Document	Document Title
US09345185B2	Implantable medical device header Techniques for forming a header for an implantable medical device via a two-shot molding process are described. The two-shot molding processes may include a first molding step that creates a first-shot assembly and a second molding step that creates a second-shot assembly. The first-shot assembly may be formed to include one or more protrusions configured to interact with a second-shot mold and/or molding material in the second molding step. The second molding step may be configured to overmold the first-shot assembly. The header may include an attachment plate at least partially embedded in molding material and configured to be mechanically coupled to a body of the implantable medical device.
US09345178B2	Configurable shield for hand-held electronic device A shield for a portable electronic device includes a pouch with an opening sized to accommodate the portable device and a flap. The pouch includes shielding material inside the pouch and on the flap. When the flap is closed, the shielding material inside the pouch and the shielding material on the flap together substantially surround the device, thereby substantially preventing RF signals emitted by the device from leaving the shield, and further substantially preventing RF signals impinging on the shield from outside from reaching the device. When the flap is open, the shielding material inside the pouch and the shielding material on the flap leave a gap, thereby allowing RF signals emitted by the device to leave the shield, and further allowing RF signals impinging on the shield from outside to reach the device. The shield further includes a compartment for a charger and one or more power cord adapters.
US09345175B2	Electronic apparatus and cooling method A system that cools an electric component by a cooling medium cooled by a heat exchanger, the system includes a pipe through which a cooling medium to cool the electronic component flows; a metal member configured to be coupled with an outer surface of the pipe; a Peltier device configured to cool the metal member to a temperature lower than a temperature of the outer surface of the pipe; a detector that detects dew condensation of outer air occurring on the metal member; and a processor that lowers the temperature of the cooling medium, and stops lowering a temperature of cooling medium when the occurrence of dew condensation of outer air on the metal member is detected.
US09345169B1	Liquid-cooled heat sink assemblies Liquid-cooled heat sink assemblies are provided which include: a thermally conductive base structure having a sidewall surface and a main heat transfer surface; and a manifold structure attached to the base structure, with the base structure residing at least in part within a recess in the manifold structure. Together, the base and manifold structures define a coolant-carrying compartment through which liquid coolant flows, at least in part, in a direction substantially parallel to the main heat transfer surface of the base structure, and at least one of the sidewall surface of the thermally conductive base structure or an opposing surface thereto of the manifold structure includes a continuous groove. A sealing member is disposed, at least in part, within the continuous groove, and provides a fluid-tight seal between the thermally conductive base structure and the manifold structure.
US09345152B2	Foam assembly and method for manufacturing the same, and electronic device using the foam assembly A foam assembly includes a foam body, the foam body defining a plurality of through holes. The foam assembly further includes a colloid body formed by a first colloid portion formed on one of two opposing surfaces of the foam body, a second colloid portion formed on a second of two opposing surfaces of the foam body, and connecting portions extending through the through holes of the foam body from one opposing surface of the foam body to the other. A method for manufacturing the foam assembly and an electronic device using the foam assembly are also disclosed.
US09345151B2	Housing and construction kit for a control apparatus The present invention among other things relates to a housing and a construction kit for a control apparatus, e.g. in the form of a controller for a window lifter of a motor vehicle. A controller module with a printed circuit board here is to be accommodated in a housing at least in part, and there are provided two different types of controller modules, e.g. for a right vehicle side on the one hand and for a left vehicle side on the other hand. According to a first aspect of the invention the housing is suitable for both types of controller modules, so that the housing can selectively be combined with the one or the other type of controller module, in order to mount a control apparatus.
US09345142B2	Chip embedded board and method of manufacturing the same There are provided a chip embedded board and a method of manufacturing the same. The chip embedded board includes: a core substrate; a first build-up layer formed on one surface of the core substrate and having a cavity formed therein; a chip disposed in the cavity; and an insulating layer filled in the cavity in which the chip is disposed, wherein one surface of the chip is positioned in a circuit layer positioned at the outermost layer of the first build-up layer.
US09345140B2	Printed circuit board A printed circuit board includes a first semiconductor package on a first surface layer of a printed wiring board and a second semiconductor package on a second surface layer where a bus signal is transmitted from the first to the second semiconductor package. A first bus wiring path from a signal terminal on an inner circumference side of the first semiconductor package via a via hole and the second surface layer to a signal terminal on an outer circumference side of the second semiconductor package and a second bus wiring path from a signal terminal on an outer circumference side of the first semiconductor package via the second surface layer and a via hole to a signal terminal on an inner circumference side of the second semiconductor package are provided, thus securing a return current path for a signal current and realizing a high density wiring while suppressing radiation noise.
US09345136B1	Package substrates, semiconductor packages including the same, electronic systems including the same, and memory cards including the same A package substrate includes a core layer, first external interconnection lines on a top surface of the core layer, and internal interconnection lines. The first external interconnection lines include a first outermost external interconnection line on an edge of the core layer, and the internal interconnection lines include an outermost internal interconnection line in the edge of the core layer. A first bonding pad is disposed on the first outermost external interconnection line and exposed in a first bonding region of the core layer. A second bonding pad is disposed on the outermost internal interconnection line and exposed in a second bonding region of the core layer. The first bonding region is spaced apart from a chip attachment region by a first distance, and the second bonding region is spaced apart from the chip attachment region by a second distance greater than the first distance.
US09345135B2	Electronic devices including two or more substrates electrically connected together and methods of forming such electronic devices Electronic devices may include a first substrate including circuitry components within the substrate, a microscale bond pad on a surface of the substrate, and a via electrically connecting the microscale bond pad to one of the circuitry components. A distance between centers of at least some adjacent circuitry components of the circuitry components may be a nanoscale distance. A second substrate may be electrically connected to the microscale bond pad. Methods of forming electronic devices may involve positioning a first substrate adjacent to a second substrate and electrically connecting the second substrate to a microscale bond pad on a surface of the first substrate. The first substrate may include circuitry components within the first substrate and a via electrically connecting the microscale bond pad to one of the circuitry components. A distance between centers of at least some adjacent circuitry components of the circuitry components may be a nanoscale distance.
US09345129B2	Mounting structure, electro-optical apparatus, and electronic apparatus A mounting structure in which a plurality of substrates are electrically connected to each other includes a first substrate having a first alignment mark formed by partially cutting away a first terminal, and a second substrate having a second alignment mark formed by partially cutting away a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal are electrically connected to each other by being relatively positioned with respect to each other.
US09345122B2	Method for controlling an RF generator An RF generator and a method of controlling same includes an RF source; a DC source; and an RF amplifier comprising an RF input, a DC input, and an RF output, the RF amplifier configured to receive an RF signal at the RF input, receive a DC voltage at the DC input, and provide an output power at the RF output; a control unit operably coupled to the DC source and RF source, the control unit configured to receive a power setpoint for the RF output, determine a power dissipation at the RF generator, alter the DC voltage, and repeat the alteration of the DC voltage until determining a final DC voltage that decreases the power dissipation at the RF generator while enabling the output power at the RF output to be equal to or greater than the power setpoint.
US09345113B2	Method and device for programming a microcontroller A programming device (100) for programming a controller (10) in an electronic driver (200) comprises a controllable voltage supply (30) for generating an AC supply voltage suitable for supplying the electronic driver (200) and a programming controller (20) for controlling the voltage supply (30). The programming device (100) is designed to modulate the supply frequency in order to both feed the electronic driver (200) and send programming data to the electronic driver (200).
US09345107B2	Light level control for building illumination The present invention deals with light level control for building illumination by controlling electric lights and windows treatment. In an embodiment, the light level is controlled by a control system (2) operatively connected to at least one interior sensor (3) for detecting an interior light level; at least one electric light controller (4) for controlling the light level; at least one window treatment controller (5) for controlling the admittance level of daylight; and a processing unit (7) for handling control setpoints, including an interior light level setpoint. The level of the electric lights and the admitted level of daylight are controlled in parallel by operating the electric light controller and the window treatment controller.
US09345103B1	Non-linear lighting system brightness control for a user device This disclosure relates to systems and methods adjusting lighting system brightness in a non-linear manner. The brightness control may be based on a non-linear function that increases brightness in smaller increments at lower brightness levels than at higher brightness levels. In another embodiment, the lighting system brightness may be ramped down over a period of time to account when the user device is exposed to low light conditions. The ramp down may be based, at least in part, on changes in visual acuity in low light conditions over time.
US09345101B2	Protection circuit for use in controlling integrated circuit of light emitting diode A protection circuit for use in a controlling integrated circuit of a light emitting diode is provided. The protection circuit includes a voltage division circuit and a voltage reduction circuit. The voltage division circuit is coupled to a terminal of a light emitting diode assembly and configured to generate a division voltage according to a terminal voltage of the terminal. The voltage reduction circuit is coupled to the voltage division circuit and configured to reduce the division voltage of the voltage division circuit.
US09345098B2	Systems and methods for providing a self-adjusting light source System, methods, and apparatus, including devices and software, for providing self-adjusting light sources. In one aspect, a lighting unit includes one or more LEDs and an ambient light sensor. The light sensor measures ambient light in synchronization with intermittent off periods of light generated by the LEDs. For example, the LEDs in the lighting unit can be driven by a pulse width modulated signal that turns on and off the LEDs in an alternating manner, and the ambient light can be measured when the LEDs are turned off. In some implementations, a compact lighting unit, such as a light bulb, is provided that can be easily attached to standard light fixtures and can efficiently control its own brightness based on ambient light conditions.
US09345095B2	Tunable multi-LED emitter module A light-emitting diode (LED) emitter module includes a substrate having a plurality of base layers of an electrically insulating material, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed on a top one of the base layer, and a plurality of electrical paths coupled to the electrical contacts, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrical paths is disposed between the base layers. The emitter module also includes two or more groups of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each group having one or more LEDs, and each of the LEDs is coupled to an electrical contact. The electrical paths are configured for feeding separate electrical currents to the groups of LEDs. The emitter module also includes a memory device containing information associating a plurality of output light colors with a corresponding plurality of combinations of electrical currents, each combination specifying an electric current for each of the two or more groups of LEDs.
US09345086B2	Lighting circuit A lighting circuit comprises a first rectifying diode (D1), a second rectifying diode (D2), a third rectifying diode (D3), a fourth rectifying diode (D4), a first group of LEDs (LED11, . . . , LED1n), a second group of LEDs (LED21, . . . , LED2n), a third group of LEDs (LED31, . . . , LED3n), and a fourth group of LEDs (LED41, . . . , LED4n). The first group of LEDs (LED11, . . . , LED1n) is connected between the anode and the cathode of the first rectifying diode (D1); the second group of LEDs (LED21, . . . , LED2n) is connected between the anode and the cathode of the second rectifying diode (D2); the third group of LEDs (LED31, . . . , LED3n) is connected between the anode and the cathode of the third rectifying diode (D3); the fourth group of LEDs (LED41, . . . , LED4n) is connected between the anode and the cathode of the fourth rectifying diode (D4).
US09345079B2	Multichannel lighting unit and driver for supplying current to light sources in multichannel lighting unit A lighting unit includes at least two channels of light sources, and a driver for the light sources. The driver includes a DC/DC converter and a control arrangement for controlling the current supplied to at least one of the two channels in response to a control signal produced by the DC/DC converter. Beneficially, a feedback loop controls a switching device in the DC/DC converter to maintain the light level produced by the light sources at a desired level regardless of changes in the supply voltage arid the load.
US09345072B2	Induction cooking electromagnetic induced rejection methods An induction cooking system and method that prevents a valid key touch from being rejected is provided. A noise rejection apparatus can prevent noise from influencing the determination of a valid key touch.
US09345069B2	Heat generation and exchange devices incorporating a mixture of conductive and dielectric particles A device for generating heat from an applied current, the device comprises a mixture of conductive particles and dielectric particles. The device includes at least one pair of electrodes disposed within the mixture to direct an applied current through the mixture to resistively heat the mixture. The device may further heat a liquid that flows through the mixture.
US09345065B2	Remote access to local network Multiple protocol tunnels (e.g., IPsec tunnels) are deployed to enable an access terminal that is connected to a network to access a local network associated with a femto access point. A first protocol tunnel is established between a security gateway and the femto access point. A second protocol tunnel is then established in either of two ways. In some implementations the second protocol tunnel is established between the access terminal and the security gateway. In other implementations the second protocol tunnel is established between the access terminal and the femto access point, whereby a portion of the tunnel is routed through the first tunnel.
US09345063B2	System and method for multi-network coverage A system and method are provided for a multi-network wireless communications access terminal (AT) to access multi-network coverage. The method registers a multi-network AT in a first communications network. In response to registering with the first network, the AT receives information via the first network that is required for accessing a second communications network (e.g., an IEEE 802.20 or 1×EV-DO network). The AT obtains services accessed via the second network, in response to the access information received via the first network. For example, the second network access information may be system information, channel information, or access point parameters. The AT retains the option of obtaining services accessed via the first network if the second network cannot be accessing the second network.
US09345054B1	Home control gateway and gateway control method thereof A home control gateway and a gateway control method are provided. The home control gateway includes a gateway management module, a first communication circuit, and a second communication circuit. The gateway management module records registers. The gateway management module sets a value of a first register as a first value when an incoming called-number corresponding to the incoming called-signal received by the first communication circuit via a mobile phone network is one of the pre-stored phone numbers. The gateway management module sets the value of the second register as the first value in response to a connection request received by the second communication circuit via a local network. And, the gateway management module activates a home control function corresponding to the second register when the values of the first register and the second register are both the first value.
US09345050B2	NFC collision avoidance with controllable NFC transmission delay timing A first near field communication (NFC) circuit includes an antenna, a charging circuit, a transceiver circuit, and a transmission delay circuit. The antenna is configured to inductively couple to signals emitted by a second NFC circuit. The charging circuit is configured to output power provided by the inductive coupling through the antenna to the signals emitted by the second NFC circuit. The transceiver circuit is configured to be powered by the charging circuit to transmit data for receipt by the second NFC circuit. The transmission delay circuit is configured to be powered by the charging circuit and control the transceiver circuit to delay transmission of the data until expiration of a defined delay time after the transceiver circuit has become sufficiently powered on to operate to transmit the data. Related accessories for user equipment, user equipment, and methods are disclosed.
US09345045B2	Methods and arrangements for adaptive delay control Logic may comprise hardware and/or code to coordinate communications of wireless communications devices. Logic coordinate communications in an access point by implementing adaptive delays. Logic may determine a delay for stations awaking from a doze state during which the station should perform clear channel assessment prior to transmitting packets on a channel. Logic may collect information about devices and/or communications within a basic service set (BSS) such as the statistics of the received packets length in time, the type of stations in the network, and/or other information available. Based upon the information collected, the logic may determine a delay and transmit the delay to devices in the BSS. Logic may receive and update the delay in memory and then implement the delay after switching to an awake state from a doze state.
US09345044B2	Method and apparatus for processing information Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for processing information. A base station configures at least one physical uplink control channel format for a user equipment and then sends downlink control information of a physical downlink control channel to the user equipment, and finally activates or releases, through bit information configured in the downlink control information of the physical downlink control channel, the at least one physical uplink control channel format for the user equipment to feed back channel state information.
US09345042B2	Downlink data collision avoidance method, access point and station The present document provides a method for avoiding downlink data collision, an Access Point (AP) and a Station (STA). The method for avoiding downlink data collision includes: an AP receiving a radio frame for inquiring whether the AP has a Bufferable Unit (BU) of an STA transmitted by the STA; and after determining that there is a BU of the STA and the BU is larger than a predetermined threshold, the AP exchanging radio frames with the STA to reserve a channel, and transmitting the BU to the STA after succeeding in reserving the channel. The method can guarantee the fairness among various STAs and the reasonable utilization of channel resources, thus avoiding the collision; furthermore, the channel reservation frame transmitted by the AP can reserve a longer period of time, i.e. a plurality of BUs can be transmitted to the STA at a time, thus saving the link overhead.
US09345027B2	Methods and nodes in a wireless communication system Embodiments herein include a network node and a mobile station in a wireless communication system. Embodiments also include a method in the mobile station and a method in the network node. With particular regard to the method in the network node, the method schedules wireless transmissions between the network node and the mobile station. The method comprises obtaining a multi-slot class of the mobile station and determining a downlink Temporary Block Flow configuration. Further, the method comprises assigning uplink timeslots to the mobile station and associating each assigned uplink timeslot with a priority value, based on the downlink Temporary Block Flow configuration and the multi-slot class of the mobile station.
