Document	Document Title
US09168224B2	Pimecrolimus foam composition containing hexylene glycol, optionally oleyl alcohol, dimethylisosorbide and/or medium chain triglycerides Pharmaceutical foam compositions substantially free of ethanol and comprising pimecrolimus in a carrier vehicle comprising a mixture of oily solvents amounting to at least 40% of the total weight of the composition and consisting of: i) hexylene glycol; ii) optionally oleyl alcohol; and iii) dimethylisosorbide and/or medium chain triglycerides; and additionally: iv) when oleyl alcohol is absent, water in an amount of less than 25%; v) at least one consistency agent; vi) at least one preservative; and vii) at least one surfactant/emulgator; and propellant gas for foaming; and optionally further conventional excipients. They are indicated for use in the treatment of various skin, nail and mucosal diseases.
US09168222B2	Nasolacrimal drainage system implants for drug therapy An implant for insertion through a punctum and into a canalicular lumen of a patient. The implant includes a matrix of material, a therapeutic agent dispersed in the matrix of material, a sheath disposed over a portion of the matrix of material and configured to inhibit the therapeutic agent from being released from the matrix of material into the canalicular lumen and to allow the therapeutic agent to be released from a surface of the matrix of material to a tear film, and a retention structure configured to retain the implant within the canalicular lumen.
US09168215B2	Cosmetic use of lacritin-type polypeptides The present invention is directed to the use, in particular cosmetic use, of an effective amount of at least one lacritin-type polypeptide, of an analogue thereof or of a fragment thereof, of at least one nucleic acid sequence encoding this polypeptide, or of at least one agent that modulates the activity, the stability or the expression of this polypeptide, or its interaction with syndecan-1, as an agent useful for the care of the skin and of appendages thereof.
US09168214B2	Methods of increasing collagen formation and cellular migration in intact skin It has been discovered that vascular endothelial growth factor (“VEGF”) promotes migration of activated (but not differentiating) keratinocytes to skin. This growth factor specifically increases migration of keratinocytes of the “wounded skin” phenotype but does not have significant effects upon differentiated keratinocytes. It also increases collagen deposition and reduces wrinkles, enhances skin quality, and increases skin thickness to normal levels in individuals where skin has thinned due to age or disorder such as diabetes. It is particularly well suited for use as cosmeceuticals when applied in purified form and in known amounts. The data presented in the examples demonstrate efficacy and specificity of VEGF in enhancing migration of normal human keratinocytes as well as formation of new granulation tissue including collagen formation. VEGF induces keratinocyte and fibroblast migration, formation of new tissue, and not only induces deposition of collagen but improves alignment of the collagen fibers. Accordingly, this growth factor is highly suitable for use as a cosmeceutical, especially for skin resurfacing and reduction in wrinkles.
US09168206B2	Curable dental compositions and articles comprising polymerizable ionic liquids Presently described are curable dental compositions comprising a polymerizable ionic liquid. The polymerizable ionic liquid comprises one or more ethylenically unsaturated (e.g. free-radically polymerizable) groups. Various embodiments of curable dental compositions are described. In some embodiments, the polymerizable ionic liquid is a monofunctional polymerizable ionic liquid comprising an ethylenically unsaturated group. In other embodiments, the polymerizable ionic liquid is a multifunctional polymerizable ionic liquid comprising at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups. The curable dental compositions describe herein can be utilized as dental primers, dental adhesives, dental sealants, and dental composites. In many embodiments, the curable dental compositions further comprise an initiator such as a photoinitiator.
US09168202B2	Device and method for docking a vial with a container A device and method for docking a vial with a container is disclosed. A cap may be used to establish fluid communication between the vial and a container. The cap may be positioned within a first aperture in the device which is positioned below a second aperture which is sized to accept the vial. The second aperture may contain a taper so that the vial may automatically center above the piercing aperture of the cap. A notch may be placed adjacent to the first aperture so that the vial and cap may be removed horizontally from the device. A cavity may be positioned below the first aperture to accept at least a portion of a container which may be in fluid communication with the cap.
US09168197B2	Vascular compression system A vascular compression system includes a compression garment and a controller for compressing a body part of a person. In some embodiments, the compression garment is a foot cuff or a leg sleeve. The controller inflates compression garment apparatus includes a compression garment and a pressurizer. The pressurizer has instructions for executing cyclic compression cycles for applying intermittent compression therapy to the body part. Each compression cycle includes an inflation phase and a vent phase. At least one of the inflation phases includes a pre-fill step and a therapeutic step. In the pre-fill step, gas pressure in the inflatable chamber may be increased at a reduced rate, and in the therapeutic step, the gas pressure in the inflatable chamber may be increased at a rapid rate.
US09168188B2	Cast removal system Apparatus and methods for cutting a material, especially with low material speed and high cutting torque. In some embodiments, the apparatus is a hand-held device for quietly cutting through an orthopedic cast with little or no generation of debris. In yet other embodiments, there is a method for automatically advancing material past a shearing surface, such that the shearing action occurs at about the same velocity as the advancement. In yet other embodiments, there is a device for cutting material between a foot and a sharp edge, with the bottom of the foot being under the sharp edge to protect the skin of the patient.
US09168186B2	Absorbent core having varied basis weight of absorbent material and adhesive An absorbent core comprising a substrate layer and an absorbent layer, the absorbent layer comprising an absorbent material and a thermoplastic adhesive material; the absorbent core has longitudinal and transverse dimensions and consists of nine transverse segments in its longitudinal dimension and six longitudinal segments in its transverse dimension; in each of the transverse segments and longitudinal segments, the absorbent layer has average basis weights of absorbent material of thermoplastic adhesive material; the basis weights of the absorbent layer in at least one of the transverse segments are lower than the basis weights of the absorbent layer in at least one other of the transverse segments; and the basis weights of the absorbent layer in at least one of the longitudinal segments are lower than the basis weights of the absorbent layer in at least one other of the longitudinal segments.
US09168180B2	Conformable medical dressing with self supporting substrate A medical dressing comprising a backing layer and a self-supporting substrate. The backing layers form a perimeter around the self supporting substrate and hold the self supporting substrate in place on a wound.
US09168173B2	Apparatus and methods for performing enhanced visually directed procedures under low ambient light conditions The apparatus and methods of the present invention in a broad aspect provide novel visualization platforms for performing enhanced visually directed procedures on target objects or tissues under low ambient light conditions. The visualization platforms can be included with or retro-fit to existing optical systems such as stereomicroscopes and include at least one high resolution photosensor capable of acquiring a plurality of optical views of the target object or tissue in at least one wavelength outside of the wavelengths of normal visible light. A resultant real-time high resolution video signal is transmitted from the photosensor to at least one high resolution video display that can be viewed by the apparatus or process operator.
US09168171B2	Combination treatments A method of treating a subject in need thereof, is carried out by (a) administering said subject a therapeutic intervention (e.g., an active agent) in a treatment effective amount; and concurrently (b) administering said subject caloric vestibular stimulation in a treatment effective amount, said caloric vestibular stimulation administered so as to enhance the efficacy of said active agent. In some embodiments, the caloric vestibular stimulation is administered as an actively controlled time varying waveform.
US09168170B2	Systems, devices and methods for bilateral caloric vestibular stimulation An in-ear stimulation device for administering caloric stimulation to the ear canal of a subject includes (a) first and second earpieces configured to be insertable into the ear canals of the subject; (b) at least first and second thermoelectric devices thermally coupled to respective ones of the first and second earpieces; (c) a first heat sink thermally coupled to the first thermoelectric device opposite the first earpiece and a second heat sink thermally coupled to the second thermoelectric device opposite the second earpiece; and (d) a controller comprising a waveform generator in communication with the first and second thermoelectric devices, the waveform generator configured to generate a first control signal to control a first caloric output to the first thermoelectric device and a second control signal to control a second caloric output to the second caloric device.
US09168165B2	Squat and lunge training device A device which restricts movement of the knee during lunge and squatting exercises prevents weight imbalance which may result in undue strain and knee injury. The device has a foot engagement member stepped upon by the user and held in place by the user's weight, or the foot engagement member conforms to the side of the user's foot and is held in place by a strap. Attached to the foot engagement is a vertical member extending upwardly from the foot engagement member. A shin engagement member attached to the vertical member is generally positioned in a position along the lower leg of the user, below the knee and laterally adjacent to the user's tibia. As the user performs exercise, the shin engagement member prevents the user's knees from forward movement which extends forward of the user's feet. The device also has structure which prevents inward collapse of the knees.
US09168152B2	Implants and methods for spinal fusion An implant is provided for performing spinal fusion. The implant includes an implant body having a leading side and a trailing side at opposing ends along a longitudinal axis. Between the leading side and trailing side are an upper surface, a lower surface, an anterior side, and a posterior side. At least one keel structure is provided extending from the implant body for penetration into an adjacent vertebral body. A trial sizer and keel cutter may be utilized to form keel channels within the vertebral body to receive the keel structure.
US09168147B2	Self-deploying locking screw retention device A screw assembly and a spinal implant. The screw assembly includes a screw with a head and a shaft where a screw retention member is positioned beneath the head of the screw and substantially surrounds the shaft of the screw. The screw retention member is formed from a temperature-sensitive material. The screw retention member has a first contracted position adapted for inserting the screw through at least one hole in the spinal implant and a second expanded position adapted for retaining the screw within the at least one hole in the spinal implant. The screw retention member may be in the form of a coiled spring or a collar having a plurality of tabs.
US09168145B2	Posterior stabilized orthopaedic knee prosthesis having controlled condylar curvature An orthopaedic knee prosthesis includes a tibial bearing and a femoral component configured to articulate with the tibial bearing. The femoral component includes a posterior cam configured to contact a spine of the tibial bearing and a condyle surface curved in the sagittal plane. The radius of curvature of the condyle surface decreases gradually between early-flexion and mid-flexion. Additionally, in some embodiments, the posterior cam of the femoral component may include a concave cam surface and a convex cam surface.
US09168132B2	Stentless support structure A stentless support structure capable of being at least partly assembled in situ. The support structure comprises a braided tube that is very flexible and, when elongated, becomes very long and very small in diameter, thereby being capable of placement within a small diameter catheter. The support structure is preferably constructed of one or more thin strands of a super-elastic or shape memory material such as Nitinol. When released from the catheter, the support structure folds itself into a longitudinally compact configuration. The support structure thus gains significant strength as the number of folds increase. This radial strength obviates the need for a support stent. The support structure may include attachment points for a prosthetic valve.
US09168129B2	Artificial heart valve with scalloped frame design Implantable prosthetic valves are disclosed, methods of their use, and related fabrication techniques are disclosed. In some cases, the prosthetic valves disclosed herein can include frame, skirt, and valve components. The frame component can have an overall, generally scalloped shape comprising fewer struts and fabricated from less raw material than known frames. In some cases, the prosthetic valves disclosed herein can be crimped to a smaller diameter than can other known valves.
US09168127B2	Intraoperative estimation of intraocular lens power Apparatus for performing intraocular implant surgery, including surgical apparatus for performing intraocular implant surgery, an autorefraction device associated with the surgical apparatus, wherein the autorefraction device is configured to perform autorefraction on the aphakic eye to provide one or more aphakic refraction measurements, and a processor connected to the autorefraction device, wherein the processor is configured to process the aphakic refraction measurements and provide the user of the apparatus with information regarding the power of the intraocular lens.
US09168111B2	Abutment devices and methods for natural teeth Root canal abutment devices and methods which facilitate the adjustment or removal of an oral appliance, e.g., a crown or bridge, from a reconfigurable abutment assembly are described. The adjustable abutment assembly may be secured within a pulp chamber of a pre-existing tooth. The abutment assembly has a projecting abutment portion with one or more shape memory alloy sleeves or plates or elements extending along the abutment. Each of the sleeves has a length with at least one curved or arcuate portion. Energy may be applied to the elements such that the arcuate portion flattens to allow for the oral appliance to be placed thereupon while removal of the energy allows the elements to reconfigure into its curved configuration thereby locking the oral appliance to the abutment. Removal of the oral appliance may be effected by reapplication of energy to the elements.
US09168110B2	Dental implant system having enhanced soft-tissue growth features A dental implant system including an implant and an abutment is disclosed. The implant includes a generally cylindrical body, a central axis, a distal end for anchoring in a patient's bone and a proximal end opposing the distal end. The proximal end includes a roughened lateralized surface that surrounds an abutment-engaging region. The lateralized surface is disposed at a negative slope relative to the central axis. The abutment includes an upper portion for supporting a tooth-like prosthesis and a lower portion for engaging the abutment-engaging region of the dental implant. The diameter of the lower portion of the abutment is smaller than the diameter of the implant at its proximal end. The lower portion includes a first surface with a soft-tissue enhancing material. The first surface and the lateralized surface defining a circumferentially extending recess having a V-shaped cross-section for receiving and attachment to the soft tissue.
US09168102B2	Method and apparatus for providing a container to a sterile environment A method and apparatus for providing an unsterilized item to a sterile field is disclosed. The item can include a human input device. The sterile field can be in an operating room.
US09168100B2	Methods and instruments for subchondral treatment of osteoarthritis in a small joint Devices, instruments and associated methods for the subchondral treatment of osteoarthritis in small joints are provided. In addition, a method for treating joint pain in small joints is provided. These small joints may be ankle, elbow or wrist joints. The methods may target one of many different access points having trajectories with a common focal point at or near the small joint. The instruments may limit access to areas within or near the small joint by providing predefined entry paths that avoid damage to surrounding tissues.
US09168098B2	Light-based method for the endovascular treatment of pathologically altered blood vessels A light-based method of endovascular treatment, in particular, of pathologically altered blood vessels. Provided are a Method of Endovascular Light Treatment and a corresponding Endovascular Light Application Device.
US09168093B2	Cooling systems for electrode arrays A medical device is disclosed, including a catheter body; an electrode array coupled to the catheter body, the electrode array being transitionable from a substantially linear configuration to a substantially helical configuration; and a fluid conduit coupled to the catheter body spaced apart from the electrode array, wherein the fluid conduit is transitionable from a substantially linear configuration to a substantially helical configuration. The device may include a fluid source in communication with the fluid conduit and a radiofrequency signal generator coupled to the electrode array.
US09168091B2	Ablation apparatus and system to limit nerve conduction A method of managing a system of minimally invasive surgery. The management method includes providing a practitioner with a minimally invasive surgery system including a controller. One or more use parameters is stored to memory associated with the controller. In addition, an electrosurgical probe having its own memory is provided to mate with the remaining elements of the system. Complementary use parameters are stored in the memory of the probe. The management method also includes communicating and comparing the use parameters of the controller with the complementary use parameters of the probe and managing the use of the electrosurgical probe according to the use parameters.
US09168087B2	Electrosurgical system and method for sterilizing chronic wound tissue An electrosurgical method for sterilizing chronic wound tissue, comprising: positioning an active electrode in proximity to the chronic wound tissue; delivering an electrically conductive fluid proximate the active electrode; and applying a high frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode in the presence of the electrically conductive liquid sufficient to generate an ionized vapor layer at the active electrode, wherein the ionized vapor layer sterilizes at least a portion of the chronic wound tissue.
US09168081B2	Cryogenic ablation system and method A device for treating esophageal target tissue comprises a catheter, a balloon and a refrigerant delivery device. The catheter has a distal portion and a refrigerant delivery lumen. The balloon is mounted to and the refrigerant delivery device is coupled to the distal portion. The refrigerant delivery device comprises a chamber with the refrigerant delivery lumen opening into the chamber, a refrigerant delivery opening fluidly coupled to the balloon interior, and a distribution passageway fluidly coupling the chamber and the refrigerant delivery opening. A refrigerant is deliverable through the refrigerant delivery lumen, into the chamber, through the distribution passageway, through the refrigerant delivery opening and into the balloon interior so to place the balloon into an expanded, cooled state so that the balloon can press against and cool esophageal target tissue. The medical device may include means for sensing a leak in the balloon.
US09168080B2	Balloon catheter A medical device including a catheter body defining a proximal portion and a distal portion. An expandable element is included defining a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being coupled to the distal portion of the catheter body. A tip element coupled to the distal end of the expandable element is included, the tip element including a shaft slideably receivable within a portion of the catheter body. A tensioning element coupled to the shaft and disposed within the expandable element is included, the tensioning element being engageable with the distal end of the catheter body and biasing the expandable element toward a pre-determined longitudinal position. An electrode array defining a substantially closed loop affixed to and extending from the tip element is also included.
US09168076B2	Bone compression screw A system for orthopedic repair of bones, the system may include a compression screw. The screw may include a blunt tip on one end with tapped threads to allow for greater bone fixation uniform across a threaded portion of the screw. The screw may also include springs, which may be Belleville washers, which provide appropriate compression and tension and prevent excessive loosening of the screw after surgery. The springs allow the screw to retract without losing pressure on the fracture site. The system may be minimally invasive for multiple fractures on a single bone such as calcaneal fractures, and stabilizing long bone fractures without bone plates.
US09168066B2	Ball and socket assembly A ball and socket assembly including a ball component with a notch formed therein. The socket is a one-piece structure including an opening sized to receive the ball component.
US09168064B2	Bilateral dynamic external distractor for the treatment of complex fracture luxations of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the hand A bilateral dynamic external distractor is disclosed for the treatment of complex fracture luxations of the PIP of the hand. The distractor comprises two setscrews, one left proximal guide block, one right proximal guide block, two threaded rods, two distal guide blocks, and two optional alignment guide clips. The left and right distal guide blocks each comprise a threaded passage, and the first threaded rod extends between the right proximal guide block and the right distal guide block, and the second threaded rod extends between the left proximal guide block and the left distal guide block. Furthermore, rotation of the first and second threaded rods causes the left and right distal guide blocks to move relative to the left and right proximal guide blocks along an axis of the first and second threaded rods.
US09168062B2	Spinal implant system and method A method for treating a spine comprises the steps of: percutaneously delivering a first fastener along a pedicle trajectory disposed in alignment with a first vertebral level of vertebrae; fastening the first fastener with the first vertebral level adjacent a lateral portion of the vertebrae; percutaneously delivering a first spinal rod adjacent to the first fastener; connecting the first spinal rod with the first fastener; percutaneously delivering a second fastener along a cortical trajectory disposed in alignment with the first vertebral level; fastening the second fastener with the first vertebral level adjacent a contra-lateral portion of the vertebrae; percutaneously delivering a second spinal rod adjacent to the second fastener; and connecting the second spinal rod with the second fastener. Systems and implants are disclosed.
US09168059B2	Adaptable obturator for various sized trocars Surgical access systems and obturators for or used in surgical access systems are provided. The obturator is configured to operate or accommodate the use of at least two different sized trocars. The outer diameter of the adaptable obturator when inserted into a trocar compresses from an initial condition to a compressed condition to match the inner diameter of the trocar.
US09168050B1	End effector construction A medical instrument tool or end effector constructed of a fixed jaw having a distal grasping end and a proximal body end; a movable jaw having a distal grasping end and a proximal body end; a slide member controlled from a tool actuator, adapted for linear translation and supported between the jaws; at least one link that inter-couples between the slide member and the movable jaw; and a pivot member mounted at the fixed jaw and for engagement with a slot in the body end of the movable jaw.
US09168042B2	Circular stapling instruments A circular stapling instrument including a stapling forming assembly that is actuated independently from actuation of the cutting assembly is provided. The instrument includes a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the handle assembly, a cartridge assembly mounted on a distal end of the elongate body. The cartridge assembly includes a pusher assembly and a knife assembly. The knife assembly is selectively fixed relative to the pusher assembly.
US09168041B2	Pediatric esophageal atresia magnetic anastomosis system A system and a method for joining an upper and lower esophageal sacs in an infant are provided. The system includes a first elongate member having a first magnet, the first magnet including an end portion configured to abut an interior surface of the upper esophageal sac. The system also includes a second elongate member having a second magnet, the second magnet including an end portion configured to abut an interior surface of the lower esophageal sac. The system further includes a third elongate member having a third magnet and a spacer positioned distal to the third magnet. The third elongate member is positionable in the upper esophageal sac after the first elongate member has been removed. A magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet is configured to pull the first magnet and the second magnet towards each other to lengthen the upper and lower esophageal sacs.
US09168037B2	Laparoscopic suture device with asynchronous in-line needle movement An apparatus comprises a shaft, a needle throwing arm, and a needle receiving arm. The arms are movable asynchronously along planes that are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft. The arms selectively engage a surgical needle, such that the throwing arm may pass the surgical needle through tissue for receipt by the receiving arm, and the receiving arm may then pass the surgical needle back to the throwing arm for additional stitching. The arms may pivot about a common pivot. Such versions may include a single actuator for both arms or separate actuators for the arms. The arms may also pivot about their own respective axles, which may facilitate a forward reset motion for a needle, allowing the needle to continue travelling along a circular path in a single direction to create several stitches. The apparatus may also convert reciprocating movement of actuators into rotational motion.
US09168031B2	Expandable thoracic access port A surgical access assembly for positioning within an opening in tissue including an outer member positionable outside a patient and defining an opening therein to receive a surgical instrument. The outer member has a first portion and a second portion wherein at least one of the first and second portions is movable with respect to the other portion. The assembly also includes an inner member positionable within a patient and a flexible member extending between the inner member and outer member, wherein movement of one of the first and second portions of the outer member adjusts tension on the flexible member to retract tissue. A locking mechanism locks the outer member in a plurality of select expanded positions. The locking mechanism includes first engagement structure on the first portion engageable with the second portion and a slidable member movable to a locking position to retain the first and second portions in the select expanded position.
US09168029B2	Biological sample collection device Methods of using a biological sample collection device comprising a collection portion and a body portion, the body portion including a holding portion for holding a biological sample storage medium, and a sample transfer means, such as a cover. The collection portion can be arranged in a first position separated from the body portion for collecting a sample, and in a second position at least partly between the sample transfer means and the holding portion, with the sample transfer means being operable to push the collection portion towards a position at which the holding means is arranged to hold the biological sample storage medium, enabling a sample held in the collection portion to be transferred to the latter.
US09168027B2	Adaptive acoustic pressure estimation in medical ultrasound Adaptive acoustic pressure estimation is provided in medical ultrasound. The responses of tissue of a specific patient at different frequencies (e.g., linear and non-linear responses) are measured. The responses are used to determine the acoustic pressure. The measurement in a specific patient adapts the estimate to the patient. The acoustic pressure for the desired locations is determined in order to set the transmit power to the desired level, such as for contrast agent imaging with high SNR but with limited destruction of the contrast agents or to provide the desired thermal dose the acoustic therapy.
US09168024B2	Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and method of producing ultrasound image An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes an operating unit which sets multistage focus positions through operation by an operator, and a multistage focus position correction unit which, when an inter-focus position distance at the multistage focus positions set through the operating unit exceeds an allowable range set in advance for each measurement depth, automatically corrects the multistage focus positions so as to be within the allowable range.
US09168011B2	Radiography system, console and electronic cassette For identification of individual electronic cassettes, a different label is attached to each of the electronic cassettes. Selection buttons for selecting one of the electronic cassettes are provided on a console in correspondence with the respective electronic cassettes. A cassette ID is assigned to each of the electronic cassettes, and the console communicates with the selected electronic cassette using the cassette ID assigned to the selected electronic cassette. Data of correspondence between the cassette ID and the label is memorized for each electronic cassette. The same label is displayed on the selection button as the label on the corresponding electronic cassette, allowing confirming whether the electronic cassette actually positioned for imaging coincides with the electronic cassette selected on the console.
US09168001B2	Adhesively mounted apparatus for determining physiological and contextual status The invention comprises an apparatus for determining the contextual or physiological status of the individual wearing the apparatus. The apparatus is designed to be consumable or disposable. In most embodiments the invention comprises an adhesive housing. In some embodiments, two different sensors are secured to the housing. The apparatus is in electronic communication with a processing unit that can derive analytical status data by using the data received from the two sensors. In some embodiments, the processing unit is programmed to control other devices, or is programmed to trigger an event. In still other embodiments, the apparatus is in electronic communication with a separate computing device, which may contain the processing unit.
US09167999B2	Systems and methods for planning hair transplantation Systems and methods for creating a treatment plan for cosmetic procedures, for example, a hair transplantation procedure, are provided. The treatment plan allows user to provide input on a proposed hair element using a free-hand drawing in a two-dimensional plane, and for the proposed hair element to be generated and displayed on a three-dimensional model of a body surface. Various techniques and methods described in the application provide for improved planning of a natural looking hair.
US09167990B2	Optical capsule and spectroscopic method for treating and diagnosing the intestinal tract A device and method for mapping, diagnosing and treating disorders or other diseases, disorders or conditions (e.g., bleeding, ischemic or necrotic tissue, and presence of certain chemicals or substances) of the intestinal tract is provided using a capsule passing through the intestinal tract and sensing optical characteristics as the capsule passes through. Further, a capsule tracking system is provided for tracking a capsule's location along the length of an intestinal tract as various treatment and/or sensing modalities are employed. In one variation, an acoustic signal is used to determine the location of the capsule. A map of optical characteristics may be derived from the pass of a capsule to diagnose the disorder or disease. The capsule or subsequently passed capsules may treat, further diagnose or mark the intestinal tract at a determined location along its length.
US09167985B2	Microwave tomography systems and methods Methods and/or systems are disclosed herein for use in imaging an object with microwave tomography using a plurality of different boundary conditions.
US09167982B2	Method and device for determining and presenting surface charge and dipole densities on cardiac walls The invention discloses a method, a system, a computer program and a device for determining the surface charge and/or dipole densities on heart walls. Using the foregoing, a table of dipole densities ν(P′, t) and/or a table of surface charge densities ρ(P′, t) of a given heart chamber can be generated.
US09167979B2	Atomic magnetometer sensor array magnetic resonance imaging systems and methods Devices disclosed according to various embodiments use one or more arrays of atomic magnetometers to directly detection of relaxation of magnetic field induced subatomic precession within a target specimen. The disclosed devices and methods relate to application of utilization of a magnetic sensor with unique properties requiring changes in design, allowing new functions, and requiring alternative analysis methodologies. Various embodiments are also directed to methods for obtaining and processing magnetic signals. These methods may take advantage of the unique spatial arrangement of the atomic magnetometers and the capacity sensors to be used in either a scalar or a vector mode. Various embodiments have advantages over current techniques utilized for imaging of anatomical and non-anatomical structures. Such advantages may include, for example: development of a wearable, portable array, lower power consumption, potential wafer-level fabrication, the potential for development of a more rapid signal, decreased need for development of strong magnetic fields, and lower cost allowing wider availability.
US09167967B2	Home health digital video recording system for remote health management Remote health monitoring of at least one individual using at least one remote apparatus that receives and records health-related video content being delivered from a plurality of video sources. The remote apparatus also receives and stores vital sign data of an individual. Also, a user interface capable of executing a rule script having a plurality of response choices is provided in the remote apparatus. A remote server is provided that is communicatively coupled to the remote apparatus and includes a script generator for generating the rule script that is based on the vital sign data and various responses received from the individual. The various responses received from the individual are analyzed within the remote server to determine appropriate video content that can be recorded in the remote apparatus for imparting better health knowledge to the individual and monitoring their health condition accordingly.
US09167954B2	Fluid ejection device A fluid ejection device includes a fluid chamber configured to store fluid, a nozzle configured to eject the fluid stored in the fluid chamber, a fluid supply channel connected to the fluid chamber and configured to supply the fluid to the fluid chamber, an air bubbles generating member configured to generate air bubbles in the fluid chamber, and a partitioning wall portion configured to separate the fluid chamber and the fluid supply channel, support the air bubbles generating member. The partitioning wall portion include at least one hole, communicating the fluid chamber and the fluid supply channel. The hole is configured to inhibit backflow during ejection of a jet pulse.
US09167953B2	Dishwasher with a manifold assembly configured to attach a manifold to a dish rack and associated method According to embodiments of the present invention, a dishwasher may include a manifold assembly including a manifold and an attachment assembly. The manifold may provide a fluid connection with a fluid supply and direct fluid from the fluid supply to a spray device. The attachment assembly may couple the manifold to a dish rack. Further, the attachment assembly may facilitate movement of the dish rack relative to the manifold between a retracted position and an extended position while maintaining the fluid connection with the fluid supply. The attachment assembly may include at least one sliding rail and a first plurality of engagement members that couple the sliding rail to the dish rack. Additionally, a second plurality of engagement members may couple the manifold and the sliding rail so as to allow movement along the sliding rail along a major axis of the sliding rail.
US09167944B2	Construction technique for a domestic appliance such as a surface cleaning apparatus An appliance or domestic apparatus such as a surface cleaning apparatus comprises a first part and a second part. The second part comprises an insertion portion slidably insertable into the first part to define an inserted position. The insertion portion comprises a longitudinal axis and a first detent member. A movable lock is slidably mounted on at least one of the first part and the second part, and is slidable at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the insertion portion. The movable lock has a second detent member. When the insertion portion is in the inserted position, the first detent member is positioned inwardly of the second detent member, and the second detent member is selectively positionable to interact with the first detent member to lock the first part to the second part.
US09167943B2	Cyclonic separator A cyclonic separator for a vacuum cleaner that includes a cyclone stage, a chamber and a silencer. The chamber has a plurality of ports through which fluid from the cyclone stage enters the chamber. The silencer is located in the chamber and includes a plurality of baffles. Fluid entering the chamber through the ports collides with the baffles, which act to reduce noise.
US09167934B2	Brewing head of a hot-beverage preparation device, preparation device having a brewing head and operating method for said preparation device A brewing head of a hot beverage machine includes a fixed brewing chamber part, and a movable brewing chamber part which is movable in relation to the fixed brewing chamber part to define a brewing chamber for receiving a substrate capsule. The fixed and movable brewing chamber parts are closed by a locking system to thereby form the brewing chamber, and a seal is provided for pressure-tight sealing of one of the two brewing chamber parts and the substrate capsule during beverage preparation. The brewing chambers has three operating positions involving an opening position for loading the brewing chamber, a partially closed position in which the brewing chamber is closed and the seal is detensioned, and a closed position in which the brewing chamber is likewise closed and the seal is tensioned.
US09167932B2	Dual-purpose brewer and brew basket and method of brewing A dual-purpose brewer including a hot water dispenser system (25) for dispensing, hot water to a dispense outlet above a removable brew basket (18) with an electromagnetically controlled outlet drain valve (44) for selectively blocking beverage from leaving the brew basket (18) during a seeping period when making tea and leaves a drain hole (41) open throughout a brew cycle when making coffee. A drain plug (42) made of magnetic or ferromagnetic material is moved by an electromagnetic field to an open position (FIG. 6) to block a drain passageway (45) to drain the brew basket (18) of beverage and falls to a closed position (FIG. 5) during, a seeping period. Contact of electromagnetic coils (80, 82, 90) carried by the brew basket (18) with a source of energization is achieved through electrical contacts at the end of a. pivotally mounted actuation arm (34).
US09167931B1	Utensil holder An apparatus includes a pot with a sleeve attached to an outside portion of the pot, and a utensil holder coupled to the pot. The utensil holder includes an arm disposed through the sleeve and a handle pivotally attached to the arm, such that the handle can be rotated relative to the arm to position a portion of the handle inside the pot. The utensil holder can be configured at least in a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the handle is positioned outside the pot to enable the handle to be used as a grip for the pot, and in the second configuration, the portion of the handle is positioned inside the pot to enable the handle to support an object over the pot. In some embodiments, the handle may be attached to the arm with a hinge.
US09167926B1	Pizza box having foldable lid Embodiments may comprise a food container. Food containers according to embodiments of the invention may include at least three sidewalls each adjoining an edge of a base wall bounded by at least three edges. A food container may further include at least one lid comprising at least one leaf, wherein the leaf is adapted to be fixed in an open configuration and function as a handle while in the open configuration.
US09167915B1	Commodity shelving system A commodity shelving system includes pillars, shelves and a fixing mechanism for fixing the shelves to the pillars, wherein the fixing mechanism has a plurality of pillar clamps and locking pieces having an amount corresponding to that of the pillar clamps; and the locking pieces are arranged at corners of the shelves. Each of the pillar clamps includes a left fastener and a right fastener mutually coupleable by a snap fit structure and respectively provided with a semicircular groove matched with the pillar and a protruded portion arranged at an outside of an end edge of the semicircular groove; and each of the locking pieces is provided with a clamping portion for coupling with the protruded portion of the pillar clamp.
US09167913B2	Product securement and management system A merchandising system that improves the merchandising of product by limiting the number and the frequency with which product can be removed from, for example, a merchandising shelf. The merchandising system may include a base configured to support product and a housing configured to engage the base. The housing may comprise a top wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a front retaining wall mounted to the base at an angle. The system may further include a spring-urged pusher movably mounted on the base. The system may further include an opening defined by the first side wall and the front retaining wall through which product may be removed.
US09167912B2	Nursing pillow Embodiments of this disclosure may include a nursing pillow system with a plurality of pillows. A first of the plurality of pillows may be configured to be positioned on a mother's lap while nursing an infant, the second of the plurality of pillows may be configured to be placed between the mother's legs while nursing the infant, and the first pillow may be configured to be positioned adjacent to the second pillow.
