oxidizing the outer surface of the fuel cell anode to establishing reactive chemical functional groups. The anode surface can be oxidized by washing the anode with a solution of 4-carboxybenzene diazonium tetrafluoroborate, followed by washing with acetone, methanol and water. Once the anode surface has been oxidized, the methods can include the step of binding a surface graft matrix to the reactive chemical functional groups (the activated carboxyl groups on the anode surface). EDAC and sulfo-NHS can be used as a surface graft matrix, to bind to the activated carboxyl groups. A biological substance, such as a biological agent or biomolecule, can be chemically attached to the outer terminal reactive groups of the surface graft matrix. The result is a microbial fuel cell with increased power generation and durability properties.
US09160019B2 Membrane electrode assembly and method for making the same
A method for making membrane electrode assembly includes providing a proton exchange membrane and two electrodes. An array of carbon nanotubes is formed on a substrate. The array of carbon nanotubes is pressed by a pressing device to form a carbon nanotube film. A catalyst layer is formed on the carbon nanotube film to obtain an electrode. Two electrodes are disposed on two opposite surfaces of a proton exchange membrane, to obtain the membrane electrode assembly.
US09160017B2 Fuel cell startup apparatus comprising emergency air supplier and method
Disclosed is a fuel cell startup apparatus and method, particularly, a fuel cell startup method, by which in an emergency situation such as when a high-voltage battery mounted on a fuel cell vehicle is completely discharged, fuel cell startup can be achieved without assistance of a high-voltage power source. To this end, an air supply port, which is connected to an emergency air supplier, is formed on an air supply line configured to supply air to a cathode of a fuel cell stack, and the emergency air supplier supplies the air to the fuel cell stack when complete discharge of a high-voltage battery and is removably engaged to the air supply port.
US09160012B2 Porous material for fuel cell electrolyte membrane, method for producing the same, electrolyte membrane for solid polymer fuel cell, membrane electrode assembly (MEA), and fuel cell
According to the present invention, a porous material for a fuel cell electrolyte membrane, wherein at least one strength auxiliary layer is provided inside and/or on the surface of a high porosity layer, the high porosity layer and the strength auxiliary layer constitute a multilayer structure, and the average diameter of pores of the high porosity layer is different from the average diameter of pores of the strength auxiliary layer, is provided. Also, a porous material having high porosity and high strength, which is suitable as a base material for an electrolyte membrane of a solid polymer fuel cell, is provided and a high-performance fuel cell using such material is realized.
US09160008B2 Cathode catalyst layer, manufacturing method thereof and membrane electrode assembly
According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the use ratio of active sites in a catalyst having oxygen reduction activity so as to provide a cathode catalyst layer and MEA for a fuel cell with high a level of power generation performance. The present invention includes a process of introducing a functional group into a surface of the catalyst 13 which has oxygen reduction activity and a process of blending the catalyst 13 with the functional group on the surface together with an electron conductive material and a proton conductive polymer electrolyte to prepare a catalyst ink for forming the cathode catalyst layer for the fuel cell.
US09160007B2 Electrode for fuel cell, method of fabricating the same, and membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cell and fuel cell system including the same
Disclosed are an electrode for a fuel cell that includes an electrode substrate and a surface-treatment layer disposed on the electrode substrate and including a hydrophilic layer and a hydrophobic layer partially disposed on the hydrophilic layer. Also disclosed are a method of fabricating an electrode for a fuel cell, a membrane-electrode assembly, and a fuel cell system including the membrane-electrode assembly.
US09160003B2 Polysiloxane binder for lithium ion battery electrodes
An electrode includes a binder and an electroactive material, wherein the binder includes a polymer including a linear polysiloxane or a cyclic polysiloxane. The polymer may be generally represented by Formula I:
US09160000B2 Active material for battery, and battery
An active material for a battery, which has high thermal stability and low electric potential. According to the invention, an active material for a battery including an M element in Group III, a Ti element, an O element, and an S element and having an M2Ti2O5S2 crystalline phase is provided to solve the problem.
US09159995B2 Silicon-air batteries
Silicon-oxygen batteries comprising a silicon anode as chemical fuel, an air-cathode for dissociating oxygen and a non-aqueous electrolyte, and applications using the same are provided. The silicon-batteries may utilize air for generating oxygen.
US09159993B2 Alkaline battery
In an alkaline battery, a positive electrode 2 containing manganese dioxide, a negative electrode 3, and a separator 4 interposed therebetween are housed in a closed-end cylindrical battery case 1 whose opening 1b is sealed with a gasket. The positive electrode contains graphite in such a manner that a ratio of graphite to the positive electrode is in the range of 2.5-4.3 mass %. A half-width of a 110 plane of the manganese dioxide measured by a powder X-ray diffraction analysis is in the range of 2.00-2.40 degrees.
US09159984B2 Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery including an electrode assembly; a case containing the electrode assembly; a cap plate covering an opening of the case; and a current collecting member including a current collecting portion coupled to the electrode assembly; a terminal coupling portion extending from the current collecting portion at a corner portion of the current collecting member, the corner portion extending in a first direction along a width of the current collecting member; and a fuse portion, the current collecting member having a fuse hole formed therein adjacent the fuse portion, a centerline of the fuse hole extending through the fuse portion in a direction crossing the first direction.
US09159983B2 Battery, vehicle mounting the battery, and device mounting the battery
A battery includes a current breaking mechanism 20 provided in a battery and configured such that an external terminal 21 connecting a terminal rivet 31 connected to a power generating element 16 to an electrode terminal is provided with thick portions 48 and 49 and a breakable portion 45 so that the thick portions 48 and 49 are continuous through the breakable portion 45 only. The battery further includes: the terminal rivet 31 placed passing through a closing plate 12 forming a part of a battery case 11, a part of the terminal rivet 31 located outside the battery case 11 being placed on the thick portion 48 of the external terminal 21 in close contact relation, the terminal rivet 31 having a through hole 32; and a sealing cap 25 covering an exit of the through hole 32 on the outside of the battery case 11 and being joined to the external terminal 21 over the entire circumference of the through hole 32 or joined to both the external terminal 21 and the terminal rivet 31 across them. When the internal pressure of the battery case 11 rises, at least part of the sealing cap 25 is moved away from the battery case 11, deforming a part of the external terminal 21, thereby breaking the breakable portion 45.
US09159963B2 Secondary battery having first and second non-coated portions
A stacked-type electrode assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the electrode assembly includes at least one first electrode plate including i) a first active material coating portion formed on a first base material and coated with a first active material and ii) a first non-coated portion, wherein the first electrode plate has a first width and a first length greater than the first width, and wherein the first electrode plate has upper and lower portions formed in the direction of the first length. The assembly also includes at least one second electrode plate including i) a second active material coated portion formed on a second base material and coated with a second active material and ii) a second non-coated portion, wherein the second electrode plate has a second width and a second length greater than the second width.
US09159957B2 White organic light emitting device
A white organic light emitting device which has high color temperature characteristics and no change in color coordinates according to luminance change, includes a first electrode and a second electrode opposite to each other on a substrate, a charge generation layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a second stack including a second light emitting layer formed between the charge generation layer and the second electrode, and a first stack including a first light emitting layer formed between the first electrode and the charge generation layer, wherein the first emitting layer has low singlet-triplet exchange energy to change triplet excitons into a singlet state by triplet-triplet annihilation and a dopant concentration of the first light emitting layer is adjusted according to a luminance change curve of the second stack.
US09159955B1 Method and apparatus for patterning an organic device
A method for patterning an organic device includes providing a patterned product substrate and pre-defined patterned source substrate. The product substrate has a product principal surface having destination regions. The source substrate has a source principal surface having optically reflecting regions and absorbing regions arranged adjacent to each other. The source principal surface includes plurality of source regions defined at the reflecting regions. The plurality of source regions has organic materials disposed thereon. The product principal surface and the source principal surface are aligned such that each of the plurality of source regions is aligned to exactly one destination region. At least one of the product principal surface and the source principal surface includes support(s) to maintain a substantially uniform gap between them. Then temperature of the source substrate is raised above the sublimation temperature of the organic materials to redeposit at a nearest destination region.
US09159950B2 Organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
In an aspect, an organic light emitting display device is provided. The organic light emitting display device may include a substrate; an organic light emitting unit arranged on the substrate; at least one inorganic layer, which encapsulates the organic light emitting unit and contains a low temperature viscosity transition (LVT) inorganic material; and at least one adhesive layer arranged between the organic light emitting unit and the inorganic layer.
US09159949B2 Organic electroluminescent display device and method of fabricating the same
An organic electroluminescent display device includes a first electrode on a substrate, an organic layer including a light-emitting layer on the first electrode, a second electrode including lower and upper conductive layers sequentially stacked on the organic layer, and an insulating pattern extending into the organic layer through the lower conductive layer.
US09159938B2 Thin film transistor
A thin film transistor is provided. The thin film transistor includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a semiconducting layer, a transition layer, an insulating layer and a gate electrode. The drain electrode is spaced apart from the source electrode. The gate electrode is insulated from the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the semiconductor layer by the insulating layer. The transition layer is sandwiched between the insulating layer and the semiconductor layer. The transition layer is a silicon-oxide cross-linked polymer layer including a plurality of Si atoms. The plurality of Si atoms is bonded with atoms of the insulating layer and atoms of the semiconductor layer.
US09159937B2 Heteroleptic light-emitting complexes
Heteroleptic light emitting complexes having the general formula M(L1)n(L2)m, wherein a) L1 has the formula E1-E2, wherein E1 is a 6-membered heteroaryl ring bound to the metal atom M by a dative bond and containing at least one donor hetero atom and E2 is bound to the metal atom by covalent or dative bonds and is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted C5-C30 aryl and substituted or un-substituted C2-C30 heteroaryl groups, b) ligand L2 is selected from the group consisting of 1-(2,6 disubstituted phenyl)-2-phenyl-1 H-imidazole ligands or 5-(2,6 disubstituted phenyl)-1-phenyl-1 H-pyrazole ligands, and c) M is a non-radioactive transition metal with an atomic number of at least 40 and the sum of m and n is equal to half of the bond valency of metal M.
US09159936B2 Organic electroluminescent material containing iridium, preparation method thereof and organic electroluminescent element
Organic electroluminescent material containing iridium of the following general formula, in which R is C1-C8 alkyl, is provided. The preparation method of the above organic electroluminescent material containing iridium and the organic electroluminescent element using the above organic electroluminescent material containing iridium are also provided.
US09159929B2 Rigid amines
A monomer for use in manufacturing a conjugated polymer, the monomer having a structure as shown formula (2): Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 are independently selected from optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl, X1 and X3 both independently comprise a leaving group capable of participating in polymerization and Z represents a direct bond or an optionally substituted bridging atom.
US09159922B2 Method for manufacturing organic electroluminescent element
A method for manufacturing an organic electroluminescent element that includes an anode (32), a cathode (34), a layered structure placed between the anode and the cathode and formed by stacking a plurality of organic layers including an electron injection layer (44) provided in contact with the cathode, the method including the steps of: preparing a first component (12) in which either the anode alone is or both the anode and at least a part of the organic layers to make up the layered structure are provided on a first substrate (22); preparing a second component (14) in which either the cathode alone is or both the cathode and the rest part to make up the layered structure excluding the part provided in the first component is provided on a second substrate (24); and laminating the first component and the second component to form the layered structure placed between the anode and the cathode, in which the electron injection layer that contains an ionic polymer is formed in the step of preparing the first component or in the step of preparing the second component.
US09159917B2 Nonvolatile memory element and method of manufacturing nonvolatile memory element
A nonvolatile memory element includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; and a variable resistance layer between the first and second electrodes. The variable resistance layer having a resistance value that reversibly changes according to an electrical signal provided between the electrodes. The variable resistance layer includes a first variable resistance layer and a second variable resistance layer. The first variable resistance layer comprises a first metal oxide. The second variable resistance layer is planar and includes a first part and a second part. The first part comprises a second metal oxide and is planar. The second part comprises an insulator and is planar. The second metal oxide has a lower oxygen deficient degree than that of the first metal oxide. The first and second parts are in contact with different parts of a main surface of the first variable resistance layer which faces the second variable resistance layer.
US09159916B2 Resistive random access memory, controlling method and manufacturing method therefor
A resistive random access memory (RRAM), a controlling method for the RRAM, and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. The RRAM includes a first electrode layer; a resistance switching layer disposed on the first electrode layer; a diffusion metal layer disposed on the resistance switching layer; and a second electrode layer disposed on the diffusion metal layer, wherein at least one extension electrode is disposed in the resistance switching layer.
US09159912B2 Electronic device comprising semiconductor memory using metal electrode and metal compound layer surrounding sidewall of the metal electrode
This technology provides an electronic device and a method of fabricating the same. An electronic device in accordance with an implementation of this document includes semiconductor memory, and the semiconductor memory includes a lower electrode, a variable resistance element over the lower electrode, an upper electrode disposed over the variable resistance element and including metal, and a metal compound layer configured to surround a side of the upper electrode. The metal compound layer includes a compound of the metal of the upper electrode.
US09159906B2 Spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element and method of fabricating same
A spin-torque magnetoresistive memory element has a high magnetoresistance and low current density. A free magnetic layer is positioned between first and second spin polarizers. A first tunnel barrier is positioned between the first spin polarizer and the free magnetic layer and a second tunnel barrier is positioned between the second spin polarizer and the free magnetic layer. The magnetoresistance ratio of the second tunnel barrier has a value greater than double the magnetoresistance ratio of the first tunnel barrier.
US09159903B2 Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, and electronic equipment
A piezoelectric material contains a main component containing a perovskite-type metal oxide having the formula (1); a first auxiliary component composed of Mn; and a second auxiliary component composed of Bi or Bi and Li, wherein the Mn content is 0.04 parts by weight or more and 0.400 parts by weight or less on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, the Bi content is 0.042 parts by weight or more and 0.850 parts by weight or less on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, and the Li content is 0.028 parts by weight or less (including 0 parts by weight) on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide. (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-y-zSnyZrz)O3  (1) (wherein 0≦x≦0.080, 0.013≦y≦0.060, 0≦z≦0.040, and 0.986≦a≦1.020.)
US09159898B2 Oxide superconductor thin film and superconducting fault current limiter
An oxide superconducting thin film includes a substrate, and an intermediate layer and a superconducting layer provided in this order on the substrate. The intermediate layer has an average thickness of from 10 nm to 20 nm and a surface roughness Ra of 0.5 nm or less. The superconducting layer is formed on a surface of the intermediate layer and includes an oxide superconductor as a main component. A superconducting fault current limiter including the oxide superconducting thin film is also provided.
US09159894B2 Light emitting device and lighting system
A light emitting device includes a conductive support member, a first conductive layer disposed on the conductive support member, a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layer, a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and an insulation layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. The first conductive layer includes a first expansion part penetrating through the second conductive layer, the second semiconductor layer and the active layer, and includes a second expansion part extending from the first expansion part and being disposed in the first semiconductor layer. The insulation layer is disposed on the lateral surface of the first expansion part, and the lateral surface of the second expansion part contacts with the first semiconductor layer.