US09345025B2	Method for using a base station to selectively utilize channels to support a plurality of communications A method for using a code division multiple access (CDMA) subscriber unit to transmit a communication to a base station at a first data rate using at least one communication channel, determine an adjusted data rate desired for support of the communication, and transmit the communication to the base station over a second channel at a second data rate, wherein the first data rate is different than the second data rate.
US09345020B2	Integrated circuit for channel allocation for wireless communication device Disclosed is a base station in which the frequency usage efficiency can be improved when the communication bandwidths are asymmetric in the uplink line and the downlink line. A base station can communicate by using a plurality of downlink unit bands and a smaller number of uplink unit bands. A control unit allocates uplink resource allocation information and downlink resource allocation information to a PDCCH which is arranged in each of the plurality of downlink unit bands, and allocates a response signal to the uplink line data to a PHICH which is arranged in the same number of downlink unit bands from the plurality of downlink unit bands as there are uplink unit bands. A transmit RF unit transmits the resource allocation information or the response signal.
US09345017B2	Method and apparatus for transreceiving downlink signal by considering antenna port relationship in wireless communication system The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus for transmitting or receiving a downlink signal by considering an antenna port relationship. A method for user equipment receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) signal in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: determining a start symbol index of the PDSCH from a downlink subframe; and receiving the PDSCH signal based on the start symbol index, wherein the PDSCH can be scheduled by means of downlink control information (DCI) which is received through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or an enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH). When the DCI is comprised according to DCI format 1A, which is transmitted through the EPDDCH, and the downlink subframe is a non-multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) subframe, the start symbol index can be determined depending on an EPDCCH start symbol value which is established by an upper layer.
US09345014B2	Mobile communication system, base station, user terminal, and communication control method In a mobile communication system in which communications is performed by using a downlink frame configuration including a control domain for transmitting downlink control information and a data domain for transmitting downlink user data, each of base stations that performs CoMP communications with a user terminal comprises a transmission unit that transmits the downlink control information by using the data domain in place of the control domain, when the CoMP communication with the user terminal is performed.
US09345012B2	Communication devices and methods for performing communication There is provided a method for performing direct mobile-to-mobile communication in a cellular mobile communication system, the cellular mobile communication system having at least two mobile stations and a communication network. The method includes associating a first mobile station and a second mobile station with at least one base station of the communication network, performing neighbor discovery between the first mobile station and the second mobile station for reporting to the at least one base station, detecting the feasibility of direct communication between the first mobile station and the second mobile station, establishing a direct communication link between the at least two mobile stations, allocating identification for communication and flow and resources for a flow between the first mobile station and the second mobile station, synchronizing the flow between the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and sending automatic repeat requests (ARQ) messages.
US09345011B2	Method and terminal of transmitting an uplink signal with fewer transmission resource blocks to prevent a lowering in reference sensitivity in intra-band non-contiguous uplink carrier aggregation There is provided a method of transmitting an uplink for reference sensitivity test for intra-band non-contiguous CA in LTE-A system. The method may comprise: if a carrier aggregation (CA) is configured, if the configured CA corresponds to an intra-band CA, and if the configured CA corresponds to non-contiguous CA, transmitting an uplink on a primary component carrier using allocated resource blocks (RBs). if a channel bandwidth by an aggregation of the primary component carrier and a secondary component carrier is at least one of 25 RBs, 50 RBs, 75 RBs and 100 RBs and if a gap between two sub-blocks corresponds to a predetermined range, the number of the allocated resource block (RB) in the primary component carrier may be limited to 10 to meet a requirement for a reference sensitivity on a downlink of the secondary component carrier.
US09345007B2	Method for transmitting uplink control information in a wireless communication system and device for same The present invention relates to a method for a receiving terminal to transmit uplink control information to a transmitting terminal in a wireless communication system. In more detail, the method for transmitting the uplink control information includes: mapping the uplink control information into at least one available symbol included in each of a first slot and a second slot of a specific subframe; applying a first orthogonal sequence corresponding to the first slot to the uplink control information mapped into the first slot and a second orthogonal sequence corresponding to the second slot to the uplink control information mapped into the second slot; and transmitting the uplink control information having the orthogonal sequence applied to the transmitting terminal. The first orthogonal sequence corresponds to the number of available symbols in the first slot and the second orthogonal sequence corresponds to the number of available symbols in the second slot.
US09345005B2	Method and apparatus for allocating resources and processing confirmation information A method and an apparatus for allocating ACKnowledgement (ACK)/Non-ACKnowledgement (HACK) channel resources and processing confirmation information are disclosed. The method includes: The network side determines one physical channel area among multiple physical channel areas to be used by an ACK/NACK channel, and notifies the determined physical channel area to a User Equipment (UE) so as to enable the UE to determine a channel for receiving or sending ACK/NACK information in the determined physical channel area according to a mapping rule. Moreover, the network side may send or receive ACK/NACK information on the physical channel area that includes the ACK/NACK channel. The method and apparatus improve the utilization ratio and flexibility of the ACK/NACK channel, and reduce the probability of conflict generated by the ACK/NACK channel.
US09345000B2	Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs Communication bandwidth on a single physical interface (PHY) in a wireless device is allocated among multiple virtual media access control layers (MACs) based on need. Excess bandwidth may be aggregated in a single virtual MAC for power savings.
US09344999B2	Uplink control information transmitting/receiving method and device in a wireless communication system The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to an uplink control information transmitting/receiving method and device. A method of transmitting acknowledgement information in a wireless communication system by a terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: determining whether transmission of a scheduling request is set in one subframe where acknowledgement information on downlink transmission is to be transmitted; determining a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) format and a resource with which the acknowledgement information is to be transmitted; and transmitting the acknowledgement information by using the PUCCH format and the resource. Here, when the transmission of the scheduling request is set in the one subframe and the acknowledgement information corresponds to only a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) received on only a Primary Cell (PCell), the acknowledgement information and the scheduling request may be transmitted using PUCCH format 1a/1b.
US09344990B1	Device location accuracy metrics for applications on wireless communication devices A data processing system determines the geographic accuracy of device locations used by applications executed by wireless communication devices. The system processes communication data for the wireless communication devices to individually correlate the device locations with the applications that used the device locations and with the wireless communication devices that executed the applications. The system processes the device locations for pairs of the wireless communication devices and the applications to determine geographic accuracy data for the pairs. The system aggregates the geographic accuracy data for individual ones of the applications to generate geographic accuracy metrics for the individual applications.
US09344985B2	Propagation delay difference reporting for multiple component carriers The invention relates to methods for reporting on downlink timings by a mobile terminal in a mobile communication system. In order to allow for an aggregation access point to obtain information on propagation delay differences of downlink transmissions on aggregated serving cells, the invention suggests the mobile terminal to report timing information based on reception time difference information for a the target/reference cell. The mobile terminal performs measurements relating to transmission and/or reception time differences on the target/reference cell, and reports same to the eNodeB. The eNodeB compares the measurement result to a predefined maximum propagation delay time difference. Alternatively, the mobile terminal performs the measurements, compares same to the predefined maximum propagation delay time difference and then report the comparison result to the eNodeB.
US09344983B2	Systems and methods for synchronizing wirless audio base stations Systems and methods for adaptive OTA (over-the-air) synchronization of RF (radio frequency) base stations are described herein. Using these systems and methods, base stations in wireless audio systems can automatically identify externally sourced base station clocks and merge overlapping clock system domains, thereby eliminating the need for complex base station management and network configuration.
US09344979B2	Time synchronization method and time synchronization device for mobile communications system The present invention discloses a time synchronization method and a time synchronization device for a mobile communication system. When the time status of one type of time protocol is bad, a different type of time protocol having a better status can be automatically selected, thereby the system flexibility and the time information quality and reliability can be effectively enhanced. The time synchronization method for a mobile communication system may comprise: selecting respectively an optimal time source for each type of time protocol port of at least two types of time protocol ports; selecting a system optimal time source from optimal time sources for respective types of time protocol ports.
US09344978B2	Access point having multichannel and multi transmission power, cell formation method Described embodiments provide an access point for forming multiple service zones within a corresponding cell. The access point may include a first access point module and a second access point module. The first access point module may be configured to form a first service zone for first user equipment located at a center area of the cell. The second access point module may be configured to form a second service zone for second user equipment located at an edge area of the cell.
US09344968B2	Apparatus for boosting MIMO (multi-input multi-output) signal in a wireless communication system and method thereof An apparatus for boosting an MIMO (multi-input multi-out-put) signal and method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes determining an initial transmit power value of the signal booster and applying an initial transmit power increment/decrement value to a sum of the initial transmit power value and the initial transmit power increment/decrement value in each preset time interval during an initial power control period.
US09344957B2	Communication apparatus, communication method, and storage medium A communication apparatus identifies an access point with which the communication apparatus can perform wireless communication and transmits information indicating the identified access point to a communication partner apparatus by way of the wireless communication. In response to this, an access point designated by the communication partner apparatus is registered as a relay access point.
US09344954B2	Method for detecting a signal for direct communication between UE's in a wireless communication system and apparatus for same The present invention relates to a method for transmitting an identification signal from a first UE to a second UE for direct communication between UE's in a wireless communication system. In particular, the method includes the steps of: transmitting a first identification signal formed by using a part of the information on the first UE to the second UE; and transmitting a second identification signal including the rest of the information on the first UE to the second UE, wherein the transmission duration time of the second identification signal is longer than that of the first identification signal.
US09344949B2	System and method for optimizing a media gateway selection in mobile switching center pool architecture A system and method to allow call traffic localization within a mobile switching center server pool (MSS pool) or between MSS pools, provides a trunk group identifier mapped to an originating media gateway. An originating mobile switching center server (MSC server) initiates a call session with a terminating MSC server by sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) message that includes a trunk group identifier mapped to an originating media gateway identity. The terminating MSC server examines the mapping received in the SIP message, and uses the trunk group identifier to select a terminating media gateway for call routing to realize call traffic localization.
US09344929B2	Facilitating automatic neighbor relation in a wireless telecommunication network environment An example method for facilitating automatic neighbor relation in a wireless telecommunication network environment is provided and includes initiating a fake handover with a target Evolved Node B (eNB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network environment over an S1 interface with a mobility management entity (MME), receiving a handover command message from the MME including neighbor cell information associated with the target eNB, canceling the fake handover, and updating a neighbor relations table (NRT) with the neighbor cell information. In various embodiments, the neighbor cell information includes information associated with the target eNB not communicated over an X2 interface, such as system control information communicated in a broadcast control channel. The method may further include receiving a measurement report from a user equipment with information of neighboring cells and initiating the fake handover if any neighboring cell included in the measurement report is missing from the NRT.
US09344924B2	Method of handling handover security configuration and related communication device A method of handling handover security configuration for a mobile device of a wireless communication system includes performing an inter-radio access technology, hereinafter called RAT, handover procedure from a serving network including a service domain to a target network including a plurality of service domains when receiving a handover command, wherein the mobile device includes security configuration corresponding to the service domain of the serving network and security configuration corresponding to the plurality of service domains of the target network, and updating the security configuration corresponding to at least one of the plurality of service domains according to the handover command no later than the time a connection with the target network is successfully established during the inter-RAT handover procedure.
US09344923B2	Servers and methods for handover between two serving call control servers The present invention is aimed to carry out an effective handover between a first and a second serving call control servers in order to fit suitable server capabilities for servicing a user, as well as to provide a mechanism whereby a subscriber server may upgrade the selection criteria for assigning the second serving call control server. Therefore, the present invention provides a new method and enhanced servers for re-assigning the second serving call control server, whereby the still ongoing sessions for the user in the first serving call control server are kept alive, and where a serving call control server is arranged to report towards the subscriber server what portions of a user profile are not understood or not supported at said serving call control server.
US09344920B2	Device and method for performing an rSRVCC procedure Method for performing an rSRVCC procedure from UTRAN/GERAN to E-UTRAN/HSPA, comprising steps of: —receiving, a first network entity, a first message from a UE before an rSRVCC handover procedure from URTAN/GERAN to F-E-UTRAN/HSPA involving the UE, the first message containing a pre-allocated transport address to be used for voice after the rSRVCC handover, —sending a second message, during the rSRVCC handover procedure of a voice call, to a second network entity, the second message comprising information related to the transport address of the UE to give an instruction to send the voice media of the call to that transport address.
US09344911B2	Apparatus and method of reporting logged measurement in wireless communication system A method and apparatus of reporting logged measurements of an user equipment in a wireless communication system is provided. The user equipment in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected mode receives from a base station a Minimization of Drive Tests (MDT) configuration. The user equipment transitions from the RRC connected mode to an RRC idle mode and logs measurements based on the MDT configuration. The user equipment transmits to the base station a logging indicator indicating an availability of the logged measurement.
US09344910B2	Systems and methods for transmitting channel quality information in wireless communication systems A base station in a wireless network a plurality of mobile stations transmits to a first mobile station downlink subframes. Each downlink subframe comprises a plurality of resource blocks and is associated with a subframe (SF) type that is determined according to whether a PDSCH region of a resource block in a downlink subframe includes at least one of: 1) a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) resource element and 2) a channel-state-information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource element. The base station receives from the first mobile station at least one of CQI, PMI, modulation scheme, and transport block size and interprets the received at least one of CQI, PMI, modulation scheme, and transport block size according to a default SF type used by the first mobile station to determine the at least one of CQI, PMI, modulation scheme, and transport block size.
US09344904B2	Interference alignment method and device in cellular network A method and apparatus are described for aligning reception signals and interference signals by a base station (BS) configured to receive a signal from at least one user equipment (UE) in a cellular network. The reception signals are received from UEs belonging to a serving cell of the BS, and the interference signals are received from UEs belonging to a neighbor cell of the BS. A signal space receiving the reception signals and the interference signals is divided into a plurality of divided signal spaces, each having a size of N. K reception signals from among the reception signals are arranged in each divided signal space. The K reception signals arranged in each divided signal space are orthogonal to each other.
US09344902B2	Method and system for evaluating deployment of femtocells as part of a cellular network Aspects of a method and system for evaluating deployment of femtocells as part of a cellular network are provided. In this regard, a communication device may be operable to communicate information to a femtocell management entity that may be utilized to determine whether a specified location is suitable for installation of a femtocell. The communication device may be operable to receive from the femtocell management entity, data that indicates whether the specified location is suitable for the installation of the femtocell. The femtocell management entity may utilize the communicated information and/or additional information associated with one or installed femtocells, and/or one or more other communication devices that are within a vicinity of the specified location to determine whether the specified location is suitable for installation of the femtocell.
US09344878B2	Method and system for operating communication service An operation method capable of adaptively operating at least one of a Speech To Text (STT) service and a Text To Speech (TTS) service according to setting or user operation and a system thereof are provided. The method includes requesting a specific type of a communication service connection to a reception side terminal by a transmission side terminal, and performing an operation of at least one of a speech to text service providing speech recognition based text and a text to speech service converting the text into speech data between the reception side terminal and the transmission side terminal, and includes one of recognizing speech data provided from the transmission side terminal and converting the speech data into a text based on a first speech process supporting device connected to the transmission side terminal.
US09344875B2	Systems, apparatus, and methods for managing information in a smart storage device This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for refreshing information stored on a smart storage device. In one aspect a smart storage device is provided that is configured to be coupled to a wireless communications apparatus operating in a wireless communications network. The smart storage device includes a memory configured to store network access information for accessing services of the network. The smart storage device further includes a controller configured to send a message to the wireless communications apparatus including data notifying the wireless communications apparatus of an update to the network access information. The data further includes a command that the wireless communications apparatus suspend an active operation of the wireless communications apparatus and initiate updating information managed by the wireless communications apparatus based on one or more conditions. The updating of the information is based on at least a portion of the updated network access information. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09344868B2	Method and apparatus for contextual content and service forwarding for mobile devices An approach is provided for determining context information associated with one or more mobile devices and transferring content and services between the devices based on the contextual information. A transfer platform determines context information associated with at least one device, at least one other device, or a combination thereof. The transfer platform then causes, at least in part, at least one transfer of one or more functionalities of the at least one device, content associated with the at least one device, or a combination thereof from the at least one device to the at least one other device based, at least in part, on the context information.