US09167909B2	Mattress A mattress core has front and rear ends that are spaced apart in a longitudinal direction and further has opposite sides that are spaced apart in a lateral direction. The core includes a firmer lower core section having a top surface that follows an undulating pattern. The undulating pattern is non-uniform and non-symmetric in the longitudinal direction, is uniform in the lateral direction, and includes at least one hill, at least one valley and at least one plateau. The core further includes a softer upper core section that overlies the lower core section. The upper core section has a bottom surface that follows the undulating pattern and contacts the lower core section's top surface to provide a common mating interface that follows the undulating pattern. The interface includes at least one hill, at least one valley and at least one plateau.
US09167892B1	Offset folding leg assembly Disclosed is an intuitively operable rotation mechanism for a flip top table that includes an offsetting feature that provides aligned table legs when the table is in a use configuration while offsetting the legs when they are in a storage configuration. By offsetting the table legs in storage configuration, the height of the table legs can be more than one half of the length of the table. This feature is of particular importance for folding tables that are positioned at a standing height.
US09167886B2	Oral care implement having fluid delivery system An oral care implement has a head portion with tooth cleaning elements on one surface thereof and a reservoir containing at least one active agent. A capillary channel extends through at least a portion of the oral care implement to deliver active agent(s) to one or more outlets. In one aspect, a vibration-producing device is provided to vibrate at least a portion of the implement to enhance the function of tooth cleaning elements and the delivery of the active agent through capillary action. A variety of active agents can be administered for therapeutic, hygienic, and/or other benefits, such as fresh breath, tooth whitening, or producing sensations of heat, cool, or tingling.
US09167880B2	Cosmetic applicators A multi-functional, multi-compositional cosmetic applicator includes an application surface in liquid communication with a reservoir. The reservoir includes a first personal care composition and a second personal care composition stored therein, and the applicator is actuatable between a first and second functional configuration wherein the application surface of the applicator exhibits a first frictional force when in the first functional configuration and a second frictional force that is less than the first frictional force when in the second functional configuration. The applicator includes an actuatable delivery system that allows a user to selectively dispense the first and second compositions.
US09167879B2	Packaging and applicator device including an applicator roller A packaging and applicator device for applying a cosmetic composition including a casing housing at least one composition, in particular in solid-cake form, and an applicator including at least one applicator roller that turns about an axis of rotation for moving over the composition along a rolling direction, the overall dimension of the applicator, measured along the axis of rotation, being less than or equal to a dimension of the composition, measured perpendicularly to the rolling direction of the applicator roller over the composition.
US09167878B2	System and method for dividing hair using water soluble dividers during the process of hair coloring or highlighting treatment Disclosed is a new use for water soluble cellulosic paper, which is triangular, planar, foldable, biodegradable, and non-toxic to the user and environment. It has been found that water soluble paper is effective as a substitute for foil in the hair color-highlighting process. Numerous benefits have been found with this invention, among them: it is eco-friendly, more comfortable to the user than foil, leaves hair conditioned and shiny, and does not damage hair as foil tends to.
US09167877B2	Apparatus for the steam treatment of hair An apparatus for the steam treatment of hair, comprising a housing including a liquid tank, a means for supplying a steam generator with liquid, one or more openings for dispensing the steam thus generated towards a lock of hair, and a hair shaping device that comprises at least one treatment surface provided with heating means and brought into contact with a lock of hair. The steam generator includes a heating member that is thermally independent from said treatment surface.
US09167865B2	Thermoplastic reinforcement materials The present invention relates to novel thermoplastic reinforcement materials, particularly for the shoe industry, and a method for the production thereof. The novel thermoplastic reinforcement materials are obtained by a preliminary production step of pre-agglomeration of plant fiber filler materials and thermoplastic hot-melt adhesives, so-called filler-plastic compounds, allowing filler material originating from very inexpensive, naturally occurring plant fibers of varying origins to be used, but in an amount up to 65% by weight, without losing the required material properties, such as strength under heat, good flexural rigidity, and surface adhesion.
US09167854B2	Posture-improving garment A garment for improving the wearer's posture provides cords that, when secured in place, exert a slight pressure against the wearer's shoulders each time he/she starts to slouch, serving as a reminder to be more erect. The garment had a horizontal channel that is located around the body of the user, preferably just below the breast area, that accommodates a first cord. The garment further includes vertically-extending channels that extend upward from the horizontal channel and over the shoulders of the user. A cord extending along each vertical channel engages the cord in the horizontal channel such that the horizontal cord anchors the vertical cord(s) when the cords are pulled sufficiently, lightly engage the front of the wearer's shoulders. Once the cords are secured in place, the wearer will feel a slight pressure against his/her shoulders each time he/she starts to slouch, serving as a reminder to be more erect.
US09167852B2	Combined multifunctional electronic simulated cigarette The invention claims a combined multifunctional electronic simulated cigarette, comprising an indicator, wherein the indicator is provided with a air inlet hole; one end of the indicator is connected with one end of an aroma generator; a first switch and a first battery are arranged between the indicator and the aroma generator; a solid aromatic substance is arranged in the aroma generator and is provided with electric heating wires; the other end of the aroma generator is connected with one end of a smoke capsule; solid adsorption cotton adsorbed with nicotine is arranged in the smoke capsule; the other end of the smoke capsule is connected with a suction nozzle which is provided with a suction hole. The invention can provide users with aromatic gases, nicotine component and simulated smoke simultaneously; and the users can respectively choose to inhale the aromatic gases, the nicotine component and the simulated smoke according to the needs, and the invention can meet the needs of the users or the smoking quitters in different stages, help the users to gradually reduce the suction amount of nicotine, and finally achieve the purpose of not taking in nicotine.
US09167851B2	Cigarette packet A cigarette packet includes a container containing a group of cigarettes and provided with an opening defining a zone giving access to the group of cigarettes. The container includes a covering element movable between a closed position and an open position which allows access to the zone giving access to the group of cigarettes. The packet includes a mirroring element located at the access zone and having a mirroring surface at least at one portion of it, and the covering element has at least one graphic sign at least at one portion of an inside surface. The portion of the inside surface is taken, when the packet is opened, to a condition where it substantially faces the mirroring surface, such that the graphic sign is reflected on the mirroring surface and is visible to a smoker.
US09167849B2	Smoke and odor elimination filters, devices and methods A pipe comprises a combustion chamber with vents, the combustion chamber able to receive a cigarette; an inhalation path for drawing smoke from the combustion chamber through the bowl vents during inhalation; an exhalation filter; and an exhalation path for channeling exhaled smoke through the exhalation filter during exhalation.
US09167848B2	Method and compositions for producing hydrogel capsules coated for low permeability and physical integrity Methods and compositions for producing hydrogel capsules enveloped with at least one coating layer is disclosed. The coating formulations deposited on the surface of the capsules can improve the physical integrity and the water-retention properties of the alginate beads. The coating formulations can be sequentially applied in various combinations to obtain desirable properties, such as improved physical integrity, mechanical strength, and low permeability, that can extend the shelf-life of the capsules when incorporated into various consumer products.
US09167846B2	Extruder An extruder 10 comprises a barrel 12 and a screw 24 mounted in the barrel for rotation. The screw comprises screw threads 26a, 26b, 26c. The barrel has an inlet funnel 22 toward one end for material to be extruded and a die plate 18 with openings 20 at the other end and an air inlet port 28 toward one end of the barrel and an air outlet port 30 toward the other end. The screw threads are such that material 34 in the barrel is moved more quickly along the portion of the barrel between the air inlet port and the air outlet port than upstream of that portion. The air outlet is connected to a pump 32 so that there is a pressure difference between the air inlet and the air outlet.
US09167845B2	Apparatus, method and product for ultrasonic extrusion of a flowable substrate This invention relates generally to ultrasonic extrusion apparatus, methods and products. A flowable substrate may be supplied by an infeed to an extrusion chamber having an ultrasonic horn. The flowable substrate contacts the ultrasonic resonant horn and receives ultrasonic energy before and/or as passing through an extrusion orifice. Suitable flowable substrates may include meat emulsions, pomace solutions, and dough. The extruded product may have virtually any solid or hollow shape. The flowable substrate may form a shape-retaining product that may be cut without significantly deforming.
US09167835B2	Dissolvable films impregnated with encapsulated tobacco, tea, coffee, botanicals, and flavors for oral products A process for preparing an orally-enjoyable film of encapsulated plant material includes combining particles of finely divided plant material, a first coating material, and a second coating material, then inducing gelation to form a gel matrix of the particles coated with the first coating material embedded in the second coating material, followed by forming a film from the gel matrix. Also disclosed is a film of coated particles of finely-divided plant material, made of a gel matrix of plant material at least partially surrounded by a first coating material and embedded in a second coating material.
US09167824B2	Process for the preparation of a reduced lactose milk product A process for preparing a low-lactose or lactose free mammalian milk product comprises the steps of enzymatically hydrolyzing the lactose present in mammalian milk, diluting the milk with a lactose-reduced liquid, and adding one or more of a protein, a mineral, a vitamin, a gum, a starch, a stabilizer, and/or an emulsifier to the milk.
US09167817B2	Process using Grignard reagents The present invention relates to a process using Grignard reagents for providing thio-triazolo group-containing compounds.
US09167814B2	Surfactant peroxycarboxylic acid compositions The present invention relates to compositions including surfactant peroxycarboxylic acid, methods for making these compositions, and methods for reducing the population of a microorganism.
US09167811B2	Bait formulations for controlling slugs and snails The invention relates to bait formulations comprising at least one iron salt, at least one component selected from among methyl glycine-N,N-diacetic acid, glutamine-N,N-diacetic acid, and the alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and ammonium salts thereof; and at least one starch-containing component. The invention also relates to the use of said bait formulation for controlling terrestrial slugs and snails and to a method for controlling terrestrial slugs and snails using the bait formulation of the invention.
US09167809B2	Cornea storage container to maximize cornea health An apparatus for shipping, storing, and viewing a cornea comprising a container having a viewing window in a container base, an inner sidewall, and a corneal basket arranged within said container base. The corneal basket is in contact with said inner sidewall and adapted to support a corneoscleral disc by including more than one corneal support rod and more than one disc support surface and a lid that sealingly engages with the container.
US09167805B2	Method of establishing mouse strain A method of producing a chimera animal, characterized by transplanting, into a host animal, an aggregate of a first pluripotent stem cell that is of interest to strain establishment, a second pluripotent stem cell in which the ability to form germ cells is absent or decreased, and embryo.
US09167804B2	Recirculating fish brooding and filtration system Embodiments disclosed herein disclose a fish brooding and filtration system. The system includes a brooding tank configured to contain water and fish for breeding. The brooding tank is in fluid communication a filtration tank, which is configured to extract nitrites from the water circulating through the system. A pump circulates the water through at least one conduit and an injector that receives a flow of water generated by the pump and draws air into the injector. The injector is further operable to inject a mixture of the drawn air and the water into the brooding tank.
US09167803B2	Device for farming benthic organisms such as bivalves A farming device for benthic organisms, which is submerged in a water tank or a body of water, is constituted of a plurality of tray-form containers, which are the cultivating floor for benthic organisms such as bivalves, and are stacked in the vertical direction, with a central cavity passing through the stacked cultivating floors in the vertical direction and horizontal gaps defined between the cultivating floors, the cultivating floors communicating with the cavity.
US09167801B2	Insecticide strip and combination with identification ear tag An insecticide impregnated strip configured for convenient and reliable attachment to conventional animal ear tags. The insecticide strip comprises an elongated integrally molded member having a key-hole shaped aperture formed in an upper portion thereof, enabling the elongated strip to be pendularly suspended from the ear tag. Various methods are disclosed for attaching the strip to different types of known ear tags.
US09167799B2	Collapsible animal housing assembly An animal housing assembly includes a cage coupled to a base assembly to provide an enclosure for one or more animals to be kept in captivity. The cage is collapsible such that the cage may transition from an expanded state, wherein the cage may cooperate with the base assembly to form an enclosure for an animal, to a collapsed state, wherein portions of the cage may fold into one another into a compact condition. The base assembly may transition from an assembled state, wherein first and second base members are releasably coupled to one another to form the base assembly, to a disassembled state, wherein the first and second base members are separated from one another, thereby allowing a more compact condition.
US09167797B2	Cheese container, cheese block and method of branding cheese A container is disclosed that is used to from a block of cheese having a brand marking. The container has dividers located on an internal side of a sidewall of the container. The block of cheese may be divided into slices of cheese where a slice of cheese has a brand marking.
US09167787B2	Plants and seeds of corn variety CV422147 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV422147. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV422147, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV422147 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV422147 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV422147.
US09167780B2	Pea variety SV0969QH The invention provides seed and plants of the pea line designated SV0969QH. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pea line SV0969QH, and to methods for producing a pea plant produced by crossing a plant of pea line SV0969QH with itself or with another pea plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of pea line SV0969QH, including the seed, pod, and gametes of such plants.
US09167779B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH384087 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH384087. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH384087, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH384087 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH384087.
US09167778B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH736492 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH736492. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH736492, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH736492 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH736492.
US09167776B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH981713 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH981713. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH981713, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH981713 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH981713.
US09167774B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH613081 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH613081. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH613081, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH613081 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH613081.
US09167773B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH437976 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH437976. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH437976, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH437976 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH437976.
US09167772B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH657855 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH657855. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH657855, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH657855 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH657855.
US09167771B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH745184 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH745184. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH745184, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH745184 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH745184.
US09167766B2	Plants and seeds of corn variety CV464324 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV464324. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV464324, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV464324 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV464324 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV464324.
US09167760B2	Cucumber hybrid SV8975CB and parents thereof The invention provides seed and plants of cucumber hybrid SV8975CB and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of cucumber hybrid SV8975CB and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a cucumber plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another cucumber plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09167752B2	Needleless inoculation The present disclosure provides systems and methods for inoculating a plurality of plants. In various embodiments, an exemplary method includes spraying a plurality of plants with an inoculum utilizing an automated inoculum spraying subsystem of a mobile inoculation system. The method additionally includes spraying the plurality of plants with a grit medium utilizing an automated grit blasting subsystem of the mobile inoculation system. Spraying the plants with the grit medium inflicts a plurality of wounds to the tissue of the plants on a plurality of surfaces of the plants. The wounds inflicted by the grit medium allow the inoculum to be absorbed into the plants to inoculate the plants.
US09167748B1	Sulky apparatus Sulky apparatus including an operator standing platform, a tire and associated wheel rim for allowing the operator standing platform to move along the ground, a wheel well associated with the operator standing platform for housing the wheel rim and tire in an operational position, a tire axle having two end portions located in the center of the wheel rim, the two end portions being configured to rest in the bottoms of depressions located in the walls of the wheel well, a pivoting U-shaped axle locking member located at the top of the wheel well where the locking member can engage the upper surfaces of the end portions of the axle and secure the axle and the associated tire in the operational position in the wheel well, a pivotal cover covering the wheel well for allowing access to the wheel well and locking means associated with the wheel well and the cover for locking the pivoting U-shaped axle locking member and the cover in place in their operational positions. When the locking means is unlocked, it permits the pivotal wheel cover to be pivoted upward and forward and the pivoting U-shaped axle locking member to also be pivoted upward and forward and this allows the tire and the associated wheel rim to be removed from the wheel well.
US09167747B1	Device and system for cutting the tops of onions and other bulb crops A device for cutting the tops of crops in a crop bed includes a separator having an inlet, an outlet and an interior space defined between the two. A fan is in fluid communication with the separator and creates an air stream that flows into the separator inlet, through the interior space of the separator, and out the separator outlet. The air stream has an upstream end at or near the separator inlet, where air is pulled into the separator, and a downstream end at or near the fan and continuing beyond. A cutter is positioned upstream of the separator inlet. When the device is in operative position over a crop bed, the air stream lifts the tops of the crops into position to be cut by the cutter. The air stream carries the cut tops away from the crop bed.
US09167745B2	Liquid dispensing system A liquid dispensing system that includes a carrier having a storage tank disposed thereon for storing a liquid product. A boom is coupled to the carrier and includes a distribution hose through which the liquid product flows from the storage tank and into a number of liquid placement apparatuses. Each liquid placement apparatus includes a drop assembly coupled to the boom and extending downward. A base assembly is coupled to the lower end of the drop assembly and a hose assembly extends from the distribution hose to the base assembly. A lower hose assembly is protected within the base assembly and includes a pair of dribble hoses extruding from the base assembly. The liquid product is delivered proximate to the ground surface through the dribble hoses.
US09173336B2	Techniques for marking product housings Techniques or processes for providing markings on products are disclosed. The markings provided on products can be textual and/or graphic. The techniques or processes can provide high resolution markings on surfaces that are flat or curved. In one embodiment, the products have housings and the markings are to be provided on the housings. For example, the housing for a particular product can include an outer housing surface and the markings can be provided on the outer housing surface. The markings can be formed using a ultra-violet (UV) curable material that can be selectively cured on a surface (e.g., housing surface) in places where markings, namely text and/or graphics, are to be provided.
US09173329B2	Heat sink-integrated double-sided cooled power module A power module for an inverter that is used in an eco-friendly vehicle, such as a hybrid vehicle, an electrical vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle, i.e., a heat sink-integrated double-sided cooled power module in which cooling efficiency is maximized by adopting a double-sided direct cooling method that uses a heat sink manufactured by an extrusion method. In particular, the heat sink is disposed in upper and lower portions of the power module, and direct bonding materials (DBMs) are deposited between the upper and lower heat sinks where a chip is interposed between the DBMs. Faces between the heat sinks, the chip, and the DBMs are bonded to one another by a solder, and an entire circumference of the chip and the DBMs is finished by a mold portion.
US09173326B1	Reversible fan module for electronic enclosures An enclosure for electronics includes a chassis and an interface connector positioned within the chassis and configured to provide power. A fan shelf module is received within the chassis and has at least one fan to provide air flow through the chassis. The fan shelf module includes a pinout connector along a horizontal or vertical line of symmetry and configured to engage the interface connector and receive power therefrom, such that the fan shelf module is selectively installed in one of two opposing directions allowing a fan air flow direction to the chassis to be selected as either pulling air or pushing air through the chassis depending on the installed direction of the fan shelf module.
US09173319B2	Portable communication device and cradle apparatus thereof Disclosed are a portable communication device and a cradle apparatus for the same. The portable communication device includes a first housing; a second housing with a first display device, the second housing being cradled at a known angle after being swung from the first housing; and a third housing with a second display device, the third housing being stacked with the second housing before the second housing is swung from the first housing, and being extended from a lower edge of the second housing and tilted at a same known angle as the second housing when the second and third housings are extended from the first housing.
US09173316B2	Flexible display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same A flexible display apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a flexible display panel including a first surface, a second surface facing the first surface, and a side surface that connects the first surface and the second surface. The apparatus also includes a passivation layer that is disposed on at least one of the first surface, the second surface, and the side surface of the display panel and includes a viscoelastic fluid and a vessel unit that contains the viscoelastic fluid therein.
US09173314B2	Protective enclosure for an electronic device Disclosed is a three-layer protective enclosure that provides resistance to water, dust, dirt, and bump protection for sensitive computers. In one embodiment, an inner membrane layer is provided, which is a thin, flexible layer that protects portions of a computer and allows the user to interact with keyboards, push buttons and other interactive features of the computer. A protective hard shell fits tightly over the membrane and provides additional sealing and rigidity to the protective enclosure. A stretchable cushion layer is placed over the hard shell which conforms to the hard shell and seals moisture, dust and dirt from entering the hard shell. The stretchable cushion layer provides cushioning and also allows access to certain controls on the computer. In another embodiment, a touch screen cover may be used with, or without, a membrane over other portions of the computer.
US09173313B2	Waterproof structure of a casing A waterproof structure of a casing has a case body and a cover pivotally mounted on the case body. The case body has a recess, a water collecting sump defined in the recess and two abutting protrusions respectively formed on two opposite inner sidewalls of the case body. The cover has an outer shell, and an inner stop and two side stops formed on an inner surface of the outer shell. When the cover pivots to cover the recess of the case body, the inner stop and the side stops prevent moisture and dust from entering the case body from a clearance formed between a pivot edge of the outer shell and the water collecting side surface of the case body.
US09173307B2	Rack system for power storage battery modules A rack system for power storage battery modules according to the present disclosure includes a rack assembly configured in the form capable of defining an entire accommodation area, where a plurality of battery modules are accommodated in a multi-stage form; and a plurality of rail frames coupled to the multi stages of the rack assembly to support edges of the bottom surface of the battery modules, wherein each of the battery modules has a bottom surface on which rail fixing parts are provided corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the rail frames and have an elastic coupling projection at a location contacting the rail frames, and when the battery modules are installed, the battery modules are pressured toward the rail frames in a vertical direction to couple the rail fixing parts to the rail frames.
US09173304B2	Vertical blindmate scaling of identical system boards Two system boards may be connected by a blind plug connector assembly. The top system board supports a first connector and has a hole adjacent the first connector that secures a guide bracket. The blind plug connector assembly is selectively received in the guide bracket to position a proximal connector on the assembly for connecting to the first connector on the top system board and position a distal connector on the assembly for connecting to a second connector on the lower system board. A flexible wired connection extends within the assembly between the proximal connector and the distal connector, and may form a scalability cable. The interaction between the assembly and the guide bracket provide alignment of the connectors.
US09173303B2	Anisotropic conductive film and apparatus including the same An apparatus includes a first member including a plurality of first electrodes on a first substrate, a second member including a plurality of second electrodes on a second substrate, the second electrodes facing the first electrodes of the first member, and an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) between the first member and the second member, the ACF having a double-layered structure and electrically connecting the first member and the second member, the ACF including an epoxy resin with a polycyclic aromatic ring and exhibiting a minimum melt viscosity of about 3,000 Pa·s to about 10,000 Pa·s at about 30° C. to about 200° C.
US09173302B2	Conductive adhesive film and solar cell module The conductive adhesive film of the invention is a conductive adhesive film for electrical connection between photovoltaic cell surface electrodes and wiring members, which comprises an insulating adhesive 2 and conductive particles 1 and has a (t/r) value in the range of 0.75-17.5, where r (μm) is the mean particle size of the conductive particles 1 and t (μm) is the thickness of the conductive adhesive film, wherein the content of the conductive particles 1 is 1.7-15.6 vol % based on the total volume of the conductive adhesive film.
US09173300B2	Method of manufacturing printed circuit board A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board (PCB) and the PCB are provided. The method includes: filling a resin in a via-hole formed at a substrate from one surface side of the substrate; emitting light for a predetermined period of time to the resin filled in the via-hole from the other surface side of the substrate; and applying another resin on the other surface of the substrate.
US09173297B2	Method of making a three dimensional circuit with an imprint tool Imprinting tools that include a female master tool and a male working tool are used to create three-dimensional circuits. The female tool is used to create multiple male tools that are metallized and pressed into a substrate transferring the metallization to the substrate. Metallization on prominences of the male tool can be selectively removed to create vias, blind vias, vertical traces and other selectively non-metallized regions for interconnect circuitry. The process is used to create circuitry that includes narrow, high aspect ratio traces having reduced parasitic capacitance to adjacent circuit features.
US09173293B2	Memory module and video camera According to the embodiments, there are provided semiconductor memories that are mounted individually on two sides of a mounting board; a controller that is mounted either on an obverse side or a reverse side of the mounting board, and performs read and write control of the semiconductor memories; and a connector that is deviated in a lateral direction from the controller so as not to overlap the controller, is mounted either on the obverse side or the reverse side of the mounting board, and transfers a signal exchanged between the controller and outside.
US09173283B2	Printed circuit board A printed circuit board (PCB) includes a ground layer, a first layer, a second layer, a connector footprint, and a pair of differential signal lines. The connector footprint comprises first and second bonding pads. The PCB defines a first signal via in a central portion of a space bounded by the first bonding pad, and a second signal via in a central portion of a space bounded by the second bonding pad. A number of first ground vias on the first bonding pad and a number of second ground vias on the second bonding pad are electrically connected to the ground layer. First annular slots surrounding corresponding first ground via are defined in the ground layer. Second annular slots surrounding corresponding second ground vias are defined in the ground layer. Connection slots are defined in the ground layer and communicate between the first annular slots and the second annular slots.
US09173282B2	Interconnect structures and methods of making the same The various embodiments of the present invention provide a stress-relieving, second-level interconnect structure that is low-cost and accommodates TCE mismatch between low-TCE packages and PCBs. The various embodiments of the interconnect structure are reworkable and can be scaled to pitches from about 1 millimeter (mm) to about 150 micrometers (μm). The interconnect structure comprises a dielectric body element and at least one interconnection array that provides a conductive path between two electronic components. Each interconnection array comprises a plurality of wires that provide both conductivity and compliance to the overall interconnect structure. The versatility and scalability of the interconnect structure of the present invention make it a desirable structure to utilize in current two-dimensional and ever-evolving three-dimensional IC structures.
US09173270B2	Low-temperature LED lighting and power supply device A low-temperature LED lighting and power supply device has a low power-consuming power supply control module and an LED lighting module electrically connected therewith. The LED lighting module is composed of at least one light source driver and an LED light source. The low power-consuming power supply control module at least has a surge suppression unit, a voltage-dividing-limiting unit, a current-limiting unit, and a steady voltage filtering unit. Accordingly, the present invention allows LED lighting equipment to be applied in a wider power supply range and operated under a low-temperature and low power-consuming state so as to meet economic and practical demands and environmental protection.
US09173268B2	Current determination apparatus The invention relates to a current determination apparatus for determining an operational driving current for driving a light source of a group of light sources. A same color shift function defining a light color shift depending on a driving current can be provided for all light sources of the group. An operational driving current is determined based on the color shift function such that the light color (43) of the light source of the group of light sources is shifted from a nominal color, which may be specific for each light source, to a light color (45) within a target color window (41). Since for the different light sources the same color shift function can be used, a determination of individual operational driving currents such that the light sources of the group emit light having substantially the same color can be simplified.
US09173262B2	Control unit for a LED assembly that determines output data for the LED assembly from duty cycles of the LED units in the assembly A control unit for an LED assembly comprising a first and second LED unit, said LED units being serial connected is described. The LED assembly, in use, is powered by a switched mode power supply. The control unit being arranged to receive an input signal representing a desired output characteristic of the LED assembly, determine a first and second duty cycle for respective LED units associated with a nominal current of the switched mode power supply, for providing the desired output characteristic, determine the largest of the first and second duty cycles for respective LED units, determine a reduced current based on at least the largest of the duty cycles, adjust the first and second duty cycle for respective LED units based on the reduced current,—provide an output signal for the LED assembly and the switched mode power supply based on the adjusted first and second duty cycles and the reduced current for obtaining the desired characteristic.
US09173252B2	Induction heating cooker and method of controlling the same An induction heating cooker includes a plurality of heating coil blocks including one or more heating coils, a plurality of inverters to supply a high-frequency voltage to each of the heating coils, and a controller to control operations of the plurality of inverters to alternately supply the high-frequency voltage to each heating coil block and detect a heating coil, on which a container is placed, from among the heating coils belonging to each of the plurality of heating coil blocks. Using this configuration, it is possible to reduce the influence of magnetic field interference between adjacent heating coils when detecting the position of the container and to increase container position detection accuracy.
US09173249B2	Steering wheel A steering wheel having a rim portion is provided. The rim portion includes a rim metal core, at least one heating element, which extends around the core, and a coating portion, which coats the heating element. The heating element includes a heat generating member for generating heat when electrified, a heat transfer sheet, and a flexible heat insulating sheet. The heat transfer sheet transfers heat of the heat generating member to the coating portion. The heat insulating sheet hinders heat of the heat generating member from being transferred to the core. The heat insulating sheet has first and second surfaces. The heat transfer sheet is laid on the first surface. The heat generating member is located between the first surface and the heat transfer sheet. The heating element is affixed to the core at the second surface, while being flexed to conform to the surface of the core.
US09173244B2	Methods for establishing and using public path, M2M communication method, and systems thereof Embodiments of the present invention, relating to the communications field, provide methods for establishing and using a public path, an M2M communication method, and systems thereof. To reduce occupied network resources and improve service processing efficiency of a network, an embodiment of the present invention provides the following technical solution: obtaining characteristic information of a public path, where the public path is corresponding to an MTC device in a one-line transmission group; establishing the public path according to the characteristic information; performing, by the MTC device in the one-line transmission group, data transmission with an MTC server by using the public path; and releasing the public path when the data transmission between the MTC device in the one-line transmission group and the MTC server is completed. The present invention is applicable to M2M communication.
US09173242B2	Method and apparatus for improving RRC connection procedure The present invention provides a method for improving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection procedure in user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system. The method includes steps of performing an RRC Connection procedure, and resetting or re-establishing a lower layer protocol entity for Signaling Radio Bearers (SRBs) when a cell reselection occurs.
US09173240B2	Mobile terminal and method and system for establishing IP connection between mobile terminals A method and system for establishing an Internet Protocol (IP) connection between mobile terminals and a mobile terminal for establishing an IP connection are disclosed. The method includes: a request terminal sending a request short message to a called terminal; the called terminal getting the program name by parse, searching out a corresponding end-to-end program in an end-to-end program list and displays it to a user after the request short message is detected and the user chooses to receive the short message; the end-to-end program of the called terminal sending a network connection request after the user starts the end-to-end program and inputs the IP address of the short message text; the end-to-end program of the request terminal performing an IP-based data interaction with the called terminal when the network connection request is monitored. This technical solution can establish an end-to-end IP connection between two mobile terminals rapidly and conveniently.
US09173238B1	Dual path in-vehicle communication Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for receiving communication on a head unit, wherein the communication may be sent to a mobile device coupled to the head unit. The head unit may be enabled to receive communication sent to the mobile device by an application on the head unit, wherein the application may communicate with the network in communication with the mobile device. The head unit may be operable to receive communication sent to a plurality of mobile devices, wherein the head unit may prioritize the received communication. Communication sent to the mobile device and/or head unit may comprise calls, messages, emails, and/or data.
US09173217B2	Base station calibration A method for calibrating a base station including a plurality of antennas is provided. First correction information is received from a system module, the correction information determined from first calibration of the base station Signals are received at a radio frequency module from at least one antenna of the base station Second correction information is determined on the basis of the received signals and the first correction information.
US09173207B2	Method and device for configuring cell parameters of relay node The disclosure claims a method and a device for configuring cell parameters of a Relay Node (RN), which can solve the technical problem that the cell parameters cannot be reasonably configured as a Donor eNB (DeNB) does not know the cell amount of the RN. In the disclosure, the RN sends the cell amount of cells which are managed by the RN to the DeNB via a control signaling, so as to make the DeNB more reasonably configure the cell parameters of the RN. The disclosure solves the problem that the DeNB cannot reasonably allocate resources according to the cell amount of the RN, and avoids resources conflicts, wherein the resources contain an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Cell Global Identifier (ECGI), a Physical Cell ID (PCI) and the like.
US09173204B2	Wireless communication method and system for configuring radio access bearers for enhanced uplink services A wireless communication method and system for controlling an enhanced uplink (EU) radio access bearer (RAB). The wireless communication system includes at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), at least one Node-B and a radio network controller (RNC). The RNC configures an EU RAB to operate on an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH). At least one of the WTRU and the Node-B report EU traffic statistics and EU performance statistics to the RNC. The RNC then adjusts the configuration of the EU RAB in accordance with the received EU traffic statistics, the EU performance statistics, and information collected by the RNC itself.
US09173198B2	Methods and apparatus to indicate space requirements for communicating capabilities of a device Example methods and apparatus to indicate space requirements for communicating capabilities of a device are disclosed. In accordance with a disclosed example method, a request is sent to a network to request a quantity of blocks to be allocated for use by a mobile station. The quantity of blocks is determined based on a data size to identify radio access capabilities of the mobile station. An allocation of the quantity of blocks is received from the network. Radio access capability information of the mobile station is sent via the allocated blocks.
US09173196B2	Adaptive multi-channel access for vehicular networks A system and method is provided for dynamically self-allocating channel access for communication between communicating entities in an inter-vehicle ad hoc network. A respective entity observes communication activity over each inter-vehicle ad hoc network communication channel. Available time slots are identified within each communication channel for the respective entity to broadcast a data packet in response to the observed communication activity on a respective channel. An available communication channel and timeslot are selected to broadcast the data packet. A message is broadcast within the inter-vehicle ad hoc network that provides a schedule identifying the communication channel and time slot selected for broadcasting the data packet by the respective entity. The data packet is broadcast over the selected communication channel at the respective timeslot.
US09173192B2	Target cell selection for multimedia broadcast multicast service continuity Transfer of Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Services (MBMS) over a Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) service and idle mode unicast service for a mobile entity from a source base station to a target base station may be managed by a base station or mobile entity of a cellular wireless communications system (WCS). Operations related to the transfer may include obtaining an MBMS status of the mobile entity, and/or obtaining MBMS support information for the base station. A network entity may facilitate MBMS discovery by a mobile entity, by transmitting a data element to the mobile entity including service identifiers mapped to corresponding cell identifiers to indicate respective MBMS services to be broadcast in an WCS area on adjacent cells identified by respective ones of the cell identifiers. The MBMS services may be broadcast within the WCS area using the adjacent cells previously indicated in the data element.