US09159890B2 Optoelectronic semiconductor component
An optoelectronic semiconductor component includes one or more light-emitting diode chips. The light-emitting diode chip has a main radiation side. A diaphragm is arranged downstream of the main radiation side along a main radiation direction of the light-emitting diode chip. The diaphragm is mounted on or in a component housing. The main radiation side has a mean edge length of at least 50 μm. The diaphragm can be switched from light-impervious to light-pervious. The diaphragm comprises precisely one opening region for radiation transmission. The semiconductor component can be used as a flashlight for a mobile image recording device.
US09159882B2 Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer having a main surface, a plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures protruding upward from the first conductive type semiconductor layer; a transparent electrode layer covering the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures; and an insulation-filling layer disposed on the transparent electrode layer. The insulation-filling layer extends parallel to the first conductive type semiconductor layer so as to cover the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures. A selected one of the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the insulation-filling layer, which is disposed on a light transmission path through which light generated from the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures is radiated externally, has an uneven outer surface. The uneven outer surface is opposite to an inner surface of the selected one, and the inner surface faces the plurality of vertical type light-emitting structures.
US09159872B2 Semiconductor structure having nanocrystalline core and nanocrystalline shell
Semiconductor structures having a nanocrystalline core and corresponding nanocrystalline shell are described. In an example, a semiconductor structure includes an anisotropic nanocrystalline core composed of a first semiconductor material and having an aspect ratio between, but not including, 1.0 and 2.0. The semiconductor structure also includes a nanocrystalline shell composed of a second, different, semiconductor material at least partially surrounding the anisotropic nanocrystalline core.
US09159850B2 Back contact having selenium blocking layer for photovoltaic devices such as copper—indium-diselenide solar cells
A photovoltaic device (e.g., solar cell) includes: a front substrate (e.g., glass substrate); a semiconductor absorber film; a back contact including a first conductive layer of or including copper (Cu) and a second conductive layer of or including molybdenum (Mo); and a rear substrate (e.g., glass substrate). A selenium blocking layer is provided between at least the Cu inclusive layer and the Mo inclusive layer.
US09159847B2 Schottky barrier diode and method of manufacturing the same
A schottky barrier diode includes: an n− type epitaxial layer that is disposed at a first surface of an n+ type silicon carbide substrate; a plurality of n type pillar areas that are disposed at the inside of the n− type epitaxial layer and that are disposed at a first portion of the first surface of the n+ type silicon carbide substrate; a p type area that is disposed at the inside of the n− type epitaxial layer and that is extended in a direction perpendicular to the n type pillar areas; a plurality of p+ areas in which the n− type epitaxial layer is disposed at a surface thereof and that are separated from the n type pillar areas and the p type area; a schottky electrode that is disposed on the n− type epitaxial layer and the p+ areas; and an ohmic electrode that is disposed at a second surface of the n+ type silicon carbide substrate.
US09159845B2 Charge-retaining transistor, array of memory cells, and methods of forming a charge-retaining transistor
A charge-retaining transistor includes a control gate and an inter-gate dielectric alongside the control gate. A charge-storage node of the transistor includes first semiconductor material alongside the inter-gate dielectric. Islands of charge-trapping material are alongside the first semiconductor material. An oxidation-protective material is alongside the islands. Second semiconductor material is alongside the oxidation-protective material, and is of some different composition from that of the oxidation-protective material. Tunnel dielectric is alongside the charge-storage node. Channel material is alongside the tunnel dielectric. Additional embodiments, including methods, are disclosed.
US09159844B2 Nonvolatile memory device and fabricating method thereof
A nonvolatile memory device comprises a substrate, a gate electrode, a single charge trapping sidewall and a source/drain region. The gate electrode is disposed on and electrically isolated from the substrate. The single charge trapping sidewall is disposed adjacent to a sidewall of the gate electrode and electrically isolated from the substrate and the gate electrode, so as to form a non-straight angle between the substrate and the single charge trapping sidewall. The source/drain region is disposed in the substrate and adjacent to the gate electrode.
US09159838B2 Semiconductor device
A highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film over the gate electrode, a semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode with the gate insulating film positioned therebetween, a source electrode and a drain electrode that are in contact with the semiconductor film, and an oxide film over the semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. An end portion of the semiconductor film is spaced from an end portion of the source electrode or the drain electrode in a region overlapping with the semiconductor film in a channel width direction. The semiconductor film and the oxide film each include a metal oxide including In, Ga, and Zn. The oxide film has an atomic ratio where the atomic percent of In is lower than the atomic percent of In in the atomic ratio of the semiconductor film.
US09159837B2 Semiconductor device
A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, an oxide insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer being above and in contact with the oxide insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a silicon film containing nitrogen. The oxide insulating layer contains one or more metal elements selected from the constituent elements of the oxide semiconductor layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer is larger than that of the oxide insulating layer.
US09159830B2 Field effect transistor
In a method for fabricating a field effect transistor, a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region are formed in a substrate. A channel region is formed between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region. A gate region is formed on the channel region. Micro-cavities are formed in the substrate at least below the channel region, and the micro-cavities are oxidized.
US09159827B2 Transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A method of forming a manufacture includes forming a trench in a doped layer. The trench has an upper portion and a lower portion, and a width of the upper portion is greater than that of the lower portion. A first insulating layer is formed along sidewalls of the lower portion of the trench and a bottom surface of the trench. A gate dielectric layer is formed along sidewalls of the upper portion of the trench. A first conductive feature is formed along sidewalls of the gate dielectric layer. A second insulating layer covering the first conductive feature and the first insulating layer is formed, and a second conductive feature is formed along sidewalls of the second insulating layer and a bottom surface of the second insulating layer.
US09159825B2 Double-sided vertical semiconductor device with thinned substrate
A vertical semiconductor device is formed in a semiconductor layer having a first surface, a second surface and background doping. A first doped region, doped to a conductivity type opposite that of the background, is formed at the second surface of the semiconductor layer. A second doped region of the same conductivity type as the background is formed at the second surface of the semiconductor layer, inside the first doped region. A portion of the semiconductor layer is removed at the first surface, exposing a new third surface. A third doped region is formed inside the semiconductor layer at the third surface. Electrical contact is made at least to the second doped region (via the second surface) and the third doped region (via the new third surface). In this way, vertical DMOS, IGBT, bipolar transistors, thyristors, and other types of devices can be fabricated in thinned semiconductor, or SOI layers.
US09159824B2 FinFETs with strained well regions
A device includes a substrate and insulation regions over a portion of the substrate. A first semiconductor region is between the insulation regions and having a first conduction band. A second semiconductor region is over and adjoining the first semiconductor region, wherein the second semiconductor region includes an upper portion higher than top surfaces of the insulation regions to form a semiconductor fin. The second semiconductor region also includes a wide portion and a narrow portion over the wide portion, wherein the narrow portion is narrower than the wide portion. The semiconductor fin has a tensile strain and has a second conduction band lower than the first conduction band. A third semiconductor region is over and adjoining a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin, wherein the third semiconductor region has a third conduction band higher than the second conduction band.
US09159816B2 PNP bipolar junction transistor fabrication using selective epitaxy
Lateral PNP bipolar junction transistors and design structures for a lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor. An emitter and a collector of the lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor are comprised of p-type semiconductor material that is formed by a selective epitaxial growth process. The source and drain each directly contact a top surface of a device region used to form the emitter and collector. A base contact may be formed on the top surface and overlies an n-type base defined within the device region. The emitter is laterally separated from the collector by the base contact. Another base contact may be formed in the device region that is separated from the other base contact by the base.
US09159813B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory transistor and method for manufacturing nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory transistor includes an island-shaped semiconductor having a source region, a channel region, and a drain region formed in this order from the silicon substrate side, a floating gate arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the channel region with a tunnel insulating film interposed between the floating gate and the channel region, a control gate arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the floating gate with an inter-polysilicon insulating film interposed between the control gate and the floating gate, and a control gate line electrically connected to the control gate and extending in a predetermined direction. The inter-polysilicon insulating film is arranged so as to be interposed between the floating gate and the lower and inner side surfaces of the control gate and between the floating gate and the lower surface of the control gate line.
US09159812B1 Fin sidewall removal to enlarge epitaxial source/drain volume
A FinFET device includes a dielectric layer formed over a semiconductor substrate and having an upper dielectric layer surface. A fin of semiconductor material extends upwards from the substrate through an opening in the dielectric layer. A base portion of the fin, which is recessed below the upper dielectric layer surface, includes a base channel region that separates first and second base source/drain regions. An upper channel region extends upwards from the base channel region and terminates in an upper fin surface disposed above the upper dielectric layer surface. A gate electrode straddles the upper channel region and is separated from the upper channel region by a gate dielectric. First and second epitaxial source/drain regions meet the first and second base source/drain regions, respectively, at first and second interfaces, respectively. The first and second interfaces are recessed in the opening and arranged below the upper dielectric layer surface.
US09159810B2 Doping a non-planar semiconductor device
In doping a non-planar semiconductor device, a substrate having a non-planar semiconductor body formed thereon is obtained. A first ion implant is performed in a region of the non-planar semiconductor body. The first ion implant has a first implant energy and a first implant angle. A second ion implant is performed in the same region of the non-planar semiconductor body. The second ion implant has a second implant energy and a second implant angle. The first implant energy may be different from the second implant energy. Additionally, the first implant angle may be different from the second implant angle.
US09159806B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. A semiconductor device is manufactured at a high yield, so that high productivity is achieved. In a semiconductor device including a transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film containing indium, and an insulating layer provided on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film so as to overlap with the gate electrode layer are stacked and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating layer, the chlorine concentration and the indium concentration on a surface of the insulating layer are lower than or equal to 1×1019/cm3 and lower than or equal to 2×1019/cm3, respectively.
US09159805B2 TFT array substrate and a method for manufacturing the same graphene based display device
Embodiments of the present invention provide a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate and a method for manufacturing the same and a display device. The TFT array substrate improves a structure of a TFT array substrate and has a small thickness, and process flow is simplified. The method for manufacturing a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate comprises: obtaining a gate line and a gate electrode through a first patterning process on a glass substrate; forming a gate insulating layer on the gate line and the gate electrode; forming a graphene layer on the gate insulating layer, and obtaining a semiconductor active layer over the gate electrode by a second patterning process and a hydrogenation treatment; obtaining a data line, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a pixel electrode which are located on the same layer by a third patterning process; and forming a protection layer on the data line, the source electrode, the semiconductor active layer, the drain electrode and the pixel electrode.
US09159800B2 AlN single crystal Schottky barrier diode and method of producing the same
An AlN single crystal Schottky barrier diode including: an AlN single crystal substrate having a defect density of 106 cm−2 or less and a thickness of 300 μm or more; a first electrode formed on one surface of the AlN single crystal substrate; and a second electrode formed on one surface of the AlN single crystal substrate while being spaced apart from the first electrode, the AlN single crystal Schottky barrier diode being provided with: a rectifying property such that an on-off ratio at the time of applying 10 V and −40 V is at least 103 even at a high temperature of 573 K; a high voltage resistance such that a voltage can be applied at least within a range of −40 V to 10 V; and a low on-resistance characteristic such that a current begins to flow at no greater than 5 V.
US09159797B2 Electronic device comprising conductive structures and an insulating layer between the conductive structures and within a trench
An electronic device can include a substrate including an underlying doped region and a semiconductor layer overlying the substrate. A trench can have a sidewall and extend at least partly through the semiconductor layer. The electronic device can further include a first conductive structure adjacent to the underlying doped region, an insulating layer, and a second conductive structure within the trench. The insulating layer can be disposed between the first and second conductive structures, and the first conductive structure can be disposed between the insulating layer and the underlying doped region. Processes of forming the electronic device may be performed such that the first conductive structure includes a conductive fill material or a doped region within the semiconductor layer. The first conductive structure can allow the underlying doped region to be farther from the channel region and allow RDSON to be lower for a given BVDSS.
US09159792B2 SiC semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
In a method which heats a layer including nickel and titanium on a SiC substrate (1) to form a nickel silicide layer (4) including titanium carbide, the layer including nickel and titanium is formed by vapor deposition or sputtering. The nickel silicide layer (4) is heated at a temperature that is equal to or higher than 1100° C. and equal to or less than 1350° C. to generate the layer including nickel and titanium. At that time, the rate of temperature increase is equal to greater than 10° C./minute and equal to or less than 1350° C./minute and a heating duration is equal to or more than 0 minute and equal to or less than 120 minutes. These heating conditions make it possible to obtain a homogeneous rear surface electrode (8) for a SiC semiconductor device which has sufficiently low rear surface contact resistance.
US09159789B2 Field effect transitor and semiconductor device using the same
An field effect transistor has a plurality of cells provided on a first straight line. Each cell has a plurality of multi-finger electrodes and is connected to a gate terminal electrode and a drain terminal electrode. The multi-finger electrode has at least two finger gate electrodes, a finger drain electrode, and a finger source electrode. The gate terminal electrode connects the finger gate electrodes of two adjoining cells in common. The drain terminal electrode connects the finger drain electrodes of two adjoining cells in common. The finger gate electrode of one cell of two adjoining cells and the finger gate electrode of another cell of the two adjoining cells cross perpendicularly. The gate terminal electrode and the drain terminal electrode are provided alternately in a region where the finger gate electrodes of the two adjoining cells cross.
US09159784B2 Aluminum gallium nitride etch stop layer for gallium nitride based devices
A semiconductor structure includes a III-nitride substrate with a first side and a second side opposing the first side. The III-nitride substrate is characterized by a first conductivity type and a first dopant concentration. The semiconductor structure also includes a III-nitride epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type coupled to the first surface of the III-nitride substrate, and a first metallic structure electrically coupled to the second surface of the III-nitride substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes an AlGaN epitaxial layer coupled to the III-nitride epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type, and a III-nitride epitaxial structure of a second conductivity type coupled to the AlGaN epitaxial layer. The III-nitride epitaxial structure comprises at least one edge termination structure.
US09159776B2 Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a substrate; and a plurality of pixels positioned on the substrate. Each pixel includes a thin film transistor positioned on the substrate, an interlayer insulating layer and a light path control layer positioned on the thin film transistor, a first electrode positioned on the light path control layer and connected to the thin film transistor, an organic emission layer positioned on the first electrode, and a second electrode positioned on the organic emission layer, and the light path control layer includes a first control layer, a second control layer having a larger refractive index than the first control layer, and a middle layer having the same refractive index as the first control layer.