US09344855B2	Indoor wireless positioning system and indoor wireless positioning method Provided are an indoor wireless positioning system and method capable of more accurately performing indoor wireless positioning by predicting signal attenuation due to a floor or wall within a multi-floor building. The indoor wireless positioning method includes calculating floor loss information of a floor on which the user terminal is located within the building, a higher floor, and a lower floor, calculating the floor on which the user terminal is located by comparing the calculated floor loss information to pre-stored previous floor loss information, calculating information about wall loss in the floor on which the user terminal is located, and acquiring position information on a horizontal plane of the user terminal according to received signal strength of the user terminal and the information about the wall loss. When the position of the user terminal is detected, detection accuracy is improved and more efficient wireless positioning is possible.
US09344854B2	Method, storage medium, server, and electronic device for implementing location based service within building A method of implementing a location-based service within a building is provided. The method includes receiving, from at least one electronic device, a plurality of data sets indicating information of wireless signals which the at least one electronic device measures for each time or for each location within the building; determining a similarity between the plurality of data sets; generating a logical path by integrating similar data sets; and generating a wireless signal map within the building by mapping the logical path to a physical path of the building.
US09344836B2	Method and apparatus for triggering MTC group in wireless communication system A method for enabling a Machine Type Communication (MTC)-InterWorking Function (IWF) to trigger a MTC group in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a step of transmitting a triggering request to a network node. The network node for receiving the triggering request determines success of the triggering request according to group-triggering-related information comprising information on whether the triggering request is transmitted in MTC group units.
US09344835B2	Machine-to-machine (M2M) communications using short message services (SMS) A technology is described for machine-to-machine communications using short message services (SMS). The method may include receiving a SMS message over a network into an M2M gateway module from an M2M Server via a short message service center (SMSC) device. A SMS payload of the SMS message originating from the M2M server can be embedded into a signaling message using the M2M gateway module and Base Station. The SMS signaling message can be sent from the M2M gateway module to the M2M device to communicate with the M2M device.
US09344832B2	Methods and apparatus for delivering electronic identification components over a wireless network Methods and apparatus enabling programming of electronic identification information of a wireless apparatus. In one embodiment, a previously purchased or deployed wireless apparatus is activated by a cellular network. The wireless apparatus connects to the cellular network using an access module to download operating system components and/or access control client components. The described methods and apparatus enable updates, additions and replacement of various components including Electronic Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) data, OS components. One exemplary implementation of the invention utilizes a trusted key exchange between the device and the cellular network to maintain security.
US09344828B2	System and method for digital signal processing The present invention provides methods and systems for digitally processing audio signals in broadcasting and/or transmission applications. In particular, the present invention includes a pre-transmission processing module which is structured and configured to generate a partially processed signal. A transmitter is then structured to transmit or broadcast the partially processed signal to a receiver, where the signal is then fed to a post-transmission processing module. The post-transmission processing module is structured and configured to further processes the signal based upon, for example, the listening environment, profile(s), etc. and generate a final output signal.
US09344826B2	Method and apparatus for communicating with audio signals having corresponding spatial characteristics A method, apparatus computer program product are provided to facilitate the utilization of the spatial position of audio signals in order to improve voice quality. In the context of a method, a main mono signal is determined from one or more audio signals that were received. The method also includes determining one or more ambience signals from the one or more audio signals that were received, such as following removal of the main mono signal therefrom. The method also adjusts at least one of a virtual position of the main mono signal for provision to a recipient device or the one or more ambience signals for provision to the recipient device.
US09344822B2	Estimating nonlinear distortion and parameter tuning for boosting sound Embodiments for estimating nonlinear distortion and for tuning parameter(s) for boosting sounds are described. A test signal including at least two simultaneous audible tones is generated. One tone is a fundamental tone and others are harmonics of the fundamental tone. The ratio of the number of nonlinear distortion products not coincident with the frequencies of the tones to the number of all the products is, as an example, greater than 0.80. A spectral analysis is performed on the response of a loudspeaker to the test signal. A nonlinear distortion value is estimated by regarding the energy at harmonic frequencies of the fundamental tone signal but not at the frequencies of the tone signals as contribution from the nonlinear distortion. A subjectively correlated measure of nonlinear distortion is obtained for tuning a parameter for boosting low frequency outputs of one or more loudspeakers.
US09344818B2	Easily installable microphone for implantable hearing aid A microphone for an implantable hearing aid includes a body part having a cylindrical housing installed to pass through a tympanum and a microphone controller installed within the cylindrical housing to convert an acoustic signal into an electrical signal, an acoustic collection part that provides a passage for transmitting external sounds into the body part, the acoustic collection part being disposed on one end of the body part in a direction of an external auditory meatus, and a wire connection part connecting the microphone controller to the hearing aid, the wire connection part being disposed on the other end of the body part in a direction of a middle ear cavity. The microphone is easily installed on the tympanum in a noninvasive manner, and attenuation in sensibility of the microphone is prevented. Thus, the microphone may be significantly utilized for the implantable hearing aid.
US09344817B2	Hearing aid systems Systems, structures, and methods are provided to fit, program, or upgrade a hearing aid system to a patient. One embodiment includes the use of a mobile device to interact with the hearing aid system through a short-range network. The mobile device is also adapted to communicate with a server through a long-range wireless network. The server may reside on the Internet.
US09344816B2	Hearing aid system and a hearing aid A hearing aid (100) comprises first wireless link means configured to receive a first data signal using a first carrier frequency and second wireless link means configured to receive a second data signal using a second carrier frequency and wherein a first electrical antenna of the first wireless link means also forms part of a first band pass filter of the second wireless link means. The invention provides a hearing aid, a binaural hearing aid system and a method of receiving a first and second wireless signal.
US09344815B2	Method for augmenting hearing One variation of a method for augmenting sound includes: at a mobile computing device and a connected audio output device, outputting a tone in a hearing test; based on a response to the tone entered by a user, generating a hearing profile for the user and corresponding to the mobile computing device and the audio output device; receiving an audio signal; qualifying the audio signal as a particular audio type from a set of audio types; selecting, from a set of sound profiles, a particular sound profile corresponding to the particular audio type; at the mobile computing device, transforming the audio signal into a processed audio signal according to the particular sound profile and the hearing profile of the user; and outputting the processed audio signal at the connected audio output device.
US09344810B2	Condenser microphone Provided is a condenser microphone having a plurality of condenser microphone units connected in series to improve output sensitivity, and simplify a circuit configuration of the condenser microphone. The condenser microphone units are directly connected to each other in series. An audio signal obtained from one condenser microphone unit, excepting a last series-connected condenser microphone unit, is transmitted to an adjacent succeeding condenser microphone unit, and first and second impedance converters each using an active element are connected to first and last series-connected condenser microphone unit. The audio signals obtained from the condenser microphone units are added and output with balance from output terminals of the first and second impedance converters.
US09344808B2	Differential sensing acoustic sensor A MEMS device includes a first plate coupled to a second plate and a fixed third plate formed on a first substrate. The first and second plates are displaced in the presence of an acoustic pressure differential across the surfaces of the first plate. The MEMS device also includes a first electrode formed on the third plate and a second electrode formed on the second substrate. The first, second plate, and third plates are contained in an enclosure formed by a first and second substrates. The device includes an acoustic port to expose the first plate to the environment. The MEMS device also includes a first gap formed between the second and third plates and a second gap formed between the second plate and the second electrode. The displacement of the second plate causes the first gap to change inversely to the second gap.
US09344802B2	Information providing system An information providing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an acoustic signal transmitter 10 for transmitting data in the form of sound waves, a portable telephone 20 serving as an acoustic signal receiver (terminal) for receiving the sound waves and reproducing the data, and a server 50 connected through the Internet 40 to the acoustic signal transmitter 10. The acoustic signal transmitter 10 may transmit the data as sound waves in one-way fashion at a timing determined by the acoustic signal transmitter 10 without reliance on transmission control signals or the like received from the acoustic signal receiver 20. The data which is transmitted as sound waves may employ data frame(s) which may contain information for error detection.
US09344799B2	Audio apparatus An audio apparatus includes: a receiver which receives audio data transmitted by a broadcast method from an external apparatus; a sound emitter which performs sound emission of the audio data received by the receiver; a generator which generates sound emission control information relating to sound emission of other apparatus which can receive the audio data; and a transmitter which transmits the sound emission control information generated by the generator to the other apparatus.
US09344797B2	Microphone module with and method for feedback suppression A microphone module and method for suppressing feedback in a microphone. The module has a casing with a hollow bore therethrough and a microphone mounted in one end of the bore. The other end of the bore is completely covered by a film mounted onto the top of the casing. The film has at least one slit therethrough in the film portion that covers the other end of the bore. The method includes introducing a sound wave to a film having at least one slit therethrough that separates the film into at least two parts; generating a sound wave from each film part; and conveying the generated sound waves in a sound tube to a microphone as a rejoined sound wave.
US09344793B2	Audio apparatus and methods An apparatus for augmenting audio capabilities of a mobile computing device, including: a housing transiently encasing a portion of the mobile computing device; a communication module arranged within the housing, downloading a hearing profile of a user from the mobile computing device, and receiving an output audio signal from the mobile computing device; a processor arranged within the housing and processing the output audio signal according to the hearing profile; a secondary audio output module arranged within the housing adjacent an integrated loudspeaker within the mobile computing device and outputting a processed form of the output audio signal in place of output of the output audio signal by the integrated loudspeaker; a secondary microphone arranged within the housing adjacent an integrated microphone within the mobile computing device, the communication module transmitting an input audio signal from the secondary microphone to the mobile computing device.
US09344789B2	Digital microphone interface supporting multiple microphones Extending a microphone interface. One microphone interface extension includes a controller, a parent microphone, and a child microphone. The controller outputs a controller clock signal. The parent microphone receives the controller clock signal and generates a first data signal. The child microphone generates a second data signal and outputs the second data signal to the first parent microphone. The parent microphone receives the second data signal from the child microphone and outputs a combined data signal to the controller based on the first data signal and the second data signal. The parent microphone outputs the combined data signal to the controller on a phase of a microphone clock signal derived from the controller clock signal.
US09344787B2	Audio equipped fan An audio equipped fan is disclosed having a housing defining an inner cavity, a motor disposed at least partially in the inner cavity of the housing and having an output shaft extending therefrom that is rotatable by the motor, a fan connected to the output shaft of the motor and rotatable therewith, a grille connected to the housing and positioned in alignment with the fan, the grille having an interior side and an exterior side and defining first openings through which air may flow while the fan is rotated and second openings through which sound may travel, a speaker connected to at least one of the housing, motor, fan and grille and aligned on the interior side of the grille with the second openings of the grille so that sound may travel through the grille, and a temporary power source connected to the speaker. Related methods are also disclosed.
US09344779B2	Method and apparatus for space-division multiplexing systems A space division multiplexed (SDM) transmission system that includes at least two segments of transmission media in which a spatial assignment of the two segments is different is provided. For example, the SDM transmission may include a first segment of transmission media having a first spatial assignment and a second segment of transmission media having a second spatial assignment, wherein the first spatial assignment differs from the second spatial assignment. An example method obtains an optical signal on a first segment of transmission media having a first spatial assignment and forwards the optical signal on a second segment of transmission media with a different spatial assignment. The transmission media may be a multi-core fiber (MCF), a multi-mode fiber (MMF), a few-mode fiber (FMF), or a ribbon cable comprising nominally uncoupled single-mode fiber (SMF).
US09344773B2	Providing recommendations based upon environmental sensing Embodiments are disclosed that relate to providing digital content recommendations based upon environmental sensor data. For example, one embodiment provides a computing device configured to receive sensor data from a sensor system, to detect a user present in the use environment via the sensor data, identify the user, recognize a current state of each of one or more use environment state features associated with the user via the sensor data, and store the current state of each of the one or more use environment state features. The computing device is further configured to detect a triggering condition for a selected use environment state feature, and in response provide information related to the selected use environment state feature based upon one or more of the current state of the use selected use environment state feature and a previously-stored state of the selected use environment state feature.
US09344771B2	Systems and methods for delivering network content via an audio-visual receiver An audio/visual (A/V) transceiver is provided for supplying intent access to a computing device. The A/V receiver comprises a first format module configured to receive and process electronic data in a first format and an Ethernet module configured to transmit electronic data to the computing device in Ethernet format via an Ethernet port. The transceiver further comprises a bridging application executing on a processor, the bridging application configured to convert internet data in the first format into the Ethernet format. A method is also provided for supplying internet access to a computing device over an audio/visual (A/V) receiver. The method comprises receiving an internet signal in a first protocol standard at an A/V receiver, bridging the internet signal in the first protocol standard into a second protocol standard understood by the computing device, and transmitting the internet signal in the second protocol standard to the computing device.
US09344769B1	Hybrid all digital fiber to CATV cable system and method Producing advanced HFC CATV cable systems while easing the burden of backward compatibility. The system improves CATV data carrying capacity by moving RF QAM modulators from the cable head end to various individually or group addressed optical fiber nodes supplying neighborhood CATV cables, and sending data from the cable head IP backbone to the nodes over optical fiber as IP data packets. For high backward compatibility, the system digitizes legacy RF waveforms, or demodulates legacy QAM waveforms to QAM symbols, also transmits these over the optical fiber as IP data packets, and then reconstitutes back to original waveforms as needed. The system is thus able to easily handle legacy NTSC, FM, QPSK waveforms and do partial (QAM symbol level) compression of legacy QAM waveforms to and from multiple nodes without requiring additional optical fiber wavelengths. The system may use non-standard upstream/downstream CATV frequency splits, filter bank receivers, and FPGA/DSP/ASIC methods.
US09344763B2	Dynamic hyperlinking approach A method of returning target scenes from a user link request is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a user link request on a user interface; comparing the received user link request to a plurality of entries in a lookup table; for each entry in the plurality of entries in the lookup table that matches the received user link request, identifying a target scene that corresponds to the matched entry in the lookup table; determining a closest one of the target scenes if multiple entries in the lookup table match the user link request; and transitioning to the closest target scene.
US09344761B2	Video display system, external unit, and method of displaying video A video display system includes a video display unit, and an external unit configured to be communicatable with the video display unit. The video display unit includes a display panel and is configured to transmit specific information to the external unit. The specific information includes display panel information related to the display panel. The external unit is configured to derive a parameter from the specific information received from the video display unit and to transmit, to the video display unit, one of the derived parameter and related data related to the derived parameter. The parameter determines image quality.
US09344756B2	System and method for transmitting files from a sender to a receiver in a television distribution network A system and method for transmitting files from a sender to a receiver in a television distribution system, for example, a cable television distribution network, is provided. The files are transmitted without the need for transmitting a directory over an out of band communications link. In an exemplary embodiment, a filename corresponding to a file to be transmitted is provided to a transform. The transform calculates a PID based on the filename. The calculated PID is incorporated into the MPEG2 data stream carrying the corresponding file contents. When an application program running in the receiver requests a file, the filename of the requested file is provided to a transform operating in the receiver. The transmitter and receiver transforms are identical. The transform provides a corresponding PID at its output. The PID is used to tune a PID filter on the receiver end such that the requested file is selected from the incoming MPEG bit stream for processing by the processor.
US09344751B1	Coordination of fault-tolerant video stream processing in cloud-based video streaming system A method to coordinate redundant video processing in video streaming platforms is disclosed. In one embodiment, a request is received at a streaming platform coordinator (SPC) to create a redundant media workflow for a video source. The SPC transmits two requests to create the media workflow, one each to a first and a second video streaming platforms, each creating one instance of the media workflow. The SPC then receives requests to route the video source to a first and a second workers respectively and causes the video source to be routed so. The SPC then communicates with the first and the second workers so that only one worker out of the first and second workers publishes output of one instance of the media workflow to a CDN at a given moment. A system to perform the method and a storage medium storing instructions to perform the method are disclosed too.
US09344749B2	Methods and systems for preventing users from terminating services Methods and systems are described herein for a media guidance application that generates for display content associated with preventing a user from terminating a service in response to determining, based on a biometric state of the user, that a user is likely to terminate the service. For example, in response to determining that a user is unhappy, not attentive, or bored when accessing content provided by the service, the media guidance application may generate for display discounts or other promotions for the service.