US09173191B2	Device, system and method of simultaneously communicating with a group of wireless communication devices Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of simultaneously communicating with a group of wireless communication devices. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to communicate with at least one group of a plurality of wireless communication devices over a wireless communication medium, wherein the wireless communication unit is to reserve the wireless communication medium for a time period, during which the wireless communication unit is to simultaneously transmit two or more different wireless communication transmissions to two or more wireless communication devices of the group, respectively. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09173189B2	Determining WLAN edges Determining whether a station is at the edge of wireless local area network (WLAN) coverage. In an IEEE 802.11 wireless network comprising one or more access points (APs) which may optionally be connected to one or more controllers, with wireless clients connected to those APs. Station S connected to AP A collects reports such as beacon reports which contains information on all APs station S can hear, including signal strengths. AP A collects a neighbor report which contains information on all APs in its neighborhood including signal strengths. These reports from A and S are observed and compared over time to determine when S is at or is moving to the edge of WLAN coverage. For example, if the only entry in the beacon list for client S is AP A to which it is connected, and the signal strength is decreasing over time, S is at the edge of WLAN coverage and is moving away from the WLAN. The process may be implemented at a controller, at a client, or both.
US09173188B2	Communication apparatus, position information management system, and position information management method A communication apparatus which transmits information on a position at which the communication apparatus is positioned is disclosed. The communication apparatus includes a detecting unit which detects one of a first signal which is detected when the communication apparatus is fixed to an installed location and a second signal which is detected when the communication apparatus is brought to a state in which it is not fixed to the installed location; a storage unit which stores therein the position information; and a control unit which erases the position information stored in the storage unit when the second signal is detected after the first signal is detected by the detecting unit.
US09173186B2	Wireless communication system and method for establishing a connection between user equipment and a mobility management entity thereof The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and method for establishing connection between a User Equipment (UE) and a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the wireless communication system in which the data-centric terminal requests the mobility management entity for attachment and checks, when the mobility management entity responds, data-centric features supported by the mobility management entity. According to the present invention, it is possible to connect the data-centric terminal to the mobility management entity supporting the data-centric features of the corresponding data-centric terminal efficiently in the wireless communication system.
US09173185B1	Methods and systems for managing registration signaling based on off-time duration Systems and methods are disclosed herein for managing the extent of registration signaling that a communication device sends when activating a network process, based on how long the process was turned off. For instance, if the device turns off without deregistering from a communication network and then turns on while the network registration is still current, an example system or method may help the device to recognize this situation and reduce unnecessary signaling associated with restarting a network process.
US09173178B2	Method and system for power headroom reporting in the presence of multiple transmit antennas A method and system are provided in which a mobile device may be operable for long term evolution (LTE) communication or some other wireless technology via two or more transmit antennas. The device may comprise a power amplifier for each transmit antenna with substantially similar maximum power being provided by both amplifiers. A power headroom value may be determined in the device based on path loss values between the transmit antennas and a base station and the maximum transmit power for each transmit antenna. Transmission via one of the transmit antennas may occur concurrently with transmission via another of the transmit antennas. The device may generate an indication of the determined power headroom value for communication to the base station. The power headroom value may be reported periodically or in response to a change in the power received at the base station.
US09173171B2	Portable device with subscriber identity cards and method for controlling transmission power thereof A portable device is provided. The portable device comprises a first wireless module, a second wireless module, a first subscriber identity card coupled to the first wireless module, a second subscriber identity card coupled to the second wireless module and a battery. The first subscriber identity card camps on a cell via the first wireless module. The second subscriber identity card camps on the same cell or a different cell via the second wireless module. A first transmission power of one of the first and second wireless modules is maintained, and a second transmission power of another one of the first and second wireless modules is dynamically adjusted according to a variation in a voltage of the battery.
US09173170B2	Apparatus and method for asynchronous peer-to-peer discovery Apparatus and method are provided for performing asynchronous discovery among multiple peers in a wireless peer-to-peer (P2P) network. In an aspect of the disclosure, a peer selects a duty cycle C corresponding to a probability that the peer is in either a scanning state or an advertising state, rather than a sleeping state, wherein the duty cycle C is selected in accordance with a power consumption of the peer. The peer also selects a first probability Pt for being in the advertising state, and performs an asynchronous discovery protocol in accordance with the duty cycle C and the first probability Pt.
US09173166B2	Method and network-side device for optimizing activation/deactivation of ISR The present application relates to mobile communication technical field, and a method for optimizing activation/deactivation Idle State signaling Reduction (ISR) and a network side device are disclosed. The method includes: during a process of updating User Element (UE) area, a first network entity, when receiving a context request message transmitted from a second entity, determines to activate or deactivate ISR, according to a mobile-reachable timer or an implicit detach timer corresponding to said UE, or operation states of the mobile-reachable timer and the implicit detach timer; and the first network entity transmits the determination result to the second network entity, said second network entity determines to instruct the UE to activate or deactivate the ISR according to the received determination result. The application optimizes the existing procedure for the activating/deactivating of the ISR, enables the ISR processing at the network side and the UE side to be consistent in height, and thus avoiding unnecessary signaling expense.
US09173164B1	Method and system for determining when to scan for neighbor sectors having a different frequency assignment A wireless network includes first-configuration sectors with a first frequency assignment and second-configuration sectors with a second frequency assignment. When served by a first-configuration sector that borders a second-configuration sector, the mobile station receives (i) a neighbor list that identifies neighbor sectors of the primary sector, including the second-configuration sector, (ii) a primary-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the primary sector and a reference point in the primary sector, and (iii) a neighbor-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the second-configuration sector and the reference point. Based on the reference distances, the mobile station calculates a border distance between the primary sector's transmitter and a border between the sectors. The mobile station compares its distance from the primary sector's transmitter to the primary-sector reference distance and/or border distance. Based on the comparison, the mobile station selects a scanning algorithm that determines when to scan for the second-configuration sector.
US09173162B2	Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing access to femtocell coverage Systems, methods, and computer program products are for managing access to a femtocell coverage area. An exemplary method includes storing in a memory component a first identifier corresponding to a subscribed service of a communication device and a second identifier corresponding to a user of the communication device, and granting access to the femtocell coverage area using the second identifier.
US09173160B2	Cognitive wireless system A cognitive wireless system that enables a mobile node to operate dynamically with heterogeneous networks by taking into account real-time contextual information about the mobile node and system-wide health information.
US09173158B2	Method and apparatus for improving LTE enhanced packet core architecture using openflow network controller A communication network configured to substitute serving gateway (“SGW”), packet data network gateway (“PGW”), and mobility management entity (“MME”) with an OpenFlow network controller (“OFNC”) for packets routing between mobile devices and the Internet is disclosed. The network includes a cellular base station, a packet data network (“PDN”), and OFNC. The cellular base station provides wireless communication for user equipments (“UEs”). The PDN is able to route packet flows to their destination(s). The routing controller or OFNC manages a cluster of routers including at least one edge router via OpenFlow protocol. The OFNC, in one embodiment, establishes a routing path between the cellular base station and the PDN for an authenticated UE via a group of routers based on information obtained from an authenticating server and a charging system.
US09173157B2	Wireless station clustering in cooperative communications A method and a wireless system. The system including a cluster of wireless stations (STAs), an access point (AP), and at least one cluster lead configured to send and receive data from the STAs and the AP and to retransmit the received data to other cluster leads, or to the AP, or both. The at least one cluster lead includes an STA designated by the AP from the cluster of STAs based at least partially on channel coherence time.
US09173148B2	Identification of target node for wireless handoff Identification of an access point to which an access terminal is to be handed-off involves, in some aspects, identifying one access point of a set of access points that may have been detected by an access terminal. For example, an access terminal may receive a signal having an identified characteristic (e.g., a particular phase offset) from an access point. Each access point of a set of access points associated with the identified characteristic may be directed to attempt to decode a signal from the access terminal. The access point of the candidate set to use for the handoff operation may then be determined based on the signal received from the access terminal, if any, by each of the candidate access points.
US09173146B2	Method and device for accepting or rejecting a request associated with a mobile device wirelessly connecting to a network A method is performed in a network device for accepting or rejecting a request associated with a mobile device wirelessly connecting to a network. The method includes: receiving a request from a mobile device, wherein the request is associated with the mobile device wirelessly connecting to a network; and determining an expected connection duration for the mobile device, which is calculated using collected historical connection data that identifies a plurality of previous wireless connections to the network and identifies a corresponding duration of each previous wireless connection. The method further includes determining whether to accept or reject the request based on the expected connection duration for the mobile device.
US09173141B2	Method, device and system for establishing neighboring base station connections A method, a device and a system for establishing neighboring base station connections are provided according to the present invention. In the method, access information of a base station on a bearer network is obtained dynamically, neighborhood information of the base station is obtained according to the access information, and a neighboring base station connection is established according to the access information and the neighborhood information of the base station.
US09173140B2	Methods and apparatus for handover management Systems and techniques for handover management in wireless communication networks. An apparatus, such as a base station, receives information relating to load conditions and computes handover threshold information based on the information relating to the load conditions. The information relating to the load conditions may comprise information received from other base stations, and the base station may in turn share its own information. Information may be shared through direct communication between base stations, or may be managed by a controller. Handover thresholds may be set for user devices based on the load metric information.
US09173139B2	Method and Terminal for Quickly Searching for an Access Point Provided are a terminal and a method for searching access points performed by a terminal supporting a multi-RAT (Radio Access Technology) in a wireless communication system. The method includes: receiving, by the terminal, information on one or more access points (APs) located within a cell coverage of a base station; determining whether there are any accessible APs within the cell coverage of the base station based on the received information; searching and selecting an AP according to the determining, wherein: if there are accessible APs, the terminal searches and selects the AP within a first time period, the first time period is shorter than a current time period for searching the AP, if there are no accessible APs, the terminal searches and selects the AP within a second time period, and the second time period is longer than the current time period for searching the AP; and accessing the selected AP.
US09173134B2	Method and apparatus for managing quality of service settings for group communications A centralized quality of service (QoS) entity having a processing device performs a method for managing QoS settings for group communications. The method includes: determining a plurality of active participants of a group communication session; and determining, for each active participant, an individual QoS setting, including a first individual QoS setting for a first active participant. The method further includes modifying the first individual QoS setting based on the individual QoS setting for at least one other active participant, wherein the modified first individual QoS setting is applied to a session leg used by the first active participant during the group communication session. The active participants of the group communication session can be on the same or heterogeneous wireless networks.
US09173122B2	Method, terminal and network device for configuring measurement gap The present invention provides a method for configuring measurement gap, terminal and network device. The method includes: determining an aggregation state of current component carriers, an aggregation state of component carriers which will be configured for a terminal by a network side, or a failure state of a measurement performed by a terminal according to a state of a current measurement configuration; sending, in the case of the aggregation state of the current component carriers or the failure state of the measurement, current measurement capability information of the terminal to the network side; sending, in the case of the aggregation state of the component carriers which will be configured for the terminal by the network side, measurement capability information according to the aggregation state of the component carriers which will be configured for the terminal. The embodiments of the present invention may reduce signaling overhead and avoid signaling waste.
US09173119B2	Gateway, server and communication control method thereof, and gateway system In order to improve the accuracy of at least one of detecting that a UE camps on a femto cell and detecting that the UE decamps from the range femto cell, a gateway (110—1) forms a gateway system and relays traffic between a core network (20) and a base station (30—2). When TMSI or P-TMSI temporarily assigned to a UE (40—1) requesting to camp on the base station (30—2) is received from the base station (30—2) through a public network, the gateway (110—1) requests a server (120), which communicates with the core network (20) and the gateway (110—1), to notify IMSI permanently assigned to the UE (40—1) and associated with the TMSI or P-TMSI. In response to the request, the sever (120) acquires the IMSI from the core network (20) and notifies it to the gateway (110—1). The gateway (110—1) identifies the UE (40—1) by using the IMSI.
US09173100B2	On board vehicle network security The present disclosure describes a microprocessor executable network controller operable to at least one of (a) isolate at least one other on board computational component in a vehicular wireless network not affected by a security breach event from a computational component affected by the security breach event and (b) isolate an on board computational component in the vehicular wireless network and affected by the security breach event from the at least one other on board computational component not affected by the security breach event.
US09173098B1	Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for wirelessly pairing peripherals with connected devices A method and a system for wirelessly pairing a wireless peripheral with a computing or communication device and identifying a unique identifier of the wireless peripheral as an authorized wireless peripheral or the connected device owned by a user. The method and system further associate the wireless peripheral with the user, with the user's computing or communication device, or with an application installed on the user's device such that the computing or communication device wirelessly connects to the wireless peripheral for exchange of data or information by simply looking up the identifier of the wireless peripheral, without having to perform any wireless discovery protocols and user interaction or intervention for discovery or pairing of the computing or communication device and the wireless peripheral.
US09173096B2	Systems, methods and programs for detecting unauthorized use of text based communications services Systems, methods, and programs for generating an authorized profile for a text communication device or account, may sample a text communication generated by the text communication device or account during communication and may store the text sample. The systems, methods, and programs may extract a language pattern from the stored text sample and may create an authorized profile based on the language pattern. Systems, methods, and programs for detecting unauthorized use of a text communication device or account may sample a text communication generated by the device or account during communication, may extract a language pattern from the audio sample, and may compare extracted language pattern of the sample with an authorized user profile.
US09173093B2	Systems and methods for reusing a subscriber identity module for multiple networks A system for utilizing a SIM device for connecting and subscribing to a local network of local mobile server systems on an ad hoc basis is provided. The system includes a SIM device that has computer readable medium storing instructions that cause the SIM device to store credential data including an authentication key from the local mobile server systems on an ad hoc basis after the SIM device has left the manufacturer. A local network of a local mobile server systems allows a SIM device to connect and subscribe to the local network of local mobile service systems on an ad hoc basis. At the local network of local mobile service systems a subscription request is received and credential data from the local network to the SIM device is transmitted on an ad hoc basis after the SIM device has left the manufacturer.
US09173089B2	Allocation of device id in device to device communications A method of assigning a device ID of a device-to-device network to a mobile station includes: selecting a subset from a set of parameters from which the device ID is determined, each parameter in the set having a number of bits for complete representation, the subset comprising a number Nd2d of parameters used to determine the device ID; determining a number L of device ID bits to represent the device ID; dividing the L device ID bits into a group of l1 indicator bits and a group of l2 identifier bits, wherein l2 is the difference between the number L of device ID bits and the number l1 of bits allocated to the group of indicator bits; assigning bit values to the l1 indicator bits; allocating a number Ljp of the l2 identifier bits to each of the parameters in the subset; and assigning bit values the l2 identifier bits.
US09173084B1	Systems, methods and media for enhanced circuit-switched fallback interworking function signaling procedures for roaming user equipment Systems, methods and media for enhanced voice call procedures are provided. A method for enhanced voice call procedure includes receiving at a CSFB-IWF a request to provide routing information for a UE for which an incoming voice call is received. The request is received from an HLR and includes a UE identifier. The UE is operating in an LTE network. The method also includes sending a page along with a TMSI for the UE to an MME in the LTE network that can locate the UE along with the TMSI. The page signal causes the UE to switch to a legacy (3G) network. The method further includes detecting an MSC hosting the UE that is located in the legacy network. The method also includes receiving an MSRN for the UE from the hosting MSC and sending to the HLR a message including the MSRN in response to the request.
US09173079B2	Emergency call handling in accordance with authentication procedure in communication network Techniques are provided for handling of a first type call as it affects an authentication procedure in a communication network. For example, it is assumed that, in a communication network, a first computing device comprises user equipment and a second computing device comprises an authentication function for authenticating the user equipment. Thus, a method comprises receiving at the second computing device from the first computing device an authentication rejection message, receiving at the second computing device from the first computing device a first type call indicator message, and making a decision regarding proceeding with or dropping an authentication procedure for the first computing device at the second computing device based on the receipt of the authentication rejection message and the first type call indicator message.
US09173071B2	Rate adaptive transmission of wireless broadcast packets Mechanisms are provided for broadcasting data to a plurality of receiver devices. A data broadcast transmission rate and a level of error correction to be used when broadcasting data are determined based on prior feedback received from the plurality of receiver devices. The feedback comprises channel condition information specifying conditions of one or more connections of a channel over which data was previously broadcast to the receiver devices. Data to be broadcast to the plurality of receivers is encoded in accordance with the determined level of error correction. The encoded data is broadcast at the determined data broadcast transmission rate over the channel to the plurality of receiver devices.
US09173068B2	Method for operating a mobile radio apparatus, mobile radio apparatus as well as method for automatically transmitting a message The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile radio apparatus (10) connectable to at least one radio network (14) via radio technology, having at least one display (22) and at least one computing device for executing at least one computer program (24) for presenting content provided in a computer network and retrievable via the radio network (14) on the display (22), in which the mobile radio apparatus (10) is connected to the radio network (14) via radio technology, wherein the computer program (24) is opened depending on a connection state of the mobile radio apparatus (10) to the radio network (14) and at least a part of the content is displayed on the display (22) by means of the opened computer program (24), to a mobile radio apparatus (10) as well as to a method for automatically transmitting a message to a mobile radio apparatus (10).
US09173065B2	Method and system for providing enhanced location based information for wireless handsets Methods, devices and systems for generating enhanced location information on or about a mobile device may include hybrid lateration and trilateration solutions in which the mobile device performs location determination calculations with the aid of network components or global positioning systems (GPS). Mobile devices may automatically form groups based on proximity and/or may be grouped together via a network server. Mobile devices in a group may share computed location information and/or informtion collected from internal sensors with other grouped mobile devices. Information shared between grouped mobile devices may be used to enhance the location information computed on each mobile device. For example, each mobile device may supplement and/or augment previously computed location information based on the received location information and/or relative positions of other mobile devices in the same group. Each mobile device may also utilize local sensors to further enhance their location information.
US09173061B2	Monitoring a mobile device en route to destination A system, method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring a mobile device en route to a destination. A user of a monitored device specifies geo-fence regions along a route to the destination. Entry and exit of regions triggers the sending of event notifications to a monitoring device. Event notifications may be sent if an estimated time of arrival changes due to delay. Event notifications may be sent if the monitored device deviates from a planned route by a threshold distance. Event notifications may be sent through a direct communication link between the monitored device and monitoring device or through a location-based service.
US09173057B2	Apparatus and method of managing peripheral wireless LAN radio signal for positioning service The present disclosure relates to providing a positioning service by managing a plurality of peripheral wireless LAN signals. The positioning service system collects peripheral wireless LAN radio signals by scanning peripheral access points (APs), stores AP information of each of peripheral wireless LAN radio signals in each lattice cell of a database. When a positioning request signal is received from a terminal, a positioning server of the positioning service extracts AP identification information from included in the peripheral wireless LAN radio signal received from the terminal. By using the extracted AP identification information, the positioning server selects from the database the corresponding lattice cell matching to the stored AP identification information of each of the peripheral wireless LAN radio signals pre-stored. And the positioning server estimates location information of the selected corresponding lattice cell as location information for the terminal.
US09173052B2	Bluetooth low energy watch with event indicators and activation A system for communicating via a wireless link is disclosed. The system may include a watch movement, a wristband, or an appliance. The system may also include a microprocessor having a Bluetooth® low energy radio. The microprocessor may be configured to receive a notification of an event from a Bluetooth® device and, in response to receiving the notification, activate an indicator on the watch movement, wristband, or appliance. Furthermore, the microprocessor may be configured to receive user input and transmit data via a Bluetooth® link to a smartphone or tablet where it may be received by an application.
US09173043B2	Method for fine tuning a hearing aid A method for fitting a hearing aid (1) comprises the steps of recording the audiogram of the hearing aid user (6), selecting a fitting setting, using the hearing aid (1) for a period of time, and logging data representing information on the sound environment in which the hearing aid is being used. The method comprises the steps of providing a computer based questionnaire on a first computer (2), said questionnaire comprising questions directed to the hearing aid users subjective experience with using the hearing aid, correlating questionnaire data with logged data, and selecting and, implementing a new hearing aid setting into the hearing aid. The invention further provides a method for optimizing the function of a hearing aid, and a computer program product.
US09173040B2	Miniaturized variable reluctance transducer The present invention comprises a new topology of a balanced variable reluctance transducer where magnets are moved to a lateral position relative to the dynamic flux circuit. This makes the whole transducerFIG.considerably smaller and the air gaps become fully visible from the outside.
US09173036B2	Manufacturing method for narrow-type diaphragm and thin-type diaphragm, speaker-use diaphragm manufactured using same manufacturing method, speaker, electronic apparatus, and movable device After beaten, pulp is mixed with a filler to obtain a mixture of the pulp and the filler. Additives are added to the mixture, which is made into pater and then hot-pressed. The filler content of the mixture is in the range of 20 wt % to 80 wt %. After the additives are added, a polymeric viscosity improver with high viscosity is added to produce a narrow diaphragm or a thin compact diaphragm with high aspect ratio. These diaphragms have high rigidity and a wide reproduction frequency range.
US09173035B2	Dual coil moving magnet transducer Embodiments are disclosed for driving an electromagnetic transducer via a drive unit comprising stationary coils and a moving magnet. In some embodiments, an electromagnetic transducer comprises a diaphragm configured to generate acoustic vibrations, a moving magnet affixed to the diaphragm, and a pair of fixed coils surrounding the moving magnet, the fixed coils configured to direct electrical current in opposite directions.
US09173032B2	Methods of using head related transfer function (HRTF) enhancement for improved vertical-polar localization in spatial audio systems A method of enhancing vertical polar localization of a head related transfer (HRTF). The method includes splitting an audio signal and generating left and right output signals by determining a log lateral component of the respective frequency-dependent audio gain that is equal to a median log frequency-dependent audio gain for all audio signals of that channel having a desired perceived source location. A vertical magnitude of the respective audio signal is enhanced by determining a log vertical component of the respective frequency-dependent audio gain that is equal to a product of a first enhancement factor and a different between the respective frequency-dependent audio gain at the desired perceived source location and the lateral magnitude of respective audio signal. The output signals are time delayed according to an interaural time.
US09173026B2	Sound recording device A sound recording device of the present disclosure is can be connected with an external sound pickup device. The sound recording device includes a connector having a plurality of terminals to which the external sound pickup device can be connected, and a determiner that determines a type of the external sound pickup device when the external sound pickup device is connected to the connector, based on a correlation between signals of specific terminals out of the plurality of terminals.
US09173024B2	Noise mitigating microphone system A microphone system has a package with a top, a bottom, and four sides that at least in part form an interior chamber. One of the sides forms an inlet aperture for communicating the inlet chamber with the exterior environment. The system also has first and second microphone dies, in a stacked relationship, respectively having a first and second diaphragms. A circuit die, positioned in electrical communication with the first and second microphone dies, is configured to mitigate vibrational noise from the first microphone die using a signal produced by the second microphone die or vice versa. The first and second microphone dies are positioned so that the first and second diaphragms are substantially the same distance from the inlet aperture in the side.
US09173023B2	Multiple device noise reduction microphone array Various embodiments are directed to cooperation among communications devices having microphones to employ their microphones in unison to provide voice detection with noise reduction for voice communications. A first communications device comprises a processor circuit; a first microphone; an interface operative to communicatively couple the processor circuit to a network; and a storage communicatively coupled to the processor circuit and arranged to store a sequence of instructions operative on the processor circuit to store a first detected data that represents sounds detected by the first microphone; receive a second detected data via the network that represents sounds detected by a second microphone of a second communications device; subtractively sum the first and second data to create a processed data; and transmit the processed data to a third communications device. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.
US09173019B2	Loudspeaker with rotatable sound-reflecting member A loudspeaker includes a circuit board, a base mounted on a rear side of the circuit board, a positioning apparatus slidably installed between the base and the circuit board, a sound-reflecting member positioned at a front side of the circuit board, a connecting member connected between the base and the sound-reflecting member, a sound generator, and a controller. The sound-reflecting member includes a sound-reflecting plate and a number of magnetic pieces around the sound-reflecting plate. Many first electromagnets are mounted on the front side of the circuit board, aligning with the magnetic pieces. The position apparatus includes a positioning bracket. The connecting member includes a rotating portion rotatably connected to the base. A second electromagnet is mounted to the circuit board, to move the positioning bracket. The controller controls one or more of the first electromagnets to attract the corresponding magnetic pieces, to allow the sound-reflecting member to swing.
US09173016B2	Headset There is provided a headset, in particular an aviation headset, having an input for receiving audio signals, an audio storage means for at least temporarily storing audio signals received by way of the input, an output unit for output of the received audio signals to at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer and an operating unit for releasing audio signals stored in the audio storage means.
US09173008B1	Layered video transmission over communication channels Embodiments of a method are disclosed for transmitting one or more videos provided by one or more video cameras disposed at a mobile object traveling along a pre-defined route. The method includes receiving the videos, bandwidth map data for multiple communication channels, travel time data for the mobile object, and service level agreement (SLA) parameters. The received video is transformed into multiple video layers. For each video layer, a transmission cost over the multiple communication channels is computed based on the bandwidth map data, the travel time data and the SLA parameters. Out of the multiple communication channels, a particular communication channel is selected for each video layer, which has the minimum transmission cost over the selected communication channel. The video layers are scheduled for transmission over the respective selected communication channels. The scheduled video layers are transmitted with respect to at least one of the SLA parameters.
US09173007B2	Method and system for synchronization for DVB-S2 frame and its associated frame structure A communication system using the DVB-S2 standard, and its associated frame structure, comprises at least two users Ui, characterized in that the super-frame ST1 associated with the first user U1 is composed of at least one frame T1 each composed of at least one header, of a data part, the said super-frame ST1 comprising a number d1 of “dummy” variable size frames consisting of s1 slots, the super-frame ST2 associated with the second user U2 is composed of one or more frames T2 each composed of at least one header, of a data part, the said super-frame ST2 comprising a number d2 of “dummy” variable size frames consisting of s2 slots, the system comprises a module NCC adapted for determining the number d1 and the number d2 of dummies to be introduced so that the temporal duration of ST2 is equal to the temporal duration of ST1.
US09172995B2	Transcoding device, transcoding method and program thereof A device, a method and a program to simplify transcoding of TTS (timestamped transport streams). When transcoding video data in the input TTS, the video processor unit reattaches time stamps in sequence within the applicable frame period of each video frame to each video packet within the applicable video frame after recompression. When transcoding audio data in the input TTS, the audio processor unit reattaches time stamps in sequence within the applicable video frame period of each video frame to each audio packet in the applicable video frame after recompression.
US09172994B2	Method and system for an automatic content recognition abstraction layer A method and system for an automatic content recognition (ACR) abstraction layer are described in which real-time event manager in an ACR system may be utilized to receive interactive event identifiers and to assign those identifiers to sets of video fingerprints generated by multiple real-time fingerprint servers (RTFSs). The video fingerprints may be generated from a network television feed by utilizing video fingerprint technologies that are different for each RTFS. The interactive event identifiers may be determined from different sources. When determined from content ingested by the ACR system, for example, the interactive event identifiers may be based on a video fingerprinting process separate from those utilized by the RTFSs. The RTFSs may communicate the sets of video fingerprints and interactive event identifiers to corresponding fingerprint match systems, which in turn may communicate with devices that utilize the same video fingerprint technology as the corresponding RTFS.
US09172987B2	Methods and systems for updating functionality of a set-top box using markup language An interactive television program guide is provided. Program guide display elements are arranged and styled using markup language documents. These markup language documents may also indicate and select program guide functions. The program guide interprets the markup language documents and generates the display screens and program guide functionality without user intervention. The program guide may also be updated by supplying new markup language documents that modify display screens and program guide functionality. The markup language documents may be supplied by a main facility or a television distribution facility.
US09172986B2	Network system, communication method, and communication terminal A communication terminal includes a touch panel, a communication device for communicating with an other communication terminal, and a processor for reproducing contents using a touch panel, temporarily stopping reproduction of the contents and transmitting a stop instruction to the other communication terminal according to a first input, resuming the reproduction of the contents and transmitting the resumption instruction to the other communication terminal according to a second input, temporarily stopping the reproduction of the contents according to a stop instruction from the other communication terminal, and resuming the reproduction of the contents according to a resumption instruction from the other communication terminal.
US09172984B2	Digital audio-video content mobile library Methods for managing digital video content include registering, in a registry identified with a user account, mobile device platform information and telephone number information for at least one wireless mobile device indicated by information received from a client device. A network server maintains a library of digital video content identified with the user account at a network server, available for serving the digital video content to the client computer. The server provides the digital content, the mobile device platform information and the telephone number information to a mobile content server, to enable streaming video delivery of the digital video content to the at least one mobile device without requiring the user account identifier to be provided from the at least one mobile device. An apparatus for performing the method comprises a processor coupled to a memory, the memory holding instructions for performing steps of the method as summarized above.
US09172981B2	Challenge-response cable set-top-box system to securely authenticate software application program interfaces (APIs) A system for securely authenticating software Application Program Interfaces (APIs) includes a handshake protocol provided between a Conditional Access System (CAS) and Middleware running on a Set-Top-Box. The handshake is a Challenge-Response protocol that includes several steps. The CAS or the Middleware can either act as a Claimant or Verifier in Challenge-Response process. First, a Claimant sends a request to a Verifier requesting access to a function F through the API. The Verifier reacts to the request by outputting a Challenge that is sent to the Claimant The Challenge is also retained by the Verifier for use in its internal calculation to verify the Claimant's response. The Claimant next processes the Challenge using components under a patent License Agreement, known as Hook IP, and issues a Response to the Verifier. The Verifier can then verify the Response to allow the Claimant access to the API.
US09172978B2	Communicating primary content streams and secondary content streams including targeted advertising to a remote unit The invention relates to a method and system to communicate primary and secondary content streams to at least one remote unit, for example, via a television channel in a targeted television environment. The secondary content stream comprises a plurality of tertiary content streams (e.g., video streams) providing commercials, advertisements or any other content. The tertiary content streams are included in the secondary content stream as a mosaic so that each tertiary content stream is a subset or portion of an active display area or frame provided by the single secondary content stream. In one exemplary embodiment, the method and system provide targeted or specific commercial advertisements to demographically selected audiences.
US09172965B2	Multi-level representation of reordered transform coefficients Techniques and tools for encoding and decoding a block of frequency coefficients are presented. An encoder selects a scan order from multiple available scan orders and then applies the selected scan order to a two-dimensional matrix of transform coefficients, grouping non-zero values of the frequency coefficients together in a one-dimensional string. The encoder entropy encodes the one-dimensional string of coefficient values according to a multi-level nested set representation. In decoding, a decoder entropy decodes the one-dimensional string of coefficient values from the multi-level nested set representation. The decoder selects the scan order from among multiple available scan orders and then reorders the coefficients back into a two-dimensional matrix using the selected scan order.
US09172962B2	Methods and systems for pipelining within binary arithmetic coding and decoding Methods of encoding and decoding for video data are described for encoding or decoding multi-level significance maps while enabling pipelining of the BAC engine. In one example, coefficient groups are redefined to remove the significant-coefficient flags of the first and last position of a block and replace them with significant-coefficient flags of the last position in the previous block and the first position in the next block. A modified scan order is applied to each coefficient group. In another example, the coefficient groups remain block-based, but the scan order is modified to interleave the encoding and decoding sequential coefficient groups.
US09172958B2	Apparatus and method for coding picture data A coding apparatus for hierarchically (layering) coding top field data and bottom field data divided from each of a plurality of picture data composing a moving picture image has a first coding unit configured to encode one field data between two field data of the top field data and the bottom field data divided from the picture data, a conversion unit configured to interpolate first predicted image data generated by the first coding unit encoding above one field data and generate a second predicted image data of a scanning position of the other field data between the two field data, and a second coding unit configured to encode the other field data between the two field data based on the second predicted image data generated by the conversion unit.
US09172949B2	Display apparatus and method A display apparatus that may generate a high density light field image is provided. The display apparatus may identify an eye position of a user and set a virtual viewing window around the eye of the user. The display apparatus may generate a directional light corresponding to the viewing window and generate a high density light field image.
US09172944B2	Image processing device, image processing method, non-transitory tangible medium having image processing program, and image-pickup device An image processing device includes: a parallax control processing section performing an image processing for modifying a parallax magnitude, on each of a plurality of parallax images obtained through shooting from a plurality of respective view point directions different from one another, with use of shooting information related to a shooting condition for each of the parallax images.
US09172933B2	Correcting anamolous texture and feature width effects in a display that uses a multi primary color unit scheme A method for correcting artifact effects is a multi-primary color matrix display is provided where the display is populated by an array of red-green-blue (RGB) pixels and of non-RGB pixels. The method includes receiving all-RGB data in an all-RGB format; converting the all-RGB data into multi-primary data in accordance with a predefined multi-primary color scheme, testing for and applying one or more artifact correction modifications to each of primary colors that is not represented by all pixels, wherein the modification includes shifting of intensity production of a given non-primary color to a metameric equivalent of pixels in one or more adjacent RGB pixels.