US09159775B1 Anode connection structure of organic light-emitting diode and manufacturing method thereof
A method is provided for manufacturing an anode connection structure of an organic light-emitting diode. The anode connection structure includes: a thin-film transistor and an anode of an organic light-emitting diode arrange don the thin-film transistor. The thin-film transistor includes a low-temperature poly-silicon layer formed on a substrate, a gate insulation layer formed on the low-temperature poly-silicon layer, a gate formed on the gate insulation layer, a protection layer formed on the gate, and a source/drain formed on the protection layer. The method includes a step of forming a hole in the thin-film transistor to expose the low-temperature poly-silicon layer and a step of forming an electrically conductive layer in the hole for direct engagement with the low-temperature poly-silicon layer to serve as an anode and also the source/drain of the thin-film transistor. The anode of the organic light-emitting diode is thus directly connected to the low-temperature poly-silicon layer.
US09159774B2 Light-emitting device
A structure of an EL display device which has an increased display area is provided. Further, a structure of an EL display device which has a high definition display is provided. An auxiliary electrode is formed over a first partition and side surfaces of the auxiliary electrode are covered with a second partition. A top surface of the auxiliary electrode is in contact with the conductive film which is one electrode of a light-emitting element and has a light-transmitting property, which enables a large-area display. Further, even the distance between the adjacent light-emitting elements is shortened, the auxiliary electrode can be provided between the adjacent light-emitting elements, which enables a high definition display.
US09159762B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided which can suppress corrosion by chemicals in processes, while preventing generation of thermal stress on a mark. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer with a front-side main surface and a back-side main surface opposed to the front-side main surface, a plurality of light receiving elements formed in the semiconductor layer for performing photoelectric conversion, a light receiving lens disposed above the back-side main surface for supp_ying light to the light receiving element, and a mark formed inside the semiconductor layer. The mark extends from the front-side main surface to the back-side main surface. The mark has a deeply located surface recessed toward the front-side main surface rather than the back-side main surface. The deeply located surface is formed of silicon.
US09159759B2 Solid-state image pickup device
A solid-state image pickup device 1 includes a semiconductor substrate 10, light receiving unit 14 and light shielding film 20. The solid-state image pickup device 1 is back surface incident type and photoelectrically converts light indent on the back surface S2 of the semiconductor substrate 10 from an object into electrical charges and receives electrical charges produced by photoelectric conversion at the light receiving unit 14 to image the object. The light receiving unit 14 forms a PN junction diode with the semiconductor substrate 10. The light shielding film 20 is provided over a front surface S1 of the semiconductor substrate 10 so as to cover the light receiving unit 14. The light shielding film 20 serves to shield light incident on the front surface S1 from the outside of the solid-state image pickup device 1.
US09159758B2 Color imaging element and imaging device
A color filter array is configured with a 3×3 basic array pattern repeatedly disposed in a horizontal and a vertical direction. The basic array pattern is configured with a G filter array formed by disposing a G filter in the horizontal direction, and first and the second RGB filter arrays formed by disposing RGB filters in the horizontal direction. The ratio of the pixel number of the G color is made larger than the ratio of the pixel number of each color of RB. The G filter is disposed in each filter line in the horizontal, vertical and oblique directions of the color filter array. The RB filters are each disposed in one filter line in the vertical direction of the basic array pattern, and any of the RB filters is disposed in other filter lines.
US09159753B2 Image sensor pixels with self-aligned lateral anti-blooming structures
Pixels for solid-state CMOS image sensor arrays may be provided that have a lateral blooming control structure incorporated in them. The lateral blooming control structure is built as a separate structure from the charge transfer gate and it is fabricated in a self-aligned manner, which is particularly suitable for incorporating into small size pixels. The blooming control structure can be used for backside or for front side illuminated image sensors. When the lateral blooming control structure is provided with a separate bias means, it may also be used for the complete or partial charge removal from the photodiode and thus used in pixels that are designed for global shutter operation.
US09159749B2 Oxide semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing oxide semiconductor devices, display devices having oxide semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing display devices having oxide semiconductor devices
An oxide semiconductor device includes a gate electrode on a substrate, a gate insulation layer on the substrate, the gate insulation layer having a recess structure over the gate electrode, a source electrode on a first portion of the gate insulation layer, a drain electrode on a second portion of the gate insulation layer, and an active pattern on the source electrode and the drain electrode, the active pattern filling the recess structure.
US09159732B2 Semiconductor device with buried gate and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming landing plugs over a substrate, forming a trench by etching the substrate between the landing plugs, forming a buried gate to partially fill the trench, forming a gap-fill layer to gap-fill an upper side of the buried gate, forming protruding portions of the landing plugs, and trimming the protruding portions of the landing plugs.
US09159731B2 Methods of forming capacitors and semiconductor devices including a rutile titanium dioxide material
Methods of forming a capacitor including forming a titanium nitride material within at least one aperture defined by a support material, forming a ruthenium material within the at least one aperture over the titanium nitride material, and forming a first conductive material over the ruthenium material within the at least one aperture. The titanium nitride material may be oxidized to a titanium dioxide material. A second conductive material may be formed over a surface of the titanium dioxide material. A semiconductor device may include at least one capacitor, wherein a major longitudinal portion of the at least one capacitor is not surrounded by a solid material. The capacitor may include a first electrode; a ruthenium oxide material laterally adjacent the first electrode; a rutile titanium dioxide material laterally adjacent the ruthenium oxide material; and a second electrode laterally adjacent the rutile titanium dioxide material.
US09159729B2 Capacitor of semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
Capacitor of a semiconductor device, and a method of fabricating the same, include sequentially forming a mold structure and a polysilicon pattern over a semiconductor substrate, patterning the mold structure using the polysilicon pattern as an etch mask to form lower electrode holes penetrating the mold structure, forming a protection layer covering a surface of the polysilicon pattern, forming lower electrodes in the lower electrode holes provided with the protection layer, removing the polysilicon pattern and the protection layer to expose upper sidewalls of the lower electrodes, removing the mold structure to expose lower sidewalls of the lower electrodes, and sequentially forming a dielectric and an upper electrode covering the lower electrodes.
US09159724B2 Cross-coupling-based design using diffusion contact structures
An approach for providing cross-coupling-based designs using diffusion contact structures is disclosed. Embodiments include providing first and second gate structures over a substrate; providing a gate cut region across the first gate structure, the second gate structure, or a combination thereof; providing a first gate contact over the first gate structure; providing a second gate contact over the second gate structure; and providing a diffusion contact structure coupling the first gate contact to the second gate contact, the diffusion contact structure having vertices within the gate cut region.
US09159722B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a transistor region and diode region. A plurality of transistors is in the transistor region and at least one diode is in the diode region. The transistors include first and second body regions of a first conductivity type. The dopant concentration in the second body region is greater than the dopant concentration in the first body region. The diode includes first and second anode regions of the first conductivity type. The dopant concentration in the second anode region is greater than the dopant concentration in the first anode region. A total dopant amount in the second body region within a first block portion of the semiconductor substrate is greater than a total dopant amount in the second anode layer within a second block portion of the semiconductor substrate of the same size as the first block portion.
US09159713B1 Opto-electronic circuit board and method for assembling the same
An opto-electronic circuit board includes a substrate, a cavity, blind vias, metal layers, a first chip, a second chip, and the optical component. The substrate includes a first circuit layer, a second circuit layer, and a dielectric layer disposed between the first circuit layer and the second circuit layer. The cavity is disposed on the dielectric layer, in which the cavity extends from the first circuit layer to the second circuit layer. The blind vias are disposed at opposite sides of the cavity. The first chip is disposed on the second circuit layer with corresponding to one of the blind vias. The second chip is disposed on the second circuit layer with corresponding to the other one of the blind vias. The optical component is disposed in the cavity, in which the second surface of the optical component is connected to the first circuit layer.
US09159706B2 Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
A device featuring a substrate configured to include an upper surface and an opposing lower surface and, in parallel, a first and an opposing second peripheral edge, the first peripheral edge being smaller in length than the second peripheral edge, one or more semiconductor chip mounted over the upper surface of the substrate, a control semiconductor chip mounted over the upper surface of the substrate, a sealing resin covering the memory and control chips, and a plurality of external terminals provided over the lower surface of the substrate, the external terminals being arranged in a line along the first peripheral edge. The external terminals are used to fit the device to an electronic apparatus. The device may be a memory card having a stacked arrangement of two or more memory chips, and with the control chip being apart from or included in the stacked arrangement.
US09159701B2 Method of manufacturing a chip package, chip package, method of manufacturing a chip assembly and chip assembly
A method of manufacturing a chip package is provided. The method may include electrically contacting at least one first chip, the first chip including a first side and a second side opposite the first side, with its second side to an electrically conductive carrier. An insulating layer is formed over at least a part of the electrically conductive carrier and over at least a part of the first side of the chip. At least one second chip is arranged over the insulating layer. An encapsulating material is formed over the first chip and the second chip. Electrical contacts are formed through the encapsulation material to at least one contact of the at least one first chip and to at least one contact of the at least one second chip.
US09159699B2 Interconnection structure having a via structure
An interconnection structure is provided having a substrate with at least one electric device formed adjacent to a first side of the substrate and a via hole formed therethrough. The via hole has a first opening adjacent to the first side of the substrate. A via structure is disposed in the via hole without exceeding the first opening. A first pad is disposed on the first side of the substrate and covers the via hole. A second pad is disposed on a second side of the substrate opposite to the first side, wherein the via structure extends into the second pad. The first pad is adjoined to the via structure and electrically connects with the at least one electric device, and the first pad has a protrusion portion extending into the via hole.
US09159698B2 Method for producing a semiconductor module arrangement
A method for producing a semiconductor module arrangement includes providing a semiconductor module and a printed circuit board. The semiconductor module has a circuit mount populated with a semiconductor chip, an adjustment device in a first relative position with respect to the circuit mount, and a plurality of electrical connections each of which has a free end. Each of the connections is routed through a different passage opening in the adjustment device. The printed circuit board is pushed onto the electrical connections by each of the free ends being inserted into a different contact opening in the printed circuit board. The adjustment device is moved to a second relative position, which is different from the first relative position, with respect to the circuit mount.
US09159695B2 Elongated bump structures in package structure
A package structure includes a chip attached to a substrate. The chip includes a bump structure including a conductive pillar having a length (L) measured along a long axis of the conductive pillar and a width (W) measured along a short axis of the conductive pillar. The substrate includes a pad region and a mask layer overlying the pad region, wherein the mask layer has an opening exposing a portion of the pad region. The chip is attached to the substrate to form an interconnection between the conductive pillar and the pad region. The opening has a first dimension (d1) measured along the long axis and a second dimension (d2) measured along the short axis. In an embodiment, L is greater than d1, and W is less than d2.
US09159692B2 Millimeter wave wafer level chip scale packaging (WLCSP) device and related method
Various embodiments include wafer level chip scale package (WLCSP) structures and methods of tuning such structures. In some embodiments, the WLCSP structure includes: a printed circuit board (PCB) trace connection including at least one PCB ground connection connected with a PCB ground plane; a set of ground solder balls each contacting the printed circuit board trace connection; a set of chip pads contacting each of the ground solder balls in the set of ground solder balls; a chip ground plane connecting the set of chip pads; and a signal interconnect interposed between two of the set of ground solder balls, the signal interconnect including: a signal trace connection electrically isolated from the PCB ground plane; a signal ball contacting the signal PCB trace connection; a chip pad contacting the signal ball, and a signal trace connection on a chip contacting the chip pad.
US09159691B2 Window ball grid array (BGA) semiconductor packages
A semiconductor package includes a substrate having a first surface, a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and an opening formed between the first surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate. One or more bonding wires electrically couple a first surface of a semiconductor die included in the semiconductor package to the first surface of the substrate through an opening of the substrate. A first electrically insulative structure is disposed to substantially fill an area between the first surface of the semiconductor die, the second surface of the substrate, and one or more interconnect bumps that electrically couple the semiconductor die to the substrate. The first electrically insulative structure substantially encapsulates the one or more bonding wires and substantially fills the opening of the substrate.
US09159680B2 Method of fabricating semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having a circuit unit on an upper surface thereof, a metal pad electrically connected to the circuit unit, and a passivation layer that covers the circuit unit and exposes the metal pad, forming a first re-wiring layer that is electrically connected to the metal pad and is formed by a printing method to extend from the metal pad on the passivation layer and forming a second re-wiring layer on the first re-wiring layer using the first re-wiring layer as a seed by using an electro-plating process.
US09159676B2 Semiconductor module
A power module includes: a base plate having a front surface provided with positioning wire bonding portions; an insulating substrate provided with hole portions accommodating the positioning wire bonding portions on a side of a back surface facing the base plate, and fixed to the base plate with being positioned with respect to the base plate by the hole portions accommodating the positioning wire bonding portions; and a semiconductor chip arranged on a side of a front surface of the insulating substrate opposite to the back surface.
US09159674B2 Bonded structure with enhanced adhesion strength
A first bonding material layer is formed on a first substrate and a second bonding material layer is formed on a second substrate. The first and second bonding material layers include a metal. Ions are implanted into the first and second bonding material layers to induce structural damages in the in the first and second bonding material layers. The first and second substrates are bonded by forming a physical contact between the first and second bonding material layers. The structural damages in the first and second bonding material layers enhance diffusion of materials across the interface between the first and second bonding material layers to form a bonded material layer in which metal grains are present across the bonding interface, thereby providing a high adhesion strength across the first and second substrates.
US09159672B1 Through via connected backside embedded circuit features structure and method
A method includes forming through vias in a substrate of an array. Nubs of the through vias are exposed from a backside surface of the substrate. A backside passivation layer is applied to enclose the nubs. Laser-ablated artifacts are formed in the backside passivation layer to expose the nubs. Circuit features are formed within the laser-ablated artifacts. By forming the circuit features within the laser-ablated artifacts in the backside passivation layer, the cost of fabricating the array is minimized. More particularly, the number of operations to form the embedded circuit features is minimized thus minimizing fabrication cost of the array.
US09159667B2 Methods of forming an e-fuse for an integrated circuit product and the resulting e-fuse structure
An e-fuse device disclosed herein includes an anode and a cathode that are conductively coupled to the doped region formed in a substrate, wherein the anode includes a first metal silicide region positioned on the doped region and a first conductive metal-containing contact that is positioned above and coupled to the first metal silicide region, and the cathode includes a second metal silicide region positioned on the doped region and a second conductive metal-containing contact that is positioned above and conductively coupled to the second metal silicide region. A method disclosed herein includes forming a doped region in a substrate for an e-fuse device and performing at least one common process operation to form a first conductive structure on the doped region of the e-fuse device and a second conductive structure on a source/drain region of a transistor.
US09159664B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to: a wiring hoard; and first and second chips stacked over the wiring board. The wiring board includes a plurality of first data terminals and a plurality of second data terminals. One of the first and second chips is sandwiched between the wiring board and the other of the first and second chips. The first chip includes a plurality of first data pads. The second chip includes a plurality of second data pads and a plurality of third data pads. The first data terminals of the wiring board are electrically connected respectively to the first data pads of the first chip and further respectively to the second data pads of the second chip. The second data terminals are electrically connected respectively to the third data pads of the second chip and electrically disconnected from the first chip.