US09344739B2	Method of predicting motion vectors in video codec in which multiple references are allowed, and motion vector encoding/decoding apparatus using the same Initial value is selected when motion estimation is performed using predicted motion vector in video codec in which multiple references are allowed, and coding amount of motion vectors is reduced using predicted motion vector. Motion vector encoding apparatus includes predicted motion vector generator that generates adjacent motion vectors of current block with respect to each of reference pictures and generates each predicted motion vector of the current block from the generated adjacent motion vectors, motion estimator that determines final motion vector of the current block and final reference picture corresponding to the final motion vector with regard to search regions of the reference pictures, differential unit that obtains difference between the final motion vector of the current block and final predicted motion vector corresponding to the determined final reference picture among the predicted motion vectors, and unit for encoding information about the final reference picture and the difference.
US09344734B2	System and method for optimized encoding and transmission of a plurality of substantially similar video fragments A system and method for stitching separately encoded MPEG video fragments, each representing a different rectangular area of the screen together into one single full-screen MPEG encoded video fragment.
US09344731B2	Image encoding and decoding apparatus and method An apparatus of decoding a video in the unit of blocks, includes: a size setting unit to decode information on a picture size of the video and information on available block sizes from a bitstream, set an initial size of a current block to be decoded to a largest block size determined by the information on the available block sizes, determine a location of the current block within a picture, identify whether the current block is fully located inside the picture, based on the picture size, the size of the current block and the location of the current block, and reset the size of the current block to a smaller size among the available block sizes, when the current block is not fully located inside the picture; and a decoding unit to decode the current block in the reset size.
US09344726B2	Image decoding method and image coding method An image decoding method is an image decoding method of decoding coded image data, including selecting, based on a type of a decoding target signal, an arithmetic decoding method that is used to decode the decoding target signal, from among a plurality of arithmetic decoding methods that include: a first arithmetic decoding method which is performed based on a symbol occurrence probability obtained according to a context, and which involves update of the symbol occurrence probability according to a decoding symbol; and a second arithmetic decoding method which is performed based on a symbol occurrence probability obtained according to a context, and which maintains the symbol occurrence probability that is other than 50%.
US09344724B2	System and method for improved video operations A method of video operations includes generating derivative byproducts related to encoded video captured of a scene, initializing a first operation based on the encoded video, and initializing a second operation different from the first operation based on the derivative byproducts.
US09344723B2	Beta offset control for deblocking filters in video coding Techniques are described for providing continuous control of a deblocking filter for a video block using a beta offset parameter. Deblocking filters are defined based on one or more deblocking decisions. Conventionally, a quantization parameter and a beta offset parameter are used to identify a beta parameter (“β”) value that determines threshold values of the deblocking decisions. The value of the beta offset parameter results in a change or increment of the β value. For small increments of the β value, rounding of the threshold values may result in no change and discontinuous control of the deblocking decisions. The techniques include calculating at least one deblocking decision for the deblocking filter according to a threshold value that has been modified based on a multiplier value of the beta offset parameter. The multiplier value applied to the beta offset parameter causes an integer change in the modified threshold value.
US09344719B2	Image decoding apparatus and method for handling intra-image predictive decoding with various color spaces and color signal resolutions The present invention is directed to an image information decoding apparatus adapted for performing intra-image decoding based on resolution of color components and color space of an input image signal. An intra prediction unit serves to adaptively change block size in generating a prediction image based on a chroma format signal indicating whether resolution of color components is one of 4:2:0 format, 4:2:2 format, and 4:4:4 format, and a color space signal indicating whether color space is one of YCbCr, RGB, and XYZ. An inverse orthogonal transform unit and an inverse quantization unit serve to also change orthogonal transform technique and quantization technique in accordance with the chroma format signal and the color space signal. A decoding unit decodes the chroma format signal and the color space signal to generate a prediction image corresponding to the chroma format signal and the color space signal.
US09344717B2	Method and apparatus for sample adaptive offset in a video decoder A method and apparatus for SAO (sample adaptive offset) processing in a video decoder are disclosed. Embodiments according to the present invention reduce the required line buffer associated with the SAO processing. According to one embodiment, tri-level comparison results for one deblocked pixel row or column of the image unit are determined according to SAO type of the deblocked pixel row or column. The tri-level comparison results are stored in a buffer and the tri-level comparison results are read back from the buffer for SAO processing of the subsequent row or column from a subsequent image unit. The comparison results correspond to “larger”, “equal” and “smaller” states. The comparison results can be stored more efficiently.
US09344706B2	Camera device An example device includes first and second oppositely facing cameras and a user interface configured to concurrently display (i) a real time image captured by one of the first and second cameras and (ii) first, second and third buttons. The first button is operable for taking a picture using one of the cameras, the second button is operable for displaying a stored picture, and the third button is operable for switching between the first and second cameras.
US09344700B2	System and method for imaging with pinhole arrays An imaging system is provided, configured for providing three-dimensional data of a region of interest. The system comprising: an optical unit and a control unit. The optical unit comprises a radiation collection unit and a detection unit. The radiation collection unit comprises at least two mask arrangement defining at least two radiation collection regions respectively, the mask arrangements are configured to sequentially apply a plurality of a predetermined number of spatial filtering patterns formed by a predetermined arrangement of apertures applied on radiation collected thereby generating at least two elemental image data pieces corresponding to the collected radiation from said at least two collection regions. The control unit comprising is configured for receiving and processing said at least two elemental image data pieces and determining a plurality of at least two restored elemental images respectively being together indicative of a three dimensional arrangement of the region being imaged.
US09344698B2	Modifying a value based on a user's directional motions independent of location of input relative to a display A method for changing a value displayed on a screen is provided. In response to receiving a user input indicating motion in a particular direction, changing the value independent of where the position of a cursor is on the screen. The value being changed may comprise of a series of segments, and each segment value can be changed individually. In addition, a different user input device that does not indicate motion in a particular direction may be used to change segment values and to select other segment values. Methods for automatically formatting a segmented values and calculating a base time rate based on two different frame rates are also provided.
US09344690B2	Image demosaicing Image demosaicing is described, for example, to enable raw image sensor data, where image elements have intensity values in only one of three color channels, to be converted into a color image where image elements have intensity values in three color channels. In various embodiments a trained machine learning component is used to carry out demosaicing optionally in combination with denoising. In some examples the trained machine learning system comprises a cascade of trained regression tree fields. In some examples the machine learning component has been trained using pairs of mosaiced and demosaiced images where the demosaiced images have been obtained by downscaling natural color digital images. For example, the mosaiced images are obtained from the demosaiced images by subsampling according to one of a variety of color filter array patterns.
US09344689B2	Camera system with multi-spectral filter array and image processing method thereof A camera system with a multi-spectral filter array and an image processing method thereof are disclosed. The method of processing an image that is output from an image sensor including a multi-spectral filter array including a color filter and a near infrared (NIR) filter includes interpolating an NIR channel of the image by using spatial information of color channels including a red channel, a green channel, and a blue channel; and interpolating the color channels of the image by using spatial information of the NIR channel.
US09344681B2	Systems and methods of incorporating live streaming sources into a video conference The technology disclosed solves the technical problem of incorporating live streaming sources into a video conference. In particular, the technology disclosed relates to pre-registering live streaming sources as pseudo-participants to optionally include in a video conference and causing the live streaming source represented by the pseudo-participant to be streamed to participants in the video conference without relay from one participant to another participant. The technology disclosed also relates to solving the technical problem of controlling a video conferencing interface during a video conference by allowing attendees of a video conference to configure a video interface template that includes areas to display participants and pseudo-participants live streaming sources.
US09344661B2	Photodetector According to an embodiment, a photodetector includes a plurality of photoelectric transducers, a plurality of resistors, and a plurality of resetting sections. Each of the photoelectric transducers is configured to output a detection signal resulting from conversion of received light into an electric charge. Each of the resistors is connected in series with an output end of a corresponding photoelectric transducer at one end of the resistor. Each of the resetting sections is connected in parallel with a corresponding resistor and configured to bring the output end of the corresponding photoelectric transducer to a reset level in response to the detection signal.
US09344660B2	Foveal imager readout integrated circuit (ROIC) An image comprising a plurality of pixels at a predetermined pixel pitch, is received, A plurality of image intensity signals, are received at readout circuitry responsive to an image intensity per pixel. A portion of the received image is divided into a plurality of fixed paxels, each paxel comprising a rectilinear collection of pixels, having a first length and first predetermined number of rows, and second width having second predetermined number of columns. The plurality of fixed paxels are provided to a respective plurality of configurable Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) responsive to a respective plurality of paxels and configurable to generate respective ADC output signals that implement a tradeoff between Effective Number of Bits (ENoB) and power consumption while maintaining a substantially fixed spatial frequency. Some paxels corresponding to a first predetermined fixation point are digitized with higher ENoB than the other paxels. A foveated image is generated.
US09344659B2	Image pickup apparatus In an image pickup apparatus, a noise signal holding unit holds a noise signal output from a pixel unit and outputs the noise signal to a following-stage circuit. A first signal holding unit holds a first optical signal based on signals generated by N photoelectric conversion elements in the pixel unit and outputs the first optical signal to the following-stage circuit where N is an integer equal to or greater than 1. A second signal holding unit holds a second optical signal based on signals generated by M photoelectric conversion elements in the pixel unit and outputs the second optical signal to the following-stage circuit where M is an integer equal to or greater than 2 and greater than N. The signal output from the second signal holding unit has a greater common mode noise rejection ratio than that output from the first signal holding unit.
US09344655B2	Active pixel sensor imaging system An active pixel sensor imaging system is disclosed. In one aspect, the system includes a plurality of active pixel sensor circuits arranged into an array of rows and columns. Each active pixel sensor is connected to a supply line and a column line, and operable to generate a voltage output through the column line corresponding to a detected light intensity. The system includes a current sensing circuit, located external to the plurality of active pixel sensor circuits and connected to the supply line. The current sensing circuit is implemented as a current mirror for sensing a current through an active pixel sensor circuit readout transistor. The system includes a feedback circuit, located external to the plurality of active pixel sensor circuits and connected to the column line, to a current generator and to the current sensing circuit. The feedback circuit is implemented as a classAB current mirror configured for controlled quiescent current.
US09344650B2	Method for calibrating a digital optical instrument and digital optical instrument The invention relates to a method for calibrating an optical instrument which comprises at least a motorized zoom system, an objective, an image sensor and an image processing unit. The method comprises the following steps: establishing calibration data DZRef of the zoom system with a reference objective and storing these in an internal memory of the zoom system; establishing calibration data DORef of the objective with a reference zoom system and storing these in an internal memory of the objective; reading the internal memories of the zoom system and of the objective and applying a digital-optical correction of an image acquired by an image sensor with the calibration data DZRef and DORef. The invention moreover relates to an optical instrument, in particular a digital microscope, to which the calibration method according to the invention can be applied.
US09344648B2	High dynamic range imaging A method for high dynamic range imaging using more than two capture intervals, where images are captured in a repeating sequence that avoids interlace bounce, and overlapping groups of combined images form composite frames for output, and an imaging system comprising an imaging array, processing means and a display, wherein the imaging array is operable to capture a succession of images by detecting incident light and the processing means is operable to process said images as required, and pass the processed images to the display for output.
US09344646B2	Imaging device and imaging method A unit group which is formed by pixel cell rows L1, L2, L1A, and L2A is divided into groups BG1 and BG2. The defocus amount calculating unit calculates a phase difference of the output signal group of the phase difference detecting pixel cells 51R with respect to the output signal group of the phase difference detecting pixel cells 51L for BG1, calculates a phase difference of the output signal group of the phase difference detecting pixel cells 51L with respect to the output signal group of the phase difference detecting pixel cells 51R for BG2, and calculates a defocus amount based on a difference between the two calculated phase differences. The driving unit performs exposure in the order of the pixel cell rows L1 and L2 for BG1 and performs exposure in the order of the pixel cell rows L2A and L1A for BG2.
US09344639B2	High dynamic range array camera In embodiments, a camera device includes HDR monochromatic image sensors that capture an image as an HDR clear image in monochrome, and the camera device includes HDR color image sensors that capture the image as a Bayer image. The HDR monochromatic image sensors may be implemented as interlaced pixel lines having alternating higher exposure times and lower exposure times, or may be implemented as a checkerboard pixel pattern with white pixels of the checkerboard pixel pattern having an exposure duration and black pixels of the checkerboard pixel pattern having a different exposure duration. The camera device implements image processing algorithms that demosaic the Bayer image to generate an initial color image, and demosaic the HDR clear image to generate a clear image. An image fusion application then produces an enhanced, high-resolution HDR color image based on the initial color image and the clear image.
US09344634B2	Imaging apparatus having subject detection function, method for controlling the imaging apparatus, and storage medium A subject detection apparatus includes a subject detection unit configured to detect a subject included in an image, an orientation detection unit configured to detect an orientation of the subject detection apparatus, and a control unit configured to control a zoom magnification according to an area of the subject detected by the subject detection unit. If the area of the subject detected by the subject detection unit enters a designated area of the image, the control unit controls the zoom magnification so as to become a zoom magnification in a wide angle direction. The designated area is set according to a detection result obtained by the orientation detection unit.
US09344628B2	Image capture device with driving mode switching This image capture device includes: an imager which receives an optical image of a subject and outputs image data; a focal plane shuttering apparatus which restricts incidence of the optical image onto the imager and which is able to select either a normally opened driving method or a normally closed driving method; and a driving method switching section which switches a method for driving the focal plane shuttering apparatus into one of the normally opened and normally closed driving methods. The driving method switching section switches the method for driving the focal plane shuttering apparatus into the normally opened driving method after an image capturing operation has been performed.
US09344621B2	Imaging device and control method for imaging device An imaging device which includes an imaging element having a phase difference detection pixel, and which performs autofocus using AF areas each including a plurality of sub-areas, the imaging device comprising: a calculation section configured to perform correlation calculation based on a focus detection signal corresponding to each of the plurality of sub-areas and output a degree of reliability; an AF area selection section configured to select an AF area including a large number of sub-areas in each of which the degree of reliability calculated corresponding to the plurality of sub-areas is higher; a moving body prediction calculation section configured to perform moving body prediction calculation using distance measurement data that is calculated by the correlation calculation based on a focus detection signal of the selected AF area; and a focus control section configured to perform focus adjustment based on a result of the moving body prediction calculation.
US09344617B2	Image capture apparatus and method of controlling that performs focus detection An image sensor has multiple pixel units in correspondence with each microlens, and focus detection is performed with a phase-difference detection method using output from the image sensor. The signals to be used in the focus detection can be combined, and a larger signal combining amount is set in the case of output from the image sensor with a first thinning amount than in the case of output from the image sensor with a second thinning amount.
US09344616B2	Correlation engine for security, safety, and business productivity The present invention is a correlation engine for use in security, safety, and business monitoring applications. Sensory data from one or more sensors are captured and analyzed to detect one or more events in the sensory data. The events are correlated by the correlation engine by weighing the events based on attributes of the sensors that were used to detect the primitive events. The events are then monitored for an occurrence of one or more correlations of interest. Finally, one or more actions are triggered based on a detection of one or more anomalous events or events of interest. Events may come from sensory devices, legacy systems, third-party systems, anonymous tips, and other data sources. The present invention may be used to increase business productivity by improving security, safety, and increasing profitability of business processes.
US09344615B1	Discriminating visual recognition program for digital cameras Control of a camera is provided. Data describing a visual key is generated. The data describing the visual key is transmitted. The visual key is identified. A person who is in possession of the visual key is identified. The person is associated with the visual key, wherein the person is authorized to control the camera using gestures. A gesture of the person is recognized. The gesture causes a program to execute a command that corresponds to the gesture, wherein the command cause the camera to perform a function.
US09344614B2	Imaging apparatus The imaging apparatus includes: a multiband image sensor with a light receiving surface which includes two-dimensional arrays of at least three visible light pixels and an infrared pixels, the visible light pixels having sensitivity in different visible light wavelength ranges, the infrared pixels having sensitivity in the infrared wavelength range; a coded aperture which is disposed on the light receiving surface side of the multiband image sensor and serves as an aperture in a predetermined shape with respect to light in the wavelength range in which the infrared pixel has sensitivity while directly transmitting light in other wavelengths; and a processor for processing an image obtained by the multiband image sensor. The processor generates a depth map based on an image obtained by the multiband image sensor to thereby perform processing of a blurred image.
US09344609B2	Electronic device having a cam mechanism for detecting status of an opening-and-closing unit An electronic device includes a housing, an opening-and-closing unit disposed on a side surface of the housing, and configured to be openable and closable to the housing, a hinge unit configured to have a cam groove formed thereon and to openably and closably couple the opening-and-closing unit with the housing, an electronic circuit board arranged inside the housing and having a switch which outputs a signal corresponding to a state of the switch, and a movable member that moves in conjunction with the cam groove formed in the hinge unit, along with the opening and closing of the opening-and-closing unit, the movable member being movable in a direction parallel to the side surface of the housing to change the state of the switch.