US09172932B2	Video signal paths switching in a portable display system An image projection system includes a scaler IC, a micro-projector, a video connector, and a controller. The video connector is coupled to the scaler IC and the micro-projector. The controller controls the video connector and the scaler IC to form a first signal path mode and a second signal path mode. The video connector transmits a first image signal from the scaler IC for external displaying in the first signal path mode. The video connector receives a second image signal from a peripheral device and passes the second image signal to the micro-projector for projection in the second signal path mode.
US09172928B2	Color image capture system and method for light modulation A color image capture systems comprised of: a lens 110; a light sensitive sensor 114; a first wavelength dependent mask 120 located on an optical path 128 between the lens and sensor, wherein the first wavelength dependent mask 120 includes a first attenuation pattern for modulation of a light field; and a second wavelength dependent mask 130, wherein the second wavelength dependent mask includes a second attenuation pattern to modulate the modulated light field from the first wavelength dependent mask, the second wavelength dependent mask located on the optical path 128 between the first wavelength dependent mask and the sensor, further wherein the second wavelength dependent mask is separated from the sensor by a distance d.
US09172919B2	Selective viewing of a scene Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene includes acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera. The method includes identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane. The method includes modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side. The method includes displaying the modified acquired image for a person to view the real scene.
US09172917B1	Internet protocol security camera connected light bulb/system The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising an antenna module and a control module. The antenna module may be configured to connect and send data to a local network and a mobile handheld device through a wireless connection. The control module may be configured to provide (i) a physical connection to the antenna module, (ii) a power source to an external device, and (iii) a camera sensor to capture still and motion pictures and sounds of a surrounding environment of the apparatus. The pictures may be sent as the data through the wireless connection or through a mobile handheld device.
US09172916B2	Web monitoring system A method for identifying defects in a web of material is provided. The method may include monitoring one or more characteristics of a web translating along a travel path. The one or more characteristics may include one of position, speed of travel, and direction of travel. The method may include identifying a candidate for a defect by detecting one or more deviations in the web at a first time frame. The method may include monitoring one or more characteristics of the candidate for a defect at one or more subsequent time frames. The method may include determining whether the candidate is a defect by comparing the one or more characteristics of the candidate at one or more subsequent time frames to the one or more characteristics of the web. A related system is also provided.
US09172910B2	Apparatus for multi-party video call, server for controlling multi-party video call, and method of displaying multi-party image Provided are an apparatus for a multi-party video call, a server for controlling a multi-party video call, and a method of displaying a multi-party image. The apparatus for a multi-party video call includes a receiver module configured to receive a composite image of multi-party video call participants from a server, an image separating module configured to separate images of the respective multi-party video call participants from the composite image received by the receiver module, and a display module configured to arrange the separated images according to a predetermined layout and display the separated images on a screen.
US09172896B2	Content-sensitive and context-sensitive user interface for an intelligent television An intelligent television can provide various interfaces for navigating processes associated with providing content. The user interfaces include unique visual representations and organizations that allow the user to utilize the intelligent television more easily and more effectively. Particularly, the user interfaces' layout, aspect ratio of elements, display of elements, and size of selectable images are dependent on the type of content presented. Further, the user interfaces provide unique process of transitioning between the content.
US09172893B2	Solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array, control lines TG each provided for a corresponding one of rows of pixels and configured to control, e.g., operation of a transfer transistor, and a driver circuit 103 configured to control the operation of the transfer transistor through the control lines TG and connected to a power-supply line TGL. The solid-state imaging device performs all reset operation for resetting signal charges of all pixels by the driver circuit 103 and reading operation for reading a pixel signal from each row of the pixels. An impedance controller 130 configured to control an impedance value for power-supply line TGL in the reading operation to be less than an impedance value for power-supply line TGL in the all reset operation is provided.
US09172883B2	Imaging apparatus with a finder device having at least one variable magnification lens which can be inserted into and removed from an optical path of the finder device A camera 10 has an imaging optical system, an imaging device 21a, and a finder device 15. The finder device 15 includes a variable magnification lens 64 which can be inserted into and removed from an optical path, and a shutter 62 which can switch between a closed state in which it interrupts light coming from a finder window 16 and an open state in which it allows passage of light coming from the finder window 16. The camera 10 is equipped with a driver 54 for controlling insertion and removal of the variable magnification lens 64 in accordance with the focal length of the imaging optical system, a driver 53 for controlling the state of the shutter 62, and a CPU 82. The CPU 82 controls the shutter 62 so that it is kept in the closed state while the variable magnification lens 64 is being moved.
US09172882B2	Zoom lens system, interchangeable lens apparatus and camera system A zoom lens system comprising a positive first lens unit composed of three or four lens elements, a negative second lens unit, and subsequent lens units, wherein the subsequent lens units include an aperture diaphragm, an image blur compensating lens unit, and a focusing lens unit, which are provided on the image side relative to the aperture diaphragm, and the conditions: 1.8<\|(YW/fW)×FNOT×(fT/fW)\|<4.5 and 0.001<(D1W+D2T)/fW<0.200 (YW=fW×tan(ωW), fW, fT: focal length of the zoom lens system at wide-angle limit, telephoto limit, ωW: half view angle at wide-angle limit, FNOT: F-number at telephoto limit, D1W: inter-apex distance between the first and second lens units at wide-angle limit, D2T: inter-apex distance between the second lens unit and a most object side lens unit among the subsequent lens units at telephoto limit) are satisfied.
US09172880B2	Computing device and method of image matching A computing device is connected to a measurement device including a projector, a left camera and a right camera. The projector is controlled to project gratings with a number M of frequencies on an object. The left camera captures a number N of left grating images, and the right camera captures a number N of right grating images of the gratings with each of the frequencies. A luminous intensity of each pixel in each of the left grating images and the right grating images is computed. According to the luminous intensity of each pixel in each of the left grating images, a first phase grayscale image is obtained. According to the luminous intensity of each pixel in each of the right grating images, a second phase grayscale image is obtained. A matched image is obtained by matching the first phase grayscale image and the second phase grayscale image.
US09172878B2	Image capturing apparatus, image capturing control method and storage medium for capturing a subject to be recorded with intended timing An image capturing apparatus (1) includes an image capturing unit (2), a display control unit (71), an overlap determination unit (72), and a recording control unit (74). The image capturing unit (22) sequentially captures an image of a subject. The display control unit (71) controls the image containing the subject image sequentially captured by the image capturing unit (22) and an indicator image for instructing recording of the subject image to be displayed on a display unit in such a way that the indicator image is superimposed on the image containing the subject image. The overlap determination unit (72) determines whether the indicator image and the subject image have overlapped. The recording control unit (74) controls the image containing the subject image to be recorded in a storage medium, when the overlap determination unit (72) determines that the indicator image and the subject image have overlapped.
US09172871B2	Method and device for multi-camera image correction Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for multi-camera image correction. The method for multi-camera image correction includes: acquiring information of independent images that are captured by each camera and have no overlap area or have an overlap area smaller than a threshold; acquiring, according to information of each independent image, an image correction parameter that corresponds to each camera and allows adjacent independent images to be corrected into a contiguous image; and performing, according to the image correction parameter, correction processing on video data of a camera that corresponds to the image correction parameter. In the embodiments of the present invention, maintenance manpower is saved, adjustment efficiency is improved, and remote maintenance may be performed in the case of no overlap area or of a small overlap area. In addition, images are corrected in a data processing manner, which efficiently ensures precision of image correction.
US09172869B2	Image data aggregating high dynamic range imaging systems and associated methods An image data aggregating high dynamic range imaging system includes an image sensor for generating N image data sets from an array of photodiodes, where N is an integer greater than one. The image sensor is adapted to generate each of the N image data sets with a different respective exposure time duration of the array of photodiodes. The system further includes an image data aggregating module for aggregating the N image data sets to obtain a virtual long exposure image data set.
US09172868B2	Imaging device, imaging method and storage medium for combining images consecutively captured while moving The present invention can easily acquire images having a uniform aspect ratio. In an imaging device of the invention, a control section detects the movement amount and the movement direction of the imaging device based on output from an acceleration sensor. Then, when the movement direction of the imaging device in its initial movement started at the beginning of imaging is substantially linear and a substantially horizontal or vertical direction, the control section calculates a reference movement amount by which a composite image having a predetermined aspect ratio can be generated, based on the movement amount of the imaging device, and controls the display section to display imaging area information (guide) indicating the final imaging area having the predetermined aspect ratio based on the reference movement amount.
US09172867B2	Method for running camera and electronic device thereof A method usable by an electronic device executes at least one application operating a first camera and a second camera and determines whether an image acquired by the second camera is shaded by an object obscuring a portion of the acquired second camera image. In response to a determination the acquired second camera image is shaded, the method displays on a preview screen an image acquired by the first camera.
US09172865B2	Image pickup apparatus, solid-state image pickup device, and image pickup method A solid-state image pickup device includes a lens, a first light receiving element, a second light receiving element, and an element separation area. The first light receiving element is configured to receive light from the lens. The second light receiving element is configured to receive light from the lens. The element separation area is between the first light receiving element and the second light receiving element. The lens has an optical axis, which is offset from a center of the element separation area.
US09172863B2	Video signal processing apparatus A video signal processing apparatus, comprises: an image pickup unit, having a focus lens; an evaluation value calculator unit, specifying a region, in which brightness higher than a predetermined value lies, from within a region to be a target, for which a focal point estimation value is calculated to be used for moving the focus lens to a focal point, and to calculate the focal point estimation value by excluding the region, in which the brightness higher than the predetermined value lies, from a focal point estimation value calculation target; and a system controller unit, to be focused upon basis of the focal point estimation value calculated by the evaluation value calculator unit, wherein the system controller unit controls the focus lens to move to a position, which is determined in advance.
US09172859B2	Camera module and method for inspecting horizontality of object and the camera module Exemplary embodiments of a camera module are proposed, the camera module including an image sensor photographing a object image, a memory unit stored with a look-up table recorded with pixel number of the object image corresponding to a length of the object, and an image signal processor detecting a pixel number of the object image photographed by the image sensor, reading out a length of a object corresponding to the detected pixel number from the memory unit and inspecting horizontality of the image sensor and the object.
US09172856B2	Folded imaging path camera In embodiments of a folded imaging path camera, a device includes a camera lens module that focuses an image, which is received as reflected light. An image sensor captures the image from the reflected light that is directed at the image sensor. The device also includes one or more optics that fold the reflected light of the image along an imaging path directed through the camera lens module and directed at the image sensor. The imaging path directed through the camera lens module can be approximately perpendicular to an axis along which the reflected light of the image is received via an aperture in the device. Alternatively, the imaging path directed through the camera lens module is approximately parallel to the axis along which the reflected light of the image is received via the aperture in the device.
US09172850B2	Lensless imaging camera performing image formation in software employing micro-optic elements creating overlap of light from distant sources over multiple photosensor elements A lensless camera with image formation performed by image processing software rather than by lens. Image formation operations are coordinated with a micro-optical element array that can comprise apertures, micro-optic layers, etc. configured so light received from a distant source overlaps onto multiple photosensors. Algorithms for image formation are determined by pixel overlap functions resulting from micro-optic elements directing light to a photosensor array, and can include deconvolution, edge-effect handling, decimation, and interpolation. Image formation operations can comprise frequency-domain operations or other approaches. The micro-optical element array can be configured to produce a spatial light pattern on the photosensor array with optimized detection characteristics. Light-detecting photosensors can comprise elements capable of light emission, for example organic materials with electroluminescent properties. The camera can be implemented or integrated upon any one of a wide variety of surfaces or substrates. Fabrication can employ techniques from semiconductor processing and flat panel display manufacturing.
US09172839B2	Image forming apparatus, control method and storage medium An image forming apparatus includes a first device to which a first memory is connected; a second device to which a second memory is connected; and a third device to which a third memory is connected. The third device includes a data transfer control unit configured to perform data transfers each for transferring data from one of the first to third memories to a destination memory of the first to third memories, according to direct memory access control in cooperation with the first device and according to an instruction received from the second device. Priorities and orders are assigned to the data transfers. The data transfer control unit arbitrates the data transfers by changing the orders of the data transfers based on the priorities assigned to the data transfers and by changing the destination memory of at least one of the data transfers.
US09172837B2	Light source for exposure and image forming apparatus Provided is a light source for exposure including: a circuit section which includes plural pixel circuits arranged in one direction, a scanning circuit which outputs a scanning signal, a scanning line which supplies the pixel circuits with the scanning signal; light-emitting elements connected to the pixel circuits; and data lines which supply a lead wire with a data signal via the pixel circuits, wherein a data line group including the plural data lines, a light-emitting element group including the plural light-emitting elements, and the circuit section are arranged in this order in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plural pixel circuits are arranged.
US09172821B2	Wireless internet gateway limiting message distribution A wireless Internet gateway bridges wireless devices to the Internet, e.g., via a short message service center (SMSC). The gateway provides a portal to SMPP, HTTP, TNPP, or other protocol messages using Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) techniques. Application servers insert RMI objects containing messages in a message queue handler of the gateway. The RMI objects are queued and passed either directly to a destination delivery handler (e.g., SMPP, SMTP, HTTP or TNPP protocol handler), or passed through a generic destination interface. An SMTP handler provides direct communication of SMTP protocol messages (i.e., email) to the message queue. An SMPP link proxy module provides direct access between a local application server and the destination delivery handler. The messages are packaged into relevant messages of the particular destination protocol (e.g., SMPP), and transmitted to the relevant network element (e.g., to an SMSC).
US09172817B2	Communication system An echo component of a first signal received at an audio input device is removed. A second signal is output from an audio output device. The echo component in the first signal is the result of the second signal traversing an echo path. The characteristics of the first and second signals are compared, and if the first signal only comprises the echo, an estimate of the echo path is determined by comparing the first and second signals. The echo path estimate is applied to the first signal to determine an equalized first signal, which is is compared with the second signal to determine an estimate of the echo component. The echo component from the first signal is removed in dependence on the estimate of the echo component.
US09172816B2	Echo suppression An echo path of the echo in a received audio signal is modelled using an adaptive model to determine an adaptive model estimate of the echo. The adaptive model estimate is used to determine an estimate of the echo power of the echo in the received audio signal. The power of the received audio signal is determined. The estimate of the echo power and the determined power of the received audio signal are used to determine echo suppression gains. Temporal smoothing is applied to one or more of the echo suppression gains and the one or more smoothed echo suppression gains are used to apply echo suppression to the received audio signal, thereby suppressing the echo in the received audio signal, wherein the amount of smoothing applied to the echo suppression gains is varied according to a non-decreasing function of the frequency of the received audio signal.
US09172809B1	System and method for prioritizing customers and predicting service escalation Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for predicting escalation risks in customer support contexts. A system implementing the example method can identify instances of customer escalation from a corpus of customer support sales, customer support, and product software development data, and determine, for the instances of customer escalation, sets of trigger conditions that were at least partially responsible for respective instances of customer escalation. Then the system can classify each of the instances of customer escalation by problem type based on the set of trigger conditions to yield classifications, and add the classifications, the sets of trigger conditions, and the instances of customer escalation to a database. Then the system can compare the database to support data to identify customers or support tasks that are likely to be escalated, and the system or a user can allocate additional support resources to proactively prevent escalations.
US09172808B2	Systems and methods for identifying a caller Systems and methods for authenticating callers are disclosed that may obtain identifying data and a voice print, and compare the voice print to one or more stored voice prints. Further, one or more initial scores may be calculated based on the data and the comparison, and a confidence interval score may also be calculated. The systems and methods may determine whether to authenticate based on the one or more initial scores and the confidence interval score.
US09172806B2	Method for providing support services using consumer selected specialists and specialist ratings A general queue and priority queues corresponding to agents are maintained. In response to a user request from a remote device of a user regarding a content item of a content document displayed at the remote device, it is determined whether the user request includes an agent identifier (ID). If the user request includes a first agent ID, a first of the priority queues is identified based on the first agent ID and the user request is inserted into the first priority queue. If the user request does not include an agent ID, the user request is inserted into the general queue. A case manager the requests from the general queue and the priority queues to the agents that are available to enable the agents to establish live communication sessions with users associated with the requests.
US09172799B2	Method and apparatus for displaying a social networking status message on a dialing phone In one embodiment, a method includes identifying when a call to a callee has been initiated by a system. Once the call is identified as being initiated, status information associated with the callee is obtained. The status information is then displayed on the system.
US09172793B2	Method and apparatus for correlating a phone call with a display A computerized method for correlating a phone call with a telephone-number, comprising receiving at a service facility, comprising an at least one processor, a query from a computer about a status of a phone call with a telephone-number, and sending to the computer a response with information related to the status, and an apparatus for performing the same.
US09172787B2	Cellular telephone docking device and silencing method A system for, and method of intelligently silencing a mobile telephone, allowing the user to avoid unnecessary interruptions while sleeping or engaged in other activities and while still allowing necessary or urgent notifications to be received. The invention provides a method for creating a “do not disturb” mode on a mobile phone, which provides an explicit mechanism which can allow certain designated callers to override the “do not disturb” mode. When the phone is in “do not disturb” mode, an option is typically provided which allows the phone owner to designate certain contacts for different treatment upon receipt of a call or message.
US09172783B1	Integrating two-dimensional barcodes and embedded links with call center operation In various embodiments, advertising campaigns can be defined that incorporate technologies such as two-dimensional bar codes or embedded links in electronic material, for directing a user to communicate with a call center. For instance, in particular embodiments, the reading of a two-dimensional bar code by a user with a smart phone may cause various forms of communication requesting a return communication. The communication from the smart phone may be sent to, and received at, the call center, where a calling campaign associated with an advertising campaign is identified using information associated with the communication. A responding communication may be initiated from the call center to the user.
US09172780B1	Extended function audio connectors A telecommunications device capable of performing a plurality of functions in addition to telecommunications functions is disclosed. The telecommunications device comprises a memory, a processor, and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor. The instructions are configured such that the device performs a function specified by the instructions to be performed when a pulsed analog electrical signal is received via a contact point on an integrated plug that is inserted into a socket on the device and that has three electrically independent microphone contacts, wherein the signal is generated responsive to an action taken on a hardware component on the device, and wherein the specification of the function to be performed occurs after the manufacturing process for the device is complete.
US09172767B2	Mobile terminal, data distribution server, data distribution system, and data distribution method A data distribution server, a mobile terminal, and a data distribution method perform distribution of data in consideration of memory capacity. In a mobile terminal, an amount-of-space arithmetic unit carries out an arithmetic operation for an amount of space and a possible amount of space of an object storage unit. Then, in an object distribution server, object data is selected based on the amount of space or the like, and a distribution list is generated and transmitted to the mobile terminal. In the mobile terminal, deletion of object data determined as deletable is performed in order to acquire object data in the distribution list. Acquisition of the object data is then performed.
US09172751B2	Content distribution A method and apparatus is configured to generate a first message including a portion of a media stream or a portion of a data file. The method and apparatus also generates a second message including the first message, for sending to one or more addressees. The second message also includes information identifying one or more additional entities other than the one or more addressees from which one or more portions of the media stream or the data file can be obtained.
US09172749B2	System, method and apparatus for enabling access to applications and interactive services The invention provides a system, a method and a computer program product that facilitate access to one or more applications by a computing device. The invention includes determining one or more contexts associated with at least one of the computing device and a user of the computing device, such that the one or more contexts describe at least one of an environment and an activity of the at least one of the user and the computing device. Thereafter at least one contextual tag corresponding to the one or more contexts is generated. Subsequently, the one or more applications associated with the at least one contextual tag are identified and the computing device is enabled to access the one or more applications.
US09172743B2	Scalable storage systems with longest prefix matching switches A method performed by a switch, the method comprising receiving a request for a file from a client, wherein the file is located in a distributed storage system, extracting a directory for the file from the request, performing longest prefix matching (LPM) of the directory against a forwarding information base (FIB) to identify a port, wherein the FIB associates directories with ports of the switch, and forwarding the client request toward a server containing the file via the identified port, wherein the server is one of a plurality of servers in the distributed storage system.
US09172741B2	Mobile terminal and method for implementing browser thereof The present disclosure provides a mobile terminal and a method for implementing a browser of the mobile terminal. The method comprises: the mobile terminal establishes a remote browser connection with a computing entity; and the mobile terminal remotely calls a browser engine to parse webpage data and render an image for data to be parsed through a distributed program interface of the browser engine provided by the computing entity, and receives frame dataflow from the computing entity. Through the present disclosure, the mobile terminal establishes a remote browser connection with the computing entity to share the browser engine of the computing entity based on distributed implementation as a component to the mobile terminal; the browser engine of the computing entity is remotely called to work to actually acquire the parsing capability of the CPU and other hardware resources of the computing entity; and the frame dataflow returned from the computing entity is received and presented. The mobile terminal not only acquires a relatively high computing capability but also has small power consumption; extra expense of the user is avoided and additional client software is not needed, and thereby improving the usability.
US09172732B1	System and method for providing a personalized media service A system and method for providing a personalized media service. In one aspect, the system includes an on-demand system, a plurality of subscriber devices, and a network to which the on-demand system and the subscriber devices are coupled so that the on-demand system and the subscriber devices can communicate with each other. The on-demand system enables a user to create one or more personalized media channels by enabling the user to specify his/her media preferences for each channel. The on-demand system includes a media server for streaming media to the plurality of subscriber devices. The media is preferably implemented using a video-on-demand server.
US09172730B2	Social aspects of media guides A computer-implemented method, including receiving, at a computing device, a request from a user to display descriptors of media programming content for a time period; identifying people associated with the user employing information stored in a computer database, and identifying time-associated media programs electronically scheduled on behalf of the identified people; and providing for display, to the user, the descriptions of the identified people and of the time-associated media programs.
US09172726B2	Impairment reduction for tandem VoIP calls A method and apparatus are provided for allowing IP endpoints to communicate over a PSTN with improved signal quality. Watermarks are used in the handshaking between the end-points when a communication session is being established, the watermarks indicating that the endpoints are capable of VoIP. If the two end-points establish that they are each VoIP-capable then packet data is inserted into a TDM channel using a framing technique managed by the gateways, with the bearer data being native to the VoIP devices, avoiding the lossy conversion of packet-voice data to 64 kb/s PCM and back to packet data again, realizing that the other end-point will be able to decode the data. If an IP-enabled endpoint determines that the other endpoint is not IP-enabled, then the data is inserted into the TDM channel by the gateway after conversion to 64 kb/s PCM so that the resulting TDM stream remains compatible with the PSTN and non-IP endpoints.
US09172712B2	Method and system for improving website security A method for locating and monitoring websites is provided that includes finding websites and contained hyperlinks, downloading a first snapshot of a web page taken at a first time, and downloading a second snapshot of the web page taken at a second time later than the first time. The method also includes enabling a comparison of the first snapshot and the second snapshot. A system for monitoring websites is provided. The system includes means for enabling a comparison of the first snapshot and the second snapshot visually or through the use of content data from that web site. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon an executable program is provided. The program when executed causes a processor to perform a method for monitoring websites.
US09172708B2	Computing system for managing data Various embodiments are described for systems and methods for managing data. The system may include a device group configured for peer-to-peer communications, the device group including a computing device and one or more peer computing devices. The system includes a cross device application programming interface (API) that is implemented as a device group API client executed on the computing device and each of the peer computing devices. Each device group API client includes a permissions module that is configured to determine whether a request satisfies a device-group-specific permission for access to data stored on any device associated with the device group. Upon authorization of the request, a file storage module is configured to retrieve and output the requested file.
US09172704B2	System for allocating a work request Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system, method, and computer program product for allocating work requests. A system is configured to initiate the presentation of a first user interface to enable a first user to receive a work request received from a source; assign a category to the work request based on at least an objective and a priority level associated with the work request; and allocate the work request to a second user based on at least the category; transmit the allocated work request to the second user; initiate the presentation of a second user interface to enable a second user to retrieve the work request, and process the work request, wherein processing the work request further comprises addressing the work request based on at least the status and the priority level; and transmit the processed work request to third user for a quality assessment.
US09172702B2	System and method for traversing a NAT device for peer-to-peer hybrid communications An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to traverse a NAT device using a stateless reflector.
US09172694B2	Propagating delegated authorized credentials through legacy systems An approach is provided to access resources at legacy systems. In this approach, a resource request destined to a legacy system is receiving from a requestor with the resource request including an access token and being on behalf of a resource owner. A validation process is performed on the access token. If the access token is valid, the approach identifies the resource owner and one or more legacy access tokens used to access the legacy system. Another request is formed with the new request including the legacy access tokens. The new request is transmitted to the legacy system and a response is received back from the legacy system. The response received from the legacy system is transmitted back to the requestor.
US09172693B2	Quick payment using mobile device binding Methods and systems are provided for secure device binding that provides user convenience through avoiding repetitive logging in when changing apps or moving from website to website. A mobile device undergoes binding to an account so that customers do not always have to enter their password when going through a financial transaction process, on a known (e.g., registered) mobile device. A device may be bound during an initial login, and once logged in, the user can select an option to be “remembered” so that the user need not re-login on the same device for future visits with an app or to a website that shares the service provider library.
US09172688B2	Secure shell authentication A first information handling system receives a security challenge and forwards it to a second information handling system. The second information handling system retrieves a private key from a public/private encryption key pair and satisfies the challenge with the private key. The second information handling system forwards the satisfied challenge without divulging the private key. The second information handling system is in a more secure environment than the first information handling system. The challenge may be satisfied by signing the challenge with the private key. Satisfying the challenge may be a step in creating a secure shell connection between the first information handling system and an organization maintaining the first information handling system and the second information handling system.
US09172675B2	Methods and apparatus for network communication Methods and apparatus for network communication are disclosed. An example method includes sending an initial packet to a network device, receiving a response packet that is a response to the initial packet and includes a parameter that does not match the initial packet, determining that the response packet is a response to the initial packet, and in response to determining that the response packet is a response, determining that the network device is responsive to network requests.
US09172659B1	Network traffic routing in a modular switching device Data packets are received at a source packet processor that is disposed in a modular switching device having a plurality of packet processors and a plurality of crossbar processors coupled to the plurality of packet processors. Each of at least some of the received data packets is divided into a plurality of data packet fragments. The data packet fragments are transmitted to the crossbar processors to distribute the data packet fragments among the crossbar processors. The data packet fragments are stored at respective crossbar processors. An instruction to retransmit first stored packet fragments corresponding to a first data packet that had been received at the source packet processor is selectively transmitted from the source packet processor to the crossbar processors. Based on the instruction received from the source packet processor, the first stored packet fragments is retransmitted to a target packet processor among the plurality of packet processors.
US09172658B2	Call setup systems and methods using dynamic link tagging and overbooking of links in multi-domain transport networks Call setup methods in a multi-domain network and a multi-domain network use dynamic link tagging and/or overbooking of External Network-Network Interface (ENNI) links. Thus, improved call setup systems and methods include two approaches to improve upon the responsiveness of the network for connection setups including bandwidth reservation in optical networks using “dynamic link tags” and link overbooking in optical networks based on a greedy approach. The bandwidth reservation and the link overbooking can be utilized together or separately to improve call setup. Advantageously, the improved call setup systems and methods can provide a generic bandwidth reservation mechanism, such as in Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) networks, to overcome the limitation of ENNI in concurrently updating the abstract link bandwidth and thereby improving the responsiveness of the network.
US09172657B2	Technique for resource creation in a cloud computing system A technique for creating a resource in a cloud computing system is described. A method implementation of this technique comprises providing a plurality of predefined base resource descriptions, each base resource description defining a base resource in the cloud computing system and specifying one or more properties of the base resource, providing a plurality of predefined modifiers, each modifier being applicable to a resource in the cloud computing system to add, remove or change a property of the resource, wherein each modifier is associated with metrics information, and receiving a resource request indicating one or more desired properties for a target resource in the cloud computing system. In response to receipt of the resource request, a selection operation is performed to select a base resource description and one or more modifiers that are to be applied to the base resource corresponding to the selected base resource description to create the target resource in the cloud computing system, wherein the selection operation is based on the metrics information. In a next step, the selected base resource description is deployed to create the corresponding base resource in the cloud computing system, and application of the selected modifiers to the base resource in the cloud computing system is triggered to create the target resource.
US09172651B2	Denial of service prevention in a software defined network A method in a controller module is described for allocating rate-limiting meters to a plurality of network elements (NEs) of a software defined network (SDN). The method includes receiving a plurality of rate limit indicators, from one or more network destinations, for a plurality of flows of data that arrive at the network destinations; sending one or more meter installation messages to cause a plurality of meter entries corresponding to the plurality of rate limit indicators to be installed by one or more of the NEs according to a metering configuration that is determined by, for each of the flows, selecting a flow of the plurality of flows that has not been selected yet and that traverses a path in the SDN having a fewest number of the plurality of NEs, and selecting a NE from the path that the selected flow traverses to have a meter entry installed.
US09172650B2	Systems and methods for server surge protection in a multi-core system The present application is directed towards systems and methods for providing connection surge protection to one or more servers by an intermediary multi-core system. A packet processing engine of a multi-core device deployed as an intermediary between a plurality of clients and one or more servers determines an estimated number of total pending requests received by all packet processing engines based on a value of a local counter of received requests, the total number of pending requests received by all other packet processing engines at a last predetermined interval, and a rate of change of the total number of pending requests received by all other packet processing engines multiplied by the time since the last predetermined interval. The packet processing engine applies a surge protection policy to received pending requests responsive to the determined estimated number of total pending requests.
US09172647B2	Distributed network test system There are disclosed a system, a test head and a method for testing a device under test. Two or more test heads may be mated directly with respective connectors on the device under test. Each test head may include a traffic generator including a stateless packet builder to generate stateless traffic for transmission to the device under test, and a traffic receiver including a stateless packet analyzer to accumulate traffic statistics on stateless traffic received from the device under test. A server coupled to the two or more test heads via respective communications links, may generate stateful traffic for transmission to the device under test by the two or more test heads, and may process stateful traffic received from the device under test by the two or more test heads.
US09172634B2	Restarting a line card A method and a network device for preventing service disruption during a restart of a line card. The line card including a CPU control system and a forwarding system. Information on the CPU control system is stored in a predetermined storage and a flag is set prior to the restart of the line card. The stored information includes configuration information of the forwarding system and protocol state information of the CPU control system. The CPU control system is restarted while the forwarding system is maintained in a state of providing forwarding service. Upon detecting the flag is set during the restart of the CPU control system, the stored information is restored on the CPU control system.
US09172629B1	Classifying packets Classifying packets is disclosed. In some embodiments, a packet can be classified once for a plurality of nodes. The classification of a packet can be used at a receiving node to determine the receiving node policy for the packet. In some embodiments, the classification of a packet is specified by a classification index associated with the packet. In some embodiments, the receiving node policy for the packet can be determined by performing a lookup in a data structure associated with the receiving node based at least in part on the classification index of the packet. In some embodiments, the classification of the packet is sufficient to specify not only the receiving node policy but also a plurality of policies of a plurality of nodes.
US09172621B1	Unified account metadata management Methods and apparatus for unified account metadata management are disclosed. A storage medium stores program instructions that when executed on a processor generate a graph representation of metadata associated with a client account of a provider network. At least a portion of the metadata is obtained using an internal mechanism of the provider network. The graph comprises a plurality of nodes (representing resources associated with the client account) and a plurality of edges (representing configuration relationships). The instructions when executed provide a visualization of resources and configuration relationships of the graph; and in response to a graphical interaction with the visualization, issue a command to a network-accessible service of the provider network to implement a configuration modification associated with a resource represented in the graph.
US09172618B2	Data storage system to optimize revenue realized under multiple service level agreements A data storage system comprising a Quality of Service server to optimize revenue realized under multiple service level agreements with a data storage client.
US09172617B2	Management apparatus, management system, control method, and storage medium A management server receives a server instruction inquiry from an image forming apparatus, and transmits a communication switching instruction to the image forming apparatus as a response to the server instruction inquiry, such that the communication switching instruction switches the communication system for communicating with the image forming apparatus to push communication. After push communication has been established by conducting an initial communication with the image forming apparatus according to the communication switching instruction, the management server issues server instructions to the image forming apparatus by push communication.
US09172616B2	Compressing topological information pertaining to managed resources to enhance visualization A method is provided in association with a managed system having a substantial number of resources. The method includes the step of selecting an attribute that is common to all of the resources, wherein each resource has a status in regard to the selected attribute that is one of a plurality of prespecified statuses that are available for the attribute. The method further includes compressing the group of resources into a set of subgroups, wherein each subgroup corresponds to a different prespecified status of the plurality, and each resource having a given status is placed into the subgroup that corresponds to the given status. Each of the subgroups is represented by a display element on a single computer display screen, and specified information is displayed with each display element, wherein the specified information for a display element pertains to all of the resources placed into the subgroup that are represented by the display element.
US09172612B2	Network device configuration management by physical location A method of managing a network including maintaining a database of network configuration profiles, each network configuration profile corresponding to a network device type and a physical location relative to the network, determining with a network device a physical location of the network device relative to the network upon the network device being initially connected to the network, the network device being of a network device type, and determining a network configuration profile with which to configure the network device from the database based on the physical location and the network device type of the network device.