US09159662B2 Semiconductor structures having adhesion promoting layer in cavities
High aspect ratio trenches may be filled with metal that grows more from the bottom than the top of the trench. As a result, the tendency to form seams or to close of the trench at the top during filling may be reduced in some embodiments. Material that encourages the growth of metal may be formed in the trench at the bottom, while leaving the region of the trench near the top free of such material to encourage growth upwardly from the bottom.
US09159655B2 Lead frame for mounting LED elements, lead frame with resin, method for manufacturing semiconductor devices, and lead frame for mounting semiconductor elements
A lead frame for mounting LED elements includes a frame body region and a large number of package regions arranged in multiple rows and columns in the frame body region. The package regions each include a die pad on which an LED element is to be mounted and a lead section adjacent to the die pad, the package regions being further constructed to be interconnected via a dicing region. The die pad in one package region and the lead section in another package region upward or downward adjacent to the package region of interest are connected to each other by an inclined reinforcement piece positioned in the dicing region.
US09159654B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having opposed main and back surfaces; first and second electrodes in a device region of the substrate, and spaced apart from each other; a metal film on the main surface and joined to the second electrode; an air gap between part of the main surface and the metal film, enveloping the first electrode, and having an opening; a cured resin closing the opening; a liquid repellent film increasing contact angle of the resin, relative to contact angles on the substrate and the metal film; a first metal film joined to the metal film, covering the metal film and the cured resin, and joined to an outer peripheral region of the substrate, at a periphery of the device region; and a second metal film on the back surface and connected to the first electrode through a via hole penetrating the substrate.
US09159653B2 Copper interconnect structures and methods of making same
A structure and method of making the structure. The structure includes a dielectric layer on a substrate; a first wire formed in a first trench in the dielectric layer, a first liner on sidewalls and a bottom of the first trench and a first copper layer filling all remaining space in the first trench; a second wire formed in a second trench in the dielectric layer, a second liner on sidewalls and a bottom of the second trench and a second copper layer filling all remaining space in the second trench; and an electromigration stop formed in a third trench in the dielectric layer, a third liner on sidewalls and a bottom of the third trench and a third copper layer filling all remaining space in the third trench, the electromigration stop between and abutting respective ends of the first and second wires.
US09159651B2 Semiconductor packages having TSV and adhesive layer
A semiconductor package includes a first semiconductor chip on a substrate and having a plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs). A second semiconductor chip having an active layer is on the first semiconductor chip. An adhesive layer is between the first semiconductor chip and the active layer. Connection terminals extend through the adhesive layer and are connected to the TSVs and the active layer. Side surfaces of the adhesive layer are aligned with side surfaces of the second semiconductor chip.
US09159643B2 Matrix lid heatspreader for flip chip package
A method and apparatus are provided for manufacturing a lead frame based thermally enhanced flip chip package with an exposed heat spreader lid array (310) designed for direct attachment to an array of integrated circuit die (306) by including a thermal interface adhesion layer (308) to each die (306) and encapsulating the attached heat spreader lid array (310) and array of integrated circuit die (306) with mold compound (321) except for planar upper lid surfaces of the heat spreader lids (312).
US09159640B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
At least a part of a heat radiation member (9) connected to a DRAM (11) for radiating heat of the DRAM (11) is exposed from a protection member (4) arranged to surround the DRAM and the heat radiation member (9) so as to protect the DRAM (11). Thus, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device having a preferable heat radiation performance.
US09159631B2 Method and system for template assisted wafer bonding using pedestals
A method of fabricating a composite semiconductor structure includes providing a first substrate comprising a first material and having a first surface and forming a plurality of pedestals extending to a predetermined height in a direction normal to the first surface. The method also includes attaching a plurality of elements comprising a second material to each of the plurality of pedestals, providing a second substrate having one or more structures disposed thereon, and aligning the first substrate and the second substrate. The method further includes joining the first substrate and the second substrate to form the composite substrate structure and removing at least a portion of the first substrate from the composite substrate structure.
US09159625B1 Semiconductor device
Disclosed is a semiconductor device. For instance, the semiconductor device includes a main via formed on a dielectric and a ground via formed in a circular arc shape and spaced apart from the main via. The semiconductor device is superior in electric characteristics such as insertion loss or reflection loss and allows efficient use of space.
US09159616B2 Silicon carrier space transformer and temporary chip attach burn-in vehicle for high density connections
A silicon carrier space transformer assembly includes one or more silicon structures, which provide space transformer scaling to permit interconnection for fine pitch input/output interconnections with a semiconductor die or wafer, and fine pitch test probe tips connected to the one or more silicon structures.
US09159605B2 Controlled process and resulting device
A method for forming a multi-material thin film includes providing a multi-material donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and an overlying film comprising GaN. Energetic particles are introduced through a surface of the multi-material donor substrate to a selected depth within the single crystal silicon. The method includes providing energy to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action in the donor substrate. Then, a cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a multi-material film from a remaining portion of the donor substrate, the multi-material film comprising single crystal silicon and the overlying film.
US09159604B2 Semiconductor device and method for forming the same
A method includes forming a recess in a substrate and filling a dielectric layer in the recess. The method further includes forming a capping layer over the substrate and the dielectric layer. A top portion of the capping layer is then removed, while leaving a bottom portion of the capping layer over the dielectric layer. A gate structure is then formed over the remaining capping layer.
US09159596B2 Clamping apparatus for cleaving a bonded wafer structure
Apparatus and methods for mechanically cleaving a bonded wafer structure are disclosed. The apparatus and methods involve clamps that grip the bonded wafer structure and are actuated to cause the bonded structure to cleave.
US09159583B2 Methods of manufacturing nitride semiconductor devices
Provided is a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of electrodes on a growth substrate on which first and second nitride semiconductor layers are sequentially stacked, forming upper metal layers on the plurality of electrodes respectively, removing the growth substrate to expose a lower surface of the first nitride semiconductor layer, and forming a third nitride semiconductor layer and a lower metal layer sequentially on the exposed lower surface of the first nitride semiconductor layer.
US09159573B2 Systems and methods for monitoring and controlling particle sizes in slurries
Systems and methods are provided for preparing a plurality of slurry particles. The system includes: a tank configured to contain and provide the slurry particles, a sampling module configured to sample at least one slurry particle within the tank and obtain at least one parameter related to a particle size, and a controller coupled to the tank and the sampling module, configured to vibrate the slurry particles within the tank based on the at least one parameter.
US09159564B2 Method of shielding through silicon vias in a passive interposer
A method of shielding through silicon vias (TSVs) in a passive interposer includes doping a substrate with positive ions, and implanting positive ions in an upper portion of the substrate, such that the substrate has at least a p-doped portion and a heavily p-doped upper portion. The method further includes forming an interlayer dielectric (ILD) above the heavily p-doped upper portion. The method further includes forming a plurality of through silicon vias (TSVs) through the ILD and the substrate, such that the passive interposer is configured to electrically couple at least one structure above and below the passive interposer. The method further includes forming, between pairs of TSVs of the plurality of TSVs, a plurality of shielding lines through the interlayer dielectric, the shielding lines configured to electrically couple the heavily p-doped upper portion of the substrate and at least one interconnect structure above the ILD.
US09159563B2 Semiconductor device manufacturing method and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to the present invention includes a step of arranging a plurality of processing objects on a first tray and a second tray adjacent to the first tray, a plurality of application steps in which application of an application substance to the plurality of processing objects is repeated a certain number of times by emitting the application substance from an application device formed right above a contact position at which the first tray and the second tray contact each other, by swinging the application device along a first direction across the contact position, and by moving the first tray and the second tray in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and an interchange step of interchanging the first tray and the second tray in position without changing the directions of the first tray and the second tray corresponding to the second direction, the interchange step being executed at least one time among the plurality of application steps.
US09159557B2 Systems and methods for mitigating print-out defects
The present disclosure provides methods and systems for mitigating print-out defects that result during semiconductor simulation and/or fabrication. One of the methods disclosed herein includes steps of receiving a first desired sub-layout and a second desired sub-layout and of optimizing the first desired sub-layout and the second desired sub-layout to generate a first optimized sub-layout and a second optimized sub-layout. The method further includes simulating the first optimized sub-layout and the second optimized sub-layout and of identifying one or more print-out defects in the simulated first optimized sub-layout and the simulated second optimized sub-layout. By comparing the simulated first optimized sub-layout and the simulated second optimized sub-layout it may be determined whether or not print-out defects in the simulated second optimized sub-layout are covered by the first desired sub-layout such that the first optimized sub-layout may be used to pattern material layers.
US09159555B2 Multi charged particle beam writing apparatus and multi charged particle beam writing method
A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a unit to calculate a predetermined function expression by a correction coefficient that corrects an open area of each opening for forming a beam group, wherein the predetermined function expression minimizes a sum of squared values of all the beam groups, where each of the squared values is calculated by squaring a difference between a current value measured of the beam group and a sum of products for the beam group, where each of the products is obtained by multiplying a corrected open area by the predetermined function expression; a unit to calculate the correction coefficient that corrects the open area by using the predetermined function expression and the current value of the beam, for each beam; and a unit to calculate a current density of each of the multiple beams by the predetermined function expression.
US09159542B2 Apparatus and method for inhibiting ionization source filament failure
An ion source apparatus for a mass spectrometer comprises a refractory metal filament operable to provide a flow of electrons by thermionic emission; an electrical current source electrically coupled to the filament for heating the filament; a vacuum chamber enclosing the filament; an ionization volume within the vacuum chamber capable of receiving the flow of electrons; a source of an oxygen-providing gas or gases; a restrictive fluidic coupling to the source of oxygen-providing gas or gases; and a gas conduit fluidically coupled to the restrictive fluidic coupling, the restrictive fluidic coupling and conduit operable to provide a flow of the oxygen-providing gas or gases into the vacuum chamber so as to maintain a partial pressure of said gas or gases within the vacuum chamber that is sufficiently high so as to inhibit the otherwise formation of a carbonaceous growth on the filament in the presence of a gaseous carbon-containing material.
US09159540B2 Systems and methods for transfer of ions for analysis
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
US09159536B2 Plasma processing apparatus, abnormal oscillation determination method and high-frequency generator
A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing container and a plasma generating mechanism including a high-frequency oscillator. The arrangement is configured to generate plasma within the processing container by using a high frequency wave oscillated by the high-frequency oscillator. In addition, an impedance regulator is configured to adjust impedance to be applied to the high-frequency oscillator. Further, a determining unit is configured to change the impedance to be adjusted by the impedance regulator and to determine an abnormal oscillation of the high-frequency oscillator based on (a) a component of a center frequency of a fundamental wave that is the high frequency wave oscillated by the high-frequency oscillator, and (b) a component of a peripheral frequency present at both ends of a predetermined frequency band centered around the center frequency of the fundamental wave in a state where the impedance is changed.
US09159531B2 Sample carrier for an electron microscope
The invention relates to a sample carrier for a transmission electron microscope. When using state of the art sample carriers, such as half-moon grids in combination with detectors detecting, for example, X-rays emitted at a large emittance angle, shadowing is a problem. Similar problems occur when performing tomography, in which the sample is rotated over a large angle.The invention provides a solution to shadowing by forming the parts of the grid bordering the interface between sample and grid as tapering parts.
US09159527B2 Systems and methods for a gas field ionization source
In one aspect the invention provides a gas field ion source assembly that includes an ion source in connection with an optical column such that an ion beam generated at the ion source travels through the optical column. The ion source includes an emitter having a width that tapers to a tip comprising a few atoms. In other aspects, the methods provide for manufacturing, maintaining and enhancing the performance of a gas field ion source including sharpening the tip of the ion source in situ.
US09159521B1 LED area lighting optical system
A dual-reflector assembly includes an upper reflector and a lower reflector. The upper reflector includes a proximal end and a distal end. The lower reflector includes a proximal end and a distal end. A light source is positioned between the proximal ends of the upper reflector and the lower reflector. The upper reflector surrounds at least a portion of the lower reflector. The shape and orientation of the dual-reflector assembly can be formed by placing a cup reflector having an upper edge profile and a lower edge profile a predetermined distance away from a rotational axis and at a desired orientation, rotating the cup reflector around the rotational axis, obtaining the shape and orientation of the upper reflector and the lower reflector from the rotating upper edge profile and the rotating lower edge profile, respectively.
US09159514B2 Relay connector assembly for a relay system
A relay connector assembly configured to electrically connect a power supply and a load includes a housing having a bottom configured to be mounted to a circuit board, the housing having contact cavities. Power contacts are received in corresponding contact cavities and held by the housing. The power contacts have relay tab ends and terminating ends having interfaces configured to be terminated to high current power conductors of either the power supply or the load. A relay is coupled to the housing. The relay has coil contacts configured to be electrically connected to a coil circuit of the circuit board used to energize the relay. The relay has relay tabs being terminated to the relay tab ends of corresponding power contacts. The relay electrically connects corresponding power contacts when the relay is energized.
US09159508B2 Switchgear device having at least one single-pole breaking unit comprising a contact bridge and circuit breaker comprising one such device
A switchgear device having a single-pole breaking unit which includes one of a pair of stationary contacts connected to a line-side current conductor, a movable contact bridge for closing and opening the stationary contacts, a line-side panel, a load-side panel opposite the line-side panel and two opposing lateral-side panels, which panels surround the stationary contacts and contact bridge, and form arc extinguishing chambers with a stationary contact within each chamber, an opening volume between chambers, and a quenching gas exhaust channel connected to a chamber, and opening through the line-side panel, which is opposite another load-side panel for contact with a trip device.
US09159505B2 Electric storage device
An electric storage device, including: an electrode assembly having at least one protrusion portion, the protrusion portion being formed of an end portion of any one of a positive electrode foil and a negative electrode foil and protruding in a laminated state from a side end of the other electrode foil of the both electrode foils; a current collector having a contact portion in contact with the protrusion portion; and a metal material that joins the protrusion portion by interposing the protrusion portion between the contact portion of the current collector and the metal material, wherein at least an end region in one direction along the opposing face is displaced in a direction away from the contact portion of the current collector than a central region of the opposing face is.
US09159499B2 Additives for dye-sensitized solar cells
The present invention relates to the use of at least one imidazol derivative of formula I or 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1H-imidazole, 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1,2,3-triazole or 1-(2′-thioethyl)ethylimidazole as additive in dye-sensitized solar cells and to special electrolyte formulations and a dye-sensitized solar cell comprising at least one compound of formula I or 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1H-imidazole, 1-(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)-1,2,3-triazole or 1-(2′-thioethyl)ethylimidazole.
US09159498B2 Preparation of electrode compositions
The invention relates to processes for the preparation of electrode compositions, especially those intended for use in supercapacitors. A process is provided for preparing lithium sulphite comprising the steps of:—a) introducing H2SO3 (aq) into a reaction vessel; b) reacting the H2SO3 (aq) with an aqueous suspension of Li2CO3 in the vessel to form an aqueous solution of Li2—CO3; and c) evaporating the solution to recover Li2CO3(s), wherein at least steps a) and b) are conducted under an inert atmosphere. Preferably, in step b) H2SO3 (aq) and Li2CO3 (aq) are reacted with each other in substantially equimolar amounts. There is also provided a process for forming an electrode material comprising a complexing step of causing lithium sulphite to form SO3 complexes at active N sites of a nitrogen-carbon structure, in the presence of a selected amount of a sink that absorbs the liberated lithium, so as to form the N:SO3 complexed electrode material. Preferably, the nitrogen-carbon structure is thermally restructured polyacrylonitrile (TR-PAN) or a copolymer thereof.