US09344608B2	Systems, methods, and computer program products for high depth of field imaging Methods, systems, and computer program products allow for the capturing of a high depth of field (DOF) image. A comprehensive depth map of the scene may be automatically determined. The scene may then be segmented, where each segment of the same corresponds to a respective depth of the depth map. A sequence of images may then be recorded, where each image in the sequence is focused at a respective depth of the depth map. The images of this sequence may then be interleaved to create a single composite image that includes the respective in-focus segments from these images.
US09344598B2	Email to fax processing system An email-to-facsimile (fax) processing system efficiently services requests issued by customers of the system in a fair and impartial manner. The system illustratively includes a plurality of components configured to provide email-to-fax processing services over a network. The components of the email-to-fax system include computer nodes executing software processes and/or services embodied as one or more FaxEmail routers, FaxEmail pollers, Rendering servers and Fax assemblers. The email-to-fax processing services provided by the components illustratively include email storage and retrieval services, email-to-fax conversion services and fax organizational transmission services. One or more of these services may be performed by the components in a randomized fashion to ensure that the customer requests, such as email-to-fax requests, may be fairly and impartially processed by the system.
US09344592B2	Information processing device and information processing method In order to prevent processing from being performed on a file included in a folder on which the processing should not be performed when the processing is performed on the folder, an image processing device (100) includes an input unit (142) which receives designation of a folder and an execution instruction of first processing to be performed on the designated folder, based on user's operation, a display unit (141) which displays a list of files stored in the designated folder when the input unit (142) receives the designation of the folder and the execution instruction, and an execution unit (121) which executes the first processing on the folder when the input unit (142) receives the confirmation input of execution of the first processing on the designated folder, based on user's operation, after the display unit (141) displays the list of files.
US09344585B1	Image coordination in a fleet of disparate imaging devices Apparatus and methods coordinate imaging in a fleet of disparate imaging devices. Each imaging device is associated to a unique identifier. Imaging volumes are gathered for each device in advance of a user walkthrough past the fleet. The volumes are averaged over a predetermined time period and displayed to the user during their walkthrough on a handheld computing device. A confidence factor is included so the user can ascertain reliability of the volume averages. The handheld computing device provides the user real-time knowledge of the fleet to better coordinate managed print services, for example. The handheld computing device is also configured to receive partial data from the user and in response provide selectable options corresponding to an identity of the imaging devices as standardized by third party reference data, for instance. Embodiments typify user interfaces, user actions, data, and computing applications, to name a few.
US09344584B1	System, method, and computer program for dynamically applying session control triggers to communication sessions A system, method, and computer program product are provided for dynamically applying session control triggers to communication sessions. In use, a request associated with a communication session for an entity is received. Additionally, at least one attribute associated with the entity is identified, in response to the request. Furthermore, it is determined whether at least one trigger implementing session control is to be set for the communication session, based on the at least one attribute. Moreover, the request is processed, based on the determination.
US09344575B2	Voice message sending method and system, and converged message server and client A voice message sending method is provided which includes that: a converged message client of a sender initiates a session invitation which carries voice message receiver information and indicates that the session is to send a voice message; a media transmission link is established between the converged message client of the sender and a converged message server of a receiver; the converged message client of the sender sends a voice message to the converged message server of the receiver through the media transmission link; and the converged message server of the receiver stores the voice message in the message storage server to which a receiver user attributed for the converged message client of the receiver to acquire the voice message. A voice message sending system, a converged message server and a converged message client are also accordingly provided. The present application enables a user to simultaneously enjoy a converged message service and a voice message, thereby providing excellent user experience.
US09344569B2	System and method for addition and removal of servers in server cluster A method of adding a server to, or removing a server from, a cluster of servers, and of transferring state information. A new server being added sends a message to all existing servers indicating that it is being added, the new server sends a request for state information, the existing servers in the cluster transfer state information to the new server, and the new server sends a commit message to finalize its addition. Acknowledge messages are exchanged during the process. An existing server being removed sends, to the remaining servers, an initiate message, a transfer of state information, and a commit message to finalize the removal, with acknowledge messages exchanged during the process.
US09344566B1	Loyalty structured call routing system A context-based call routing architecture includes an interactive voice recognition device configured to processes incoming voice telephone calls through automatic voice recognition. A customer search Web service in communication with the interactive voice recognition device is configured to automatically access customer data and a priority variable stored in a relational database. An intelligent contact management system is configured to route and assign incoming voice telephone calls to a priority queue accessible to a Private Branch Exchange system. The priority variable may be based on loyalty metrics.
US09344557B2	Party information for data-capable communication device Detailed information about a party can be provided during interparty communication. Data-capable mobile devices query at least a public database to retrieve information about a set of parties engaged in communication. The results of the database query are employed to provide detailed caller identification and detail functionality to telephones or communication devices not utilizing traditional landlines or commercial caller identification service. Storage can be included to include address book function, query caching, and user preferences. An interface can be provided to facilitate display of rich caller identification information. The interface can further update displayed information without user input, or provide user selection control to request more information on a selected portion of displayed information. These features can be applied to determine the information about a party that is either receiving a communication or initiating a communication.
US09344552B2	System and method for managing a mobile device A system and method for managing a mobile device(s) to provide for a notification(s) when specified thresholds are reached and/or execute defined rules for the mobile device(s). The rules can relate to any function of the mobile device(s), including but not limited to, notification when a percentage of voice/data/SMS is reached during a billing cycle, notification when a mobile device(s) leaves a geo-fence, and restrict a mobile device(s) when a threshold is reached. The system provides a versatile management system allowing a user to effectively control use of a mobile device(s) and manage costs.
US09344545B2	Wireless ear phone and sound broadcasting method thereof A wireless ear phone and a sound broadcasting method thereof are provided. The wireless ear phone includes a first signal sensor, an electromagnetic signal transmitter, a second signal sensor and a controller. The first signal sensor generates an environment light detection result by detecting an environment light. The electromagnetic signal transmitter transmits an interruptible electromagnetic signal. The second signal sensor is disposed on a transmission path of the interruptible electromagnetic signal, and the second signal sensor generates an electromagnetic signal detection result by detecting whether the interruptible electromagnetic signal or the environment light is received. The controller enables or disables an operation of sound broadcasting of the wireless ear phone according to the electromagnetic signal detection result. When the wireless ear phone is put into an ear of a user, the transmission path is cut-off by the ear of the user.
US09344541B2	Call connection method and apparatus in mobile terminal A call connection method and apparatus of a portable terminal capable of reducing errors due to automatic call connection using a user gesture and recognition of the user gesture are provided. The call connection method of a portable terminal includes providing a list according to a user request, sequentially sensing a first event and a second event according to a user gesture performed after a specific object in the list is selected, and performing automatic call connection based on the specific object when the first event and the second event are sensed.
US09344535B2	Multiple protocol wireless communications in a WLAN A method for multiple protocol wireless communications begins by determining protocols of wireless communication devices within a proximal region. The method then continues by determining whether the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of a like protocol. The method continues by, when the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are not of a like protocol, selecting a protocol of the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on a protocol ordering to produce a selected protocol. The method continues by utilizing the selected protocol by the wireless communication devices within the proximal region to set up a wireless communication within the proximal region.
US09344533B2	Receive window auto-tuning Methods of tuning a receive window. A receiving device and a sending device may be in communication over a network. The receiving device may advertise a receive window to the sending device. The size of the receive window may be adjusted over time based on one or more connection parameters, application parameters and/or operating system parameters.
US09344530B2	Method and apparatus for encoding feedback signal A method and apparatus for encoding feedback signal is provided. The method includes: encoding feedback signals of three carriers to output a bit sequence; and transmitting the bit sequence on a High Speed-Dedicated Physical Control Channel (HS-DPCCH). The encoding the feedback signals of the three carriers may specifically include: mapping the feedback signals of the three carriers into a codeword, in which the codeword can be selected from a codebook, and codewords in the codebook satisfy a particular code distance relationship. The method for jointly encoding feedback signals of three carriers in a Ternary Cell (TC) mode is provided. Feedback signals are transmitted over a single code channel. Therefore, power overhead is reduced, and system performance is improved.
US09344526B2	Disk blocking streaming A method for executing on a local user system a body of computer-executable code that resides on a provider system is described. A modified image of the computer executable code is installed to a virtual disk on the local user system, the modified image comprising file structure information. The installing comprises creating each of the local files to the virtual disk with null data, wherein upon installation of the modified image, a plurality of disk blocks assigned to the local files contain a null indicator and do not contain any processable content. A streaming control module senses a request to access the virtual disk, determines whether streaming is indicated to satisfy the request, and transfers to the user system the processable content corresponding to the requested disk block. Streaming is indicated when the request corresponds to one of the disk blocks that does not contain any processable content.
US09344525B2	Method and apparatus for data migration A system and method of managing the storage of data in a data system when data is to be migrated between a first data system and a second data system is disclosed. A plurality of storage processors is disposed in the communications paths between clients and the first and the second data systems. A chunk of data to be migrated from the first data system to the second data system is represented by a bit map identifying the data that has been transferred, and the bit maps of each of a group of storage processors of the plurality of storage processors performing the migration is maintained coherent across the storage processors. The migration process permits read and write access to the data during the migration process.
US09344522B2	Systems and methods for widget rendering and sharing on a personal electronic device Systems and methods for providing, sharing, storing and playing widgets and associated media content on a personal audiovisual device, such as a digital photo frame, are described. In one implementation, widgets may be selected by a user for rendering based on capabilities of a user's device, with the widgets then provided to the device for playback. Digital content such as audio files, images, and/or video may be rendered in conjunction with playback of the widget. Widgets may be shared between users so as to facilitate sharing of media content.
US09344510B2	Pushing content from a local device to a remote display One or more remote content-displaying devices are represented on a display of a content-pushing device. A user of the content-pushing device is thus enabled to select which remote content-displaying device(s) is to receive and display the content.
US09344508B2	Dynamically launching inter-dependent applications based on user behavior A computer system identifies a pattern of usage of the computer system by a first user, wherein the identified pattern of usage comprises of a first and a second step. The computer system determines the number of times that the first user performs the steps of the identified pattern of usage surpasses a first threshold value. The computer system creates an automation so that each time the first user performs the first step of the identified pattern of usage, the computer system performs the second step of the identified pattern of usage.
US09344504B2	Establishing neighbor connection According to an example, virtual systems are established in a same Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) process as a local IS-IS system. Each local IS-IS system and virtual system can enable a maximum of M IS-IS interfaces. A system is selected for each IS-IS interface from the local IS-IS system and the virtual systems. A virtual neighbor connection is established between the local IS-IS system and each of the virtual systems, and a route cost of the neighbor connection is 0. For an IS-IS interface connected to a remote device, a packet is sent for establishing a neighbor connection with the remote device, the packet carrying a system ID of the IS-IS interface.
US09344502B2	Asymmetric data mirroring Methods, systems, and products mirror data between local memory and remote storage. A write command is sent from a server to a remote storage device, and a timer is established. A current time of the timer is compared to a maximum time period. If the maximum time period expires without receipt of an acknowledgment to the write command, then a write error is assumed to exist to the remote storage device.
US09344490B2	Cross-channel network operation offloading for collective operations A Network Interface (NI) includes a host interface, which is configured to receive from a host processor of a node one or more cross-channel work requests that are derived from an operation to be executed by the node. The NI includes a plurality of work queues for carrying out transport channels to one or more peer nodes over a network. The NI further includes control circuitry, which is configured to accept the cross-channel work requests via the host interface, and to execute the cross-channel work requests using the work queues by controlling an advance of at least a given work queue according to an advancing condition, which depends on a completion status of one or more other work queues, so as to carry out the operation.
US09344485B2	Short range wireless peer-to-peer file sharing In one embodiment, for example, a method of short range wireless peer-to-peer file sharing is provided. The method includes establishing a short range wireless communications link between a local computing device and a peer computing device and transmitting to the peer computing device over the short range wireless communications link a consolidated catalog of accessible files stored locally in the local computing device, remotely in a remote computing device, or both. The method further includes receiving from over the short range wireless communications link a request by the peer computing device to retrieve a selected one of the files. The method includes responding to a determination that the selected one of the files is stored remotely in the remote computing device by facilitating the retrieval by the peer computing device of the selected one of the files from the remote computing device for delivery to the peer computing device.
US09344480B2	Method of providing wireless data communication service using IP and apparatus thereof Disclosed is an apparatus for providing a wireless data communication service using Internet protocol. The apparatus includes a connection manager (CM) which periodically receives network information from a base station, and updates and stores the received network information; and an application unit which receives preset network information according to each application among the network information from the connection manager, and performs a function according to each application.
US09344470B2	Methods and systems for data transmission Example methods and systems for transmitting data are presented. In one example, a plurality of streams of video data may be received from at least one data source into at least one buffer of a router. Each of the streams of video data may represent a same video program, wherein each of the streams of video data may correspond to a unique visual resolution relative to at least some other streams, and wherein each of the streams of video data may include a plurality of contiguous, non-overlapping portions of video data. A request may be received from a device to transmit a single one of the portions of video data to the device. In response to the request, a portion of one of the streams of video data may be transmitted from the at least one buffer of the router to the device.
US09344467B2	Sensor data acquisition system and method based on integration of terminal and cloud A cloud-based sensor data acquisition system includes one or more sensors configured to acquire sensor data; a first terminal configured to transmit sensor data request information to a cloud server through an access point (AP); and one or more second terminals each configured to acquire sensor data from one or more sensors on a corresponding dissemination tree received from the cloud server; and transmit the acquired sensor data to the first terminal through the AP. The cloud server is configured to, in response to receiving the sensor data request information from the first terminal, build a corresponding dissemination tree for each of one or more second terminals within a sensing range; and transmit the corresponding dissemination tree to each of the one or more second terminals within the sensing range.
US09344452B2	User control over WiFi network access A server system transfers display data for presentation to a user who selects multiple geographically-distributed WiFi access systems and a password. The server system receives user data that indicates the user-selected WiFi network access systems and the user-selected password. The server system stores an association between the user-selected WiFi network access systems and the user-selected password. The server system receives an access request for one of the user-selected WiFi network access systems using the user-selected password. The server system transfers a positive response to the access request based on the stored association between the user-selected WiFi network access systems and the user-selected password.
US09344443B1	Finding command and control center computers by communication link tracking Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for identifying malware attacks collects data traffic information. A system receives data traffic information indicative of communications between computers within a network and computers external to the network. The system parses the data traffic information to identify communication links between the computers within the network and computers external to the network. The system can generate communication link profiles for each of the computers within the network. The system can then group computers within the network into computer clusters based on similarities between the communication link profiles for each computer. The system can identify computer clusters having anomalous communication patterns as being indicative of a malware attack.
US09344437B2	Internet of things security Apparati, methods, and computer-readable media for improving the security of communications networks. An embodiment of the present invention is a system for enabling smart devices (1401, 1402, 1403) to communicate with each other over a network (1450) without human intervention. The system comprises at least two bidirectional smart devices (1401, 1402) adapted to send and receive messages (1460) over the network (1450). Each smart device (1401, 1402) is coupled to the network (1450) via a bidirectional intelligent chip, logic device, or smart device (1411, 1421). In message sending mode, intelligent chip, logic device, or smart device (1411) appends an identifier (1417) to each message (1460) emanating from its associated sending smart device (1401). The identifier (1417) comprises a fixed portion (1415, 1416) uniquely identifying the associated sending smart device (1401), and a variable portion (1414). The receiving intelligent chip, logic device, or smart device (1421) invokes a module (1423) contained within each intelligent chip (1411, 1421) configured to screen incoming messages (1460), by validating both the fixed and variable portions of the identifier (1417).
US09344435B2	Using a local authorization extension to provide access authorization for a module to access a computing system Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for a local authorization extension to provide access authorization for a module to access a computing system. A memory stores information on a first validity range comprising position coordinates for a module seeking to access the computing system and a second validity range comprising position coordinates for a location authorization extension for a computing system. A determination is made of a first position signal from a first receiver of the module and of a second position signal from a second receiver of the location authorization module. Determinations are made as to whether the first position signal is within the first validity range and whether the second position signal is within the second validity range. The module is granted access to the computing system in response to determining that the first position signal is within the first validity range and the second position signal is within the second validity range.