US09172603B2	WAN optimizer for logical networks Some embodiments provide a non-transitory machine readable medium of a controller of a network control system for configuring a wide area network (WAN) optimizer instance to implement a WAN optimizer for a logical network. The controller receives a configuration for the WAN optimizer to optimize network data from the logical network for transmission to another WAN optimizer. The controller identifies several other controllers in the network control system on which to implement the logical network. The controller distributes the configuration for implementation on the WAN optimizer.
US09172597B2	Data combiner and splitter In a network coupling redundant controllers to a control system, an electronic device is provided. The device comprises a first interface coupled to the control system addressed using a unique medium access control (MAC) address, a second interface coupled to a first redundant controller, and a third interface coupled to a second redundant controller. The device receives a first message via the first interface and transmits the first message via the second interface and via the third interface. The device receives a second message via the second interface and transmits the second message via the first interface. The device receives a third message via the third interface and transmits the third message via the first interface.
US09172590B2	Single virtual domain fibre channel over ethernet fabric The entire FCoE fabric is a single virtual domain, even though there may be multiple FCFs and FDFs. The virtual domain is a different Domain_ID than any of the FCFs. In certain embodiments there are multiple FCFs, of which one is selected as the master or designated FCF. The master FCF performs normal fabric configuration in conjunction with the Fiber Channel fabric. The master FCF assigns the virtual domain FC node IDs and controls development of subdomain IDs. Virtual links are instantiated between the master FCF and other FCFs, between top level FDFs and the FCFs and between the FDFs at each of various levels. FDFs connected to ENodes proxy the master FCF for most FIP operations. FIP FLOGI and FDISC operations are handled by the master FDF, but the FDFs convert the FIP FLOGI requests to VD_FLOGI requests, which include information about the FDF handling the transaction.
US09172589B2	Method for configuring a distributed avionics control system The present invention relates to a method for configuring synchronous table-driven operations of a distributed avionics control system comprising a plurality of processing nodes (S1-S4) interconnected in a network (2). The method comprises the steps of providing a global timing meta-data component (X4), a plurality of application meta-data components (X51-X52), and a node assignment meta-data component (X 2). The method also comprises the steps of detecting data communication paths, detecting communication requirements, generating a system schedule meta-data component, generating a system configuration data and providing the system configuration to the distributed avionics control system.
US09172586B1	Method and system for writing tag and data A computing device having a processor for executing an application for generating an input/output (I/O) request for writing data to a logical object presented to the application; and a device interfacing with the computing device having a processor for generating a single I/O command for writing data in response to the I/O request and writing a tag that is associated with the data are provided. The tag includes an identifier for the logical object used for writing the data at a storage device and a logical address for a location at the storage device where the data is written. Furthermore, the tag is stored at a memory device of the device, while the data is stored at a local caching device, at a storage area network (SAN) storage device or both.
US09172578B1	High speed transceiver based on embedded leech lattice constellation A transceiver architectures can comprises an encoder and a decoder for communicating high speed transmissions. The encoder can modulate signal data for being mapped in a constellation that is generated based on a leech lattice. The data can be transmitted at a high speed according to the constellation with an embedded leech lattice configuration in order to generate a coding gain. A decoder operates to decode the received input signal data with a decreased latency or a minimal latency with a high spectral efficiency.
US09172577B2	System and method for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing-offset quadrature amplitude modulation A method for performing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)/offset quantization amplitude modulation (OQAM) includes obtaining a data burst. The method includes performing weighted circularly convolved filtering modulation on the data burst to produce an output signal. The method further includes a first wireless device transmitting the output signal to a second wireless device. The second wireless device receives an input signal from the first wireless device, and the second wireless devices performs weighted circularly convolved demodulation filtering on the input signal to produce the data burst.
US09172574B1	Dynamic-range reduction of complex-valued baseband signals To reduce the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of a complex-valued digital baseband signal, the signal is mixed to an intermediate frequency and its real components extracted, to generate an intermediate-frequency real-valued digital signal. The intermediate frequency is one-quarter of a sampling rate of the complex-valued digital baseband signal. The intermediate-frequency real-valued digital signal is clipped and down-converted by one-quarter of the sampling rate.
US09172560B2	Information processor, receiver, and information processing method An information processor has a CIR estimator configured to estimate channel impulse response of an input signal including a channel estimation sequence and a data sequence, based on the channel estimation sequence, an extended CIR calculator configured to calculate extended channel impulse response based on the channel impulse response estimated by the CIR estimator so that an extended CIR element padded with zeros is repeated a plurality of times in the extended channel impulse response, a Fourier transformer configured to convert the data sequence of the input signal into a frequency domain signal to calculate frequency response based on the extended channel impulse response, and an equalizer configured to perform equalization for removing a distortion from a propagation channel, based on the frequency domain signal and the frequency response.
US09172553B2	Security system with networked touchscreen and gateway An integrated security system integrates broadband and mobile access and control with conventional security systems and premise devices to provide a tri-mode security network that with remote connectivity and access. The integrated security system includes a touchscreen providing security keypad functionality as well as content management and presentation, and is used as a security system interface and an interface for interacting with a network. The integrated security system delivers remote premise monitoring and control functionality to conventional monitored premise protection and complements existing premise protection equipment. The integrated security system integrates into the premise network and couples wirelessly with the conventional security panel, enabling broadband access to premise security systems. Automation devices can be added, enabling users to remotely see live video or pictures and control home devices via a personal web portal, mobile phone, or other client device. Users can receive notifications of detected events via electronic message.
US09172543B2	Determining CRL size in view of system capability A certificate revocation list (CRL) deployment system loads a portion of test data that represents revoked certificates into a cache at periodic intervals and generates a CRL for a corresponding periodic interval using the test data that is loaded in the cache at that corresponding periodic interval. The CRL deployment system determines a CRL size that the server computing system is capable to support using the generated CRLs and notifies a user of the CRL size that the server computing system is capable to support.
US09172532B1	Multi-tiered encryption system for efficiently regulating use of encryption keys A multi-tiered encryption system efficiently regulates the use of encryption keys to encrypt and decrypt data. The system can include one or more encryption tiers. Each encryption tier can include a computing node programmed to service encryption and/or decryption requests and a key store to store encryption keys. At a root encryption tier, an unencrypted root encryption key can be stored in the key store. Each subsequent encryption tier includes encryption keys that are encrypted by encryption keys stored at a lower encryption tier. The encryption tiers collectively implement an encryption policy in which keys are automatically created and rotated such that a requesting device can request encryption services from the multi-tiered encryption system and receive the encryption services independent of key creation or key rotation and without access to the unencrypted root encryption key.
US09172527B2	Signal processing method and apparatus A signal processing method and apparatus. According to the signal processing method, phase change processing can be performed on to-be-sent data signals according to a phase status of a data synchronization signal and phase statuses of the to-be-sent data signals, so that phase differences between a majority of to-be-sent data signals in the processed to-be-sent data signals and the data synchronization signal meet a certain condition, thereby reducing a volume of coupling crosstalk, generated by the to-be-sent data signals, on the data synchronization signal and further reducing impact of simultaneously switching noise (SSN) on a system.
US09172517B2	Network power optimization via white lists A device and method for controlling radio power in a wireless sensor network. A wireless sensor device includes a wireless transceiver, a white list generator, and power control logic. The wireless transceiver is configured to transmit and receive via a wireless sensor network. The white list generator configured to identify wireless sensor nodes that communicate directly with the wireless sensor device via the wireless sensor network, to identify time slots assigned for communication between the wireless sensor device and each of the identified wireless sensor nodes, and to create and maintain a list of the identified wireless sensor nodes and corresponding time slots. The power control logic is configured to power the transceiver for reception of transmissions from each identified wireless sensor node based on the identified time slots corresponding to the identified wireless sensor node provided in the list.
US09172515B2	Method and system for inter-cell interference coordination in wireless networks A method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for managing inter-cell interference in a wireless network is provided. The method may be executed by at least one processor at a small cell gateway and may include receiving, uplink interference power corresponding to a first small cell base station (SCBS). The method may further include receiving neighboring cell information of the first SCBS, the neighboring cell information including information on a first plurality of SCBSs neighboring the first SCBS. The method may further include determining based on the received uplink interference power, that the first SCBS is experiencing inter-cell interference and determining a second plurality of SCBSs from among the first plurality of SCBSs that are interfering with the first SCBS. The method may further include adjusting uplink power allocation corresponding to a second SCBS from among the second plurality of SCBSs.
US09172512B2	System and method for terminal-group based HARQ for cellular integrated D2D communications System and method embodiments are provided to support network communications with groups of UEs. The embodiments include a two-level group-based hybrid-automatic repeat request (HARQ) mechanism and acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (NACK) feedback. An embodiment method includes receiving, at a UE within a virtual multi-point (ViMP) comprising UEs, a data packet for a target UE (TUE) that is broadcasted from a base station (BS) to the ViMP node, decode the data packet, and upon successfully decoding the data packet, broadcasting the data packet to the UEs within the ViMP node until a timer pre-established by the BS expires or an ACK message is received from the TUE or the ViMP node. In an embodiment, broadcasted data received in the ViMP node is re-broadcasted upon receiving a negative acknowledgment (NACK) message from the TUE, a beacon UE, or any of the UEs within the ViMP node.
US09172504B2	Method, apparatus and system for downlink channel transmission Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, an apparatus and a system for downlink channel transmission. The method for downlink channel transmission includes: sending PDCCH information, where original information of the information includes a first part of the information and a second part of the information; the second part of the information includes downlink control information DCI content information, and the first part of the information includes indication information for indicating a related parameter of the DCI content information in the second part of the information; after receiving the PDCCH, obtaining, by a receiving end, the first part of the information and verifies it, if correct, obtaining the related parameter of the DCI content information in the second part of the information according to the indication information, and performing convolutional decoding for specific DCI content information in the second part of the information according to the related parameter.
US09172501B2	Launch delay offset data flow protection A signal protector utilizes a dual data path delay offset enabling signal recovery on both paths following simultaneous data loss on both paths.
US09172496B2	CQI (channel quality indication) information reporting method, and related base station and user equipment A information reporting method, base station and user equipment is provided in this invention. The method comprises sending the MAC layer carrier activation signaling to the UE, for activating a first CC of the UE, the MAC layer carrier activation signaling comprising CQI instruction information, for instructing the UE to report aperiodic CQI information of a second CC of the UE, so that the UE triggers to report aperiodic CQI information of the second CC of the UE upon receiving the MAC layer carrier activation signaling. With the information reporting method, base station and user equipment provided in an embodiment of this invention, the problem of slower report of CQI information of activated CCs can be addressed.
US09172492B2	Time/wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network (TWPON) The present invention discloses a time/wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network (TWPON), which has an optical splitter (21) and a waveguide grating router (WGR) (22) disposed at a remote node (RN) (20). The optical splitter (21) and the WGR (22) can be connected in a cascade or in a parallel such that the present invention can use less number of wavelengths to increase transmission capacity or increase the number of users. A channel fault monitoring (CFM) module provided at an optical line terminal (OLT) is utilized to locate fiber breaks among distribution fibers. The TWPON of the present invention can provide TDM-PON, WDM-PON, and Hybrid PON co-existing platform with less wavelengths channel fault monitoring mechanism.
US09172490B2	Virtual wavelength networks A computer implemented method provisions optical wavelength connections. A set of applications is grouped to form a set of application groups. A single optical connection having a bandwidth is established through a management plane for each of the set of application groups. A set of persistent upper layer connections is then established for each of the set of application groups. The underlying optical connection is adjusted while preserving the state of the upper layer protocols.
US09172488B2	Optical terminating apparatus for optical path network An optical signal terminating apparatus for an optical path network includes: a variable filter selecting an optical signal of a predetermined wavelength path making up any one of a plurality of wavebands included in one wavelength division multiplexing light selected from a plurality of wavelength division multiplexing lights respectively transmitted in parallel via a plurality of optical fibers to a relay node in the optical path network, the variable filter dropping the optical signal to an electric layer, the variable filter including a waveband separator separating the wavelength division multiplexing light into a plurality of wavebands, a waveband selector selecting one waveband from a plurality of wavebands separated by the waveband separator, a wavelength separator separating one waveband selected by the waveband selector into wavelengths, and a drop wavelength selector.
US09172487B2	Method for allocating resource of wireless communication and corresponding user device and base station A base station communicates with a user device in the mode of time division duplexing based on the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing scheme. The physics transmission resource used for communicating between the station and device is divided into a plurality of continuous frames in the time domain, each containing a plurality of sub-frames. The base station can include: a period determination device, for determining the period of the current frame, composed of a predetermined number of frames in a plurality of frames; a judgment device, for determining whether each sub-frame in the current frame is marked as the first or second state; a communication control device, for permitting the base station to communicate with the user device on the sub-frame when it is in the first state, forbidding communication only concerned with the user device performed by the base station on the sub-frame when it is in the second state.
US09172484B2	Beacon frame A beacon frame (5) for transmission during a beacon period for a wireless device to maintain synchronization with other wireless devices of a community in a wireless communications network, the frame (5) comprising: a header (8) containing routing information for the frame (5); beacon parameters (9) to indicate signaling methods in use by the wireless devices; at least one information element (7) comprising at least one identifier to identify the wireless device; wherein the at least one identifier comprises a signature identifier (104) for the frame (5), an interface version, and a name and unique identifier for the device.
US09172483B2	Signal quality estimation and control Several circuits and methods implemented to perform signal quality estimation and control are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of signal quality estimation includes generating a demodulated signal associated with a radio signal. Information associated with a quality of the demodulated signal is accessed. Further, a value of radio frequency signal-to-noise ratio (RF-SNR) for the radio signal based on the information is estimated. Estimating the value of RF-SNR facilitates in signal quality estimation of the radio signal and control of the demodulated signal.
US09172479B2	Processor for an FM signal receiver and processing method A processing unit for processing a multi-channel audio signal has a delay element (40) for delaying an FM sum signal (sum) and a converter arrangement (T) for converting an FM difference signal (diff) and a noise signal (diffnoise) to the frequency domain. Frequency-based noise suppression is used to derive a de-noised frequency-domain difference signal using a gain function which is limited to a maximal and a minimal value. This is then converted to the time domain, and the first and second audio signals are calculated from a delayed sum signal (sum2) and the de-noised time domain difference signal (diff2).
US09172469B2	Backdoor diagnostic communication to transceiver module Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an optical transceiver module having a diagnostic communications link, wherein the link is configured to access diagnostic and other data contained within the transceiver controller via a backdoor interface. Controller data, including operational parameter values and module setup values, is accessible while the transceiver operates in conjunction with an external host and may be retrieved, and sometimes modified, in real time without interrupting normal transceiver operation or suspending the transmission of data over optical fibers. The data is accessed with an external user device via a backdoor interface on the outside of the transceiver module.
US09172456B2	Iterative interference suppressor for wireless multiple-access systems with multiple receive antennas This invention teaches to the details of an interference suppressing receiver for suppressing intra-cell and inter-cell interference in coded, multiple-access, spread spectrum transmissions that propagate through frequency selective communication channels to a multiplicity of receive antennas. The receiver is designed or adapted through the repeated use of symbol-estimate weighting, subtractive suppression with a stabilizing step-size, and mixed-decision symbol estimates. Receiver embodiments may be designed, adapted, and implemented explicitly in software or programmed hardware, or implicitly in standard RAKE-based hardware either within the RAKE (i.e., at the finger level) or outside the RAKE (i.e., at the user or subchannel symbol level). Embodiments may be employed in user equipment on the forward link or in a base station on the reverse link. It may be adapted to general signal processing applications where a signal is to be extracted from interference.
US09172437B2	Wireless power transfer device that redirects a magnetic flux There is provided a wireless power transfer device comprising an input interface configured to receive a primary magnetic flux in a first direction, an output interface configured to output a secondary magnetic flux in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the input interface and the output interface form a closed electric circuit.
US09172431B2	Channel selection in power line communications A power line communication (PLC) device comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory is configured to store program instructions executable by the processor to cause the PLC device perform operations. One or more time slots are sequentially scan in each of a plurality of frequency bands. A packet transmitted by a second PLC device to the PLC device over one of the plurality of frequency bands is detected. Additional packets received from the second PLC device across the plurality of frequency bands based, at least in part, upon the detected packet are synchronized. The additional packets are organized in a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames having been transmitted by the second PLC device to the PLC device over a respective one of the plurality of frequency bands. Each frame has a plurality of time slots, and each time slot has a pair of beacon and bandscan packets, Each bandscan packet includes information indicating a frequency band distinct from any of the plurality of different frequency bands to be used by the second PLC device to communicate with the first PLC device in a direction from the second PLC device to the first PLC device.
US09172425B2	Apparatus and method for ultra wideband communication using dual band pass filter An apparatus and method for ultra wideband (UWB) communication, using a dual band pass filter (BPF) is disclosed. The UWB communication apparatus may include a first BPF performing a first band pass filtering with respect to a UWB signal, a second BPF that has a center frequency differing from a center frequency of the first BPF, and performs a second band pass filtering with respect to the UWB signal, a first envelope detector that detects a size of a first signal filtered in the first BPF, a second envelope detector that detects a size of a second signal filtered in the second BPF, and a demodulator that demodulates a UWB signal, using the size of the first signal and the size of the second signal.
US09172423B1	Correlator time delay extraction for wireless acoustic sensors Methods, systems and devices for correlator time delay extraction for wireless acoustic wave devices. A receiver receives an analog signal as a sum of plural different analog coded signals each having a different time delay and matched filters corresponding to the acoustic devices is used to extract the time delay to recover the original plural different analog coded signals. In an embodiment the acoustic devices generate orthogonal-frequency codes signals with block-time-diversity to reduce the cross-correlation “noise” due to multi-codes. The time diversity spreads the tags ensemble energy in time, thereby reducing the time energy density. An estimate of the delay time using the passband frequency phase slope, or in the time domain by using the correlation peak, is obtained.
US09172421B2	Standard antenna interface A modular wireless communications station includes a standard antenna interface, a wireless communications antenna, and a remote radio head. The standard interface includes an antenna mount for the wireless communications antenna and at least one radio head mount. The radio head mount includes at least one linear guided support structure. The wireless communications antenna includes a bracket configured to engage the antenna mount and at least one RF interconnection module, the wireless communications antenna being mounted on the antenna mount. The remote radio head(s) include a low friction car configured to engage the linear guided support structure of the standard interface and an RF connector configured to engage the RF interconnection module of the antenna. The remote radio head may slide into engagement with the antenna and locked into place.
US09172416B2	Simplified high frequency tuner and tuning method A disclosed method tunes a signal from a channelized spectrum having a predetermined channel spacing. A signal of interest having a predetermined maximum bandwidth is mixed with a local oscillator signal, which has a frequency that is an integer multiple of the channel spacing or one-half of a channel spacing displaced from an integer multiple of the channel spacing. The local oscillator signal is selected to frequency translate the signal of interest to within a near-baseband passband whose lower edge is spaced from DC by at least about the maximum bandwidth of the signal of interest. Problems associated with 1/f noise, DC offsets, and self-mixing products are avoided or substantially diminished. Other methods and systems are also disclosed.
US09172415B2	Method and apparatus for adaptively setting threshold for signal demodulation Provided is a method and apparatus to adaptively set a threshold for signal demodulation. The apparatus and the method include adaptively setting a threshold to demodulate a currently received symbol based on the demodulation value of a previously received symbol based on a comparison value. The comparison value is obtained by comparing a number of previously received symbols having a demodulation value of “0” and a number of currently received symbols having a demodulation value of “1”.
US09172403B2	Reducing port requirement of antenna switch in multi-band electronic apparatus The invention provides electronic apparatus including an antenna, an antenna switch, at least one switch unit, and a transceiver. The antenna switch has N transceiving ports. The antenna switch selects one of the transceiving ports for transceiving signal with the antenna. The switch unit is coupled between the antenna switch and the transceiver. The transceiver has transmitting ports and receiving ports, and one of the transmitting ports is coupled to the switch unit, and one of the receiving ports is coupled to the switch unit. Wherein, the first end is connected to the fourth end of the switch unit and the third end is connected to the second end of the switch unit in a first status, and the first end is connected to the second end of the switch unit and the third end is connected to the fourth end of the switch unit in a second status.
US09172400B2	Encoding techniques using multiple coding strengths within a single LDPC code word Techniques are presented herein to encode information bits. The information bits are partitioned into at least two groups based on inherent reliability and immunity to channel impairments of the respective bits. Each of the groups of information bits is encoded with a different coding strength. The resulting code word may be stored in a storage media or transmitted in a communication channel.
US09172395B2	Generating an ICONV module in real time Provided are techniques for detecting a mapping, by a universal convertor, of a first character set to a second character set and of the second character set to a third character set; monitoring, logging, and analyzing code set conversion (CSC) operations; generating an updated character set conversion module from the first character set to the third character set in response to the detecting and a determination that the CSC operation exceed the predefined threshold; and storing the updated character set conversion module for utilization of subsequent processing of the first character set to the third character set.
US09172388B1	High speed interleaved ADC with compensation for DC offset mismatch An analog to digital conversion device with DC offset mismatch compensation comprises a composite analog to digital converter (ADC) consisting of N interleaved sub-ADCs, a DC offset accumulator, an averaging unit, a subtraction unit, and a compensation unit. The ADC generates a stream of digital samples corresponding to signal values at an analog input to the ADC. The digital stream is a combination of N partial signals produced by the respective sub-ADCs. The DC offset accumulator measures and stores DC offsets of the respective partial signals. The averaging unit calculates an average value of DC offsets of the respective N partial signals. The subtraction unit is responsive to the DC offsets of the respective partial signals and the average value of the DC offsets, to produce a signal representative of the differences between the values arriving at a DC offset input and the value arriving at an average value input. The subtraction unit is responsive to the DC offsets of the respective partial signals and the average value of the DC offsets, to produce a signal representative of the differences between the values arriving at the DC offset input and the value arriving at the average value input. The compensation unit corrects the digital stream from the ADC by subtracting the differences from the stream from the ADC.
US09172368B1	Contactless rotary pull switch A contactless rotary pull switch includes a switch knob assembly rotatable about an axis to a plurality of rotational positions and actuatable to at least one pull position, with the switch knob assembly including a knob element and a rotational shaft fixedly coupled thereto. A rotational magnet is coupled to the rotational shaft so as to rotate therewith, and at least one pull magnet is positioned separately from the rotational magnet. A rotational sensor senses a magnetic field generated by the rotational magnet to identify a rotational position of the switch knob assembly and at least one pull sensor senses a magnetic field generated by the pull magnet(s) to identify a pull position of the switch knob assembly. A rotatable arm member selectively enables/inhibits sensing of the magnetic field generated by the pull magnet(s) by the at pull sensor(s), to identify distinct pull positions of the switch knob assembly.
US09172356B2	High side gate driver, switching chip, and power device A high side gate driver, a switching chip, and a power device, which respectively include a protection device, are provided. The high side gate driver includes a first terminal configured to receive a first low level driving power supply that is provided to turn off the high side normally-on switch; a first switching device connected to the first terminal; and a protection device connected in series between the first switching device and a gate of the high side normally-on switch, the protection device configured to absorb a majority of a voltage applied to a gate of the high side normally-on switch. The power device includes the high side gate driver. In addition, the switching chip includes a high side normally-on switch, an additional normally-on switch, and a low side normally-on switch, which have a same structure.
US09172339B2	Cascode bias of power MOS transistors There is disclosed a driver circuit for a power amplifier of class D type having a segmented architecture with at least one current branch which can be powered down in a low power mode of operation of the circuit. The branch comprising a switch with a cascode MOS transistor, the circuit further comprises a bias circuitry adapted for dynamically generating a dynamic bias control signal so as to cause the cascode MOS transistor of the switch to be ‘Off’ in the low power mode.
US09172336B2	Method and apparatus for multilevel power amplification Circuits and methods for performing multilevel power amplification using multiple different supply voltages or states are disclosed. In some embodiments, power amplifiers are provided that switch between three or more supply voltages or states.
US09172333B2	Distortion compensation device and distortion compensation method A distortion compensation device includes a storage unit, an address generator, and a distortion compensation processor. The storage unit stores therein a distortion compensation coefficient for compensating distortion generated in an amplifier for amplifying an input signal. The address generator generates a first address based on a power value of the signal at a current time. Furthermore, the address generator delays, every time a new augend is input, the sum of the power value of the signal at the current time and the augend. The address generator generates a second address based on the sum obtained by calculating a new augend, from the delayed sum. The distortion compensation processor acquires a distortion compensation coefficient corresponding to a combination of the first address and the second address from the storage unit and performs distortion compensation processing on the signal by using the acquired distortion compensation coefficient.
US09172327B2	Crystal oscillator circuit having low power consumption, low jitter and wide operating range A crystal oscillator circuit includes: a crystal resonator circuit, generating an oscillation signal; an inverting amplification circuit, whose amplifier input end is coupled to receive the oscillation signal, in which an inverting amplifier outputs an inverting amplified output signal; a bias circuit, having a bias circuit input end and a bias circuit output end, in which the bias circuit output end generates a bias circuit output signal controlled by the bias circuit input end, and the bias circuit output signal is coupled to a second control end of the inverting amplification circuit; and a peak detection circuit, comparing the inverting amplified output signal with a reference signal, regulating a peak detector output signal, and feeding the peak detector output signal into the bias circuit input end.
US09172325B2	Photovoltaic panel carrier device A PV panel carrier includes a plurality of elongate members joined by connecting members to form a frame. Each of the connecting members includes a support surface for supporting a portion of a PV panel thereon. Each of the connectors includes a fastening strap extending over the support surface, wherein at least two of the fastening straps are movable between an open position wherein they do not extend over the support surface and a closed position wherein they extend over the support surface to retain a PV panel in the carrier.
US09172317B2	Apparatus for controlling a multi-winding rotary machine An apparatus for controlling a multi-winding rotary machine including an armature formed of a plurality of winding sets. In the apparatus, a command voltage calculator calculates command voltages to be applied to each winding set so as to control currents detected by a current detector to their respectively corresponding command currents. An interfering voltage calculator calculates, for each of the winding sets, interfering voltages proportional to the rotation speed of the rotary machine. An interfering voltage compensator compensates, for each of the winding sets, the command voltages for their respectively corresponding interfering voltages. An operation unit operates a voltage applicator to apply output values of the interfering voltage compensator to each winding set.
US09172314B2	Regenerative control system of a vehicle A regenerative control system of a vehicle is constructed such that in a system which generates electrical energy of a low voltage suitable for a low voltage system circuit and electrical energy of a high voltage suitable for the high voltage system circuit in an alternate manner by making use of kinetic energy of a vehicle when the vehicle is in a deceleration running state, a ratio between a period of time to generate the low voltage electrical energy and a period of time to generate the high voltage electrical energy is decided in accordance with a deceleration required of the vehicle, and a power generation voltage is duty controlled according to the ratio thus decided.
US09172308B2	Low-capacity power supply and image forming apparatus A low-capacity power supply is described in which an input capacitance may be adjusted. In one example, input capacitors may be located between an AC power supply and a rectifier. Additional adjustment capacitors may be located on one or more input lines to the rectifier. The adjustment capacitors may be added in series to at least one of the input capacitors to decrease the input capacitance of the rectifier. In this example, the power provided downstream of the rectifier may be adjusted to increased or reduced as needed. In other examples, additional switches are provided for the input capacitors to selectively add their capacitance to or remove their capacitance from the input of the rectifier.
US09172303B2	Power management unit systems and methods Systems and methods provide for a power management unit and its operation. The power management unit includes: a step-down power converter configured to receive a first voltage and output a second voltage, wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage and at least one step-up power converter configured to receive the second voltage and output a third voltage, wherein the third voltage is greater than the second voltage. It also includes an inductive element connected to the step-down power converter and the at least one step-up power converter and configured to store energy and selectively release the stored energy, wherein the inductive element is time shared by both the step-down power converter and the at least one step-up power converter; and a finite state machine configured to control the time sharing of the inductive element.
US09172301B2	Synchronous rectification in the three-level inverter-converter topologies A power module is disclosed having a first module block defining a first rectifier and including a first rectifier switch having a first FET and connected in parallel with a first diode, a second module block including a second FET connected in parallel with a second diode, a third module block including a third FET connected in parallel with a third diode, wherein the second and third module blocks are positioned between first and second terminal interfaces of the power module, and wherein two serially connected diodes are on the first interface side of the power module in parallel with the serially connected second and third module blocks, and a fourth module block defining a second rectifier and including a second rectifier switch having a fourth FET and connected in parallel with a fourth diode.
US09172292B2	Hybrid stepping motor There is provided a hybrid stepping motor including a rotor including a plurality of rotor small teeth arranged on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and a stator including a plurality of salient poles, each including a plurality of stator small teeth. The stator small teeth have a predetermined stator tooth thickness and are arranged at a predetermined stator tooth pitch, the rotor small teeth have a predetermined rotor tooth thickness and are arranged at a predetermined rotor tooth pitch, and a facing area which is a difference between an area of attraction poles of the stator small teeth and the rotor small teeth and an area of repulsion poles thereof ranges between a maximum value in a parameter space of a dimensional ratio of the stator and/or the rotor and a threshold value of the maximum value.
US09172291B2	Vertical actuator drive having gravity compensation A vertical actuator drive having gravity compensation has a first subassembly and a second subassembly, one of the two subassemblies being stationary and the other of the two subassemblies being movable in the vertical direction. The first subassembly has a first magnetic yoke provided with a coil, and the second subassembly has a second magnetic yoke provided with at least one magnet which is oriented toward the coil. A horizontal gap between the first and second magnetic yoke in the region of the at least one magnet is variable in the vertical direction, so that a reluctance force acts between the first and second subassemblies in an operating range of the actuator drive, the reluctance force opposing the weight force of the movable one of the two subassemblies.
US09172284B2	Device for receiving a pulser motor of a ventilation installation of a vehicle The invention relates to a device for receiving an electric motor (1) which extends along a longitudinal axis (2) and can be housed inside a motor support of a ventilation installation for a vehicle, said receiving device being connected to said motor support by a decoupling means and comprising a collar (18) on which a first blocking means (30) is formed, and a ring (13) comprising a second blocking means (22), characterized in that the collar (18) and the ring (13) are separate and connected to each other by at least one fixing means (23).
US09172282B2	Electric motor with add-on unit, as well as a method for connecting an electric motor and an add-on unit An electric motor with an add-on unit, such as a gearbox unit, encoder unit or controller unit, and disclosed whereby the electric motor and add-on unit can be firmly connected to each other. For a firm connection, a shrink ring is thermally shrunk on to the electric motor and add-on unit in the area of the joint so that the shrink ring covers the joint. A method is also disclosed for producing the connection, wherein a temperature difference is first created between the shrink ring on the one hand and the electric motor as well as add-on unit on the other hand, whereby furthermore the temperature of the shrink ring is greater than the temperature of the electric motor and add-on unit and whereby the components are then joined together and held so that the shrink ring shrinks on to the electric motor and add-on unit.
US09172274B2	System, method, and apparatus for operating a power distribution system A power distribution system includes a plurality of node devices and a computer communicatively coupled to the node devices. The computer includes a memory area configured to store at least one operating parameter of each of the node devices, and a processor that is programmed to determine a desired operating limitation of the power distribution system to be optimized, calculate an effect on the operating limitation based on a modification of the operating parameter of at least one of the node devices, and transmit a command to the node device to cause the node device to modify the operating parameter.
US09172272B2	Electrical power distribution system A distributed electrical power system includes a first AC generator configured for supplying an AC voltage; a second AC generator configured for supplying the AC electrical voltage; an AC power distribution network connected to the first AC generator and the second AC generator for receiving the AC voltage, the AC power distribution network including a two or four-wire AC power distribution circuit; at least one (solid state circuit breaker (SSCB) module remotely located for receiving the AC voltage from the power distribution network; a system controller connected to a data bus for controlling operation of the at least one power distribution module; and at least one contactor for selectively switching supply of the AC voltage to the at least one power distribution module from either the first AC generator or the second AC generator upon failure of either of the first AC generator or the second AC generator.
US09172267B2	Customer device presentation unit A consumer device presentation unit is disclosed. The consumer device presentation unit includes at least a first electric consumer device including at least a first rechargeable energy storage; at least a first autonomous energy provision unit; and a charge module coupled at least to the first autonomous energy provision unit and the first electric consumer device.
US09172263B2	Electronic device for reducing interference between a charging coil and an antenna An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a main body including a battery pack and a battery cover; a non-contact near field communication antenna included in the battery pack; and a wireless charging coil portion included in the battery cover and disposed around an outer periphery of the antenna, such that the wireless coil portion does not overlap with the non-contact near field communication antenna.
US09172260B2	Efficient battery management system A battery management system that monitors and controls the charging and discharging of a battery pack in the most versatile way at the block level with little dissipative loss but fast balancing is disclosed. The system has capability of using blocks of cells using different chemistry in the same battery pack. Such versatility makes it very useful for usage with erratic grid conditions, solar, wind and other natural energy sources for charging the battery.
US09172259B2	Apparatus for managing battery, and energy storage system A battery management system is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to determine whether to balance battery cells or trays based at least in part on a parameter of each of the battery cells or trays and a factor representing a degree of use of each of the battery cells or trays. The controller also balances the battery cells or trays based on whether the battery cells are to be balanced.