US09159492B2 Laminated ceramic capacitor having a covering layer
A laminated ceramic capacitor that includes dielectric layers stacked adjacent one another to form a laminated body; internal electrodes arranged between the dielectric layers; external electrodes along surfaces of the laminated body and connected to the internal electrodes; and a covering layer covering at least portions of sections of the laminated body between the laminated body and edges of the external electrodes. The external electrodes include a silver-containing layer containing at least Ag as its main constituent. The dielectric layers and the covering layer 30 contain, as their main constituent, a perovskite compound represented by a chemical formula ABO3, wherein A is at least one of Ba, Sr, and Ca, and B is at least one of Ti, Zr, and Hf. V is added to only the dielectric layers among the dielectric layers and the covering layer.
US09159491B2 Multilayer ceramic electronic component and mounting board therefor
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component including a ceramic body including dielectric layers, and first and second internal electrodes formed within the ceramic body and disposed to face each other having the respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween, wherein in a cross-section of the ceramic body in a length-thickness (L-T) direction, when an area of non-electrode regions in cover part internal electrodes among the first and second internal electrodes is defined as Acover and an area of non-electrode regions in center part internal electrodes among the first and second internal electrodes is defined as Acenter, a ratio of Acenter to Acover satisfies 0.33≦Acenter/Acover≦0.95.
US09159487B2 Linear electromagnetic device
A linear electromagnetic device, such as an inductor, transformer or the similar device, may include a core in which a magnetic flux is generable. The device may also include an opening through the core. The device may additionally include a primary conductor received in the opening and extending through the core. The primary conductor may include a substantially square or rectangular cross-section. An electrical current flowing through the primary conductor generates a magnetic field about the primary conductor, wherein substantially the entire magnetic field is absorbed by the core to generate the magnetic flux in the core.
US09159486B2 Core for wire-wound electronic component, wire-wound electronic component, and common mode choke coil
A core for a wire-wound electronic component. The core has a winding base to be wound with a wire, and flanges located at both ends of the winding base in an extending direction of the winding base. The flanges protrude from the winding base in a first direction perpendicular to the extending direction. Each of the flanges has a plurality of protrusions on a first surface at a side of the flange in the first direction. An inclined surface is provided to extend from the first surface of each of the flanges to a second surface of the winding base at a side of the winding base in the first direction.
US09159472B2 Twinax cable design for improved electrical performance
A twinax cable is described. The twinax cable has at least one twinax wire pair with a first shield tape wrapped around it and then surrounded by a second shield tape wrapped around the twinax wire pair and the first shield tape. The shield tapes are wrapped such that the metallic sides of the tape face and make contact with each other.
US09159450B2 Sampling circuit for measuring reflected voltage of transformer for power converter operated in DCM and CCM
A sampling circuit of the power converter according to the present invention comprises an amplifier circuit receiving a reflected voltage for generating a first signal. A first switch and a first capacitor are utilized to generate a second signal in response to the reflected voltage. A sample-signal circuit generates a sample signal in response to the disable of a switching signal. The switching signal is generated in accordance with a feedback signal for regulating an output of the power converter. The feedback signal is generated in accordance with the second signal. The sample signal is utilized to control the first switch for sampling the reflected voltage. The sample signal is disabled once the first signal is lower than the second signal. The sampling circuit precisely samples the reflected voltage of the transformer of the power converter for regulating the output of the power converter.
US09159448B2 Shift register unit, shift register and scanning method thereof, and display device
A shift register unit, a shift register and the scanning method thereof, and a display device are disclosed. Bidirectional scanning can be achieved while the number of the switches used in the shift register could be reduced, and the spaces are saved. Furthermore, the problem of large coupled noise voltage is solved, and the performance of the shift register is improved. The circuit comprises: a second switch connected with a first switch; a fourth switch connected with a third switch; a fifth switch connected with a sixth switch; a first input and a eighth switch connected with a seventh switch; a output end and a ninth switch connected with the eighth switch; an eleventh, a twelfth, and a thirteenth switch connected with a tenth switch; a fourteenth switch connected with the thirteenth switch; a fifteenth switch connected with the fourteenth switch; a capacitor positioned between a first node and a second nodes.
US09159447B2 Shift register unit, shift register, array substrate and display apparatus
The present disclosure relates to a field of display. Particularly, embodiments of the present invention disclose a shift register unit, a shift register, an array substrate and a display apparatus that enable the respective shift register units to be reset independently. The shift register unit includes a sampling part, an output part and a reset part, wherein the sampling part includes a first switching transistor and a second switching transistor, the output part includes a fifth switching transistor, a sixth switching transistor, a first capacitor and a second capacitor, and the reset part includes a third switching transistor and a fourth transistor.
US09159444B2 Semiconductor device and method for driving the same
A semiconductor device includes at least one first row selection line, at least one column selection line that intersects with the first row selection line, and a first fuse circuit including a first fuse array, and suitable for outputting a first fuse signal programmed in the first fuse array by using an external voltage as a source voltage in a power-up mode, wherein the first fuse array includes at least one first fuse cell coupled with the first row selection line and the column selection line.
US09159440B2 Read method for nonvolatile memory device, and data storage system using the same
Provided is a method for reading data from a nonvolatile memory device. In the method, a read method includes a first read step including reading a first memory cell of the nonvolatile memory device by applying a first set of read voltages to the first memory cell. The read method further includes a second read step including reading the first memory cell by applying a second set of read voltages and none of the voltages in the first set to the first memory cell when it is determined that the first read step results in an error and cannot be corrected with error correction. The second read step is performed by using data resulting from the first read step.
US09159436B2 Reading method of non-volatile memory device
A non-volatile memory device includes a first selection transistor, a second selection transistor, and a plurality of memory cells serially coupled between the first selection transistor and the second selection transistor. A reading method of the non-volatile memory device includes applying a read voltage to a gate of a selected memory cell; applying a first pass voltage to a gate of a memory cell adjacent to the selected memory cell, and applying a second pass voltage to gates of the other memory cells, wherein the selected memory cell is in one program state among first to Tth program states in a direction that threshold voltage is increased, where T is a natural number greater than 2, and the first pass voltage is decreased as the selected memory cell goes toward the Tth program state.
US09159435B2 Semiconductor memory device having bouncing detection circuit and method of operating the same
The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array that includes a plurality of cell strings coupled between a common source line and a plurality of bit lines, a peripheral circuit that reads data stored in a selected memory cell, a bouncing detection circuit that compares a voltage supplied to the common source line and a reference voltage to thereby output a detection signal while performing a reading operation, and a control circuit that controls the peripheral circuit in order to perform the reading operation by adjusting the number of sensing operation times in accordance with the detection signal.
US09159432B2 Method of programming a nonvolatile memory device
In method of programming a nonvolatile memory device including first and second cell strings that are coupled to one bitline, a first channel of the first cell string and a second channel of the second cell string are precharged by applying a first voltage to the bitline, one cell string is selected from the first and second cell strings, and a memory cell included in the selected cell string is programmed by applying a second voltage greater than a ground voltage and less than the first voltage to the bitline.
US09159429B2 Data storage system and method of operating the same
A data storage system and a method of operating the same are provided. The method includes performing a program operation on a first page of the pages of a memory block, deciding, when power is switched on after a sudden power-off is generated while the program operation is performed, whether to skip the program operation on a first erase page of the pages based on a second page on which the program operation is performed subsequent to the first page, and performing the program operation on the second page.
US09159420B1 Method and apparatus for content addressable memory parallel lookup
Systems and methods are provided for a content addressable memory. A system includes a common memory module configured to store a plurality of entries, ones of the entries being defined by a string of bits. A first parallel compare logic unit is configured to compare a first lookup key against a plurality of entries stored in the memory module in a first memory operation cycle and to output a match indication indicating a match between the first lookup key and the string of bits of an entry from among the plurality of entries. A second parallel compare logic unit is configured to compare, in the first memory operation cycle, a second lookup key against the plurality of entries stored in the memory module and to output a match indication indicating a match between the second lookup key and the string of bits of an entry from among the plurality of entries.
US09159415B2 Non-volatile resistive memory devices and methods for biasing resistive memory structures thereof
The disclosed technology relates to a non-volatile resistive memory device and a method of using the same. In one aspect, the memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells interconnected by a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word lines, a plurality of source lines and a plurality of form lines. The memory device further comprises a memory controller connected to and configured to apply voltages to the bit lines, the word lines, the source lines and the form lines. In addition, each of the memory cells comprises a cell selecting transistor and a resistive memory element serially connected to a drain-source path of the cell selecting transistor. Furthermore, each of the memory cells comprises a boosting capacitor configured to provide a boosting a voltage to an internal node formed at a connection point between the resistive memory element and the cell selecting transistor.
US09159412B1 Staggered write and verify for phase change memory
A method for storing a data value in a memory cell is provided. The data value includes one of a first data value and a second data value respectively represented by a first and a second programmable resistance ranges. The method includes, within a write cycle, storing the first data value in the memory cell by applying a first verify operation having a first verify period and a first write operation having a first write period, or storing the second data value in the memory cell by applying a second verify operation having a second verify period longer than the first verify period and a second write operation having a second write period shorter than the first write period. The write cycle is shorter than a sum of the first write period and the second verify period.
US09159411B2 Multi-level memory apparatus and data sensing method thereof
A multi-level memory apparatus includes two or more current paths configured to pass currents having different levels, a memory cell selectively coupled to the two or more current paths, and a cell current copy unit configured to copy a cell current flowing through the memory cell.
US09159410B1 Accessing a resistive memory storage device
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe a device and methods of accessing the device. The device can include a plurality of memory cells, each cell including a plurality of resistive memory components each designed to store data as resistance and an access transistor configured to control access to the plurality of resistive memory components. A wordline is configured to enable access to the set of resistor memory components by enabling the access transistor. A plurality of bitlines are each connected to a respective and different set of resistive memory components from each of the plurality of memory cells. A bitline controller is configured to access the plurality of resistive memory components by applying a first voltage to a first set of the plurality of bitlines and a second voltage to a second set of bitlines.
US09159398B2 Memory core and semiconductor memory device including the same
A semiconductor device may include a first memory cell connected to a bit-line and a first word-line, a second memory cell connected to a complementary bit-line and a second word-line, and an equalizer. The equalizer may be configured to transition a voltage of the bit-line and the complementary bit-line from a first voltage to a second voltage different from the first voltage at a first time period when the bit-line and complementary bit line are floating, and to transition the voltage of at least one of the bit-line and the complementary bit-line from the second voltage to a third voltage at a second time period after the first time period when the bit-line and complementary bit line are floating, the third voltage being different from the first and second voltages.
US09159391B1 Systems and methods of double/quad data rate memory involving input latching, self-timing and/or other features
Systems and methods relating to memory and/or memory latching are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, an illustrative memory device may include self-timed pulse generator circuitry, first input latch circuitry, read/write control circuitry, and second input latch circuitry. According to further implementations herein, fast address access for read and write may be provided in the same cycle via a self-timed pulse in the input latch circuit and/or via associated control/scheme from the control circuit.
US09159384B2 Data sensing circuit and memory device including the same
An memory device includes a bit line, an NMOS transistor configured to supply a voltage of a pull-up voltage terminal to the bit line in response to a voltage level of the bit line and a PMOS transistor configured to supply a voltage of a pull-down voltage terminal to the bit line in response to the voltage level of the bit line.
US09159381B2 Tunable reference circuit
A circuit includes a first reference pair that includes a first path and a second path. The first path includes a first magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element, and the second path includes a second MTJ element. The circuit further includes a second reference pair that includes a third path and a fourth path. The third path includes a third MTJ element, and the fourth path includes a fourth MTJ element. The first reference pair and the second reference pair are tied together in parallel. A reference resistance of the circuit is based on a resistance of each of the first, second, third, and fourth MTJ elements. The reference resistance of the circuit is adjustable by adjusting a resistance of one of the MTJ elements.
US09159378B2 Performance monitor with memory ring oscillator
Disclosed is a monitoring system that includes at least one performance monitor integrated into a semiconductor die. The performance monitor comprises at least one ring oscillator that includes a plurality of stages. Each stage comprises at least one memory device. In one embodiment, the performance monitor may also include a setting circuit that has a burn-in input and an enable input. The setting circuit is capable of setting an input signal of the at least one ring oscillator to a reference voltage level. The performance monitor is configured to produce a ring delay that is characterized by a performance of the at least one memory device. The ring delay may be utilized to scale an operating voltage of the at least one memory device on the semiconductor die.
US09159364B1 Aggregation of related media content
Systems and methods for media aggregation are disclosed herein. The system includes a media system that can transform media items into one aggregated media item. A synchronization component synchronizes media items with respect to time. The synchronized media items can be analyzed and transformed into an aggregated media item for storage and/or display. In one implementation, the aggregated media item is capable of being displayed in multiple ways to create an enhanced and customizable viewing and/or listening experience.
US09159362B2 Method and system for detecting and recognizing social interactions in a video
A system and method for providing a plurality of frames from a video, the video having been taken from a first person's perspective, identifying patterns of attention depicted by living beings appearing in the plurality of frames, identifying social interactions associated with the plurality of frames using the identified patterns of attention over a period of time and using the identified social interactions to affect the subsequent use, storage, presentation, or processing of the plurality of frames.
US09159360B2 Servo pattern by microwave assisted magnetic recording, perpendicular magnetic recording medium, magnetic storage device and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed is a technique of providing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium in which high-quality servo information enabling high-density recording of 500 kTPI or more is recorded, and a magnetic storage device of an adaptive track formatting type having large capacity, high reliability and high performance with high device manufacturing yield. At a servo area of the perpendicular magnetic recording medium, a servo sequence such as a burst pattern for positioning in a servo track is recorded in a seamless manner without big recording footprint (several times longer than the servo bit) and in a magnetization pattern such that a total amount of the recording magnetization is substantially zero.
US09159357B2 Efficient moves via repository
A storage library is described that includes a shelf system adapted to support a number of tape cartridges. The storage library further includes a tape drive adapted to read and write data to and from tape cartridges. The storage library further possesses a temporary repository near the tape drive that is adapted to facilitate an exchange of a first tape cartridge intended to be loaded in the tape drive with a second tape cartridge ready to be removed from the tape drive with a single tape picker device.
US09159354B2 Magnetic recording medium fabrication method
A method of fabricating a magnetic recording medium by sequentially forming a magnetic recording layer, a protection layer, and a lubricant layer on a stacked body, includes forming the lubricant by depositing a first lubricant on the stacked body after forming the protection layer, by vapor-phase lubrication deposition, without exposing the stacked body to atmosphere, and depositing a second lubricant that is dissolved in an organic solvent onto the stacked body after depositing the first lubricant.