US09344433B2	Unregistered user account generation for content item sharing Various embodiments of the present technology involve the sharing of a content item though a synchronized content management system (CMS) without requiring a user to register or provide login credentials. For example, the CMS can receive a request from a first user of a computing device to share a content item with a second user. Instead of requiring the user to register or provide their login credentials, the CMS can generate an unregistered user account using a unique identifier associated with the computing device. Accordingly, in order to share the content item, the CMS can generate a link to retrieve the content item and send the link to the second user. Thus, creation of an unregistered user account can require no login credentials, thereby providing a simple, user friendly interface for initiating interactions with the CMS.
US09344428B2	Method and system for digitally certifying the association between an entity and a place A method of processing data in order to digitally certify the association of at least one entity with a place, the method comprising the receipt of at least one piece of positioning data coming from at least one locating device located in the proximity of said place, the generation of a digital certificate associating the entity with said place according to the positioning data received, and the checking of the association of the entity with said place, by means of said digital certificate, in order to obtain a service dependent on the association of the entity with said place.
US09344426B2	Accessing enterprise resources while providing denial-of-service attack protection Techniques for accessing enterprise resources while providing denial-of-service attack protection may include receiving, at a gateway from a client device, a request for a resource, the request including a location identifier associated with the resource. Techniques may further include redirecting, by a redirection message, the request to an authentication device that requests credentials for authentication, the redirection message including the location identifier. Techniques may also include retrieving, after authentication of the credentials, the location identifier from the client device. Techniques may additionally include providing access to the resource based on the location identifier.
US09344425B2	Dynamic object creation and certificate management Systems and methods that facilitate dynamic directory service object creation and certificate management are discussed. One such method can include discovering a device deployed on a network, creating and deploying a corresponding directory services object, automatically creating and deploying a certificate to the device and updating attributes associated with the device. The disclosed system and method reduce the time involved in deploying and configuring directory services and public key infrastructure (PKI), increase efficiency, improve network availability and lessen the chances for errors associated with manual configuration.
US09344423B1	System and method for user identification and authentication Systems and methods for user identification and authentication are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of authenticating a first party to a second party may include the following: (1) receiving, from one of an electronic device of a first party and an electronic device of a second party, a request to generate authenticating indicia; (2) using at least one of a plurality of computer processors, generating the authenticating indicia; (3) transmitting, over a network, the authenticating indicia to the electronic device of a first party and to the electronic device of the second party; (4) receiving, from an electronic device of the second party, an indication that the second party has confirmed that the first party is authentic; and (5) storing an identity of the first party, the second party, and the authenticating indicia in a database.
US09344416B2	File vault and cloud based document notary service In one embodiment, a trusted cloud service such as an “electronic vault” may store records of a consumer's electronic data file history. These documents may come from disparate providers and include financial statements and the like. The trusted vault cloud may act as an online notary to certify documents are legitimate and may be trusted. For example, a retailer may dispute whether the consumer paid a debt. To resolve the issue the retailer may access the cloud vault to retrieve a bank statement for the consumer, whereby the bank statement is electronically notorized by the vault cloud and is thus credible to the retailer. The retailer may then see proof the consumer had indeed paid a past debt to the retailer. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09344388B2	System and method for integrating an address book with an instant messaging application in a mobile station This relates to a method for operating a mobile station. The method includes grouping two or more member addresses into a group. The group is presented as a group data in a transient data list. A selection of an option to open a messaging session with the group is selected. A messaging session is opened, with the member addresses of the selected group.
US09344378B2	Shared community storage network A hardware and/or software facility for durably and securely storing data within a shared community storage network. A user may have a storage device that they intend to share with others in the network. All or a portion of the storage device is registered with the community storage network as a storage node. Once registered with the network, third party data may be stored on the storage node and remotely accessed by third parties. In addition, data stored on the storage device by the user may be stored in the shared community storage network by encrypting the data, adding redundancy, and distributing it to other storage nodes within the storage network. Data that is stored in the storage network is accessible to the user even if their storage device is inaccessible or fails.
US09344376B2	Quality of service in multi-tenant network A data handling system network includes a data handling system that is communicatively coupled to a switch by a network. The data handling system includes one or more logical partitions. Each logical partition includes a plurality of virtual switches and a plurality of virtual network interface cards. Each virtual network interface card is associated with a particular virtual switch and includes a plurality of QoS queues. The switch includes one or more switch partitions. Each switch partition includes a plurality of QoS queues that are associated with the QoS queues of the virtual network interface card. A packet is received with the virtual switch and the virtual switch sets and associates a QoS priority flag with the received packet. The virtual switch forwards the packet to a QoS queue comprised within the virtual network interface card based upon the QoS priority flag.
US09344370B2	Communication apparatus, wireless communication network system, and communication method A communication apparatus includes: a judgment section configured to judge a request for delay guarantee for data transmission; a route selection section configured to: select a first route including a mean delay time meeting a first condition, from routes available between the communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus which are in a network of wireless communication, when the request is a first request; and select a second route including a probability of successful data transmission for a given number of transmissions meeting a second condition, from the routes, when the request is a second request; and a transmission section configured to transmit the data to one of the first route and the second route.
US09344369B2	System and methods for distributed quality of service enforcement A grid router for routing data over a grid sessionwise, involves multiple devices forwarding data according to sessions over an unreliable network between the devices. The devices include a first group of mailbox units to handle the sessions and a second group of egress units to forward session data to devices external to the network. The mailbox units and egress units are connected in a CLOS network such that each mailbox unit is accessible by each egress unit. The router further includes a distributed entity, which assigning specific sessions to specific mailbox units and to specific egress units and further defomes quality of service (QoS) levels for each session in the presence of congestion in either the network or the devices.
US09344366B2	System and method for rule matching in a processor In one embodiment, a system includes a format block configured to receive a key, at least one rule, and rule formatting information. The rule can have one or more dimensions. The format block can be further configured to extract each of the dimensions from the at least one rule. The system can further include a plurality of dimension matching engines (DME). Each DME can be configured to receive the key and a corresponding formatted dimension, and process the key and the corresponding dimension for returning a match or nomatch. The system can further include a post processing block configured to analyze the matches or no matches returned from the DMEs and return a response based on the returned matches or nomatches.
US09344365B1	Mesh network addressing In embodiments of mesh network addressing, a router receives a packet to deliver to a network destination and determines if the network destination is within the mesh network. The network destination enables the router to discover a Routing Locator (RLOC) that is associated with the network destination and provides a routable network address for the network destination. The router can forward the received packet using the routable network address from the discovered Routing Locator. The router can discover the RLOC by searching a cache of RLOCs stored in the router, or by sending an address query.
US09344363B2	Information processing system, relay device, information processing device, and information processing method An information processing system comprising a first computer, and a second computer configured to transmit a packet including an address of the first computer, wherein when the first computer is disconnected from a network that is for the second computer to communicate with the first computer, the second computer stops a transmission of the packet.
US09344362B2	Packet format of network abstraction layer unit, and algorithm and apparatus for video encoding and decoding using the format, QOS control algorithm and apparatus for IPV6 label switching using the format The construction method of NALU (Network Abstraction Layer Unit) for IPv6 label switching and its using algorithms of video encoding, QoS control, and decoding are provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the NALU format is composed of the NALH (Network Abstraction Layer Header) including the label and the NAL (Network Ab straction Layer) payload. Here, the label is determined based on layer information which is combination of a spatial scalable level, a temporal scalable level, and a quality scalable level of the encoded data. The decoder uses the label to decide which one of multiple decoding modules is used to decode the current NAL payload. Moreover, the label can be included in the packet header so that the MANE (Media Aware Network Element) can use the label to decide whether to forward the packet or drop it. For example, the label in the packet header can be used for QoS control of video service by using the flow label field in IPv6 packet header. The IPv6 router can identify priority of the video packet by using the 20 bit long flow label, into which the label in NALH can be inserted. According to the embodiment, the MANE assumed in the MPEG and JVT (Joint Video Team) can be implemented effectively.
US09344358B2	Aging-aware routing for NoCs For aging-aware routing, an aging module calculates an aging score for links and routers in a Network-on-Chip for a previous epoch. A routing module dynamically routes a flow through the links and the routers to satisfy routing criteria including a least total aging score for the links and the routers of the flow.
US09344354B2	Redirecting telephone call to packet-switched data call via voicemail In embodiments of the disclosed technology, devices and methods for redirecting a telephone call from a public-switched telephone to a packet-switched data network. The phone call is initially received via the public-switched telephone network having a dialed number associated with a hand-held wireless device of a called party. Upon initialization of the phone call, a route is determined from the telecommunications switch to the hand-held wireless device of the called party via a packet-switched network. The bandwidth of the packet-switched network is then detected to determine the ability of the network to handle the call. If the packet-switched network is determined to be capable of handling the call, the call is forwarded over the packet-switched data, thereby reducing or eliminating charges for wireless minutes.
US09344343B2	Methods and apparatus to determine impressions using distributed demographic information An example method to monitor media exposure involves receiving, at a first internet domain, a first request from a client computer, the first request indicative of access to the media at the client computer. The example method also involves determining if the client computer is known. If the client computer is not known, a response is sent from the first internet domain to the client computer, the response to instruct the client computer to send a second request to a second internet domain, the second request to be indicative of access to the media at the client computer. If the client computer is known, an impression of the media is logged.
US09344341B1	Integrated packet inspection and modification system and network device for internet service provider market research and influence A network router includes interfaces to receive packets, a routing engine that executes a routing protocol to maintain routing information specifying routes through a network, a packet forwarding engine forward the packets to the interfaces in accordance with the routing information, one or more advertising engine service cards comprising a packet inspection engine and an advertising engine control unit, and a set of dynamic filters that identify packets for inspection by the packet inspection engine based on characteristics of the packet. The filters direct any matching ones of the packets from the packet forwarding engine to the packet inspection engine within the advertising engine service card, and the packet inspection engine analyzes the packets to extract information from the packets based on configured advertising engine policies. The advertising engine control unit outputs commands to dynamically add and delete filters from the set of dynamic filters.
US09344337B2	Service node originated service chains in a network environment An example method for service node originated service chains in a network environment is provided and includes receiving a packet at a service node in a network environment that includes a plurality of service nodes and a central classifier, analyzing the packet for a service chain modification or a service chain initiation, classifying the packet at the service node to a new service chain based on the analysis, initiating the new service chain at the service node if the analysis indicates service chain initiation, and modifying an existing service chain for the packet to the new service chain if the analysis indicates service chain modification. In specific embodiments, the analysis includes applying classification logic specific to the service node. Some embodiments, service node attributes and order of service nodes in substantially all service chains configured in the network may be received from a central controller.
US09344320B1	Return path trace A reverse network tracing mechanism is described. In an embodiment, a network information request is received that is addressed to a predetermined destination. It is determined that the network information request has an expired timer and a message is returned indicating that a return network path routing procedure has been initiated. After determining that the network information request has an unexpired timer, contents of the network information request are modified to enable identification of at least a portion of the return path from the predetermined destination to a source address of the network information request.
US09344318B2	Radio receiver for carrier aggregation A radio receiver circuit (10) configurable to operate in a carrier-aggregation, CA, mode and in a non-CA mode is disclosed. It comprises a first receive path (30) arranged to be operatively connected to an antenna (15) and a second receive path (40) arranged to be operatively connected to the same antenna (15). It further comprises a control unit (50) operatively connected to the first receive path (30) and the second receive path (40). In the CA mode, the control unit (50) controls the first receive path (30) to receive a first CC (6) and the second receive path to receive a second CC (8). In the non-CA mode, the control unit (50) selectively controls the first receive path (30) and the second receive path (40) to both receive the same single CC (6).
US09344315B2	Transmitting system and receiving system, and transmitting method and receiving method A transmitting system, a receiving system, a transmitting method and a receiving method capable of implementing communications with multiple rates are described. The transmitting system comprises: a transmitting-side selection apparatus for selectively inputting input bit data to one of a first constellation mapping modulation apparatus and a second constellation mapping modulation apparatus based on a rate to be transmitted; the first constellation mapping modulation apparatus for performing a first constellation mapping modulation on the signal input thereto based on a selection made by the transmitting-side selection apparatus, so as to obtain a constellation-mapped signal; the second constellation mapping modulation apparatus for performing a second constellation mapping modulation on the signal input thereto based on the selection made by the transmitting-side selection apparatus, so as to obtain a constellation-mapped signal; and an OFDM modulation apparatus for performing an OFDM modulation on the constellation-mapped signal to obtain an OFDM-modulated signal for transmission.
US09344314B2	Computer generated sequences for downlink and uplink signals in wireless communication systems The present disclosure provides a base station transmitter, a user equipment transmitter and methods of operating the base station and user equipment transmitters. In one embodiment, the base station transmitter is for use with a cellular communication system and includes a synchronization unit configured to provide a randomly-generated constant amplitude zero autocorrelation (random-CAZAC) sequence corresponding to a downlink synchronization signal. Additionally, the base station transmitter also includes a transmit unit configured to transmit the downlink synchronization signal using the random-CAZAC sequence. In another embodiment, the user equipment transmitter is for use with a cellular communication system and includes a reference signal unit configured to provide a random-CAZAC sequence for an uplink reference signal corresponding to a one resource block allocation of the user equipment. The user equipment transmitter also includes a transmit unit configured to transmit the uplink reference signal using the random-CAZAC sequence.
US09344313B2	Multiple-antenna system for cell-specific and user-specific transmission A reception method and apparatus for use in a multi-cell orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless system. In a unicast receive mode during a first receive time period, a first group of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols is received by a mobile device from multiple of a plurality of antennas at a serving base station. In a single-frequency-network (SFN) receive mode during a second receive time period, a second group of OFDM symbols is received by the mobile device from one of a plurality of antennas at the serving base station. The transition between the first receive time period and the second receive time period occurs during a cyclic prefix or a cyclic postfix between OFDM symbols, and the plurality of antennas produce a first beam pattern during the unicast receive mode and a second beam pattern during the SFN receive mode.
US09344311B2	Wireless transmission A wireless communication device (400) is arranged to transmit a transmission signal in an assigned channel bandwidth. The wireless communication device (400) comprises: a local oscillator (460) arranged to generate a local oscillator signal at a local oscillator frequency and a modulator (434) arranged for converting in-phase and quadrature-phase components of a modulation signal at a modulation frequency to a radio frequency by mixing the in-phase and quadrature-phase components with the local oscillator signal. The local oscillator frequency is arranged to place a third order intermodulation product having a frequency equal to the local oscillator frequency minus three times the modulation frequency within the assigned channel bandwidth.
US09344307B2	Method and apparatus for sub-carrier frequency control The invention pertains to methods, apparatus, and systems for controlling the sub-carrier frequencies in an optical frequency division multiplex communication system by using a metric available from the sub-carrier modem's digital receive block as an indicator of cross-talk between sub-carriers and adjusting the sub-carrier frequency separation as a function of that metric.
US09344300B1	Apparatus and methods for variable peaking and low pass filtering equalization This disclosure provides methods and apparatus for processing differential signals having non-inverted and inverted signals. An example apparatus has first and second circuit arms, each arm connected to receive one of the input signals. Each arm has a main signal path for carrying the respective input signal, and a secondary signal path for carrying a voltage divided and low-pass filtered version of the respective input signal. The outputs of the main and secondary signal paths are combined to produce equalized output signals.
US09344297B2	Systems and methods for email response prediction Techniques for predicting a user response to the e-mail content are described. According to various embodiments, member email interaction data associated with a particular member and email content data describing a particular email content item is accessed. The data is then encoded into one or more feature vectors and assembled to thereby generate an assembled feature vector. Thereafter, a prediction modeling process is performed, based on the assembled feature vector and a trained prediction model, to predict a likelihood of the particular member performing a particular user action on the particular email content item.
US09344293B2	Apparatus and method for processing multiple inputs of users of a home network Disclosed is a method and apparatus for processing multiple inputs from a plurality of users in a home network. A control point requests electronic devices in the home network to transmit input capability information, receives the input capability information as a response to the request from the electronic devices, and performs session setup using the input capability information by determining a receiver for receiving input signals and at least two senders for sending input signals. The control point transmits input signals transmitted by the at least two senders to the receiver.