US09172257B2	Converter for balancing the cells of an electric battery A balancing converter is connected to terminals of cells of an electric battery. The converter includes a quasi-resonant circuit and a pseudo-control circuit coupled by a transformer and implements soft-switching techniques through quasi-resonances.
US09172256B2	Battery management circuit and battery management method for managing battery apparatus A battery management circuit for managing a battery apparatus is provided. The battery apparatus includes at least a first battery unit and a second battery unit connected in parallel. The battery management circuit includes a detection circuit and an adjustment circuit. The detection circuit is arranged to detect a voltage relationship between the first and second battery units to generate a first detection result. The adjustment circuit is coupled to the detection circuit. When the voltage relationship does not meet a predetermined voltage condition, the adjustment circuit is arranged to adjust a voltage of at least one of the first and second battery units in order to make the voltage relationship meet the predetermined voltage condition.
US09172252B2	Power supply apparatus for electrically powered vehicle and method for controlling the same If an external power supply is not connected to an electrically powered vehicle by a charging cable and there is a request to output electric power from an AC receptacle, a power generation mode is selected and a charger receives electric power from a main battery, converts it into alternating current electric power, and outputs it to a power line. In the power generation mode when an auxiliary machinery system is fed with electric power one of a first mode (a normal mode) and a second mode (a high-output mode) is selected depending on electric power used at the AC receptacle. In the normal mode, a main DC/DC converter is stopped, while an AC/DC converter is operated to generate auxiliary electric power. In the high-output mode, the main DC/DC converter is operated to generate auxiliary electric power, while the AC/DC converter is stopped.
US09172251B2	Controlling the wireless transmission of power based on the efficiency of power transmissions Power is contactlessly supplied from a power transmitting portion to a power receiving portion. A transmitting efficiency detecting portion detects the transmitting efficiency, and a determining portion determines whether the transmitting efficiency is equal to or greater than a specified value. If the transmitted efficiency is less than the specified value, an obstruction may be present so power temporarily stops being transmitted. Power is then periodically transmitted with a minute power and the efficiency is detected. If the efficiency is equal to or greater than the specified value, power starts to be transmitted again with regular power.
US09172242B2	Electrostatic discharge protection for three dimensional integrated circuit The present disclosure provides a three dimensional integrated circuit having a plurality of dies. Each die includes a trigger line common to the other dies, the trigger line controlling the power of a power clamp in each respective die, a dedicated electrostatic discharge (ESD) line for each respective die, and an ESD detection circuit connected to the dedicated ESD line and to a first power line common to the other dies. When an input signal is received by the ESD detection circuit of one of the plural dies, the ESD detection circuit generates an output signal to the common trigger line to supply power to the power clamp in each of the plural dies to clamp ESD voltage or current to the common first power line or a second power line.
US09172216B2	Prechamber sparkplug A pre-chamber sparkplug is suggested with a central electrode, with at least one ground electrode, which is distanced from the central electrode forming a spark gap, and with at least one transfer bore in a pre-chamber cap. The ground electrode comprises an internal circumferential area, which faces the central electrode, and an external circumferential area, which faces away from the central electrode. The internal circumferential area of the ground electrode shows a concave progression in the longitudinal direction of the pre-chamber sparkplug, subjected to a tensile force, and the external circumferential area shows a convex progression in the longitudinal direction of the pre-chamber sparkplug, subjected to a pressure.
US09172215B2	Spark plug having center electrode tip of varying widths A spark plug includes a tip joined to a center electrode. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion of the center electrode is greater than that of the tip. The tip has a gap-forming portion having a maximum width of 1.2 mm or greater and forming a gap in cooperation with the ground electrode and a to-be-joined portion joined to the center electrode. At a position A which is shifted 0.1 mm from the forward end of the outer surface of the fusion portion toward the forward end side, the width of the to-be-joined portion measured on the cross section is smaller than the width of the gap-forming portion. The to-be-joined portion satisfies Dtw/Dw≦1.1, where Dtw represents the width of the to-be-joined portion at the position A, and Dw represents the width of the fusion portion at the forward end of the outer surface thereof.
US09172213B2	VCSEL module and manufacture thereof The invention describes a method of manufacturing a VCSEL module (100) comprising at least one VCSEL chip (33) with an upper side (U) and a lower side (L) and with a plurality of VCSEL units (55) on a common carrier structure (35), the VCSEL units (55) comprising a first doped layer (50) of a first type facing towards the lower side (L) and a second doped layer (23) of a second type facing towards the upper side (U). The method comprises the steps of dividing the VCSEL chip (33) into a plurality of subarrays (39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39e, 39f, 39g, 39h, 39i) with at least one VCSEL unit (55) each, electrically connecting at least some of the subarrays (39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39e, 39f, 39g, 39h, 39i) in series. The invention also describes a VCSEL module (100) manufactured in such process.
US09172198B2	Card edge connector with detecting structure A card edge connector includes an ejector (3) with a pushing portion (32) extending from distal end thereof, the ejector (3) moves between an opening station and a locking station, and at least pair detecting contacts (4) which includes two detecting pins (41, 42), one of the detecting pins defines a spring engaging arm having an engaging portion (425) opposite to the pushing portion (32) which presses on the engaging portion (425) in the locking station or leave the engaging portion (425) in the opening station, thereby making the two detecting pins engage or disengage with each other for detecting if a memory card is inserted in the card edge connector or not.
US09172179B2	Cable connection component A cable connection component for electrically conductively connecting a cable, having a union nut with an internal thread and a core receiving and guiding part with a plurality of incisions. At least one core and core insulation inserted into the core receiving and guiding part are severed by terminals arranged in the connection body and enter the incisions in the core receiving and guiding part and contact is made with the core conductors when a first thread of the union nut is screwed onto a connection body. A connected cable can be released with less effort by the union nut having a second internal thread with a thread pitch that is less than the thread pitch of the first internal thread. The core receiving and guiding part has a radially running collar which is matched to the profile of the threading of the second internal thread and interacts with it.
US09172178B2	Magnetic coupling with low moment articulated plug A plug for connecting to an electronic device includes a housing having an aperture, a magnetic element positioned in the aperture and having a second aperture, at least one contact within the aperture and the second aperture, a cord connected to the housing, and a mechanism configured to reduce a moment arm on the housing when a force is applied to the cord. The plug may be used as part of a connection that further includes a receptacle having a magnetic element with a recess, wherein the recess comprises an aperture, and at least one contact extending through the third aperture and into the recess.
US09172176B2	Panel mount digital card connector assembly A digital card connector assembly (10) for mounting to a panel (100) having a slot (101) whereby a digital card (90) may be inserted into the digital card connector assembly to communicate with an electronic device (95). The digital card connector assembly includes a connector body (10), a cable assembly (50), and a radio frequency (RF) shield (30). The connector body has a plurality of electrical contacts configured to make contact with a plurality of electrical contacts of the digital card when the digital card is inserted into the digital card connector assembly. The cable assembly has a plurality of electrical conductors (87) electrically connected to the plurality of electrical contacts of the connector body. The RF shield is affixed to the connector body and is configured to make electrical contact with the panel when the digital card connector assembly is mounted to the panel.
US09172169B2	Terminal arrangement device A terminal arrangement device electrically connects an electric device, which is received in a housing, to an external device, and includes a first connecting terminal fixed to the housing. The first connecting terminal has a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion which are elastically deformable such that an output terminal of the electric device is supported between the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion. The first supporting portion has a flexural rigidity which is different from a flexural rigidity of the second supporting portion.
US09172168B2	Connector, connector device, and battery unit A connector is provided with a first housing, a second housing attached to the first housing and forming a contact receiving portion jointly with the first housing, and a contact at least partially received in the contact receiving portion. The second housing is attached to the first housing so as to be movable in a predetermined direction relative to the first housing. The contact is received in the contact receiving portion in a state where the contact is not fixed to the first housing or the second housing so as to be movable relative to the first housing and the second housing.
US09172161B2	Impedance controlled LGA interposer assembly An interposer plate assembly having an insulating plate and metal contacts in the plate with contact points above and below the plate and a central portion in the plate. Two cantilever arms extend from the central portion to each contact point. The central portion may be formed to have a large area to form an impedance shield for reducing impedance between adjacent signal contacts. Plastic bodies may be overmolded on separate contacts or on contact pairs and may have sliding fits in passages of the interposer plate. Contacts may be arranged as differential pairs with ground contacts located between the differential pairs.
US09172160B2	Vertical socket contact with flat force response An apparatus includes a plurality of contact elements to provide electrical continuity between an integrated circuit and an electronic subassembly, wherein a contact element includes a spring element and a separate lead element, wherein the spring element is arranged to be substantially vertically slidable over at least a portion of the lead element in response to a force applied to the contact element.
US09172158B2	Terminal block A terminal block (10) is for connecting terminals (T) connected to enameled wires extending from a motor and busbars (B) extending from an inverter and includes a plurality of nuts (20) arranged in a width direction and configured to fasten the terminals (T) and the busbars (B) together with bolts (BT), guides (54) are provided between adjacent nuts (20) and configured to guide bolt fastening portions (T1) of the terminals (T) to the upper surfaces of the nuts by coming into contact with lateral edge parts of the terminals (T), and posture correcting portions (55) provided at positions where the terminals (T) are pulled out backward from the nuts and configured to correct postures of barrel portions (T2) of the terminals (T) in the width direction by contacting the barrels (T2) in the width direction.
US09172153B2	Grounding member and mounting apparatus for hard disk drive A mounting apparatus is used to mount a hard disk drive to a storage rack. The mounting apparatus includes a supporting frame and two grounding members. The supporting frame includes a handle, and two side brackets extending from opposite ends of the handle, and attached to opposite sides of the hard disk drive. Each grounding member is made of resilient and conductive material, and includes a mounting plate mounted to the side bracket, and two abutting plates extending out from two opposite ends of the mounting plate. A part of each abutting plate is exposed out of the corresponding side bracket. when the mounting apparatus mounting the hard disk drive in a storage rack, the abutting plates are sandwiched between the storage rack and the hard disk drive.
US09172151B2	Structure for connecting electric wire to crimp terminal A metallic cover having at one longitudinal end thereof a half pipe region having a circular-arc cross sectional shape and at other longitudinal end thereof an annular region having a substantially circular cross sectional shape is fitted to a conductor at an end of an electric wire. The half pipe region is situated at a leading end of the conductor so as to cover a space above the conductor, and the annular region is fitted around an outer periphery of the conductor. The end of the electric wire equipped with the cover is set on a bottom plate of an electric wire connecting region while the conductor exposed outside an open area of the half pipe region remains oriented toward the bottom plate. Conductor crimping pieces and sheath crimping pieces are folded inward in that state, thereby being crimped and crimped.
US09172150B2	Component composite between two components used for current conduction and method for manufacturing a component composite A component composite between two components used for current conduction, having a receptacle opening formed on the first component and a connection section of the second component, which is situated in the receptacle opening, the connection section of the second component being configured to be pin-shaped and a press-fit connection being formed between the receptacle opening and the connection section. In particular, it is provided that the receptacle opening is configured to be a blind hole.
US09172136B2	Multi-band antenna and an electronic device including the same Provided is a multi-band antenna. The multi-band antenna, as provided in one embodiment, includes a first resonant portion having a first length defined by an outer perimeter of a conductive segment and operable to effect an antenna for communication in a first band of frequencies. The multi-band antenna, in this aspect, further includes a second resonant portion having a second length defined by an inner perimeter of the conductive segment and operable to resonate capacitively for communication in a second different band of frequencies.
US09172129B2	Antenna system for signal-attenuating containers A system can include a container that includes a cabinet capable of attenuating or blocking wireless signals, an AED located within the cabinet, an internal patch antenna removably mounted to an internal surface of the cabinet, an external patch antenna removably mounted to an external surface of the cabinet, and an electrical connection between the internal patch antenna and the external patch antenna. The internal and external patch antennas can be configured to transmit wireless signals at a particular frequency and to receive wireless signals at the particular frequency. The system can be configured such that the internal patch antenna is operative to receive a first wireless signal from the AED, a first electrical signal based on the first wireless signal is provided via the electrical connection to the external patch antenna, and a second wireless signal based on the first electrical signal is radiated by the external patch antenna.
US09172125B1	Non-reciprocal circuit element In a non-reciprocal circuit element, first to third center conductors intersect one another in an insulated state around a microwave magnetic body, and first ends of the first to third center conductors define first to third ports. A first capacitance element is connected to the first center conductor in parallel and a second capacitance element is connected to the second center conductor in parallel, and the other ends of the first to third center conductors are connected to one another and are grounded via a first inductance element and a third capacitance element that are connected in series. A second inductance element is connected to one end of the center conductor in parallel, and the other end of the second inductance element is grounded. A fourth capacitance element is connected to a connection point between the one end of the center conductor and the second inductance element, and the other end of the fourth capacitance element is connected to a third terminal.
US09172121B2	Method and device for determining the ageing of a battery The invention relates to a battery holder (1) for galvanic cells, in which a first honeycomb structure (2.1 to 2.n), comprising a lower and an upper basic cooling body (3.1, 3.2) and at least one intermediate cooling body (4), is provided, wherein in each case, galvanic cells can be arranged on a cell level (5.1 to 5.n) in each case between one of the basic cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2) and one of the intermediate cooling bodies (4) and/or between two of the intermediate cooling bodies (4), wherein the galvanic cells of one of the cell levels (5.1 to 5.n) are displaced to the side to the galvanic cells of at least one adjacent cell level (5.1 to 5.n) by half the width of a galvanic cell, and wherein the intermediate cooling body (4) and the basic cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2) are formed in an area between the galvanic cells according to the outer contours of the galvanic cells, and wherein each of the cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2, 4) comprises at least on one end which lies in an axial direction to the galvanic cells a cooling chamber (8), through which a cooling medium (K) can flow, into which the cooling medium (K) can flow from at least one cooling chamber (K) of at least one adjacent cooling body (3.1, 3.2, 4) and/or from which the cooling medium (K) can flow out into at least one cooling chamber (8) of at least one of the adjacent cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2, 4), wherein at least one cooling chamber (8) of at least one of the cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2, 4) comprises a cooling agent inflow (6) and/or a cooling agent outflow (7).
US09172118B2	Method and system for estimating battery life Methods and systems for estimating remaining life of an automotive propulsion battery are provided. A total usable capacity of the battery is calculated based on cycling the battery. A first component of degradation is calculated based on driving throughput of the battery. A second component of degradation is calculated based on aging of the battery. The total degradation is calculated based on the sum of the first component and the second component of degradation.
US09172114B2	Solid state catholytes and electrolytes for energy storage devices The present invention provides an energy storage device comprising a cathode region or other element. The device has a major active region comprising a plurality of first active regions spatially disposed within the cathode region. The major active region expands or contracts from a first volume to a second volume during a period of a charge and discharge. The device has a catholyte material spatially confined within a spatial region of the cathode region and spatially disposed within spatial regions not occupied by the first active regions. The device has a protective material formed overlying exposed regions of the cathode material to substantially maintain the sulfur species within the catholyte material. Also included is a novel dopant configuration of the LiaMPbSc (LMPS) [M=Si, Ge, and/or Sn] containing material.
US09172113B2	Sulfide solid electrolyte material, lithium solid-state battery, and method for producing sulfide solid electrolyte material A sulfide solid electrolyte material contains glass ceramics that contains Li, A, X, and S, and has peaks at 2θ=20.2° and 23.6° in X-ray diffraction measurement with CuKα line. A is at least one kind of P, Si, Ge, Al, and B, and X is a halogen. A method for producing a sulfide solid electrolyte material includes amorphizing a raw material composition containing Li2S, a sulfide of A, and LiX to synthesize sulfide glass, and heating the sulfide glass at a heat treatment temperature equal to or more than a crystallization temperature thereof to synthesize glass ceramics having peaks at 2θ=20.2° and 23.6° in X-ray diffraction measurement with CuKα line, in which a ratio of the LiX contained in the raw material composition and the heat treatment temperature are controlled to obtain the glass ceramics.
US09172112B2	Sulfide solid electrolyte glass, lithium solid state battery and producing method of sulfide solid electrolyte glass An object of the present invention is to provide a sulfide solid electrolyte glass with high Li ion conductivity. The present invention achieves the above-mentioned object by providing a sulfide solid electrolyte glass comprising Li4P2S6, characterized by having a glass transition point.
US09172111B2	Layered materials with improved magnesium intercalation for rechargeable magnesium ion cells Electrochemical devices which incorporate cathode materials that include layered crystalline compounds for which a structural modification has been achieved which increases the diffusion rate of multi-valent ions into and out of the cathode materials. Examples in which the layer spacing of the layered electrode materials is modified to have a specific spacing range such that the spacing is optimal for diffusion of magnesium ions are presented. An electrochemical cell comprised of a positive intercalation electrode, a negative metal electrode, and a separator impregnated with a nonaqeuous electrolyte solution containing multi-valent ions and arranged between the positive electrode and the negative electrode active material is described.
US09172088B2	Multidimensional electrochemically active structures for battery electrodes Provided are novel multidimensional electrode structures containing high capacity active materials for use in rechargeable electrochemical cells. These structures include main support structures and multiple nanowires attached to the support structures and extending into different directions away from these supports. The active material may be deposited as a layer (uniform or non-uniform) surrounding the nanowires and, in certain embodiments, the main supports and even substrate. The active material layer may be sufficiently thin to prevent pulverization of the layer at given operating conditions. Interconnections between the electrode structures and/or substrate may be provided by overlaps formed during deposition of the active layer. Silicide-based nano wires structures may be formed on the main supports in a fluidized bed reactor by suspending the metal-containing main supports in a silicon-containing process gas. A layer of silicon may be then deposited over these silicide nanowires.
US09172086B2	Cathode and lithium battery using the same A cathode and a lithium battery including the cathode have improved electrical characteristics. The cathode includes a cathode active material composition including a conducting agent, a binder, and a cathode active material, wherein the cathode active material includes a first lithium compound and a second lithium compound, the first lithium compound having an open-circuit voltage greater than an open-circuit voltage of the second lithium compound, and wherein the second lithium compound includes a metal oxide coating layer.
US09172077B2	Low-loss storage battery A storage battery comprises a first branch and a second branch, each of which has a first cell and a second cell, the first and second cells being connected in series, and a first switch for connecting the first cell from the first branch and the first cell from the second branch in parallel and connecting the second cell from the first branch and the second cell from the second branch in parallel. The first switch has a cutoff threshold selected to conduct current when one of the cells forms an open circuit.
US09172075B2	Battery separators with variable porosity A porous polymer battery separator is provided that includes variable porosity along its length. Such battery separators can increase the uniformity of the current density within electrochemical battery cells that may normally experience higher current density and higher temperatures near their terminal ends than they do near their opposite ends. By disposing a variable porosity separator between the electrodes of an electrochemical cell such that its terminal end has a lower porosity than its opposite end, the transport of ions, such as lithium ions, through the separator can be more restricted in normally high current regions and less restricted in normally low current regions, thereby increasing the overall uniformity of current density within the battery cell. Variable porosity battery separators may be produced by a modified solvent exchange process. The process may include forming a polymer-containing film having a non-uniform thickness, selectively densifiying the film so that it has a non-uniform polymer concentration, and inducing variable porosity in the film.
US09172073B2	Secondary battery, battery pack and car A secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode containing a metal compound having a lithium ion absorption potential of 0.2V (vs. Li/Li+) or more, a separator and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The separator is provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The separator comprises cellulose fibers and pores having a specific surface area of 5 to 15 m2/g. The separator has a porosity of 55 to 80%, and a pore diameter distribution having a first peak in a pore diameter range of 0.2 μm (inclusive) to 2 μm (exclusive) and a second peak in a pore diameter range of 2 to 30 μm.
US09172071B2	Battery pack and electrically powered vehicle provided with same Provided is a battery pack that can securely prevent liquid, such as water and wash fluid, attached to an outer surface of a packaging case housing a plurality of electric cells from entering an internal space of the packaging case from between a tray and a cover and that also allows easily performing attachment and detachment work of the cover to and from the tray. The packaging case includes an edge cover for covering the whole circumference of a lower flange portion of the tray and an upper flange portion of the cover that abut each other. The edge cover includes a first section facing the lower flange portion, a second section facing the upper flange portion, and a connecting portion for connecting base ends of the first section and the second section. A plurality of female threaded portions are arranged on either the first section or the second section. Screw insertion holes for causing male screw members to be inserted according to the arrangement of the female threaded portions are arranged on either the first section or the second section in which the female threaded portions are not arranged, on the lower flange portion, and on the upper flange portion.
US09172060B2	Organic light-emitting display and method of manufacturing the same An organic light-emitting display and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting display are disclosed. In one embodiment, the organic light-emitting display includes: i) a pixel electrode disposed on a substrate, ii) an opposite electrode disposed opposite to the pixel electrode, iii) an organic emission layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode; a light-scattering portion disposed between the substrate and the organic emission layer, including a plurality of scattering patterns for scattering light emitted from the organic emission layer in insulating layers having different refractive indexes. The display may further include a plurality of light absorption portions disposed between the light-scattering portion and the organic emission layer to correspond to the scattering patterns.
US09172057B2	Encapsulation structure for an opto-electronic component An encapsulation structure for an optoelectronic component, may include: a thin-film encapsulation for protecting the optoelectronic component against chemical impurities; an adhesive layer formed on the thin-film encapsulation; and a cover layer formed on the adhesive layer and serving for protecting the thin-film encapsulation and/or the optoelectronic component against mechanical damage, wherein the adhesive layer is formed such that particle impurities situated at the surface of the thin-film encapsulation are at least partly enclosed by the adhesive layer.
US09172035B2	Memristors and methods of fabrication Memristors and their fabrication are provided. A first dielectric layer is formed over one or more conductive pathways. Vias are formed in the dielectric layer and filled with conductive material. A second dielectric layer is formed there over, and vias are formed aligned with and extending to the filled vias. A reactant fluid is introduced into the vias such that a reacted portion of the conductive material is defined within the filled vias. The vias in the second dielectric layer are then filled with conductive material such that memristors are defined. Conductive pathways are then formed over and in contact with the memristors such that each is individually addressable.
US09172028B2	Semiconductor device A yield of semiconductor devices having a magnetic shield is enhanced. A magnetic shield member SIE has a first shield member SIE1 and a second shield member SIE2. The first shield member SIE1 has a first facing region FP1 facing a first surface of a semiconductor chip SC. The second shield member SIE2 has a second facing region FP2 facing a second surface of the semiconductor chip SC. A resin layer RL1 has a portion thereof making contact with the first shield member SIE1, and has another portion thereof making contact with the second shield member SIE2. Then, the first shield member SIE1 and the second shield member SIE2 are magnetically coupled via the resin layer RL1 or directly. The first shield member SIE1 and the second shield member SIE2 cover a magnetic memory cell MR in plan view.
US09172018B2	Islanded carrier for light emitting device A low-cost conductive carrier element provides structural support to a light emitting device (LED) die, as well as electrical and thermal coupling to the LED die. A lead-frame is provided that includes at least one carrier element, the carrier element being partitioned to form distinguishable conductive regions to which the LED die is attached. When the carrier element is separated from the frame, the conductive regions are electrically isolated from each other. A dielectric may be placed between the conductive regions of the carrier element.
US09172008B2	Semiconductor light emitting device A semiconductor light emitting device includes a light-transmissive substrate, a light-transmissive buffer layer disposed on the light-transmissive substrate, and a light emitting structure. The light-transmissive buffer layer includes a first layer and a second layer having different refractive indices and disposed alternately at least once. The light emitting structure includes a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer sequentially disposed on the buffer layer.
US09172007B2	Method of manufacturing light emitting device and spray coating machine A method of manufacturing a light emitting device, using a spray coating method, a fluorescent material can be easily adhered on corner portions and side surfaces of an LED chip, a lens-shaped light transmissive resin member surface, an optical lens surface, etc., and a spray coating machine used in the method. The method includes mounting an LED chip on a substrate member, applying a spray coating to a coating object including the LED chip by spraying a powder-containing solution. The applying a spray coating is performed such that a powder-containing solution is sprayed through a solution nozzle arranged above the coating object, as a spray direction of the powder-containing solution indicating a central axis, while using at least one gas nozzle arranged in a surrounding relationship to the central axis, spraying a gas toward the central axis to alter the direction of the spray made of the powder-containing solution.
US09172004B2	Light emitting device package A light emitting device package includes a body having a cavity therein and first and second recesses inside the cavity of the body. The first and second electrode layers are provided in the first and second recesses, and a light emitting device is provided on the first and second electrode layers. The first and second bumps are provided under the light emitting device and attached to the first and second recesses.
US09171990B2	Method of hybrid stacked flip chip for a solar cell A method of hybrid stacked Flip chip for a solar cell onto which semiconductor layers of different materials are stacked in the Flip chip technology to solve the problem of lattices mismatch between the layers for further increase of the efficiency of solar cell.
US09171988B2	Photoconductive switch package A photoconductive switch is formed of a substrate that has a central portion of SiC or other photoconductive material and an outer portion of cvd-diamond or other suitable material surrounding the central portion. Conducting electrodes are formed on opposed sides of the substrate, with the electrodes extending beyond the central portion and the edges of the electrodes lying over the outer portion. Thus any high electric fields produced at the edges of the electrodes lie outside of and do not affect the central portion, which is the active switching element. Light is transmitted through the outer portion to the central portion to actuate the switch.
US09171987B2	Radioactive ray detector and radioactive ray detecting apparatus An object of the present invention is to provide a radioactive ray detector for enabling to reduce the parasitic capacity lower than that of the conventional art, which is generated between the semiconductor elements of the radioactive ray detectors neighboring with, and a radioactive ray detecting apparatus applying that therein. The radioactive ray detector, comprises a substrate, a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element, which are provided to face to each other with positioning the substrate therebetween, a first electrode pattern, which is electrically connected with the first semiconductor element on a surface facing to an opposite side of the substrate, and a second electrode pattern, which is electrically connected with the second semiconductor element on a surface facing to an opposite side of the substrate, wherein the first electrode pattern and the second electrode pattern are arranged not to overlap with each other, when seeing through the substrate in a direction of thickness thereof.
US09171985B2	Pixel circuit with controlled capacitor discharge time of flight measurement A pixel circuit includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and a measurement circuit including a capacitance. The SPAD detects an incident photon and the measurement circuit discharges the capacitance at a known rate during a discharge time period. The length of the discharge time period is determined by the time of detection of the photon, such that the final amount of charge on the capacitance corresponds to the time of flight of the photon. The pixel circuit may be included in a time resolved imaging apparatus. A method of measuring the time of flight of a photon includes responding to an incident photon detection by discharging a capacitance at a known rate and correlating final capacitance charge to time of flight.
US09171979B2	Battery and solar method for manufacturing the same A solar battery according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a rear electrode formed on a substrate and separated by a first through-hole; a light absorbing layer formed on the rear electrode including the first through-hole; a second through-hole exposing the rear electrode through the light absorbing layer; a buffer layer formed on the upper surface and the side surface of the light absorbing layer; a front electrode layer formed on the buffer layer; and a connection wiring extending from the front electrode layer and formed within the second through-hole.
US09171974B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same According to one embodiment, in a semiconductor device, a semiconductor substrate has a first surface and a second surface which is opposed to the first surface. An insulating layer is provided on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate. A metal wiring is provided within the insulating layer. A support substrate is bonded to the insulating layer. A poly silicon electrode is connected to the metal wiring through a contact. A pad is provided on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and is connected to the poly silicon electrode through a metal film deposited in a via-hole to penetrate the semiconductor substrate and extend to the poly silicon electrode.
US09171970B2	Alternating bias hot carrier solar cells Designs of extremely high efficiency solar cells are described. A novel alternating bias scheme enhances the photovoltaic power extraction capability above the cell band-gap by enabling the extraction of hot carriers. When applied in conventional solar cells, this alternating bias scheme has the potential of more than doubling their yielded net efficiency. When applied in conjunction with solar cells incorporating quantum wells (QWs) or quantum dots (QDs) based solar cells, the described alternating bias scheme has the potential of extending such solar cell power extraction coverage, possibly across the entire solar spectrum, thus enabling unprecedented solar power extraction efficiency. Within such cells, a novel alternating bias scheme extends the cell energy conversion capability above the cell material band-gap while the quantum confinement structures are used to extend the cell energy conversion capability below the cell band-gap. Light confinement cavities are incorporated into the cell structure in order to allow the absorption of the cell internal photo emission, thus further enhancing the cell efficiency.
US09171964B2	Systems and methods for a three-layer chip-scale MEMS device Systems and methods for a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises a first outer layer and a first device layer comprising a first set of MEMS devices, wherein the first device layer is bonded to the first outer layer. The system also comprises a second outer layer and a second device layer comprising a second set of MEMS devices, wherein the second device layer is bonded to the second outer layer. Further, the system comprises a central layer having a first side and a second side opposite that of the first side, wherein the first side is bonded to the first device layer and the second side is bonded to the second device layer.
US09171963B2	Electrostatic discharge shunting circuit An integrated electrostatic discharge (ESD) shunting circuit includes a III-V semiconductor layer, and a first drain-less high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) or a metal-semiconductor FET (MESFET) transistor having a first gate and at least a second drain-less HEMT or MESFET having a second gate formed in the substrate. The HEMTs or MESFETs include a donor layer on the semiconductor layer, no drains, and a source including an ohmic contact layer on the donor layer.
US09171954B2	FinFET structure and method to adjust threshold voltage in a FinFET structure FinFET structures and methods of manufacturing the FinFET structures are disclosed. The method includes performing an oxygen anneal process on a gate stack of a FinFET structure to induce Vt shift. The oxygen anneal process is performed after sidewall pull down and post silicide.
US09171953B2	FinFET with stressors A fin type transistor includes a dielectric layer on a substrate surface which serves to isolate the gate of the transistor from the substrate. The dielectric layer includes a non-selectively etched surface to produce top portions of fin structures which have reduced height variations across the wafer. The fin type transistor may also include a buried stressor and/or raised or embedded raised S/D stressors to cause a strain in the channel to improve carrier mobility.
US09171945B2	Switching element utilizing recombination Provided is a switching element capable of effectively preventing a collapse phenomenon. A switching element (1a) includes an electron running layer (12), an electron supplying layer (13) formed on an upper surface of the electron running layer (12), having a band gap larger than that of the electron running layer (12), and forming a heterojunction with the electron running layer (12), a recombination layer (17) formed on an upper surface of the electron supplying layer (13) and having a band gap smaller than that of the electron supplying layer (13), a source electrode (14) and a drain electrode (15) at least partially formed on the upper surface of the electron running layer (12), and a gate electrode (16) at least partially formed on the upper surface of the electron supplying layer (13) and arranged between the source electrode (14) and the drain electrode (15). When the switching element (1a) is in an off state, electrons and holes are recombined in the recombination layer (17).
US09171942B2	Semiconductor element manufacturing method There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element including: forming a semiconductor film of which a principal constituent is an oxide semiconductor; forming a first insulation film on a surface of the semiconductor film; applying a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere; and, forming a second insulation film on a surface of the first insulation film, wherein a thickness of the first insulation film and a temperature of the heat treatment in the third step are adjusted such that, if the thickness of the first insulation film is represented by Z (nm), the heat treatment temperature is represented by T (° C.) and a diffusion distance of oxygen into the first insulation film and the semiconductor film is represented by L (nm), the relational expression 0
US09171937B2	Monolithically integrated vertical JFET and Schottky diode An integrated device including a vertical III-nitride FET and a Schottky diode includes a drain comprising a first III-nitride material, a drift region comprising a second III-nitride material coupled to the drain and disposed adjacent to the drain along a vertical direction, and a channel region comprising a third III-nitride material coupled to the drift region. The integrated device also includes a gate region at least partially surrounding the channel region, a source coupled to the channel region, and a Schottky contact coupled to the drift region. The channel region is disposed between the drain and the source along the vertical direction such that current flow during operation of the vertical III-nitride FET and the Schottky diode is along the vertical direction.
US09171930B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include sequentially forming an n-type epitaxial layer, a p type epitaxial layer, and an n+ region on a first surface of an n+ type silicon carbide substrate; forming a buffer layer on the n+ region; forming a photosensitive film pattern on a part of the buffer layer; etching the buffer layer using the photosensitive film pattern as a mask to form a buffer layer pattern; sequentially forming a first metal layer and a second metal layer which include a first portion and a second portion; removing one or more components to expose a part of the n+ region; and etching the exposed part of the n+ region using the first portion of the first metal layer and the first portion of the second metal layer as masks to form a trench.
US09171928B2	Manufacturing method of semiconductor device Provided is a semiconductor device with improved performance and production yield. Insulating films IL2 and IL3 are formed over a semiconductor substrate in that order to cover a gate electrode. Then, the insulating films IL3 and IL2 are etched back to form sidewall spacers including the insulating films IL2 and IL3 over sidewalls of the gate electrode. The source/drain region is formed in the semiconductor substrate by ion implantation using the gate electrode and the sidewall spacer as a mask. Then, the sidewall spacers are isotropically etched on conditions where the insulating film IL2 is less likely to be etched than the third insulating film IL3 to thereby decrease the thickness of the sidewall spacer. Thereafter, a reaction layer between the metal and the source/drain region is formed over the source/drain region.