US09159347B1 Usage of state information from state-space based track-follow controller
A method according to one embodiment includes generating track following controller state information based on a positional signal of a head relative to a medium. One or more portions of the state information corresponding to particular frequencies are used to determine at least one of: lateral tape movement, tape skew, vibration operation conditions, and roller performance.
US09159343B2 Copper residual stress relaxation reduction means for hard disk drive slider gimbals
A hard drive gimbal trace circuit includes: a stainless steel gimbal strut (SGST) configured to support a transducer and nullify a natural pitch angle of a flexure from mechanical-coarse adjustment of the SGST; traces forming a trace structure, and being plastically deformed at a high strain region from the mechanical-coarse adjustment of the SGST; and a first protrusion and a second protrusion being at least partially disposed under the high strain region. The SGST has an edge which is disposed on the transducer side to be spaced apart from the traces in the high strain region and extends substantially parallel to the traces. The first protrusion and the second protrusion extend from the edge in an orthogonal direction to an extending direction of the traces and across the traces, and are disposed side by side in the extending direction of the traces.
US09159342B2 Magnetic recording apparatus
According to an embodiment, a magnetic recording apparatus includes following elements. The spin torque oscillator generates a first oscillating magnetic field. The recording medium unit includes one or more recording medium layers which are stacked, each of the one or more recording medium layers including a recording medium and spin-wave lines each of which generates a second oscillating magnetic field. The write magnetic field source generates a write magnetic field. The controller is configured to control the spin torque oscillator, the spin-wave lines, and the write magnetic field source to simultaneously apply the write magnetic field, and the first and second oscillating magnetic fields to target medium magnetization in the recording medium.
US09159332B2 Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding noise signal
Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding an audio signal. Sections which are not used to output noise components near important spectral components and sub-bands which are not used to output noise components, are determined to be encoded or decoded, so that the efficiency of encoding and decoding an audio signal increases, and sound quality can be improved using less bits.
US09159330B2 Rate controller, rate control method, and rate control program
In an audio encoding system that divides frames generated from input signals into multiple scale factor bands and that encodes each of the scale factor bands by using a scale factor, the invention provides a rate control apparatus that performs rate control based on an NMR, the rate control apparatus comprising an NMR determination unit that determines an NMR that does not exceed a target rate by a binary search; and a scale factor determination unit that determines, by a binary search, the largest scale factor corresponding to the NMR determined by the NMR determination unit and a rate. Each time the NMR determination unit selects an NMR candidate value that acts as a candidate when the NMR determination unit searches for an NMR by a binary search, the scale factor determination unit determines the scale factor corresponding to the NMR candidate value.
US09159313B2 Playback control apparatus, playback control method, and medium for playing a program including segments generated using speech synthesis and segments not generated using speech synthesis
A playback control apparatus includes a playback controller configured to control playback of first content and second content. The first content is to output first sound which is generated based on text information using speech synthesis processing. The second content is to output second sound which is generated not using the speech synthesis processing. The playback controller causes an attribute of content to be played back to be displayed on the screen, the attribute indicating whether or not the content is to output sound which is generated based on text information using speech synthesis processing.
US09159301B2 Slanted map
A display device generates a combined display that is viewable by the driver of a vehicle. The combined display may be composed of a plurality of displays, wherein one or more overlaying displays appear partially or completely in front of a first display, each overlaying display having an opaque portion that conveys information and a substantially transparent portion through which the first display is viewable. One or more monitors may generate the first display and overlaying displays. A monitor may be divided into multiple screens to generate a plurality of the displays. A screen that generates the first display may be directly viewable by the driver, while the screens the generate the overlaying displays may be outside the driver's line of sight. The display device may include one or more reflecting surfaces and one or more refracting surfaces for directing the overlaying displays into the driver's line of sight.
US09159292B2 Display panel and display apparatus having the same
A display panel includes setting gate lines to which a setting gate signal is applied, charging gate lines to which a charging gate signal is applied; data lines to which a data voltage is applied, and pixels connected to the setting gate lines, the charging gate lines and the data lines, where each of the pixels includes a first switching element connected to a corresponding setting gate line and a corresponding data line, a control capacitor configured to charge an output voltage of the first switching element, an amplifying part configured to amplify the output voltage of the first switching element charged at the control capacitor, a power supplying part connected to a corresponding charging gate line and configured to supply power to the amplifying part, and a liquid crystal capacitor configured to charge an output voltage of the amplifying part.
US09159285B2 Display device having repair structure
A display device having a repair structure that makes a defective pixel operate as a normal pixel in a display panel.
US09159282B2 Display device and method of canceling offset thereof
A method of canceling an offset of display device includes coinciding offset directions of amplifiers with one another and canceling offsets of the amplifiers through a chopping operation.
US09159274B2 Driver for page transitions in an electronic paper device
A system and a method for updating an electronic paper display are disclosed. A memory includes a waveform table and a transition matrix including multiple pixels, each representing a pixel of the electronic paper display. A page transition display system is coupled to the memory and identifies waveforms from the waveform table associated with multiple transition matrix pixels by processing multiple transition matrix pixels in parallel. For example, the page transition display system loads multiple transition matrix pixels into a register and accesses the waveform table using the contents of the register. Using the identified waveforms, the page transition display system generates control signals used to modify the electronic paper device.
US09159271B2 Illumination device and liquid crystal display device
An illumination device includes a metal base substrate in a flat planar shape, a plurality of LED modules, and a driving unit which drives each of the LEDs arranged on the metal base substrate. The LED modules have an organic substrate, a plurality of LEDs which are arranged on the organic substrate, a metal member, LED control signal terminals which are set on the edge of the organic substrate, and voltage feed terminals which are set on the edge of the organic substrate. The metal member corresponds to each LED and to which the heat from the LEDs is conducted, and which is electrically connected via a switch element from an electrode of the LED, and which penetrates the organic substrate toward its width direction from the LED mounting surface of the organic substrate and is exposed from the opposite surface.
US09159269B2 Display device and illumination unit
A display device includes: a reflective image display unit having a display region provided with an array of pixels; an illumination unit that illuminates the display region of the image display unit; and a light control unit that controls the intensity of the illumination light from the illumination unit according to ambient illuminance.
US09159266B2 Pixel, display device including the same, and driving method thereof
A pixel, a display device including the same, and a driving method thereof are provided. The display device includes: a display unit including pixels connected to corresponding scan lines and corresponding data lines; a scan driver sequentially generating and transmitting scan signals respectively corresponding to the pixels; a data driver generating and transmitting data voltages according to corresponding image data signals to a plurality of data lines during one frame; a first power source voltage driver respectively applying a first power source voltage to the pixels; a second power source voltage driver respectively applying a second power source voltage to the pixels; and a signal controller controlling the operation of the drivers, wherein a predetermined reference voltage is transmitted through data lines during a remaining period of one frame other than a period in which the data voltage is transmitted.
US09159258B2 Display device, and optical compensation system and optical compensation method thereof
A display device, and an optical compensation system and an optical compensation method thereof. A display device including a display panel including pixels; and a display driving circuit for driving the display panel and including: a storage unit for storing defect pixel information indicating which of the pixels are detected as defect pixels based on a brightness trend line of the pixels, and for storing compensation parameters regarding the defect pixels; and a brightness compensation unit for converting image data corresponding to the defect pixels according to the defect pixel information and the compensation parameters.
US09159251B2 Magnetic fastener for competitive athletics
Embodiments of the invention affix numbering indicators to clothing of competitors during competitive events. A strong magnetic attraction in conjunction with an interaction between a projection on the bottom surface of a top magnetically attractive member and a hole in the bottom magnetically attractive member resists movement of the numbering indicator, while allowing lateral repositioning. The two magnetically attractive members can be encased in a water-resistant material to prevent degradation or discoloration by exposure to sweat. A graphical layer affixed to the upper surface of the top magnetically attractive member can display a custom visual depiction, such as a brand logo or advertisement. Additionally, a transparent layer can be affixed to the graphical layer to protect it from degradation while also permitting a substantially clear view of the visual depiction.
US09159250B2 Label sheet assembly and method of making the same
A label sheet assembly including a liner sheet, a carrier sheet, and a facestock sheet. The facestock sheet includes cut lines defining labels and cut lines defining at least a portion of a carrier strip. The carrier sheet can include cut lines defining at least a portion of the carrier strip. The carrier strip can be removed from the label sheet assembly to expose at least a portion of a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on the labels. The label sheet assembly has a uniform thickness in an area that includes the carrier strip and the labels.
US09159249B2 System for facilitating preparation of medication doses
A system for facilitating preparation of medication doses comprising a container of for receiving a quantity of medication, the container having color bands extending circumferentially therearound to facilitate preparing medication doses, each color band corresponding to a predetermined dosage of medication.
US09159241B1 Methods, systems, and apparatus for synthetic instrument landing system (SILS)
Methods, systems, and apparatus for Synthetic Instrument Landing System (SILS) are disclosed. By optimally integrating new SILS capabilities on existing aircraft systems and equipment, the systems, methods, and apparatus of this disclosure affect primarily one system, the MMR, and certain aircraft wiring reconfiguration and leave most of the other airplane systems as well as pilot (flight crew) training substantially unaffected. Unlike existing solutions that are based on a classical approach of new capability integration by providing associated new landing modes that are uniquely identified, the disclosure provides only a single mode to the pilot by moving all mode-specific functionality to onboard computers such as MMRs.
US09159235B2 Method of operating a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle
A driver assistance system includes a sensor that detects objects and/or characteristics of objects in the surroundings of a motor vehicle, and an object recognition unit that evaluates data from the sensor to produce object information, and determines a confidence value indicating the probability of accuracy thereof. If the confidence value is greater than a minimum threshold but less than a predefined threshold, then the system displays the object information to the driver, who confirms or rejects it, e.g. by actuating or not actuating an operating element. Upon confirmation by the driver, the system begins or continues to perform a driver assistance function based on the object information. Upon rejection by the driver, the system does not perform or discontinues the driver assistance function based on the object information. If the confidence value exceeds the predefined threshold, then the system autonomously performs the driver assistance function.
US09159222B2 Method and apparatus for wireless remote control of an electric appliance
An electric appliance remote control apparatus includes a wireless module, a memory unit, a connection unit, a controlling module, a power supply unit, and a power input end. The wireless module can receive a remote control signal and convert the remote control signal into an enabling signal. The controlling module controls ON/OFF of power from the power supply unit to the connection unit according to the enabling signal. In a method using the electric appliance remote control apparatus, the connection unit is connected to an electric appliance. Monitoring programs corresponding to the electric appliance remote control apparatus are downloaded by and installed in a handheld device and provide an operation interface on a screen of the handheld device. The remote control signal is sent to the wireless module through the operation interface of the handheld device to control or monitor the electric appliance through the electric appliance remote control apparatus.
US09159219B2 Control system for power-assisted door
A control system for a power assisted door, the electronic door control system includes an intelligent control, a plurality of sensor inputs operatively connected to the intelligent control, the plurality of sensor inputs associated with state of a plurality of mechanical components of the power assisted door, and a power drive operatively connected to the intelligent control for providing opening and closing of the power assisted door. The intelligent control is configured to monitor status of the plurality of sensor inputs and control the power drive at least partially based on the status of the plurality of sensor inputs. The intelligent control may be adapted to determine when state of the plurality of sensor inputs is indicative of one or more conditions which would preclude safe door movement. A power distribution module may also be present to assist in limiting current draw and to allow for charging.
US09159216B2 Hand hygiene dispenser monitor
A monitor is located adjacent to a hand hygiene product dispenser and extends a sensor field adjacent to the hand hygiene product dispenser. The sensor senses activity adjacent to the hand hygiene product dispenser in the sensor field. The monitor determines whether sensed activity indicates a use of the hand hygiene product dispenser and reports a use of the dispenser to a monitoring system when a use is determined.
US09159215B1 Method for determining whether an individual leaves a prescribed virtual perimeter
A method and system that allows healthcare providers, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other persons to monitor disabled, elderly or other high-risk individuals to prevent or reduce falls and/or mitigate the impact of a fall by delivering automated notification of “at risk” behavior and falls by such an individual being monitored where assistance is required.
US09159213B1 Motion detection method and device
A motion detection method and device are introduced. The motion detection method is adapted to detect accelerations of an intended target along the x-axis, y-axis, and y-axis, respectively, and determine whether the intended target is in a fallen state or is undergoing a falling motion according to a signal strength algorithm and an average force field algorithm. The motion detection device includes an acceleration sensing unit for detecting acceleration along the x-axis, y-axis, and y-axis; a computing unit for determining a falling motion according to the acceleration along the x-axis, y-axis, and y-axis; and a transmitting unit for sending a message pertaining to the falling motion.
US09159210B2 Method and system for monitoring of friend and foe in a security incident
The present invention is directed to providing a method and system that enables a first responder security officer to take command and control of a building having a security incident. Using the method and system herein, the security officer is able to clearly distinguish the positions of his building entry teams in the building relative to the position of a suspect through a graphic display of friend and foe designation whereupon he can precisely direct a maneuver to close with the suspect. A group of motion sensors are mounted throughout the building to monitor various hallways for movement and collocated RFID readers are interrogated by the security alarm panel software to provide the intelligence for the security alarm control panel to distinguish a police building entry team (Friend) from the suspect (Foe).
US09159208B2 Energy efficient cascade of sensors for automatic presence detection
The present invention relates to a method and a system for detecting presence in a predefined space. The system comprises cascade connected sensors (s1, s2, . . . , sn), an output device (1), a control unit (2) and a processing unit (3). The method comprises the steps of activating a first sensor (s1) in the cascade and waiting until the first sensor detects presence. When presence is detected, a successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) in the cascade is activated, and when the successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) also detects presence the step of activating the successive sensor is repeated until all sensors in the cascade have been activated. If the successive sensor (s2, . . . , sn) does not detect presence the method returns to the waiting step of the first sensor. When the ultimate sensor in the cascade (sn) detects presence, a confirmation message is sent to the output device (1).
US09159205B1 Tamper-evident seals having adhesive-free areas to minimize rework time
Various aspects of the present disclosure provide tamper-evident seals and methods for indicating tampering with an apparatus using the tamper-evident seals. One such tamper-evident seal includes a base layer and a pattern-release layer on a periphery area of the base layer. In such case, the pattern-release layer includes a first adhesive configured to leave a residue on the printed circuit board assembly, and the base layer has a central area that is surrounded by the periphery area and free of the first adhesive.
US09159200B2 Progressive wagering game having symbol-triggering award feature
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting a wagering game, and computer programs for initiating a wagering game are presented herein. A gaming device is presented that includes a wager input device, a display, and at least one controller. The controller executes the wagering game, which includes first and second progressive awards each associated with a respective symbol-based outcome. Each symbol-based outcome has a respective frequency of occurrence. The controller randomly determines an outcome of the wagering game. The controller initiates a progressive-award-determination sequence in response to displaying the first and/or second symbol-based outcomes. There is a first probability of awarding the first progressive award, and a second probability of awarding the second progressive award. The first initial-award amount is greater than the second initial-award amount, the first frequency of occurrence is lower than the second frequency of occurrence, and the first probability is greater than the second probability.