US09344288B2	Extemporaneous awareness of rich presence information for group members in a virtual space Extemporaneous awareness of rich presence information among members of a peer group connected to a communication network is described. As members of the peer group log onto the network, identification information is examined to determine membership in any defined groups. For each group member found, rich presence information, which includes at least the visual context information identifying the activity that the group member is currently displaying on his or her device, and navigational information providing a virtual path to that activity, is extemporaneously broadcast to each other online member of the peer group unsolicited by these group members. This rich presence information is then used to display what every other member is doing on each member's device. By selecting the display corresponding to a particular activity, the selecting member may join that virtual space with the other corresponding member via the navigational information.
US09344276B2	Cryptographic system, re-encryption key generation device, re-encryption device, cryptographic method, and cryptographic program It is an object to implement a functional proxy re-encryption scheme. A decryption device 300 transmits to a re-encryption device 400 a decryption key krk which is generated by converting, using conversion information W1, a decryption key k in which is set one of attribute information x and attribute information v corresponding to each other, and encrypted conversion information ψrk which is generated by encrypting the conversion information W1 with one of attribute information x′ and attribute information v′ corresponding to each other being set. The re-encryption device 400 generates a re-encrypted ciphertext CT, constituted by a ciphertext crenc which is generated by setting at least one of additional information H and additional information Θ corresponding to each other in a ciphertext cenc in which is set the other one of the attribute information x and the attribute information v, and a decryption key krenc which is generated by setting at least the other one of the additional information H and the additional information Θ in the decryption key krk.
US09344266B2	Transmission system, transmission apparatus, and clock synchronization method A transmission system includes: a first transmission apparatus to distribute a synchronization clock; and one or more second transmission apparatuses each to connect to the first transmission apparatus so as to synchronize with the synchronization clock from the first transmission apparatus, the second transmission apparatus including: a selection portion to select the first or second transmission apparatus of a connection destination so as to switch the synchronization clock; an output portion to generate an inquiry signal addressed to the first transmission apparatus via the second transmission apparatus of the connection destination selected; a determination portion to determine whether or not the inquiry signal generated by the second transmission apparatus is received; and a second control portion to determine that there is a synchronization clock loop having a loop path through the second transmission apparatus of the connection destination when the determination portion receives the inquiry signal.
US09344256B2	Dominating set identification for path computation based on directed acyclic graph membership In one embodiment, a method comprises a path computation device receiving device information from member network devices, each member network device belonging to a directed acyclic graph to a destination in a low power lossy network; and the path computation device classifying each member network device belonging to a directed acyclic graph as belonging to a dominating set, for generation of optimized routes distinct from any directed acyclic graph, for reaching any one of the member network devices of the dominating set.
US09344254B2	Two outer loop link adaptations for legacy user equipment A base station determines first quality information indicative for a quality of a first part of subframes of a communication channel and a second quality information indicative for a quality of a second part of the subframes of the communication channel. Feedback information is received from a UE being indicative for the quality of the communication channel. A first compensation value is determined based on the first quality information and the feedback information, wherein the compensation value compensates a difference between the first quality information and the feedback information. A second compensation value is determined based on the second quality information and the feedback information, wherein the compensation value compensates a difference between the second quality information and the feedback information. The feedback information is adjusted based on the determined first and second compensation values. The communication channel is configured based on the adjusted feedback information.
US09344253B2	Radio communication apparatus and radio communication method Provided is a radio communication device which can make Acknowledgement (ACK) reception quality and Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) reception quality to be equal to each other. The device includes: a scrambling unit (214) which multiplies a response signal after modulated, by a scrambling code “1” or “e−j(π/2)” so as to rotate a constellation for each of response signals on a cyclic shift axis; a spread unit (215) which performs a primary spread of the response signal by using a Zero Auto Correlation (ZAC) sequence set by a control unit (209); and a spread unit (218) which performs a secondary spread of the response signal after subjected to the primary spread, by using a block-wise spread code sequence set by the control unit (209).
US09344251B2	Method and apparatus of transmitting uplink signal A method for transmitting an uplink signal by a communication apparatus in a wireless communication system is discussed. The method includes multiplexing control information with at least one of a plurality of data blocks to generate a bit sequence; and transmitting the uplink signal including the bit sequence. When the control information includes a first type of control data, the control information is multiplexed with all of the plurality of data blocks. When the control information includes a second type of control data, the control information is multiplexed only with a specific data block among the plurality of data blocks. The first type of control data includes acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information, and the second type of control data includes channel quality information.
US09344249B2	Method for a transmitter for a multi-channel communication system for sending real-time data The invention discloses a method for sending real-time sensitive data using a transmitter for a multi channel communication system, wherein the communication system has n sub-channels, wherein n is greater than 1, wherein the sub-channels are spatially different and/or the sub-channels have different frequencies. The method has the steps of receiving information about the channel state of the n sub-channels, receiving information about the number of statistically independent sub-channels m, wherein m is less than or equal to n, and receiving data intended to be sent.
US09344246B2	Reference signal configuration and relay downlink control channel Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods for allowing a relay base station to more efficiently decode relay control information transmitted from a donor base station. A relay base station may determine a configuration of resource elements used for transmission of reference signals and decode sets of resource elements based on the configuration of reference signals. According to aspects, a donor base station may transmit relay control information in a data portion of a subframe based on the configuration of reference signals transmitted by the donor base station.
US09344245B2	Apparatus and method for allocating channel state information-reference signal in wireless communication system Embodiments of the present invention relate to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a technology for allocating a Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in a wireless communication system. Embodiments of the present invention provides an apparatus and method for allocating CSI-RSs to resource areas, in which, under the condition of a subframe in which the CP is an extended CP, and the duplex scheme is TDD, if CSI-RSs for maximum 8 antenna ports are allocated, the CSI-RSs are allocated to the 8th and 9th symbols (symbol No. l=7 and 8), wherein each CSI-RS for every two antenna ports is allocated to the same RE while being discriminated from each other by an orthogonal code and neighbor CSI-RS allocated REs in the frequency axis are spaced by an interval of three REs.
US09344242B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink A method, performed by a user equipment, is described for uplink transmission in a wireless communication system. A first time alignment (TA) to a first cell belonging to a first timing advance group (TAG) is performed. A second TA to a second cell belonging to a second TAG is performed. A determination is made as to whether to transmit or drop a sounding reference signal (SRS) on a subframe. The SRS is determined to be dropped based on whether the first and second TAGs are configured, whether at least one symbol of the subframe is used to transmit the SRS toward the second cell of the second TAG and also used to transmit a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) toward the first cell of the first TAG, and whether a total uplink transmission power exceeds a maximum value.
US09344233B2	Originator and recipient based transmissions in wireless communications Methods and systems are described for determining a plurality of transmission levels for, e.g., a plurality of time-frequency channels and/or a plurality of tones. The transmission levels may be determined by a first node based on, for example, a received transmission from a second node. The first node may generate a signal, which may be based on, for example, an originator-based pseudorandom sequence, a recipient-based pseudorandom sequence, and/or a complex sinusoid. The first node may transmit the signal as an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission.
US09344230B2	Method for searching for enhanced PDCCH area The present invention relates to a method for searching for an enhanced physical downlink control channel (E-PDCCH), and devices supporting same. The method for searching for an E-PDCCH in a wireless access system, in one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: blind decoding a control channel area and searching for a legacy PDCCH; obtaining allocation location information of the E-PDCCH using one or more of initiation location information, completion location information, and size information on the allocation area of the legacy PDCCH; and searching for the E-PDCCH using the allocation location information of the E-PDCCH, wherein the E-PDCCH being allocated to a data channel area is more desirable than being allocated to the control channel area.
US09344228B2	Detection and recovery of HARQ NAK-to-ACK feedback error in wireless communications systems In wireless communication networks that use ARQ/HARQ feedback protocols, when a first device receives an apparent HARQ ACK from a second device, the first device may make a new transmission using a HARQ Channel ID whose previous usage was under conditions indicating a likelihood of error in the ACK. When the second device receives the new transmission, the reuse of that HARQ Channel ID in a new transmission rather than a retransmission lets the second device know that its previous NAK transmission was incorrectly received as an ACK.
US09344220B2	Forward error correction scheme for high rate data exchange in a wireless system A transmitter/receiver system for high data transfer in a wireless communication system includes a physical layer processor that comprises an FEC coder, a demultiplexer and a plurality of modem processors. The FEC coder applies error correction codes to the high data rate signal. Thereafter, the demultiplexer distributes portions of the coded high data rate signal to the modem processors. Each modem processor processes its respective portion of the coded signal for transmission in an independent channel.
US09344214B2	Optical wavelength path rearranging method, computer product, optical transmission managing apparatus, and optical transmission apparatus An optical wavelength path rearranging method includes detecting time that elapses since a setting of optical wavelength paths in an optical wavelength division multiplexing network; and moving to a predetermined long-period optical wavelength range, an optical wavelength path that is among the optical wavelength paths and for which the detected elapsed time is long, where the optical wavelength path rearranging method is executed by a processor.
US09344209B2	Discrete time compensation mechanisms Discrete time compensation mechanisms include a channel component configured for determining which channel of a plurality of channels to process time slots of sampled data that are time stamped in a discrete time and processing the time slots of the sampled data to the plurality of channels. A common channel clock component is configured for time stamping the time slots of the sampled data in the discrete time domain that is faster than a non-discrete reference time stamp of continuous data from which the time slots are sampled from and for processing the sampled data through the plurality of channels faster than the continuous data is being received. Compensations for one or more gaps are generated based on a set of predetermined criteria and a corrected time stamp is applied to the sampled data for processing among different processing channels.
US09344207B2	Techniques for time transfer via signal encoding Techniques for time transfer via signal encoding are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for time transfer via signal encoding comprising generating a time service ordered-set for inclusion in a physical coding sublayer frame of a physical layer device, generating time service data for inclusion in the physical coding sublayer frame of the physical layer device, and transmitting the physical coding sublayer frame.
US09344203B2	Distortion measurement for limiting jitter in PAM transmitters Methods and test equipment for measuring jitter in a Pulse Amplitude Modulated (PAM) transmitter. Under one procedure, a first two-level PAM signal test pattern is used to measure clock-related jitter separated into random and deterministic components, while a second two-level PAM signal test pattern is used to measure even-odd jitter (EOJ). Under another procedure, A four-level PAM signal test pattern is used to measure jitter-induced noise using distortion analysis. Test equipment are also disclosed for implementing various aspects of the test methods.
US09344187B2	Apparatus and methods for enabling recovery in optical networks Apparatus for enabling an M:N recovery scheme in an optical network includes a set of N working DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders including at least one working DSP-enabled optical transceiver/transponder that uses a first set of transmission parameters and at least one working DSP-enabled optical transceiver/transponder that uses a second set of transmission parameters which is different from the first set of transmission parameters, and a set of M protection DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders operable to protect the set of N working DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders and including L protection DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders, each having a capability of using a set of adjustable transmission parameters enabling it to protect every one of the N working DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders, and, when M>L, M−L protection DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders, each having a capability of protecting at least one, but not all, of the N working DSP-enabled optical transceivers/transponders. Related network and methods are also disclosed.
US09344175B2	Method and apparatus for determining number of antennas in multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication system A method of determining a number of antennas, includes calculating a power used by a transmitting device. The method further includes calculating a channel capacity of the transmitting device. The method further includes determining a number of antennas of the transmitting device to be used based on the power and the channel capacity.
US09344171B2	Transmission method, transmission device, reception method, and reception device Provided is a precoding method for generating, from a plurality of baseband signals, a plurality of precoded signals to be transmitted over the same frequency bandwidth at the same time, including the steps of selecting a matrix F[i] from among N matrices, which define precoding performed on the plurality of baseband signals, while switching between the N matrices, i being an integer from 0 to N−1, and N being an integer at least two, generating a first precoded signal z1 and a second precoded signal z2, generating a first encoded block and a second encoded block using a predetermined error correction block encoding method, generating a baseband signal with M symbols from the first encoded block and a baseband signal with M symbols the second encoded block, and precoding a combination of the generated baseband signals to generate a precoded signal having M slots.
US09344148B2	Input/output signal processing circuit and input/output signal processing method The present invention discloses an input/output (I/O) signal processing circuit and processing method. The I/O signal processing circuit includes a level adjustable I/O circuit and an adjustment circuit. The I/O signal processing circuit includes an output driver and/or an input comparator. The output driver transmits an output signal via a signal transmission line according to an output data. The output driver has an adjustable high operation voltage level and an adjustable low operation voltage level, which determine a high level and a low level of the output signal, respectively. The input comparator receives an input signal via the signal transmission line and comparing the input signal with an adjustable reference voltage, so as to generate an input data. The adjustment circuit generates an adjustment signal according to voltage drop related information, to correspondingly adjust the adjustable high and low operation voltage level and/or the adjustable reference voltage.
US09344147B1	Appending bursts to create a super burst for improved building penetration A system, method, and apparatus according to various embodiments are disclosed herein to enable a signal in space scheme to have improved signal penetration within buildings and other attenuated environments. The disclosed enhanced signal delivery method transmits multiple bursts in a successive pattern that is known by a receiver on the ground. This successive transmission pattern of bursts effectively creates a longer correlation sequence that allows a receiver to more readily be able to pull the signal out of the noise and, thus, allows a receiver located in a more stringent, attenuated environment to receive a signal where it previously was unable to do so.
US09344145B2	Method for transceiving signal based on information from equalizer of receiving unit and method for training equalizer The invention provides a method for transmitting a signal to an external electronic device. The method includes obtaining a compensation value by which an equalizer compensates a signal transmitted from the external electronic device, comparing the compensation value with a set of reference values so as to obtain one or more parameters, and adjusting an output signal transmitted from a transmit unit to the external electronic device based on the one or more parameters.
US09344138B2	Method and system for providing improved high power RF splitter/combiner The present invention provides an improved high power RF (radio frequency) splitter/combiner that is appropriate for use in a wide range of frequencies and applications, including KHz to GHz, including in the L, S, and C bands. The present invention provides a high power RF splitter/combiner that operates without the inconvenience of the balanced isolation load requirement of the Wilkinson splitter/combiner topology—i.e. the isolation load returns to ground rather than being connected between a pair of floating nodes.
US09344127B2	Graphene resonator based mixer-first receiver on CMOS for digitally controlled and widely tunable RF interface A radio frequency (RF) receiver including a baseband circuitry. The baseband circuitry can include a graphene nano-electro-mechanical (GNEMS) based system, a receiver, and a front-end mixer. The GNEMS based system can include a source, a drain, a gate and a nano-scale suspended graphene resonator. The graphene resonator can be suspended between the source and the drain. The receiver circuitry can be disposed on the baseband and configured to receive an RF signal. The front-end mixer can be disposed between the GNEMS based system and the receiver circuitry. The baseband circuitry can be configured such that an incoming signal sees frequency selective impedance at the receiver circuitry.
US09344125B2	Remote interference cancellation for communications systems An interference cancellation system (ICS) may be used with a communication system to prevent or minimize interference from one or more sources. The ICS may receive radio frequency (RF) signals comprised of one or more signals of interest (SOI) and multiple interfering signals. An interference estimation processor (IEP) may be used to estimate the one or more interfering signals. The interfering signals may be estimated using spatial and/or time diversity, which may be combined with statistical methods. The estimated interfering signals may be sent to the ICS, which may use the estimated interference signal to cancel the interference and output the SOI.
US09344112B2	Sampling based elimination of duplicate data A technique for eliminating duplicate data is provided. Upon receipt of a new data set, one or more anchor points are identified within the data set. A bit-by-bit data comparison is then performed of the region surrounding the anchor point in the received data set with the region surrounding an anchor point stored within a pattern database to identify forward/backward delta values. The duplicate data identified by the anchor point, forward and backward delta values is then replaced in the received data set with a storage indicator.
US09344109B2	Method, system and apparatus for dual mode operation of a converter Methods, systems and apparatuses for operating a converter or other circuits are disclosed. More particularly, in one embodiment a converter or other circuit can be operated in two modes which may include the count-to-time and time-to count modes to determine an output value corresponding to an input signal. During operation in the count-to-time mode a converter may be operated using a reference signal to determine a number of clock cycles needed until an output corresponds to a scaling factor is reached. During operation of the circuit in the time-to-count mode then, the converter may be operated for this number of clock cycles using the input signal to determine an output. This output may be proportional to the level on the input signal.