US09171925B2	Multi-gate devices with replaced-channels and methods for forming the same A device includes a semiconductor substrate, isolation regions in the semiconductor substrate, and a Fin Field-Effect Transistor (FinFET). The FinFET includes a channel region over the semiconductor substrate, a gate dielectric on a top surface and sidewalls of the channel region, a gate electrode over the gate dielectric, a source/drain region, and an additional semiconductor region between the source/drain region and the channel region. The channel region and the additional semiconductor region are formed of different semiconductor materials, and are at substantially level with each other.
US09171919B2	Semiconductor element, semiconductor device and methods for manufacturing thereof The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element having a miniaturized structure and a semiconductor device in which the semiconductor element having a miniaturized structure is integrated highly, by overcoming reduction of the yield caused by alignment accuracy, accuracy of a processing technique by reduced projection exposure, a finished dimension of a resist mask, an etching technique and the like. An insulating film covering a gate electrode is formed, and a source region and a drain region are exposed, a conductive film is formed thereover, a resist having a different film thickness is formed by applying the resist over the conductive film, the entire surface of the resist is exposed to light and developed, or the entire surface of the resist is etched to form a resist mask, and the conductive film is etched by using the resist mask to form a source and drain electrode.
US09171917B2	Edge termination configurations for high voltage semiconductor power devices This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed in a semiconductor substrate and having an active cell area and an edge termination area wherein the edge termination area comprises a wide trench filled with a field-crowding reduction filler and a buried field plate buried under a top surface of the semiconductor substrate and laterally extended over a top portion of the field crowding field to move a peak electric field laterally away from the active cell area. In a specific embodiment, the field-crowding reduction filler comprises a silicon oxide filled in the wide trench.
US09171915B1	Method for fabricating semiconductor device A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of first providing a substrate, in which the substrate includes a SONOS region and a EEPROM region. Next, a first gate layer is formed in the SONOS region and the EEPROM region, the first gate layer is patterned by removing the first gate layer from the SONOS region and forming a floating gate pattern in the EEPROM region, an ONO layer is formed in the SONOS region and the EEPROM region, a second gate layer is formed on the ONO layer of the SONOS region and the EEPROM region, the second gate layer and the first gate layer are patterned to form a floating gate and a control gate in the EEPROM region, and the second gate layer is patterned to form a first gate in the SONOS region.
US09171913B2	Thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same and display device including the same Disclosed is a thin film transistor that includes a gate electrode, a semiconductor overlapping with the gate electrode, a source electrode that is electrically connected to the semiconductor, a drain electrode that is electrically connected to the semiconductor and faces the source electrode, and a stacked gate insulating layer that is positioned between the gate electrode and semiconductor. The stacked gate insulating layer includes an aluminum oxide layer. A method of manufacturing the same and a display device including the thin film transistor are also disclosed.
US09171905B2	Transistor including a stressed channel, a method for fabricating the same, and an electronic device including the same A semiconductor device includes a first channel, a second channel, a first strained gate electrode including a first lattice-mismatched layer for applying a first stress to the first channel, and a second strained gate electrode including a second lattice-mismatched layer for applying a second stress to the second channel.
US09171902B2	Semiconductor structures comprising a plurality of active areas separated by isolation regions Methods of pitch doubling of asymmetric features and semiconductor structures including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a single photolithography mask may be used to pitch double three features, for example, of a DRAM array. In one embodiment, two wordlines and a grounded gate over field may be pitch doubled. Semiconductor structures including such features are also disclosed.
US09171900B2	Method of fabricating a gallium nitride P-i-N diode using implantation A III-nitride semiconductor device includes an active region for supporting current flow during forward-biased operation of the III-nitride semiconductor device. The active region includes a first III-nitride epitaxial material having a first conductivity type, and a second III-nitride epitaxial material having a second conductivity type. The III-nitride semiconductor device further includes an edge-termination region physically adjacent to the active region and including an implanted region comprising a portion of the first III-nitride epitaxial material. The implanted region of the first III-nitride epitaxial material has a reduced electrical conductivity in relation to portions of the first III-nitride epitaxial material adjacent to the implanted region.
US09171899B2	Sapphire structure with a concave portion including a metal substructure and method for producing the same A sapphire structure with a metal substructure is disclosed. The sapphire structure with a metal substructure includes a sapphire structure and a metal substructure. The sapphire structure includes a flat surface and a concave portion on the flat surface. The metal substructure in the concave portion is bonded to an inner surface of the concave portion and includes a surface portion that is substantially flush with the flat surface.
US09171897B1	Area efficient series MIM capacitor Two series-connected metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors are disclosed that are suitable for fabrication in the back-end structure of an integrated circuit. The MIM capacitors have first and second electrically conducting plates on a first insulating layer, third and fourth electrically conducting plates overlapping the first and second conducting plates, a second insulating layer between the first and third conducting plates and between the second and fourth conducting plates, a blind via coupling the first and fourth conducting plates, and connections to the second and third conducting plates. Methods of fabricating such series-connected MIM capacitors are also disclosed.
US09171896B2	Light emitting device A light emitting device is provided which can prevent a change in gate voltage due to leakage or other causes and at the same time can prevent the aperture ratio from lowering. A capacitor storage is formed from a connection wiring line, an insulating film, and a capacitance wiring line. The connection wiring line is formed over a gate electrode and an active layer of a TFT of a pixel, and is connected to the active layer. The insulating film is formed on the connection wiring line. The capacitance wiring line is formed on the insulating film. This structure enables the capacitor storage to overlap the TFT, thereby increasing the capacity of the capacitor storage while keeping the aperture ratio from lowering. Accordingly, a change in gate voltage due to leakage or other causes can be avoided to prevent a change in luminance of an OLED and flickering of screen in analog driving.
US09171895B2	Display and method of manufacturing the same A display, a method of manufacturing the display, and an electronic apparatus are provided. The display includes a resin, a transistor; and a light shielding material positioned between the resin and the transistor. The light shielding material is configured to suppress an incidence of light on the transistor. Light is prevented from entering an oxide semiconductor layer to be used as an active layer so as to suppress deterioration of transistor characteristics.
US09171884B2	Method for combining LEDS in a packaging unit and packaging unit having a multiplicity of LEDS A method of combining LEDs in a packaging unit includes determining a color locus of a multiplicity of LEDs, classifying the LEDs into a plurality of different color locus ranges, each LED classified into a color locus range comprising the determined color locus of the respective LED, arranging the LEDs in the packaging unit such that the packaging unit contains a plurality of successive sequences respectively of a plurality of LEDs, wherein each sequence respectively has exactly one LED from each of the color locus ranges, and the LEDs of the different color locus ranges are respectively arranged in the same order within the sequences.
US09171878B2	Detector and DAS, and X-ray computed tomography apparatus According to one embodiment, detector and DAS includes an X-ray detector, a board, a DAS, and a plurality of X-ray shielding plates. The X-ray detector detects X-rays and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the detected X-rays. The board is coupled to the X-ray detector and includes a wiring pattern to extract the electrical signal from the X-ray detector. The DAS is coupled to the board and included an electronic part to perform signal processing for the electrical signal. The X-ray shielding plates are provided for the board to prevent the electronic part from being exposed to X-rays transmitted through the X-ray detector. A portion of the wiring pattern is placed between the X-ray shielding plates.
US09171865B2	Flat panel display apparatus and method for manufacturing the flat panel display apparatus A display apparatus includes an active layer that overlaps a substrate and comprises a channel region. The display apparatus further includes an insulating layer disposed on the substrate and the active layer. The display apparatus further includes a gate electrode disposed on the insulating layer, overlapping the channel region, and comprising a first gate electrode layer and a second gate electrode layer, wherein the first gate electrode layer is formed of a first material and is disposed between the insulating layer and the second electrode layer, and wherein the second gate electrode layer is formed of a second material that is different from the first material. The display apparatus further includes a contact portion disposed on the insulating layer and comprising a first contact layer that is formed of the first material. The display apparatus further includes a pixel electrode that contacts the first contact layer.
US09171849B2	Three dimensional dual-port bit cell and method of using same A three dimensional dual-port bit cell generally comprises a first portion disposed on a first tier, wherein the first portion includes a plurality of port elements. The dual-port bit cell also includes a second portion disposed on a second tier that is vertically stacked with respect to the first tier using at least one via, wherein the second portion includes a latch.
US09171847B1	Semiconductor structure A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an active area in the semiconductor substrate, two trenches intersecting the active area to thereby divide the active area into a source region and two drain regions spaced apart from the source region, a saddle-shaped N+/N−/N+ structure in the source region of the active area; and two N+ drain doping regions in the two drain regions, respectively.
US09171840B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof An offset transistor and a non-offset transistor each including an oxide semiconductor are formed over one substrate. An oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulator, and first layer wirings which serve as gate wirings are formed. After that, the offset transistor is covered with a resist and impurities are mixed into the oxide semiconductor layer, so that an n-type oxide semiconductor region is formed. Then, second layer wirings are formed. Through the above steps, the offset transistor and the non-offset transistor (e.g., aligned transistor) can be formed.
US09171836B2	Method of forming electronic components with increased reliability An electronic component includes a depletion-mode transistor, an enhancement-mode transistor, and a resistor. The depletion-mode transistor has a higher breakdown voltage than the enhancement-mode transistor. A first terminal of the resistor is electrically connected to a source of the enhancement-mode transistor, and a second terminal of the resistor and a source of the depletion-mode transistor are each electrically connected to a drain of the enhancement-mode transistor. A gate of the depletion-mode transistor can be electrically connected to a source of the enhancement-mode transistor.
US09171832B2	Analog switch with high bipolar blocking voltage in low voltage CMOS process The disclosed technology relates to an apparatus for protection against transient electrical events. In one aspect, the apparatus includes an analog switch with high bipolar blocking voltage comprising a first p-type well region, a second p-type well region, a first n-type well region disposed between the first and second p-type well regions, and a deep n-type well region surrounding the first p-type well region, the second p-type well region, and the first n-type well region. The apparatus additionally includes a first native n-type region disposed between the first p-type well region the n-type well region and a second native n-type region disposed between the second p-type well region and n-type well region. The apparatus is configured such that the first p-type well region serves as an emitter/collector of a bidirectional PNP bipolar transistor. In addition, the apparatus is configured such that the first native n-type region, the first n-type well region, and the second native n-type region serves as a base of the bidirectional PNP bipolar transistor. Furthermore, the apparatus is configured such that the second p-type well region is configured as a collector/emitter of the bidirectional PNP bipolar transistor.
US09171831B2	Power semiconductor with a Si chip and a wideband chip having matched loss and area ratios A power semiconductor apparatus which is provided with a first power semiconductor device using Si as a base substance and a second power semiconductor device using a semiconductor having an energy bandgap wider than the energy bandgap of Si as a base substance, and includes a first insulated metal substrate on which the first power semiconductor device is mounted, a first heat dissipation metal base on which the first insulated metal substrate is mounted, a second insulated metal substrate on which the second power semiconductor device is mounted, and a second heat dissipation metal base on which the second insulated metal substrate is mounted.
US09171824B2	Stacked semiconductor device assembly The semiconductor device system includes multiple stacked substantially identical semiconductor devices each including a first side and an opposing second side. First and second pads are disposed at the first side of the semiconductor device, while third and fourth pads are disposed at the second side of the semiconductor device. First interface circuit is electrically coupled to the first pad and the third pad, while second interface circuit is electrically coupled to the second pad and the fourth pad. The second interface circuit is separate and distinct from the first interface circuit. At least one first semiconductor device of the multiple semiconductor devices is offset from other of the multiple semiconductor devices such that the fourth pad on the first semiconductor device is aligned with, and electrically connected to, the first pad on an adjacent one of the multiple semiconductor devices. In some embodiments, the first pad is associated with a first capacitance, while the second pad is associated with a second capacitance that is smaller than the first capacitance.
US09171818B2	Package structure and the method to manufacture thereof The invention discloses a package structure with an overlaying metallic material overlaying a solder material. A substrate comprises a first solder pad and a second solder pad thereon. A conductive element on the substrate comprises a first electrode and a second electrode thereon. A solder material electrically connects the first solder pad and the second solder pad to the first electrode and the second electrode respectively. An overlaying metallic material overlays the exposed areas of the solder metallic material, the first solder pad, the second solder pad, the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the exposed areas comprise metallic material having a lower melting point than the second metallic material.
US09171809B2	Escape routes Methods of and devices for providing escaping routes for the flux and gases generated to move away from the solder joint in the process of solder joint formation.
US09171808B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same In a semiconductor integrated circuit sandwiched between a pair of a first impact resistance layer and a second impact resistance layer, an impact diffusion layer is provided between the semiconductor integrated circuit and the second impact resistance layer. By provision of the impact resistance layer against the external stress and the impact diffusion layer for diffusing the impact, force applied to the semiconductor integrated circuit per unit area is reduced, so that the semiconductor integrated circuit is protected. The impact diffusion layer preferably has a low modulus of elasticity and high breaking modulus.
US09171793B2	Semiconductor device having a trace comprises a beveled edge A semiconductor device can include a substrate and a trace layer positioned in proximity to the substrate and including a trace for supplying an electrical connection to the semiconductor device. Conductive layers can be positioned in proximity to the trace layer and form a bond pad. A non-conductive thin film layer can be positioned between the trace layer and the conductive layers. The thin film layer can include a via to enable the electrical connection from the trace to the bond pad. A portion of the trace between the substrate and the plurality of conductive layers can have a beveled edge.
US09171791B2	Semiconductor device This invention provides a multi-pin semiconductor device as a low-cost flip-chip BGA. In the flip-chip BGA, a plurality of signal bonding electrodes in a peripheral area of the upper surface of a multilayer wiring substrate are separated into inner and outer ones and a plurality of signal through holes coupled to a plurality of signal wirings drawn inside are located between a plurality of rows of signal bonding electrodes and a central region where a plurality of bonding electrodes for core power supply are located so that the chip pad pitch can be decreased and the cost of the BGA can be reduced without an increase in the number of layers in the multilayer wiring substrate.
US09171789B2	Lead frame, semiconductor package including the lead frame, and method of manufacturing the lead frame There is provided a lead frame including a plurality of plating layers formed on both an upper surface and a lower surface of a base material including a metal, wherein an upper outermost plating layer of an upper part of the lead frame is a silver plating layer including silver, and a lower outermost plating layer of a lower part of the lead frame is a gold plating layer including gold.
US09171777B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing a semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a main surface with a polygonal geometry and a main electric circuit manufactured within a main region on the semiconductor substrate. The main electric circuit is operable to perform an electric main function. The main region extends over the main surface of the semiconductor substrate leaving open at least one corner area at a corner of the polygonal geometry of the main surface of the semiconductor substrate. The corner area extends at least 300 μm along the edges of the semiconductor substrate beginning at the corner.
US09171770B2	Electronic device and manufacturing method thereof An electronic device and the manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method comprises providing a module, in which the module includes a substrate, at least one component mounted on the substrate and a molding, and the molding encapsulates the component and a portion of the substrate; forming a first hole to expose a ground pad of the component; forming a first conductive layer which covers the module and is electrically connected to the ground pad.
US09171769B2	Semiconductor device and method of forming openings through encapsulant to reduce warpage and stress on semiconductor package A semiconductor device has a plurality of semiconductor die mounted active surface to a carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over semiconductor die and carrier. Openings are formed through a surface of the encapsulant to divide the encapsulant into discontinuous segments. The openings have straight or beveled sidewalls. The openings can be formed partially through the surface of the encapsulant in an area between the semiconductor die. The openings can be formed partially through the surface of the encapsulant over the semiconductor die. The openings can be formed through the encapsulant in an area between the semiconductor die. A portion of the surface of the encapsulant is removed down to a bottom of the openings. The carrier is removed. An interconnect structure is formed over the encapsulant and the semiconductor die. The encapsulant is cured prior to or after forming the openings.
US09171765B2	Inline residual layer detection and characterization post via post etch using CD-SEM Methods of determining an amount and/or a thickness of residual material in a via based on LL-BSE images of the material are disclosed. Embodiments include etching a plurality of vias through at least one material layer on a wafer; loading the wafer with predetermined measurement parameters in a CD-SEM; acquiring an image of each via of interest using LL-BSE imaging; quantifying grey level values of the images; characterizing residuals of the at least one material layer in each via based on the grey level values; determining an etching success rate based on the characterizing of the residuals; adjusting the etching based on the determining of the etching success rate; and repeating the steps of acquiring, quantifying, characterizing, determining, and adjusting until a desired etching success rate is achieved.
US09171764B2	Methods for fabricating integrated circuits using self-aligned quadruple patterning Methods for fabricating integrated circuits and for forming masks for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes etching an upper mandrel layer to form upper mandrels. At least one upper mandrel has a first critical dimension and at least one upper mandrel has a second critical dimension not equal to the first critical dimension. The method further includes forming upper spacers adjacent the upper mandrels and etching a lower mandrel layer using the upper spacers as an etch mask to form lower mandrels. The method also includes forming lower spacers adjacent the lower mandrels and etching a material using the lower spacers as an etch mask to form variably spaced structures.
US09171760B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming electrodes on a first major surface of a semiconductor substrate having first and second major surfaces facing in opposite directions; and forming a cleavage-inducing pattern on the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate. The cleavage-inducing pattern extends over a target cleavage position located between the electrodes, has a recess extending over the target cleavage position, and is made of a material different from the material of the semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming a scribed groove in the second major surface of the semiconductor substrate and in a position facing the target cleavage position; and cleaving the semiconductor substrate having the scribed groove and the cleavage-inducing pattern by applying pressure, through a cleaving blade, to the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09171757B2	Dual shallow trench isolation liner for preventing electrical shorts A shallow trench is formed to extend into a handle substrate of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) layer. A dielectric liner stack of a dielectric metal oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer is formed in the shallow trench, followed by deposition of a shallow trench isolation fill portion. The dielectric liner stack is removed from above a top surface of a top semiconductor portion, followed by removal of a silicon nitride pad layer and an upper vertical portion of the dielectric metal oxide layer. A divot laterally surrounding a stack of a top semiconductor portion and a buried insulator portion is filled with a silicon nitride portion. Gate structures and source/drain structures are subsequently formed. The silicon nitride portion or the dielectric metal oxide layer functions as a stopping layer during formation of source/drain contact via holes, thereby preventing electrical shorts between source/drain contact via structures and the handle substrate.
US09171754B2	Method including an etching of a portion of an interlayer dielectric in a semiconductor structure, a degas process and a preclean process A method includes providing a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a frontside and a backside, an electrically conductive feature including copper provided at the frontside of the substrate and a low-k interlayer dielectric provided over the electrically conductive feature. A portion of the interlayer dielectric is etched. In the etch process, a surface of the electrically conductive feature is exposed. A degas process is performed, wherein the semiconductor structure is exposed to a first gas, and wherein the semiconductor structure is heated from the backside and from the frontside. A preclean process may be performed. The preclean process may include a first phase wherein the semiconductor structure is exposed to a substantially non-ionized second gas and a second phase wherein the semiconductor structure is exposed to a plasma created from the second gas.
US09171749B2	Handler wafer removal facilitated by the addition of an amorphous carbon layer on the handler wafer A method of removing a handler wafer. There is provided a handler wafer and a semiconductor device wafer having a plurality of semiconductor devices, the semiconductor device wafer having an active surface side and an inactive surface side. An amorphous carbon layer is applied to a surface of the handler wafer. An adhesive layer is applied to at least one of the amorphous carbon layer of the handler wafer and the active surface side of the semiconductor device wafer. The handler wafer is joined to the semiconductor device wafer through the adhesive layer or layers. Laser radiation is applied to the handler wafer to cause heating of the amorphous carbon layer that in turn causes heating of the adhesive layer or layers. The plurality of semiconductor devices of the semiconductor device wafer are then separated from the handler wafer.
US09171746B2	Heater elements with enhanced cooling A heater assembly with enhanced cooling pursuant to various embodiments described herein makes use of fluidic flow in the insulation or in the space used for insulation. By creating a natural convection or forced convection flow, the heater cools down faster, it can operate at lower temperatures and/or higher temperature precision, and it can improve temperature controllability by generating higher heat loss rates.
US09171737B2	Thermal oxide film formation method for silicon single crystal wafer Disclosed is a method of forming a thermal oxide film on a silicon single crystal wafer, which includes throwing the silicon single wafer into a heat treatment furnace; elevating temperature of the heat treatment furnace up to a temperature T1 where a thermal oxide film is formed to form a thermal oxide film having a thickness d1; subsequently lowering the temperature of the heat treatment furnace down to a temperature lower than the temperature T1; and thereafter elevating the temperature of the heat treatment furnace up to a temperature T2 higher than the temperature T1 to additionally form a thermal oxide film having a thickness d2 thicker than the thickness d1. Thus, there is provided a thermal oxide film formation method to suppress occurrence of slip dislocation and/or crack of the silicon single wafer during formation of the thermal oxide film.
US09171736B2	Spacer material modification to improve K-value and etch properties A method for performing a spacer etch process is described. The method includes conformally applying a spacer material over a gate structure on a substrate, and performing a spacer etch process sequence to partially remove the spacer material from a capping region of the gate structure and a substrate region on the substrate adjacent a base of the gate structure, while retaining a spacer sidewall positioned along a sidewall of the gate structure. The K-value of high-K spacer materials are reduced to an acceptable range with oxidation using an oxygen plasma treatment. The etch rate of low-K spacer materials are reduced to a target range using a nitrogen plasma treatment. Integration of the spacer etch processing is selected based on impact to the other structures in the substrate.
US09171725B2	Enriched silicon precursor compositions and apparatus and processes for utilizing same Isotopically enriched silicon precursor compositions are disclosed, as useful in ion implantation to enhance performance of the ion implantation system, in relation to corresponding ion implantation lacking such isotopic enrichment of the silicon precursor composition. The silicon dopant composition includes at least one silicon compound that is isotopically enriched above natural abundance in at least one of 28Si, 29Si, and 30Si, and may include a supplemental gas including at least one of a co-species gas and a diluent gas. Dopant gas supply apparatus for providing such silicon dopant compositions to an ion implanter are described, as well as ion implantation systems including such dopant gas supply apparatus.
US09171712B2	Lamp having a secondary halide that improves luminous efficiency A lamp to produce white light includes an envelope; and a composition disposed in the envelope and including an initiator; a primary halide; and a secondary halide, wherein the primary halide, in a presence of the secondary halide, has a vapor pressure that is greater than a vapor pressure in an absence of the secondary halide, and the composition is configured to emit white light in a presence of an electrical discharge in the envelope.
US09171708B1	Ambient pressure ionization source using a laser with high spatial resolution An interchangeable ion source for a spectrometer. The ion source includes an interface which mounts the ion source relative to a gas inlet of the spectrometer, a sample holder, a laser which produces a laser beam capable of ionizing the sample at ambient pressure, and an optical system. The ion source includes an equipment chassis which supports the interface, the sample holder, the laser and the optical system as a rigid unit such that the interface, the sample holder, the laser and the optical system remain in alignment upon attachment and detachment of the ion source from the spectrometer and an enclosure which embraces an atmosphere around components of the ion source. In addition, the ion source includes a circulator which circulates at least part of the atmosphere within the enclosure.
US09171703B2	Apparatus with sidewall protection for features Provided herein is an apparatus, including a patterned resist overlying a substrate; a number of features of the patterned resist, wherein the number of features respectively includes a number of sidewalls; and a sidewall-protecting material disposed about the number of sidewalls, wherein the sidewall-protecting material is characteristic of a conformal, thin-film deposition, and wherein the sidewall-protecting material facilitates a high-fidelity pattern transfer of the patterned resist to the substrate during etching.
US09171702B2	Consumable isolation ring for movable substrate support assembly of a plasma processing chamber A consumable isolation ring of a movable substrate support assembly is described. The consumable isolation ring is configured to be supported on a step of a movable ground ring fit around a fixed ground ring. The consumable isolation ring is configured to electrically isolate the movable ground ring from a dielectric ring of the movable substrate support assembly.
US09171701B2	Bowl shaped metal nanostruture array A bowl shaped metal nanostructure array includes a substrate having a surface and a number of particle-in-bowl structures located on the surface of the substrate. Each particle-in-bowl structures includes a bowl shaped concave structure and a protruding member protruding from the bowl shaped concave structure. The protruding member is integrated with the bowl shaped concave structure.
US09171700B2	Plasma pulse tracking system and method A plasma processing system may include a radio frequency (RF) generator configured to supply a pulsing process signal to a target in a plasma processing chamber via a RF matching network. A phase and magnitude detector circuit is coupled to the RF generator and configured to sense the pulsing process signal and output a magnitude error signal and a phase error signal. A pulse tracking circuit is electrically coupled to the phase and magnitude detector circuit and configured to receive the magnitude error signal and the phase error signal and output a tracked magnitude signal and a tracked phase signal. A match controller is electrically coupled to the pulse tracking circuit and the RF matching network and configured to receive the tracked magnitude signal and the tracked phase signal and vary an impedance of the RF matching network in response to the tracked magnitude and phase signals.
US09171694B2	Asymmetric electrostatic quadrupole deflector for improved field uniformity An electron beam device for inspecting a target substrate or specimen thereon includes a beam separator with an asymmetric quadrupole electrostatic deflector for improving field uniformity for a single direction of deflection. The asymmetric quadrupole electrostatic deflector includes two orthogonal electrode plates spanning roughly 60 degrees and two electrode plates spanning roughly 120 degrees, the two latter plates defining a unidirectional deflection field. The device generates a primary electron beam and focuses the primary electron beam along an optical axis into the target substrate. Secondary electrons detected at the target substrate are focused into a secondary electron beam. The beam separator with asymmetric quadrupole electrostatic deflector deflects the secondary electron beam away from the axis of the primary electron beam in the direction of deflection and into a detector array.
US09171691B2	Film target for laser-induced particle acceleration and method of manufacturing the same A film target for laser-induced particle acceleration includes a first target layer on which a laser is incident; an intermediate layer located behind the first target layer along a propagating direction of the laser, and in which an intended ion beam is generated; and a second target layer located opposite to the first target layer with the intermediate layer interposed therebetween.
US09171683B2	Sealed and vented switch actuator The present invention relates to a switch device (100) for use in hand-held power tools. The switch device (100) may include at least one chamber (102) whose interior serves as an accommodation space. The chamber (102) may partially encase an operational member (104) for actuating the hand-held power tool through the switch device (100). Further, the switch device (100) is provided with multiple holes (202) on side walls (204) of the chamber (102) to create a passageway for external particulate materials. Also, a bottom surface (205) of the chamber (102) may be sloped to extend from an interior of the chamber (102) to each of the multiple holes (202), to enhance the discharging of the external particulate materials through the holes (202).
US09171672B2	Stacked leaded array A stacked leaded array is provided wherein the stacked leaded array allows for increased packing density of electronic components. The stacked leaded array has a multiplicity of electronic components in a stacked array. Each electronic component comprises a first termination and a second termination. A multiplicity of first leads are provided wherein each first lead is in electrical contact with at least one first termination. Second leads are in electrical contact with second terminations.
US09171670B2	Capacitor structures having supporting patterns and methods of forming the same A method of forming a capacitor structure includes forming a mold layer on a substrate, in which the substrate includes a plurality of plugs therein, partially removing the mold layer to form a plurality of openings, in which the plugs are exposed by the openings, forming a plurality of lower electrodes filling the openings, in which the lower electrodes have a pillar shape, removing an upper portion of the mold layer to expose upper portions of the lower electrodes, forming a supporting pattern on exposed upper sidewalls of the lower electrodes and on the mold layer, removing the mold layer, and sequentially forming a dielectric layer and an upper electrode on the lower electrodes and the supporting pattern.
US09171668B2	Magnet member A magnet member excellent in both corrosion resistance and adhesion is provided. The magnet member 30 in accordance with the present invention is a magnet member comprising a magnet base body 32 including a rare-earth magnet and a plating film 34 containing Ni and covering the magnet base body 32, while the plating film 34 has a sulfur content lower in a marginal part 38 in a surface S of the magnet base body having an easy magnetization direction M of the magnet base body 32 as a perpendicular thereto than in a center part 36 of the surface S.
US09171660B2	Superconducting coil, superconducting magnet, and method for manufacturing superconducting coil An inner circumferential portion is formed by winding one of first and second superconducting wires each having a band shape. An outer circumferential portion is formed by winding the other of the first and second superconducting wires around the inner circumferential portion. A welding portion joins the first and second superconducting wires to each other by welding between the inner circumferential portion and the outer circumferential portion. The first superconducting wire is higher in strength than the second superconducting wire. The second superconducting wire is smaller in thickness than the first superconducting wire.
US09171654B2	High thermal stability pellet compositions for thermal cutoff devices and methods for making and use thereof The present disclosure provides a pellet composition having enhanced thermal stability for use in a thermally-actuated, current cutoff device. Certain inorganic stability additive particles, such as silica, talc, and siloxane, can be mixed with one or more organic compounds to form a thermal pellet composition. A solid thermal pellet maintains its structural rigidity up to a transition temperature (Tf), but further has improved overshoot temperature ranges. Therefore, the improved thermal pellets have a maximum dielectric capability temperature (Tcap), above which the pellet composition may lose substantial dielectric properties and conducts current that is at least 50° C. greater than the Tf. In certain variations, maximum dielectric capability temperature (Tcap) is greater than or equal to about 380° C.
US09171653B2	Lithium manganese composite oxide and method for preparing same The present invention relates to a lithium manganese composite oxide and a method for preparing the same, and more particularly, to a lithium manganese composite oxide and a method for preparing same, in which a wet-milling process and a spray-drying process are applied, and the abundance ratio of Mn3+ ions to Mn4+ ions at the surface of the composite oxide is adjusted by controlling an oxidizing atmosphere during heat treatment.
US09171651B2	Fixture for component to be mounted to circuit board An object is to provide a fixture for a component to be mounted on a circuit board which is easily manufactured and can exhibit good solderability and high whisker resistance. In a fixture which includes a solder joint plate part 11 that can be fixed on a surface of a circuit board by soldering using solder cream, and a component fixing part 12 that can be fixed to a component configured to be mounted on the circuit board, and in which Sn plating is performed at least on a solder joint surface of the solder joint plate part, the solder joint plate part 11 is divided into a plurality of long-plate-like solder joint pieces 13, and on both sides of each of the long-plate-like solder joint pieces 13, wing-like joint feet are provided to protrude through bent flexible parts 16, and the lower surface of each of the joint feet 15 becomes a solder joint surface 18 to be joined with the surface of the circuit board by solder cream.
US09171646B2	Control of a laser inertial confinement fusion-fission power plant A laser inertial-confinement fusion-fission energy power plant is described. The fusion-fission hybrid system uses inertial confinement fusion to produce neutrons from a fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium. The fusion neutrons drive a sub-critical blanket of fissile or fertile fuel. A coolant circulated through the fuel extracts heat from the fuel that is used to generate electricity. The inertial confinement fusion reaction can be implemented using central hot spot or fast ignition fusion, and direct or indirect drive. The fusion neutrons result in ultra-deep burn-up of the fuel in the fission blanket, thus enabling the burning of nuclear waste. Fuels include depleted uranium, natural uranium, enriched uranium, spent nuclear fuel, thorium, and weapons grade plutonium. LIFE engines can meet worldwide electricity needs in a safe and sustainable manner, while drastically shrinking the highly undesirable stockpiles of depleted uranium, spent nuclear fuel and excess weapons materials.
US09171641B2	Shift register circuit and driving method thereof An Nth shift register unit includes an input circuit, a voltage regulator, and an output circuit. The input circuit is disposed to control a voltage at a control node of the Nth shift register unit according to a first scan signal of an (N−K)th shift register unit or a second scan signal of an (N+K)th shift register unit. The voltage regulator includes a first coupling element coupled to a first clock, a first switch disposed to receive the voltage at the control node and generate a reverse bias for reducing current leakage, and a switch control unit disposed to control the first switch according to the first clock. The output circuit is disposed to output a third scan signal.
US09171637B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of controlling the same This nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises: a word line connected to a control gate; a bit line electrically connected to one end of a NAND cell unit; a source line electrically connected to the other end of the NAND cell unit; and a control circuit that controls a voltage applied to a semiconductor layer, the control gate, the bit line, and the source line.The control circuit is configured to, when performing a write verify operation for determining whether a write operation has been completed or not after finishing the write operation, temporarily raise a voltage of the bit line or the source line to a light erase voltage which is higher than a voltage applied to the bit line or the source line during the write verify operation.
US09171636B2	Hot carrier generation and programming in NAND flash A memory device is described that includes a three-dimensional array of memory cells having a plurality of levels of memory cells accessed by a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of bit lines. Control circuitry is coupled to the plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines. The control circuitry is adapted for programming a selected memory cell in a selected level of the array and on a selected word line, by hot carrier generation assisted FN tunneling, while inhibiting disturb in unselected memory cells in unselected levels and in the selected level and on unselected word lines by self-boosting.