US09159198B2 Method and system for providing electronic multiplayer tournaments with real-money prizes during tournament play
An electronic multiplayer tournament is provided in which participating players can win real-money prizes during tournament play, that is, prizes that can be redeemed for value outside of the context of the tournament prize, in addition to overall tournament prizes at the close of tournament play. The real-money prizes may include any one or more of a jackpot prize, a progressive jackpot prize or a wide-area progressive jackpot prize. A portion of a tournament entry fee can be utilized to fund the cost of the real-money prize, in direct proportion to the probability of the real-money prize being won by a participating player.
US09159191B2 Mash-up wagering game system
There is provided a mash-up method, system and machine-readable medium. Data associated with a wagering game network is obtained, at a first location. A determination is made whether to mash up the data. A presentation associated with the obtained data is selectively obtained based on the determination. The obtained data is mashed-up with the obtained presentation. The mashed-up presentation is transmitted for display to a display device associated with one or more patrons.
US09159189B2 Mobile gaming device carrying out uninterrupted game despite communications link disruption
A mobile gaming device may be a player's own personal tablet, smartphone, PDA, etc., with an application program installed via the internet for carrying out a remote gaming session. All gaming functions are carried out by a stationary gaming terminal communicating with the mobile device, such as by using WiFi. The mobile device operates as a user interface. If the communications link is temporarily broken during a game, the mobile device will create the appearance that the game is continuous, such as by continuing to spin reels, until communications are reestablished. The reels will stop once the mobile device receives the final outcome from the gaming terminal. The player may pause the game to temporarily suspend the minimum game frequency rules. The mobile device may switch between gaming terminals. For 3D video, the original format is adjusted for the mobile device. The gaming terminal may be a gaming machine.
US09159177B2 Device for monitoring the process of driving a vehicle
Device for monitoring the process of driving a vehicle consisting of at least the following: a first means of processing a signal; a second means of detecting the vehicle movement; a means for providing an HMI type of interactive display of information for the user; and a means configured for knowing the consumption characteristics of the vehicle and its technical characteristics as far as optimum theoretical behaviour; where the means for processing are configured for calculating the optimum consumption according to the characteristics of the vehicle, establishing the driving parameters required for equating the actual consumption to the optimum consumption, displaying this information to the user in the means available for display.
US09159175B2 Method for data communication between a vehicle and fuel pump
A method for data communication between a vehicle and fuel pump includes storing vehicle operating data on an onboard recorder in the vehicle, and transmitting the vehicle operating data from the onboard recorder to the fuel pump. The vehicle operating data includes vehicle identification information.
US09159166B2 Coordinate geometry augmented reality process for internal elements concealed behind an external element
Embodiments of the invention include a method, a system, and a mobile device that incorporate augmented reality technology into land surveying, 3D laser scanning, and digital modeling processes. By incorporating the augmented reality technology, a 3D digital model of internal elements concealed behind an external element can be visualized on a live view, aligned to the orientation and scale of the scene displayed on the mobile device. In an embodiment, a marker can be placed at a predetermined set of coordinates on the external element, determined by surveying equipment. The 3D digital model of the internal elements can be retrieved by the mobile device and overlaid in relation to the marker position, orientation, and size so that it is seen at a calculated distance in depth behind the external element as they would exist hidden behind the external element in the real environment.
US09159163B2 Top view site map generation systems and methods
Systems and methods for top view site map generation can include receiving a number of non-top view images of an area and generating a top view site map for the area utilizing the number of non-top view images.
US09159162B2 Method and system for generating a multi-dimensional surface model of a geometric structure
A method of constructing a bounding box comprises: acquiring a set of sensed data points; adding, for each sensed data point, at least one calculated data point; and defining a bounding box containing the sensed and calculated data points. A method of identifying voxels in a voxel grid corresponding to a plurality of data points comprises: calculating, for each data point, a distance between it and each voxel; creating a subset of voxels comprising voxels having a distance from one data point that is less than a predetermined distance; creating another subset comprising those voxels that neighbor a voxel in the first subset; computing, for each voxel in the second subset, a distance between it and each voxel in the first subset; and identifying each voxel in the first subset that is a distance away from each voxel in the second subset that exceeds a predetermined distance.
US09159157B2 Apparatus and method for tile binning
An apparatus and method for tile binning are provided. The tile binning apparatus may include a determination unit to determine whether a triangle obtained as a result of geometric processing includes an abnormal edge, an overlap test unit to perform an overlap test with respect to each edge of the triangle when the abnormal edge is absent from the triangle, and to sort three vertices of the triangle according to Y-axis values and perform the overlap test with respect to each edge of the triangle based on a sorting result when the triangle includes the abnormal edge, and a bin array update unit to update a bin array based on an overlap test result.
US09159149B2 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.
US09159147B2 Method and apparatus for personalized handwriting avatar
A computer-implemented process includes: receiving into a computer memory a response to a generic question not specifically related to handwriting style; converting the response into one or more tags representing handwriting characteristics; selecting a typeface having a handwriting characteristic of one of the tags; receiving a text string to display into a computer memory; and displaying the text string by rendering glyphs from a font file containing glyphs for the selected typeface, after applying random variations to simulate human handwriting variation.
US09159143B2 Apparatus and method for generating character collage message
A method and apparatus are provided for generating a character collage message. A character is recognized from an image. A region is extracted from the image to create a character image. The region includes the recognized character. The created character image is stored in a memory. At least the character image is output to an output unit as the character collage message in accordance with input of one or more characters through an input unit. At least one of the one or more characters corresponds to the character image, and the character image is output to the output unit as a substitute for the at least one of the one or more characters.
US09159139B2 Method and device for processing pixels contained in a video sequence
Processing the pixel value of at least one image pixel contained in a current frame of a video sequence includes constructing an individual motion trajectory including motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel over a plurality of preceding and/or subsequent frames, and processing the pixel value based on the individual motion trajectory. Constructing the individual motion trajectory includes choosing the at least one image pixel of the current frame as a start pixel of the individual motion trajectory, and adding motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel of preceding and/or subsequent frames to the individual motion trajectory. For each of the plurality of preceding and/or subsequent frames, at least two motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel are determined, and one of the at least two motion-shifted versions of the at least one image pixel is selected and added to the individual motion trajectory.
US09159137B2 Probabilistic neural network based moving object detection method and an apparatus using the same
The present disclosure proposes a method of moving object detection in variable bit-rate video steams based on probabilistic neural networks, and the method features a background generation module and a moving object detection module. The background generation module produces a model of background images which express properties of variable bit-rate video streams. The moving object detection module distinguishes a moving object in both low and high bit-rate video steams in an efficient manner. The detection result is generated by calculating the output value of the probabilistic neural networks.
US09159136B2 Temporal smoothing apparatus and method for synthesizing intermediate image
A temporal smoothing apparatus and method for synthesizing an intermediate image, the apparatus including a disparity vector estimator which receives a previous image and a present images and generates a previous disparity vector and a present disparity vector for every image block of a predetermined size, and a temporal smoothing unit which receives the previous and present images and the previous and present disparity vectors and generates a temporally-smoothed disparity vector. The temporal smoothing unit generates a distinct temporally-smoothed disparity vector for each frame on the basis of a mean absolute difference (MAD) between the previous image and the present image, so that a flickering phenomenon of an intermediate image can be removed without deterioration of image quality by adaptively performing a temporal smoothing process in accordance with types of an image.
US09159133B2 Adaptive scale and/or gravity estimation
Systems, apparatus and methods for estimating gravity and/or scale in a mobile device are presented. A difference between an image-based pose and an inertia-based pose is using to update the estimations of gravity and/or scale. The image-based pose is computed from two poses and is scaled with the estimation of scale prior to the difference. The inertia-based pose is computed from accelerometer measurements, which are adjusted by the estimation for gravity.
US09159126B2 System and method for analyzing and processing food product
Systems and methods are described that provide a fast and simple way of processing meat or food products. Information is compiled and analyzed regarding the condition of a carcass, meat product, styling of the meat product and associated tray or package. Information is used in various processes, including determining which further processing steps are required. The information is also stored for future reference and analysis.
US09159121B2 Method for image denoising
A method for removing noise from a noisy image includes a few important steps. The noise level of the noisy image is first estimated based on the smooth blocks of the image. The original image is divided into many small blocks. Each of these blocks is then converted from a two dimensional matrix to vector, which is a one dimensional array. The converted vectors are next grouped and then a matrix recovery process based on a principal component analysis (PCA) has been performed in order to remove the noise, wherein the key is to determine the number of principal components to retain during the denoising process. Next, the denoised vectors are converted back to the denoised blocks, and the denoised blocks are used to reconstruct a denoised image with a better image quality.
US09159107B2 Methods, apparatus and systems for generating location-corrected searchable electronic records of underground facility locate and/or marking operations
Generating a corrected electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation. The operation comprises locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, presence or absence of an underground facility within a dig area. At least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed. First information relating to a location of the facility and/or the mark is received. Based at least in part on the first information, the location of the facility and/or the mark is represented to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. Second information relating to a corrected location of the facility and/or the mark is received. Based at least in part on the second information, the corrected location is represented to generate a corrected electronic visual representation of the operation. Third information relating to the corrected representation of the operation is transmitted and/or stored to generate the corrected electronic record of the operation.
US09159100B2 System and method for dynamically managing business machine assets
Systems and methods for managing business machine assets are described. In one configuration, the system analyzes alternate cost structures and provides for alternate asset model replacement suggestions. The asset management system provides for asset comparison analysis. The system uses historical data for a current asset and charts potential replacement asset performance using those historical parameters or predicted or entered future parameters. In an alternative configuration, the compare and contrast report does not include the current asset, but only compares potential replacement assets.
US09159098B2 System for clearing financial transactions
A system is provided for clearing financial transactions as between banking institutions optionally by way of one or more clearing houses. A plurality of banking institutions are each enabled to communicate directly with each other and with at least one clearing house. Each banking institution has a computerized server programmed to address clearance requests to at least some of the plurality of banking institutions in the system by way of a particular route. The computerized server of at least one banking institution in the system is programmed to route clearance requests selectively and, as may be necessary, sequentially directly to one or more of the other banking institutions and clearing house in the alternative. Selection means associated with the computerized server are provided for selecting a particular one of said at least one other banking institution and clearing house according to a predetermined sequence and typically according to least cost.
US09159093B1 Method and computer readable medium for facilitating asynchronous communication between a server and client computer
A request for information relating to a commodity is sent to a server using a client computer. The requested commodity information is received at the client computer and rendered on a display. A client action with respect to the commodity information is detected, and, using the client computer, a determination is made whether communication with the server is required to respond to the client action and, if the communication is not necessary, responding to the client action without communicating with the server regarding the response.
US09159090B2 Building a standardized web form
One embodiment is a method that builds a standardized web form that includes information extracted from multiple web forms retrieved over a web from different service providers. The standardized web form is used to retrieve price quotes from the different service providers.
US09159088B2 Generating a location-aware preference and restriction-based customized menu
Location-aware preference and restriction based customized menu may be generated, for example, by obtaining a list of preferences and restrictions, tracking a dietary intake, determining a list of foods available at current location, and generating a list of recommended foods from the current location based on the list of preferences and restrictions, and the tracked dietary intake.
US09159084B2 Systems and methods to communication via a merchant aggregator
A computing apparatus configured to determine account numbers of account holders, determine merchant identifiers used to identify respective merchants in authorization requests for transactions between the respective merchants and the account holders, monitor transactions processed by a transaction handler to detect first transactions between the merchants and the account holders, and transmit information about each of the first transactions to a remote computing device in real time as the transaction handler processes the authorization of the respective detected transaction.
US09159054B2 System and method for providing guidance to persuade a caller
A system and method for providing guidance to persuade a caller is provided. A call is received from a caller into a call center and an offer is provided to the caller. A likelihood of the caller to accept the offer is measured by analyzing voice input of the caller during the call. One or more paralinguistic voice characteristics in the voice input are determined. A stage of persuasion is assigned to the caller based on the paralinguistic voice characteristics and a recommendation is made for guidance to persuade the caller to accept the offer.
US09159049B2 System and method for managing publications
A system and method of managing publications is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Address Book System (ABS) having a controller element to adjust publication privileges of a publisher of a portion of an address book stored in the ABS responsive to detecting that a number of recipients of an invitation to subscribe to the portion of the address book have declined the invitation and the number of declined invitations exceeds a first threshold. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09159046B2 Systems and methods for implementing supply chain visibility policies
Methods, storage medium and systems for implementing visibility policies within a supply chain include storing event data on a computer-readable storage medium of a first partner, the event data corresponding to at least one event associated with an item while the item was in possession of the first partner, the item having traveled through the supply chain, transferring evidence of possession between the plurality of partners as the item travels through the supply chain, and requesting access to the event data by a second partner. Implementations further include determining that the item traveled through a portion of the supply chain based on the evidence, authenticating an identity of the second partner, and authorizing the second partner to access the first event data, when it is determined that the item traveled through the portion of the supply chain and when the identity of the second party is authenticated.
US09159045B2 Systems and methods for receiving shipment parcels
Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods for receiving shipment parcels at, for example, materials handling facilities. In some embodiments, a parcel monitoring system detects an exception for a shipment parcel. The parcel monitoring system identifies a vendor associated with the shipment parcel. In response to the exception being detected, the parcel monitoring system controls a conveyor system in accordance with an action specified by an exception handling rule for the vendor.
US09159041B1 System and method of fulfilling trade requests corresponding to airline flight sequences by generating optimization network
A system and method according to which data associated with a plurality of trade requests is received, and an optimization network is generated, the optimization network including a plurality of nodes corresponding to the trade requests. The nodes are ranked in accordance with at least one business objective, and one or more of the requests are fulfilled in an order based on the ranking of the nodes. To fulfill the one or more requests, a solution is generated, the solution complying with one or more predetermined rules. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the trade requests corresponds to a request to trade a work assignment. In an exemplary embodiment, each trade request is a request by an airline crew member to trade an airline flight sequence, and the at least one business objective is based on airline crew member seniority.
US09159040B2 Accessing a ERP application over the internet using strongly typed declarative language files
A method of converting ERP data in a database managed by an ERP application and accessed through an ERP API and ERP Message Agent API (MAAPI) to strongly typed data in Java objects includes steps of reading, parsing, creating, and populating. A XML file containing the definition of the Java objects and their attributes of HyperText Markup Language (HTML) statements which specifies presentation format is read. Each of the declarations and HTML statements are parsed to identify definitions of objects and their attributes. The respective objects are created with their attributes. The objects are populated with data from the ERP data.