US09171635B2	Semiconductor memory device having page buffer and method of operating the same The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of cell transistors, and a page buffer configured to perform an verification operation for verifying a program state of a selected cell transistor by sensing a voltage of a sense node connected to a selected bit line of the memory cell array through a bit line selection transistor, wherein a logic level corresponding to a voltage of the selected bit line is constantly maintained regardless of the program state of the selected cell transistor during the verification operation.
US09171631B2	Semiconductor memory device and method for controlling the same According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first transistor, a detector, and a second transistor. The first transistor is capable of transferring a first voltage to a bit line. The detector reads data held by a memory cell connected to the bit line. The second transistor is capable of transferring a second voltage and a third voltage to the detector. The second voltage is generated by a source different from a source of the first voltage. The third voltage is larger than the second voltage. The second transistor charges the detector to one of the second voltage and the third voltage, while the first transistor transferring the first voltage to the bit line.
US09171624B2	Management of data storage in analog memory cells using a non-integer number of bits per cell A method for data storage includes storing data in a group of memory cells, by encoding the data using at least an outer code and an inner code, and optionally inverting the encoded data prior to storing the encoded data in the memory cells. The encoded data is read from the memory cells, and inner code decoding is applied to the read encoded data to produce a decoding result. At least part of the read data is conditionally inverted, depending on the decoding result of the inner code.
US09171623B2	Non-volatile semiconductor memory device A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes first through third memory strings, a first word line group shared by first and second memory strings and a second word line group shared by second and third memory strings, the first and second word line groups extending in a first direction and disposed adjacent to each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The first word line group includes laminated first word lines with each upper first word line extending in the first direction less than the first word line directly below, and the second word line group includes laminated second word lines with each upper second word line extending in the first direction less than the second word line directly below.
US09171621B2	Non-volatile memory (NVM) and method for manufacturing thereof A nonvolatile memory and a method of manufacturing a nonvolatile memory are disclosed. A nonvolatile memory according to an exemplary embodiment may include a deep well formed on a substrate, a first well formed within the deep well, a second well formed separately from the first well within the deep well, a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) formed on the first well, and a second MOSFET formed on the second well. According to a method of manufacturing a nonvolatile memory according to an exemplary embodiment, a well region of a control MOSFET of a memory cell may be shared with a control MOSFET of an adjacent memory cell, or a well region of a tunneling MOSFET of a memory cell may be shared with a tunneling MOSFET of an adjacent memory cell, thereby reducing an area of the memory cells. Further, the nonvolatile memory according to the exemplary embodiment may constantly maintain a voltage of a shared well region in the tunneling MOSFET and apply a different voltage to a source/drain from that of an adjacent cell, thereby recording data only in the selected memory cell or deleting recorded data from the selected memory cell while sharing the well region.
US09171620B2	Weighted read scrub for nonvolatile memory In a nonvolatile memory array, such as a three-dimensional array of charge-storage memory cells, data is scrubbed according to a scheme which weights particular data that is exposed to potentially damaging voltages. Data that may cause damage to other data is moved to a location where such potential damage is reduced.
US09171619B2	Method and apparatus for configuring write performance for electrically writable memory devices Methods and systems are provided that may include a nonvolatile memory to store information, where the nonvolatile memory is associated with a configuration register to indicate a write speed setting for at least one write operation to the nonvolatile memory. A circuit may supply current to achieve an indicated write speed setting for the at least one write operation to the nonvolatile memory.
US09171617B1	Resistive memory device and method programming same A method of programming memory cells of a resistive memory device includes; applying a first current pulse to each of the plurality of memory cells; applying a second current pulse that increases by a first difference compared to the first current pulse to each of the plurality of memory cells to which the first current pulse is applied; and applying a third current pulse that increases by a second difference compared to the second current pulse to each of the plurality of memory cells to which the second current pulse is applied, wherein the first through third current pulses non-linearly increase, and the second difference is greater than the first difference.
US09171609B2	Address transition detecting circuit The address transition detecting circuit includes two identical address transition detecting signal generating module, an inverter and a signal combining module. Both of the two address transition detecting signal generating modules have a unilateral delay circuit for generating an output pulse at the rising edge of the address signal and an output pulse at the falling edge of the address signal. The address transition detecting signal generating module can control the width of the two output pulses by controlling the delay times of the corresponding unilateral delay circuit. The signal combining module outputs the ATD signal having pulses at both the rising edge and falling edge of the address signal. The present application uses two unilateral delay circuits to control the width of the ATD signal at the rising edge and the falling edge of the address signal, thereby significantly preventing the width of the ATD signal from influence of the burr on the address line.
US09171608B2	Three-dimensional (3D) memory cell separation among 3D integrated circuit (IC) tiers, and related 3D integrated circuits (3DICS), 3DIC processor cores, and methods A three-dimensional (3D) memory cell separation among 3D integrated circuit (IC) (3DIC) tiers is disclosed. Related 3DICs, 3DIC processor cores, and methods are also disclosed. In embodiments disclosed herein, memory read access ports of a memory block are separated from a memory cell in different tiers of a 3DIC. 3DICs achieve higher device packing density, lower interconnect delays, and lower costs. In this manner, different supply voltages can be provided for the read access ports and the memory cell to be able to lower supply voltage for the read access ports. Static noise margins and read/write noise margins in the memory cell may be provided as a result. Providing multiple power supply rails inside a non-separated memory block that increases area can also be avoided.
US09171605B1	Concentrated address detecting method of semiconductor device and concentrated address detecting circuit using the same Provided is a method of detecting a concentrated address of a semiconductor device using an n-bit address. The method includes dividing the n-bit address into k groups, wherein each of n and k is an integer equal to or greater than 2, for each group of the k groups, detecting one or more concentrated sub addresses corresponding to the group, and generating at least one concentrated address by combining the one or more concentrated sub addresses for the k groups.
US09171603B1	Sensor read/write circuit and method A sensor read/write circuit having a sensor, an integrator, a pulse generator, at least a first and second memory device, and a counter. The sensor senses a parameter and produces a sensor output representative of the sensed parameter. The sensor output is provided to the integrator which produces an integrated output representative of the sensed parameter. The integrated output triggers the pulse generator to produce a pulse which causes the first memory device to be written. The above sequence is repeated whereby a new sensor reading is generated and a second pulse causes the second memory device to be written but only if the first memory device has been substantially completely written, the first memory device has been subsequently disabled and the second memory device has been enabled.
US09171600B2	Semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device is capable of executing a first mode having a first latency and a second mode having a second latency longer than the first latency. The semiconductor memory device includes: a pad unit configured to receive an address and a command from an outside; a first delay circuit configured to delay the address by a time corresponding to the first latency; a second delay circuit including shift registers connected in series and configured to delay the address by a time corresponding to a difference between the first latency and the second latency; and a controller configured to use the first delay circuit and the second delay circuit when executing the second mode.
US09171597B2	Apparatuses and methods for providing strobe signals to memories Apparatuses and methods for providing strobe signals to memories are described herein. An example apparatus may include a plurality of memories and a memory controller. The memory controller may be coupled to the plurality of memories and configured to receive an input clock signal. The memory controller may further be configured to provide a timing strobe signal having a delay relative to the input clock signal to a memory of the plurality of memories. The memory controller may further be configured to receive a return strobe signal from the plurality of memories. In some examples, the return strobe signal may be based at least in part on the timing strobe signal and the memory controller may be configured to adjust the delay based, at least in part, on a phase difference of the input clock signal and the return strobe signal.
US09171588B2	Semiconductor device capable of performing a read leveling and a write leveling based on an ambient temperature Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a first semiconductor chip including a first electrode, and a second semiconductor chip including a second electrode connected to the first electrode. One of the first and second semiconductor chips includes a first temperature sensor circuit generating a first detection signal, the first detection signal taking a first level when a temperature is equal to or higher than a first temperature, the first detection signal taking a second level when the temperature is lower than the first temperature; and a first delay code generation circuit outputting a first delay code signal in response to the first level of the first detection signal, and outputting a second delay code signal different from the first delay code signal in response to the second level of the first detection signal.
US09171584B2	Three dimensional non-volatile storage with interleaved vertical select devices above and below vertical bit lines A three-dimensional array of memory elements reversibly change a level of electrical conductance/resistance in response to one or more voltage differences being applied across them. Memory elements are formed across a plurality of planes positioned different distances above a semiconductor substrate. Local bit lines to which the memory elements of all planes are connected are oriented vertically from the substrate and through the plurality of planes. Vertically oriented select devices are used to connect the local bit lines to global bit lines. A first subset of the vertically oriented select devices are positioned above the vertically oriented bit lines and a second subset of the vertically oriented select devices (interleaved with the first subset of the vertically oriented select devices) are positioned below the vertically oriented bit lines.
US09171583B1	Disk drive having a top cover channel vented to a central cavity via a peripheral clearance gap A disk drive has a disk drive base with a central cavity surrounded by a peripheral wall that has a peripheral top face. The disk drive has a top cover with an outer periphery spaced from the peripheral wall by a peripheral clearance gap. A foil seal is adhered to a central top face of the top cover and the peripheral top face of the peripheral wall, and spans the peripheral clearance gap. The top cover includes a first channel that is depressed relative to the central top face. The foil seal covers the first channel, and the first channel is vented to the central cavity by a venting channel that connects the first channel to the peripheral clearance gap.
US09171579B2	Method and apparatus for editing a program on an optical disc The present invention provides a method and apparatus for editing a program on a re-writable compact disc. The method comprises the steps of acquiring the description information of two program segments of said program, said program segments being in sequence in playing-back order, said description information comprising the ending description information of the previous program segment and the start point information of the subsequent program segment, generating a guiding information to guide the ending point information to the start point information according to the description information and playing-back order of said program segments and updating the description information of said program according to said guiding information. With this invention, excessively detailed application editing work and an expense of high buffering cost may be avoided in editing compact disc program.
US09171572B1	Multi-dimensional optimization of read channel Variations of the Nelder-Mead direct search method are employed to find read channel parameter settings in a discrete field having three or more dimensions. The three or more dimensions correspond to read channel parameters, at least some of which are highly correlated. The steps of the Nelder-Mead method are executed according to a methodology to arrive at substantially optimal parameter settings for a read channel, even where a discrete function defining parameter outcomes is noisy. In some embodiments, dimensional collapse, considered inefficient in a two-dimensional field, is allowed in order to reach an optimal solution in a greater-than-two-dimensional field.
US09171564B2	Optical disc device and optical disc reproduction method An optical disc device is configured to reproduce an optical disc. The optical disc device includes an optical pickup, a high-frequency production component, a driver and a controller. The optical pickup includes a laser emission component configured to emit a laser beam, and a light receiver configured to receive returning light of the laser beam. The high-frequency production component is configured to produce a high-frequency signal. The driver is configured to produces a drive signal for driving the laser emission component by superposing the high-frequency signal produced by the high-frequency production component onto a specific drive signal. The controller is configured to control the high-frequency production component to adjust an amplitude of the high-frequency signal.
US09171545B2	Browsing and retrieval of full broadcast-quality video A method includes steps of indexing a media collection, searching an indexed library and browsing a set of candidate program segments. The step of indexing a media collection creates the indexed library based on a content of the media collection. The step of searching the indexed library identifies the set of candidate program segments based on a search criteria. The step of browsing the set of candidate program segments selects a segment for viewing.
US09171541B2	System and method for hybrid processing in a natural language voice services environment A system and method for hybrid processing in a natural language voice services environment that includes a plurality of multi-modal devices may be provided. In particular, the hybrid processing may generally include the plurality of multi-modal devices cooperatively interpreting and processing one or more natural language utterances included in one or more multi-modal requests. For example, a virtual router may receive various messages that include encoded audio corresponding to a natural language utterance contained in a multi-modal interaction provided to one or more of the devices. The virtual router may then analyze the encoded audio to select a cleanest sample of the natural language utterance and communicate with one or more other devices in the environment to determine an intent of the multi-modal interaction. The virtual router may then coordinate resolving the multi-modal interaction based on the intent of the multi-modal interaction.
US09171538B2	Method and system for reducing impulsive noise disturbance FM and AM receivers in car environments require a noise blanker circuit or method to reduce the audible disturbances generated by impulse noise, such as ignition noise, in the audio signal. The invention proposes a combination of time-domain and frequency-domain processing to reduce the audible distortion. The time-domain processing interpolates the signal during the impulse noise bursts, and the frequency-domain processing disperses the remaining signal distortion over time, or relocates it to positions in time where it is attenuated by a windowing technique.
US09171536B2	Noise control of thermal components in a hybrid electric vehicle Noise control for a vehicle is implemented by identifying sources of noise that are indicative of vehicle noise producing components. The sources of noise include a thermal management device of a hybrid-electric component of the vehicle and non-hybrid-electric components of the vehicle. The noise control is further implemented by determining a decibel value of the noise produced by each of the vehicle noise producing components, selecting the decibel value of one of the vehicle noise producing components having a highest decibel value as a mask limit, and determining an operational limit for the thermal management device. The operational limit includes a lowest threshold operating value which, when implemented, maintains a threshold level operating efficiency of the hybrid-electric component. If a decibel value of the noise produced by the thermal management device exceeds the mask limit, the noise control includes reducing a level of operation of the thermal management device to coincide with the decibel value of the operational limit.
US09171534B2	Method for artificially reproducing an output signal of a non-linear time invariant system A method for artificially reproducing an output signal of a non-linear time invariant system includes the steps of inserting an input signal of exponential sine sweep type in the non-linear time invariant system, acquiring an output signal of the non-linear time invariant system corresponding to the input signal, obtaining a mathematical function that characterizes the non-linear time invariant system on the basis of the output signal and applying the mathematical function to a further signal to obtain a still further signal which reproduces the output signal that would be obtained from the non-linear time invariant system if it were driven by the further signal.
US09171514B2	Source driver, method thereof, and apparatuses having the same A method of muxing data by using clock signals having different timings and an apparatus performing the method are provided. Storing and muxing (or dividing) the data are simultaneously performed. The apparatus includes a first latch circuit arranging data blocks, which are input in series, in parallel in response to non-overlapping latch control signals and a second latch circuit latching the data blocks arranged in parallel simultaneously in response to a clock signal.
US09171511B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display includes a display panel, a timing controller, a gate driver, and a data driver. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels. The timing controller receives an image data, compares a previous line data with a present line data to determine whether the present line data needs to be compensated, and generates a first modulation line data. In addition, the timing controller calculates the first modulation data and a delay compensation value to generate a second modulation line data. The delay compensation value is decided from reference delay compensation values of reference pixels among the pixels.
US09171510B2	Method and apparatus for setting gamma reference voltage, driving circuit and display apparatus A method and an apparatus for setting a gamma reference voltage, and a driving circuit are provided, which decrease a driving voltage of a display apparatus and reduce power consumption by resetting the gamma reference voltage of the display apparatus. The method comprises: acquiring a dielectric constant of a liquid crystal capacitor according to a first gamma reference voltage (101); acquiring a value of the liquid crystal capacitor according to the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal capacitor (102); acquiring a feedback voltage according to the value of the liquid crystal capacitor, acquiring a second gamma reference voltage according to the feedback voltage, and updating the first gamma reference voltage to the second gamma reference voltage (103). The method and apparatus for setting a gamma reference voltage, and the driving circuit may be applied to production and manufacture of a liquid crystal display.
US09171509B2	Single backlight source where the backlight emits pure colored light in a sequential manner where the sequence is red, blue and green A display system, having an emissive body, varying light emitted from the surface so that different temporally adjacent time periods see the emissive body outputting different primary colors. A liquid crystal display can then modulate the different primary colors that have been output at different times. In one embodiment, the different times modulate red green and blue colors. In another embodiment, the different times modulate red green blue and white colors. The emissive body can be a FIPEL type device. Light can be both color varied and also color temperature controlled. The light color is changed by changing a frequency used to drive the body.
US09171508B2	Driving bistable displays The invention relates to waveforms, circuits and methods for driving bistable displays. The invention is directed to a method, comprising in combination: applying, across a bistable display device, a shaking signal comprising a plurality of positive and negative pulses each driven for a first time to disperse partially packed particles; applying, across the device, one or more first driving signals to first pixels of the device for second times that are sufficient to drive the first pixels to one or more reference states; and concurrently with the first driving signals, applying, across the device, one or more second driving signals to second pixels of the device for third times that are shorter than necessary to drive the second pixels to any of the one or more reference states.
US09171507B2	Controller for updating pixels in an electronic paper display Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with controlling pixels of a display are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a frame counter logic configured to maintain a global frame counter to track a number of refreshes of a display while updating pixels. The frame counter logic is also configured to determine a frame number when updating a pixel. The apparatus also includes a pixel logic configured to update the pixel.
US09171506B2	Image pickup device and image pickup method An image pickup device includes: a camera; a display; and a touch panel that overlaps the display. The display has at least a first mode in which an image captured by the camera is displayed, and a second mode in which a predetermined image is displayed. In the first mode, the touch panel has an unresponsive region with a predetermined width in a peripheral portion of the display. In the second mode, the touch panel does not have the unresponsive region.
US09171497B2	Method for inspecting packaging effectiveness of OLED panel The present invention provides a method for inspecting packaging effectiveness of an OLED panel, including: (1) in a manufacture process of an OLED component, forming a test block on a substrate, wherein the test block is made of an active metal, and then forming a plurality of test electrodes, wherein each of the test electrodes has an end connected to the test block and an opposite end extending to the outside for connection with a measurement device; (2) packaging an OLED panel so that said opposite ends of the test electrodes extend out of an enclosing frame; (3) electrically connecting the measurement device to the test electrodes to measure an actual conductivity of the test block; and (4) determining packaging effectiveness according to the actual conductivity. The method of the present invention makes use of conductivity differential of a test block made of an active metal in environments having different water/oxygen content to detect, in a more precise manner, the water/oxygen content in a packaged OLED panel so as to correctly determine the effectiveness of packaging.
US09171491B1	Over-driving circuit and display device having an over-driving circuit An over-driving circuit for a display device having a display panel includes a first 4-color data generation module configured to generate output 4-color data of the previous frame based on 3-color data and a gain of the previous frame, and to generate output 4-color data of the current frame based on 3-color data and a gain of the current frame. The over-driving circuit also includes a second 4-color data generation module configured to generate input 4-color data based on input 3-color data and the gain of the current frame. The over-driving circuit further includes a data modulator configured to generate modulated data based on the output 4-color data of the previous frame, the output 4-color data of the current frame, and the input 4-color data.
US09171483B2	System and method for providing learning information for visually impaired people based on haptic electronic board A system and method for providing learning information for visually impaired people based on a haptic electronic board is disclosed. The system for visually impaired people includes a learning information server in conjunction with a lecture and authoring program; a first information output device (PC) for receiving learning information for people with low vision from the learning information server through a wired/wireless network (LAN or WLAN) and having a viewer program for people with low vision, which is install therein, for providing functions of enlarging and reducing a screen; and a second information output device (haptic electronic board) for accessing to the learning information server through a local wireless network (ZigBee or Bluetooth) by using unique device IDs, converting learning information for blind people received from the learning information server to the haptic electronic board into haptic information, and transferring the haptic information to blind people.
US09171465B2	Weather information processing device and weather information processing system Disclosed is a weather information processing device that can make the users of a mobile object aware of the changes in weather conditions in various environments. The weather information processing device is mounted in a vehicle and includes a first arithmetic processing element and a second arithmetic processing element. The first arithmetic processing element intermittently measures a weather condition variable indicating the weather conditions that a vehicle is in contact with, and if the current measurement value of the weather condition variable has a deviation of a predetermined value or greater from a reference value, generates a weather change detection information indicating the deviation. The second arithmetic processing element transmits the weather change detection information to another weather information processing device mounted in another vehicle to make it output a first weather information according to the weather change detection information.
US09171463B2	Congestion estimation device Disclosed is a congestion estimation device including a speed detection unit configured to detect a speed of a host vehicle and then outputting a speed detection result, an inter-vehicle distance detection unit configured to detect an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and other vehicle and then outputting an inter-vehicle distance detection result, a correlation calculation unit configured to calculate a correlation based on the speed detection result and the inter-vehicle distance detection result and then outputting a correlation calculation result, and a display unit configured to display the correlation calculation result or information relating to the correlation calculation result.
US09171461B1	Method and apparatus for providing estimated patrol properties and historic patrol records It is an object of the present invention to provide a predictive traffic law enforcement profiler apparatus and method which incorporates a means to determine current location, time, velocity and also incorporates a means to utilize a database derived from historic traffic law enforcement records, crowd sourced records and historical traffic data and also incorporates a predictive processing means to provide historic traffic law enforcement records and estimates of enforced speed limits and enforcement profiles, patrol locations and schedules of traffic law enforcement to a driver.
US09171455B1	Multi-modal wireless controller for controlling an LED lighting system A multi-modal wireless controller can include a processor, memory storage, a radio frequency (RF) engine, outputs, power inputs, switches, a mode input, and a RF input. The memory storage can have machine-readable instructions that define the functionalities of a multi-modal wireless controller. The RF engine can be configured to transmit and receive wireless RF signals. The outputs can provide electrical power and a direct current (DC) voltage control signal. The power input can be configured to receive electrical power from a power source. The switches can be configured to switch the electrical power between one of the power input and outputs on or off, responsive to the processor. The mode input can include a switch element that designates an operating mode. The RF input can be coupled to the RF engine and can include a switch element that designates an operating frequency of the RF engine and/or a zone.
US09171453B2	Smoke detection Various apparatus and methods for smoke detection are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of training a classifier for a smoke detector comprises inputting sensor data from a plurality of tests into a processor. The sensor data is processed to generate derived signal data corresponding to the test data for respective tests. The derived signal data is assigned into categories comprising at least one fire group and at least one non-fire group. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) training is performed by the processor. The derived signal data and the assigned categories for the derived signal data are inputs to the LDA training. The output of the LDA training is stored in a computer readable medium, such as in a smoke detector that uses LDA to determine, based on the training, whether present conditions indicate the existence of a fire.
US09171449B2	Method and system for sending an alarm The present invention relates to a method for sending an alarm. The method comprises sending an alarm comprising alarm code from a first terminal unit to a second terminal unit, and further providing the alarm to a third terminal unit if the third terminal unit is located within a predetermined distance from the first terminal unit, wherein the second and third terminal units are determined by a first and second contact register associated with the first and second terminal units, respectively. Furthermore, the present invention further relates to a corresponding server, computer program product and system adapted for generating and sending an alarm to terminal units.
US09171448B1	RFID tags for locating products A computer-implemented method includes receiving a structure signal strength for a signal generated by a tag on a structure and receiving a product signal strength for a signal generated by a tag on a product. An indication that the product is positioned near the structure based on the received structure signal strength and the received product signal strength is then stored in memory.
US09171441B2	Programmable security system and method for protecting merchandise A programmable security system and method for protecting an item of merchandise includes a programming station, a programmable key and a security system. The programming station generates a security code and communicates the security code to a memory of the programmable key. The programmable key initially communicates the security code to a memory of the security device and subsequently operates the security device upon a matching of the security code in the memory of the security device with the security code in the memory of the programmable key. The programmable key may also transfer power via electrical contacts or inductive transfer from an internal battery to the security device to operate a lock mechanism. The security code may be communicated by wireless infrared (IR) systems, electrical contacts or inductive transfer. A timer inactivates the programmable key and/or the security device after a predetermined period of time. A counter inactivates the programmable key after a predetermined maximum number of activations.
US09171440B2	Apparatus and method for metal detection using radio frequency reflection A radio frequency (RF) metal detector and an electronic article surveillance (EAS) system are disclosed. The RF metal detector in example embodiments transmits an RF signal. A receiver measures the power and phase of the signal as reflected from metallic objects in an interrogation zone. The RF metal detector can be deployed in a combined system that performs multiple functions. For example, the RF metal detector can be integrated with an EAS system that also sends RFID commands and receives RFID responses. In some embodiments the metal detector can discriminate between moving metal objects and stationary metal objects, and/or discriminate between objects in the interrogation zone and objects outside the interrogation zone. An antenna or antennas can be connected in a mono-static or bi-static configuration and the phase and power signals can be either DC-coupled or AC-coupled into the system through a mixer.
US09171436B1	Visual distress signal device The present invention is directed to a Visual Distress Signal Device that will float vertically and provides a high-intensity pattern of light which incorporates both a radially symmetrical and omni directional/beam electrically-powered, LED light emitting electronic visual distress signaling device (eVDSD) incorporating a GPS transmitter that can interface with the internet using a cell phone adaptor to enable mobile handheld smartphone application (apps) devices to alert and locate vessels and persons in distress. This device can be used as a replacement for pyrotechnic flares utilized in search and rescue of vessels and persons in distress, especially in a marine environment.
US09171423B2	Linear scatter jackpot method and system A method for awarding a jackpot, and a corresponding gaming machine and system are disclosed. The jackpot is awarded based upon the presence of scatter symbols appearing in the game outcome in a predefined manner. The jackpot is preferred to be linked across multiple machines. In a preferred form, scatter symbols on one reel may be in an active or inactive state, the jackpot is awarded only if they are in the active state, and the probability of them being in an active state is dependent upon the size of the player's wager, so as to provide linear returns to players.
US09171421B2	Methods and systems for determining a batch run of sessions In accordance with some embodiments, a batch run of sessions is executed. The batch run comprises a plurality of sessions characterized by at least one common parameter and value thereof. A session comprises a plurality of outcomes of a wagering game. A video presentation may be created based on each such session of a batch run. The video presentation may be recorded onto a game disc (e.g., a DVD or CD-ROM) and sold to a player for viewing at a location remote from a casino.
US09171415B2	Secure cabinet for dispensing items The present invention is a kiosk that can regulate, control and distributing authorized products. The kiosk has a user interface that receives information about a user and authenticates the user's identity. The kiosk can accept a user's request to purchase a regulated product. The kiosk can then a regulator the user's request for approval and deliver the product to the user.
US09171408B2	Engine control method of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle An engine control method of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle may include accumulating an EV accumulated driving distance or an EV accumulated driving time. The EV accumulated driving distance or the EV accumulated driving time is compared with each of reference values. An engine is operated for inspection if the EV accumulated driving distance or the EV accumulated driving time is greater than each of the reference values.
US09171404B1	Augmented reality greeting cards A computer-implemented method of acquiring electronic content for an augmented reality greeting card includes presenting, on a display screen of a mobile computing device that includes a camera, a camera viewer with an aspect ratio that matches an aspect ratio of a placeholder of a predefined greeting card template. A photograph with an aspect ratio that matches the aspect ratio of the placeholder is captured at a first resolution via the camera. A video is recorded via the camera at a second, lower resolution, where an aspect ratio of the recorded video matches the aspect ratio of the placeholder. The recorded video is uniquely associated with the captured photograph, and the captured photograph, the recorded video, and an indication of the unique association between the captured photograph and the recorded video are transmitted for receipt by a remote computer system via a transmitter of the mobile computing device.
US09171400B2	Creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves It is provided a computer-implemented method for creating a surface from a plurality of 3D curves. The method comprises providing a plurality of 3D curves, determining crossings between pairs of the curves, defining a base graph comprising nodes representing the crossings and arcs connecting pairs of nodes representing crossings that are neighbors, determining, from the graph, a mesh comprising vertices defined by a 3D position and edges connecting pairs of the vertices, and fitting the mesh with a surface. Such a method makes the creation of a surface from a plurality of 3D curves easier.
US09171399B2	Shadow rendering in a 3D scene based on physical light sources A method, system, and computer program product/computer readable storage medium provide the ability to render a shadow. A three-dimensional (3D) scene comprising an object is obtained. An external physical light source that is external to the 3D scene is detected by a sensor. An artificial light source is created in the 3D scene that corresponds to the external physical light source. Based on the artificial light source, a shadow of the object is cast. The 3D scene including the object and the shadow are then rendered.
US09171394B2	Light transport consistent scene simplification within graphics display system Method including casting a first plurality of rays towards an original 3-D scene comprising objects with object surfaces. Method also includes constructing a simplified representation of the original 3-D scene and adjusting the simplified representation to be consistent with the original 3-D scene. Simplified representation is adjusted by using known rays and object surface intersections obtained from the casting, to produce an adjusted simplified representation. Method further includes steps for rendering a high quality image: casting a second plurality of rays toward the adjusted simplified representation and testing the second plurality of rays for points of intersection with the object surfaces within the adjusted simplified representation, estimating incoming light within the adjusted simplified representation at the points of intersection with the object surfaces, examining material properties of the object surfaces, and calculating a color and light intensity for a plurality of pixels associated with the second plurality of rays.
US09171389B2	Method for planning digital images to be printed on a roll of media A method for displaying a plurality of individual digital images to be printed on a roll of media includes constructing a composed digital image representing the roll and including a plurality of representations of the individual digital images to be printed on the roll in a sequence order corresponding to the time sequence order of printing the plurality of individual digital images on the roll, constructing a time line along the composed digital image, the time line indicating a start time and/or a completion time and/or a time duration of the printing of an image of the plurality of individual digital images on the roll, and displaying at least a part of the composed digital image on the user interface. The composed digital image is scrollable on a user interface in order to scroll through the plurality of representations of the individual digital images, and each displayed representation of an individual digital image of the composed digital image is displayed wholly along a part of the time line, which part starts at the start time of printing of the individual digital image on the roll and ends at the completion time of printing of the individual digital image on the roll. A printing system is configured to apply the method.
US09171381B1	System and method for rendering an image of a frame of an animation An exemplary system and method for recursively rendering an image, including marking renderable items of the image that have changed from a previous image, are provided. In some implementations, a client computing device may receive a plurality of frames as part of an animation. An image list may be maintained, where the image list is configured to store one or more references to one or more respective bitmap objects associated with a first image of a first frame in the animation. The bitmap objects referenced in the image list may be marked as having changed from the first image to the second image. The second image may be rendered based on the marked bitmap objects in the image list.
US09171361B2	Infrared resolution and contrast enhancement with fusion The present disclosure relates to combination of images. A method according to an embodiment comprises: receiving a visual image and an infrared (IR) image of a scene and for a portion of said IR image extracting high spatial frequency content from a corresponding portion of said visual image. The method according to the embodiment further comprises combining said extracted high spatial frequency content from said portion of the visual image with said portion of the IR image, to generate a combined image, wherein the contrast and/or resolution in the portion of the IR image is increased compared to the contrast and/or resolution of said received IR image.
US09171352B1	Automatic processing of images Systems and methods for the processing of images are provided. In particular, a candidate image can be obtained for processing. The candidate image can have one or more associated image categorization parameters. One or more pixel groups can then be detected in the candidate image and the one or more pixel groups can be associated with semantic data. At least one reference image can then be identified based at least in part on the semantic data of the one or more pixel groups. Once the at least one reference image has been identified, a plurality of adjustment parameters can be determined. One or more pixel groups from the candidate image can then be processed to generate a processed image based at least in part on the plurality of adjustment parameters.
US09171348B2	Rendering content on computing systems A computer-implemented method for rendering video content is disclosed according to an aspect of the subject technology. The method comprises retrieving video content from a network, directing the retrieved video content to a video hardware accelerator, wherein the video hardware accelerator renders the video content into rendered video content, and determining whether the video content is to be displayed in an embedded mode or a full screen mode. The method also comprises, if the video content is to be displayed in the embedded mode, then instructing a graphics processing unit (GPU) to composite the rendered video content with other rendered content for display to a user on a display, and, if the video content is to be displayed in the full screen mode, then instructing the video hardware accelerator to send the rendered video content to the display without compositing by the GPU.
US09171338B2	Determining connectivity within a community Systems and methods for determining trust scores and/or trustworthiness levels and/or connectivity are provided. Trust and/or trustworthiness and/or connectivity may be determined within, among or between entities and/or individuals. Social analytics and network calculations described herein may be based on user-assigned links or ratings and/or objective measures, such as data from third-party ratings agencies. The trust score may provide guidance about the trustworthiness, alignment, reputation, status and/or influence about an individual, entity, or group. The systems and methods described herein may be used to make prospective real-world decisions, such as whether or not to initiate a transaction or relationship with another person, or whether to grant a request for credit.
US09171334B1	Tax data clustering In various embodiments, systems, methods, and techniques are disclosed for generating a collection of clusters of related data from a seed. Seeds may be generated based on seed generation strategies or rules. Clusters may be generated by, for example, retrieving a seed, adding the seed to a first cluster, retrieving a clustering strategy or rules, and adding related data and/or data entities to the cluster based on the clustering strategy. Various cluster scores may be generated based on attributes of data in a given cluster. Further, cluster metascores may be generated based on various cluster scores associated with a cluster. Clusters may be ranked based on cluster metascores. Various embodiments may enable an analyst to discover various insights related to data clusters, and may be applicable to various tasks including, for example, tax fraud detection, beaconing malware detection, malware user-agent detection, and/or activity trend detection, among various others.
US09171327B2	Systems and methods for in-vehicle navigated shopping Systems and methods to provide a navigated-shopping service are discussed. In an example, a method for navigated-shopping can include receiving a destination location, accessing a route to the destination, displaying the route with indications of a plurality of items for purchase, receiving selection of a selected item, and purchasing the selected item. The plurality of items for purchase can be within a predefined distance of at least one point along the route. The selection of the selected item can include selection of a retail location of a plurality of retail locations along the route.

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