US09159026B2 Method and apparatus for model based decision making
The invention relates to an organization model and the method of generation of the same and use of the same, wherein the model is provided to be used to assess the current performance of an organization, or part thereof, with regard to its objectives and to guide future decision making by projecting likely future outcomes of proposed changes to the organization, based on cause-effect reasoning which can include a probabilistic layer, said model being constructed in part using available domain knowledge. The model can be also be used to check the validity and success of historical decisions against the current situation, to guide model review and future decision making.
US09159024B2 Real-time predictive intelligence platform
A real-time predictive intelligence platform comprises: receiving from a user through a meta API definitions for predictive intelligence (PI) artifacts that describe a domain of an online transaction system for least one business entity, each of the PI artifacts including types, component modules and behavior bundles; exposing an entity API based on the PI artifacts for receiving entity events from the online transaction system comprising records of interactions and transactions between customers and the online transaction system; responsive to receiving an entity event through the entity API, executing the component modules and behavior bundles to analyze relationships found between past entity events and metrics associated with the past entity events, and computing a probabilistic prediction and/or a score, which is then returned to the online transaction system in real-time; and processing entity event replicas using modified versions of the PI artifacts for experimentation.
US09159023B2 System for predicting a driver's intention to change lanes
Provided is a system for predicting a driver's intention to change lanes at a high accuracy involving a minimum amount of time delay. A driver's intention to change lanes is predicted by a prediction unit (9) by comparing motivators and inhibitors (7, 8) which may be determined from the speed of the traffic in particular the vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle and the traffic in the adjacent lanes in relation to the traveling speed of the ego vehicle by using an ego vehicle sensor (1) and an environmental sensor (3, 4, 5) that may comprise a radio wave, optical or acoustic radar. The criteria for the motivators and inhibitors may be empirically or statistically determined, preferably by conducting a large number of tests on roads. As they can be determined before the vehicle operator starts a lane changing maneuver, the prediction made by the prediction unit may be used on a real time basis in a warning system or steering/acceleration assist system.
US09159011B2 Information broadcast using color space encoded image
Embodiments of the present disclosure can include systems, methods, and non-transitory computer program products for using color space encoded images to perform image-based information broadcasting. In certain aspects, the information broadcasting can include using the encoded images to broadcast information to multiple devices within view of the encoded images. Embodiments can also include broadcasting information independent of network availability. In certain aspects, a public display having a camera can register or capture a color space encoded image from a remote device, where the encoded image encodes a request for information from a user. The public display can send the encoded image to be decoded, and receive the decoded request for information. The public display can encode an encoded image representing a response, and display the encoded image representing a response for decoding by the user.
US09159006B2 System and method for document transmission from a computing device to a portbale electronic device
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for managing a document. An example aspect provides a method of requesting a document to be displayed at a portable electronic device, including: installing at a computer a printer driver for displaying documents at the portable electronic device; creating an association of a portable account identifier with a unique identifier of the portable electronic device; using the printer driver and the association, to transmit the document to the portable electronic device over a network; and transmitting from the computer the document.
US09159002B2 Recording sheet transport apparatus and printing system incorporating same
A relay transport apparatus (400) includes a first transport path, a plurality of first transport sections (63), a plurality of driving sections (64), and a drive transmission section (65). The first transport path is formed so as to couple a carry-in port and a carry-out port. The first transport path includes a plurality of segments (S2a and S2b). The plurality of first transport sections (63) are disposed along the first transport path. The first transport sections are configured to transport the paper sheet carried in from the carry-in port to the carry-out port along the first transport path. The plurality of driving sections (64) correspond to the respective segments. The plurality of driving sections (64) are configured to drive the first transport section in the corresponding segment. The drive transmission section (65) drives the plurality of first transport sections based on an output from a predetermined one driving section (64a) when only the predetermined one driving section operates among the plurality of driving sections. The drive transmission section (65) drives the plurality of first transport sections based on outputs from the corresponding driving sections when the plurality of driving sections operate.
US09159000B1 Device and method for producing a security mark on a sheet of paper
A device for making security marks by means of a plurality of simultaneously backing and printing dies, each with a pre-designed image. The device makes it possible to subject a sheet of paper to a novelty simultaneous abrasion and printing method of a security mark using the dies previously and smoothly inked by means of inking rollers with either one or more inks not visible to the naked eye, but revealable by one or more temporarily applicable revealing stimuli, wherein the security mark shows as authentication evidence a pre-designed image invisible to the naked eye, but which becomes visible in many different ways, and at least one second form of verification under a revealing stimulus, wherein all forms in which the images are revealed on the paper have an absolute matching location because they are produced simultaneously and by the same backing and printing die.
US09158993B2 Video comparison using color histograms
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for video comparison using color histograms are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compare video sequences include determining a color histogram corresponding to an input video sequence based on color values of pixels sampled from a plurality of video frames of the input video sequence. Such example methods also include adjusting the color histogram corresponding to the input video sequence based on a first reference color histogram corresponding to a first reference video sequence to determine a first adjusted color histogram corresponding to the input video sequence. Such example methods further include comparing the adjusted color histogram and the first reference color histogram to determine whether the first reference video sequence matches the input video sequence.
US09158967B2 Systems and methods for mobile image capture and processing
In various embodiments, methods, systems, and computer program products for processing digital images captured by a mobile device are disclosed. Myriad features enable and/or facilitate processing of such digital images using a mobile device that would otherwise be technically impossible or impractical, and furthermore address unique challenges presented by images captured using a camera rather than a traditional flat-bed scanner, paper-feed scanner or multifunction peripheral.
US09158963B2 Fitting contours to features
Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for feature point localization are disclosed. An object in an input image may be detected. A profile model may be applied to determine feature point locations for each object component of the detected object. Applying the profile model may include globally optimizing the feature points for each object component to find a global energy minimum. A component-based shape model may be applied to update the respective feature point locations for each object component.
US09158957B2 Finger sensing apparatus using hybrid matching and associated methods
A finger sensing apparatus may include a finger sensor including an integrated circuit (IC) substrate, an array of finger sensing elements on the IC substrate, and match circuitry on the IC substrate for performing final finger matching. The finger sensing apparatus may also include a host platform cooperating with the array of finger sensing elements for performing at least one finger prematch function. In addition, the finger sensor and the host platform may implement at least one security function therebetween. The at least one security function may include a watermarking function, and/or an encryption/decryption function.
US09158953B2 Method and apparatus for scanning with controlled spherical aberration
A reader obtains image data corresponding to an image of optically encoded information that is received via a lens unit that causes controlled spherical aberration blurring that is precisely known. The reader may perform deconvolution processing on the image data to render it decodable. The deconvolution processing may implement a Weiner filter that uses data corresponding to a near-field point spread function of the lens unit. The depth of field of the reader is greater than that of conventional reader in all lighting conditions.
US09158951B2 Laser scanning modules embodying silicone scan element with torsional hinges
A laser scanning module employs a scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly supported by a stationary stator structure. The scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly includes: a silicone frame having a pair of silicone torsional hinges (i.e. posts) aligned along a scan axis and a supported by a pair of support elements associated with the stator structure, to support the scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly. When the scan mirror and magnet rotor subassembly is rotated about its scan axis, by forces generated by an electromagnetic coil structure acting on the permanent magnet mounted on silicone frame, the silicone torsional hinges are elastically distorted and generate linear restoring forces which return the rotor subassembly back to its home position about the scan axis.
US09158947B2 Mapping the determined RFID priority level of an RFID first network to a priority level corresponding to a second network to provide quality of service to RFID
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing Quality of service to RFID. In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of providing quality of service in an RFID network comprising storing RFID priority information corresponding to the RFID network, wherein the RFID network comprises one or more tags and one or more readers mapping the RFID priority information into priority information corresponding to a second network.
US09158944B2 Systems, methods, and apparatuses for associating flexible internet based information with physical objects
Systems, apparatuses and methods for associating flexible Internet based information with physical objects is described. An example system includes a database server configured to generate a tag responsive to receiving a request from a requesting device. The tag is encoded with a uniform resource locator. The database server is further configured to associate a tag type of a plurality of tag types with the tag. The tag type indicates an intended use of the tag. The system further includes a memory configured to store data corresponding to the tag. The data may include the uniform resource locator and the tag type.
US09158932B2 Modeled authorization check implemented with UI framework
Access by a user to a database layer, is governed by modeled authorization checking implemented with authorization objects present in an overlying application layer. At design time, the authorization checking is modeled as part of an existing user interface (UI) model, which may conform to a Model, View, and Control (MVC) design pattern. Authorization objects created during design time, are stored in a meta data repository. At runtime, an authorization engine references the authorization objects and the operations supported by those authorization objects. The authorization check is thus implemented centrally in the UI framework itself using this modeled information. Embodiments avoid complexity, potential lack of internal consistency, and low visibility of conventional de-centralized authorization checking schemes that rely upon a plurality of enforcement points hard-coded at multiple locations within application logic.
US09158931B2 Block encryption method and block decryption method having integrity verification
An encryption method and decryption method are provided. The encryption method divides an electronic file into a plurality of message blocks, wherein the message blocks have a sequence. The encryption method sets a checking vector as the last message block. The encryption method performs the following steps on each message block according to the sequence: generating an input block, deriving an output block by encrypting the input block by an encryption key, and deriving an encrypted block by applying XOR operation to the output block and the previous message block, wherein the input block is equivalent to applying XOR operation to the message block, the output block corresponding to the previous message block, and the message block before the previous one. The encryption method generates an electronic encrypted file by concatenating the encrypted blocks. The decryption method performs a series of operations corresponding to the above operations.
US09158920B2 System and method for out-of-band assisted biometric secure boot
In some embodiments, the invention involves using a dedicated service processor with out-of-band capabilities to enable a secure boot using biometric data to authenticate the user. In some embodiments, at least a secondary token is used enhance the secure boot. An off-line database may be accessed by the service processor during boot to store or retrieve biometric templates to compare with scanned, live, biometric data. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09158919B2 Threat level assessment of applications
An application safety system is described herein that provides a scoring system of how dangerous an application is based on behavioral inspection of the application. Upon detecting installation of an application or first execution of the application, the application safety system performs static analysis before the new application is executed by the operating system. The system allows the user to approve running the application after displaying information about what the application does. Next, the system performs dynamic analysis as the application runs and alerts the user to any potentially harmful behavior. Over time, the system determines when the application may be acting in a manner that is out of character and informs the user. The system also allows users to restrict behavior that a particular application can perform.
US09158915B1 Systems and methods for analyzing zero-day attacks
A computer-implemented method for analyzing zero-day attacks may include 1) identifying, within a database of known security vulnerabilities, disclosure timing information that indicates when a security vulnerability was publicly disclosed, 2) correlating a file with the security vulnerability by searching a database of file activity for at least one file that is associated with an attack that exploits the security vulnerability, 3) identifying, within the database of file activity, activity timing information indicating timing of one or more activities that involve the file and that occurred on endpoint computing devices before the security vulnerability was publicly disclosed, and 4) comparing the disclosure timing information with the activity timing information to investigate a potential zero-day attack that exploits the security vulnerability. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09158910B2 Password resetting method and electronic device having password resetting function
A computerized method for resetting a password of a user, the user uses an electronic device to access to an information system provided by a server according to a user ID of the user and the password. An index code and device information of the electronic device are stored in the server corresponding to the user ID. When the password is to be reset, the user ID and the index code are inputted by the user and the device information of the electronic device is acquired. A verification string is generated using the index code and the user ID inputted by the user and the acquired device information, and is sent to the server for verification, thereby requesting to reset the password.
US09158907B2 Alternative unlocking patterns
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for receiving, by a computing system that is locked, input from a user that provides an unlocking pattern. During entry of the unlocking pattern, a display of the computing system does not provide a visual indication of an action that will be performed upon the user completing the unlocking pattern. The computing system compares the provided unlocking pattern to a plurality of stored unlocking patterns to determine whether the provided unlocking pattern matches any of the stored unlocking patterns. The stored unlocking patterns are associated with respective actions that are performed upon completion of the respective unlocking patterns. The unlocking patterns are associated with a same level of unlocked security access to the computing system. The computing system responds by unlocking the computing system and performing the action that is associated with the matching unlocking pattern.
US09158903B2 Identity verification systems and methods
Systems and methods for authenticating the identity of a user prior to giving access to confidential data at a user interface via a network are described. In an exemplary implementation in an Internet environment, a server hosts an application providing selective access by the user to confidential data related to the user. The user provides initial data to the application as part of a request to access the confidential data. At least one database having the confidential data stored therein is accessed by the server to retrieve confidential data relating to the user located in the database based on the initial data received from the client interface. An authentication function causes the server to transmit to the client interface and present to the user an incomplete portion of the confidential data relating to the user, which is not identical to the initial data, along with at least one other portion of data having a substantially identical format to the incomplete portion of the confidential data. The authentication function requests the user to provide additional data to complete the incomplete portion of the confidential data. The user is granted access to the confidential data subsequent to determination by the application that the user correctly completed the incomplete portion of the confidential data.
US09158899B2 Terminal apparatus with DRM decoding function and DRM decoding method in terminal apparatus
Provided is a terminal apparatus with a DRM decoding function and a DRM decoding method in a terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus with a DRM decoding function comprises a native unit which is provided with a local file memory for storing DRM media content data and an application program for driving a media device player using an operating system; and a DRM decoding unit which reads the DRM media content data from the local file memory using a URL path for web server, when it is required from the application program to reproduce the DRM media content data, and decodes the read DRM media content data, and provides the decoded DRM media content data to the media device player. Therefore, it is possible to reproduce the DRM media content data in the terminal apparatus without the exclusive DRM decoding module.
US09158897B2 Methods and systems for distributing right-protected asset
A method includes allowing a right-protected asset to be shared by a first device with a second device while they are within a determinable proximity of one another. Subsequent to the sharing, an option to acquire the right-protected asset is presented to the second device when the first device and the second device are not within the determinable proximity of one another.
US09158896B2 Method and system for generating a secure key
A method, system on a chip, and computer system for generating more robust keys which utilize data occupying relatively small die areas is disclosed. Embodiments provide a convenient and effective mechanism for generating a key for use in securing data on a portable electronic device, where the key is generated from repurposed data and a relatively small amount. A multi-stage encryption algorithm may be performed to generate the key, where the first stage may include encrypting the secure data, and the second stage may include encrypting the result of a logical operation on the encrypted secure data with a unique identifier of the portable electronic device. A secret key may be used as the encryption key for each stage. The result of the second encryption stage may include the generated key which may be used to perform subsequent operations on the portable electronic device.
US09158895B2 Providing a managed browser
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing a managed browser are presented. In various embodiments, a computing device may load a managed browser. The managed browser may, for instance, be configured to provide a managed mode in which one or more policies are applied to the managed browser, and an unmanaged mode in which such policies might not be applied and/or in which the browser might not be managed by at least one device manager agent running on the computing device. Based on device state information and/or one or more policies, the managed browser may switch between the managed mode and the unmanaged mode, and the managed browser may provide various functionalities, which may include selectively providing access to enterprise resources, based on such state information and/or the one or more policies.