US09344105B2	Successive approximation analog-to-digital converter and conversion method thereof A successive approximation analog-to-digital converter and conversion method thereof are provided, the successive approximation analog-to-digital converter includes a segmented-multiple-stage capacitor array with redundancy bits, a comparator, a weight-storage circuit, a code reconstruction circuit and a control logic circuit. The successive approximation analog-to-digital converter helps to decrease the complexity of circuit design, featuring small size and low power. Without auxiliary capacitor array, switches and control logic, the circuit can work to precisely measure and correct capacitor mismatch errors.
US09344104B1	Digital to analog converter and analog to digital converter calibration techniques Methods and devices for the calibration of digital to analog converters (DAC) and analog to digital converters (ADC) are disclosed. In a first step the DAC is calibrated and in a second step the calibrated DAC is used to calibrate the ADC. Averaging techniques and/or equation based techniques are used to further improve the calibration of both components in an iterative process. Embodiments of the invention allow for a very compact physical implementations of the converter. The invention reduces of analog circuitry in favor of digital circuits. Embodiments of the invention are suitable for the implementation in fine line CMOS processes and can operate in a low supply voltage environment.
US09344098B1	Digital frequency-locked loop with reference clock error detection The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for generating an output oscillating signal using an input oscillating signal that is subject to missing pulses and/or distortions. The output oscillating signal can be generated at a desired frequency by a frequency-locked loop (FLL) that uses the input oscillating signal as a reference clock. Because the input oscillating signal is used as a reference clock, missing pulses and/or distortions in the input oscillating signal can adversely affect the continued, stable generation of the output oscillating signal. To this end, the system and method of the present disclosure use an input oscillating signal error detector to open the FLL upon detecting a missing pulse in the input oscillating signal and/or a distortion in the input oscillating signal.
US09344095B2	Temperature compensation for an oscillator crystal An electronic device is equipped with an oscillator interface to be coupled to an oscillator crystal of an oscillator element. The electronic device includes an oscillator circuit which is coupled to the oscillator interface and generates an oscillator signal. The electronic device is further provided with a temperature measurement interface to be coupled to a temperature sensor of the oscillator element so as to receive the temperature signal. For accomplishing temperature compensation, the electronic device is provided with a measurement controller coupled to the measurement interface and configured to measure a first value of the temperature signal at a first point of time and a second value of the temperature signal at a second point of time. A frequency drift estimator is provided so as to estimate a frequency drift of the oscillator signal on the basis of the first value of the temperature signal and a second value of the temperature signal. By means of a compensation logic, a frequency compensation signal for the oscillator circuit is generated on the basis of the estimated frequency drift.
US09344090B2	Programmable logic device An object is to provide a programmable logic device which can hold configuration data even when a power supply potential is not supplied, has short start-up time of a logic block after the power is supplied, and can operate with low power. A transistor in a memory portion of a programmable switch includes a material which allows a sufficient reduction in off-state current of the transistor, such as an oxide semiconductor material which is a wide bandgap semiconductor. When the semiconductor material which allows a sufficient reduction in off-state current of the transistor is used, configuration data can be held even when a power supply potential is not supplied.
US09344084B2	Touch sensor Provided is a touch sensor having a simple structure and enabling a driver to appropriately and quickly manipulate the touch sensor as intended without looking at a manipulation surface of the touch sensor. The touch sensor includes: multiple electrodes; detection means for detecting touch on any of electrodes and for outputting a detection signal for each electrode; touch judgment means for judging whether each of the electrodes is touched or untouched based on the detection signal; a switch having a manipulation button; control mode judgment means for determining a control function for a controlled device in accordance with an input signal transmitted from the switch when the manipulation button is manipulated; and permission means for permitting the touch judgment means to judge touch on each electrode in response to the input signal from the switch.
US09344079B2	From a voltage level-shifting device determining a status of a voltage supply based on a test input Methods and implementation of low-power power-on control circuits are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a computer readable tangible medium stores instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be executable by the computer to determine whether a power detector circuit powered by a first voltage supply has received a test input from at least one voltage level-shifting device coupled to a second voltage supply.
US09344071B2	Clock signal distribution power efficiency improvement A circuit may include a pulse generation circuit configured to receive a first clock signal with a first-clock rate and a first-clock duty cycle. The pulse generation circuit may be configured to generate, based on the first clock signal, a pulse signal with a pulse frequency and with a pulse duty cycle that is smaller than the first-clock duty cycle. The circuit may also include a sub-harmonic injection locking oscillator configured to receive the pulse signal. The sub-harmonic injection locking oscillator may be configured to output, based on the pulse signal, a second clock signal with a second-clock rate that is greater than the first-clock rate and greater than the pulse frequency.
US09344069B1	Superconducting digital phase rotator An important component in digital circuits is a phase rotator, which permits precise time-shifting (or equivalently, phase rotation) of a clock signal within a clock period. A digital phase rotator can access multiple discrete values of phase under digital control. Such a device can have application in digital clock synchronization circuits, and can also be used for a digital phase modulator that encodes a digital signal. A digital phase rotator has been implemented in superconducting integrated circuit technology, using rapid single-flux-quantum logic (RSFQ). This circuit can exhibit positive or negative phase shifts of a multi-phase clock. Arbitrary precision can be obtained by cascading a plurality of phase rotator stages. Such a circuit forms a phase-modulator that is the core of a direct digital synthesizer that can operate at multi-gigahertz radio frequencies.
US09344067B1	Dual interlocked cell (DICE) storage element with reduced charge sharing Integrated circuits with clocked storage elements are provided. A clocked storage element such as a flip-flop circuit may include a master latch, a slave latch, and associated control circuitry. The master and slave latches may be implemented using dual-interlocked cell (DICE) latch configurations. The DICE latch may include at least four inverting circuits having two redundant node pairs and may exhibit immunity to soft error upset (SEU) events. Each of the master and slave latches may be separated into different portions so that the redundant nodes are physically separated by interposing circuitry. The redundant nodes may also be formed in separate wells to further minimize charge sharing. The different portions of the master and slave latch may be interleaved to minimize area.
US09344058B2	Resonator element having a pair of vibrating arms with wide portions and arm portions A resonator element includes a base portion and a pair of vibrating arms that are provided integrally with the base portion, are aligned in an X-axis direction, and extend in a Y-axis direction from the base portion. Each of the vibrating arms includes an arm portion and a wide hammerhead that is located on the free end side of the arm portion and has a greater length in the X-axis direction than the arm portion. Assuming that the length of the vibrating arm in the Y-axis direction is L and the length of the hammerhead in the Y-axis direction is H, the relationship of 1.2%
US09344053B2	Output stage for adapting an AC voltage signal of an ultrasound generator The present invention relates to an output stage for adapting an AC voltage signal of an ultrasound generator to a converter connectable to the output stage, wherein the output stage has two input terminals for receiving the AC voltage produced by the ultrasound generator and two output terminals for outputting an adapted AC voltage, as well as an output transformer with a primary coil having a number n1 turns and a secondary coil with a number n2 turns, the output transformer having a main inductance LH as well as a leakage inductance Lσ, the two input terminals being connected to one another via the primary coil and the two output terminals being connected to one another via the secondary coil. In order to disclose an output transformer, which allows an economical and uncomplicated adaptation of a generator output to the converter input, it is proposed according to the invention that a filter capacitor CP is provided, which either connects the two output terminals in parallel to the secondary coil or connects an output terminal to a tap of the secondary coil or is connected to a filter coil with n3 turns, which is inductively coupled to the primary and the secondary coil.
US09344048B1	Operational amplifier and method of amplifying with the operational amplifier An operational amplifier comprises an input pair, an aiding unit, an even number of amplification stages, a feeding unit, a first current source, a second current source. Both the input pair and the aiding unit are connected to the first current source. The input pair receives differential input voltage. Both the input pair and the aiding unit are further connected to a first stage of the even number of amplification stages. The even number of amplification stages are connected in series, and the last stage of the amplification stages outputs differential output voltages. The feeding unit is configured to receive a common mode voltage of the differential output voltages, and feeds a voltage on a first node of the feeding unit back to the aiding unit so as to provide bias voltage to the aiding unit. The aiding unit avoids dead lock of the input pair.
US09344045B2	Amplifier and method of amplifying a differential signal An amplifier includes a differential input with a positive and a negative input and an analog integrator with a differential integrator input and a differential integrator output. The analog integrator further includes an operational amplifier with a positive operational amplifier input, a negative operational amplifier input, a positive operational amplifier output and a negative operational amplifier output. The differential integrator input is coupled to the differential input. A ternary pulse width modulator includes two modulator inputs coupled to the differential integrator output and two modulator outputs. A first feedback path is coupled between a first of the two modulator outputs and the positive operational amplifier input and a second feedback path is coupled between a second of the two modulator outputs and the negative operational amplifier input. A first divert capacitor is coupled between the positive operational amplifier input and a constant voltage reference. A second divert capacitor is coupled between the negative operational amplifier input and the constant voltage reference.
US09344038B2	Tri-phase digital polar modulator Exemplary embodiments are related to a tri-phase digital polar modulator. A device may include a modulator configured to generate a primary phase modulated signal including the most significant bits (MSBs) of a modulated signal, a leading phase modulated signal including a first least significant bits (LSB) of the modulated signal, and a lagging phase modulated signal including a second LSB of the modulated signal. The device may also include a combination unit configured to add the primary phase modulated signal, the leading phase modulated signal, and the lagging phase modulated signal.
US09344037B2	Oscillator circuit and semiconductor device including the same Controllability of an oscillator circuit is improved. The oscillator circuit has inverters in odd-numbered stages. A circuit is electrically connected to a power supply node of the inverters to which a high power supply potential is input. The circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. The first transistor includes an oxide semiconductor in its channel. A holding circuit including the first transistor and the capacitor has a function of holding an analog potential that is input from the outside. The potential held by the holding circuit is input to a gate of the second transistor. A power supply potential is supplied to the inverters through the second transistor, so that the delay time of the inverter can be controlled by the potential of the gate of the second transistor.
US09344035B2	System and method for a voltage controlled oscillator In accordance with an embodiment, an oscillator includes a tank circuit and an oscillator core circuit having a plurality of cross-coupled compound transistors coupled to the tank circuit. Each of the plurality of compound transistors includes a bipolar transistor and a field effect transistor (FET) having a source coupled to a base of the bipolar transistor.
US09344030B2	Solar cell module, and production method for solar cell module A solar cell module is configured from a solar cell panel, and a frame structural body. The frame structural body is provided with: a plurality of frame members which are provided to peripheral edges of the solar cell panel, and which have a cross-sectional shape having a hollow portion; corner members which are provided in the hollow portions; holding sections which are provided in the hollow portions, and which hold the corner members; and a plurality of formed rivet sections which apply pressure to the frame members.
US09344027B2	Motor drive add-on pre-charge capacitive module and method A method for pre-charging a motor drive system includes: pre-charging a motor drive through a motor DC bus where desired, pre-charging an add-on capacitive module through a resistor after a time delay, pre-charging the add-on capacitive module and bypassing the resistor, and disconnecting the add-on capacitive module from the motor DC bus when a fault condition has been detected.
US09344021B2	Inverter circuit for an electric machine An inverter circuit electrically connects between a high-voltage bus and a multi-phase electric machine, including a plurality of switch pairs. Each switch pair includes a first switch electrically connected in series with a second switch at a node. Each node electrically connects to a phase of the multi-phase electric machine with the first switch electrically connected between a positive side of the high-voltage bus and the node and the second switch electrically connected between a negative side of the high-voltage bus and the node. The first switch is configured as a normally-OFF switch. The second switch is configured as a normally-ON switch.
US09344014B2	Piezoelectric device Piezoelectric harvesting devices are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a harvesting device includes a cantilever having a resonant frequency associated therewith, wherein the cantilever vibrates when in the presence of a vibration source, and wherein the harvesting device generates a current upon vibration of the cantilever. The generated current is present at an output. A bias flip circuit is used to tune the resonant frequency of the harvesting device based on measurements of the vibration source that causes the cantilever to vibrate, wherein the bias flip circuit includes a switch that connects and disconnects an inductor to the output.
US09343998B2	Load control device for high-efficiency loads A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a first circuit coupled between a first main terminal and a gate terminal of the thyristor to conduct current through the gate terminal, a second circuit coupled between the first main terminal and a second main terminal of the thyristor to conduct current through the load when the thyristor is non-conductive, and a control circuit configured to individually control the first and second circuits. The control circuit renders the first circuit conductive to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time, and allows the first circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current through the gate terminal after the firing time.
US09343986B2	Power converter with current feedback loop In a power converter, a driver drives a switching element using a manipulated variable therefor to convert input power into output power. A first measuring unit measures a value of a first electric parameter depending on the input power. A first determiner determines, from the measured value of the first electric parameter, a first feedback controlled variable. A second measuring unit measures a value of a second electric parameter indicative of the output power, and a calculator calculates, based on the measured value of the second electric parameter and a command value for the second electric parameter, a second feedback controlled variable. A selector selects, based on the measured value of the first electric parameter, one of the first feedback controlled variable and the second feedback controlled variable. A second determiner determines the manipulated variable using the selected one of the first and second feedback controlled variables.
US09343983B2	Controller for generating jitters in a constant current mode of a power converter and method thereof A controller for generating jitters in a constant current mode of a power converter includes a current pin, an auxiliary pin, a constant current control unit, and a control signal generation unit. The current pin is used for receiving a primary side voltage determined according to a resistor and a primary side current flowing through the power converter. The auxiliary pin is used for receiving a voltage corresponding to an auxiliary winding of the power converter. The constant current control unit is used for generating an adjustment signal according to the primary side voltage, a discharge time corresponding to the voltage, and a reference voltage. The reference voltage has a predetermined range jitter voltage. The control signal generation unit is used for adjusting a period of a gate control signal according to the adjustment signal.
US09343979B2	Systems and methods for constant current control with primary-side sensing and regulation in various operation modes System and method for regulating a power converter. The system includes a first signal processing component configured to receive at least a sensed signal and generate a first signal. The sensed signal is associated with a primary current flowing through a primary winding coupled to a secondary winding for a power converter. Additionally, the system includes a second signal processing component configured to generate a second signal, an integrator component configured to receive the first signal and the second signal and generate a third signal, and a comparator configured to process information associated with the third signal and the sensed signal and generate a comparison signal based on at least information associated with the third signal and the sensed signal.
US09343972B2	Power supply switching rectification method according to input alternating voltage, and image forming apparatus having the same A power supply includes a rectification unit configured to be able to switch a rectification method between a voltage doubler rectification method and a full-wave rectification method according to an input alternating voltage, two capacitive elements serially connected between lines from the rectification unit, a monitoring unit configured to monitor a first voltage applied between the lines between which the two capacitive elements are connected and a second voltage applied across one of the capacitive elements that is connected to a lower potential side of the lines, and a switch configured to operate according to the second voltage, wherein the power supply interrupts the alternating voltage according to an operating state of the switch, the first voltage, and the second voltage.
US09343970B2	Converter and method for reducing a voltage of node thereof A converter and method for reducing voltage of node thereof are disclosed herein. The converter includes a first transmitting circuit and a second transmitting circuit. The first transmitting circuit is configured to receive a first AC voltage. The second transmitting circuit is electrically coupled to the first transmitting circuit and the second transmitting circuit is configured to transmit a second AC voltage according to the first AC voltage. One of the first transmitting circuit and the second transmitting circuit includes at least one divider unit and the other one of the first transmitting circuit and the second transmitting circuit includes at least two divider units. Each of the divider units includes an inductor network and a capacitor network coupled in series. The inductor network and the capacitor network of the adjacent divider units are coupled in series alternately.
US09343969B2	Switching regulator, control circuit and control method thereof, and electronic apparatus A control circuit for controlling a switching transistor and a synchronous rectifying transistor of a switching regulator includes: a bottom detection comparator configured to assert an on signal; a timer circuit configured to generate an off signal; a zero current detector configured to assert a zero current detection signal; and a driving circuit configured to receive the on signal, the off signal and the zero current detection signal, and (i) turn on the switching transistor and turn off the synchronous rectifying transistor when the on signal is asserted, (ii) turn off the switching transistor and turn on the synchronous rectifying transistor when the off signal is asserted, and (iii) turn off the switching transistor and the synchronous rectifying transistor when the zero current detection signal is asserted.
US09343968B2	Adaptive low-power zero-cross comparator for discontinuous current mode operated switching mode power supply A time off estimator and an adaptive controller implemented on an integrated circuit to emulate current dependent zero crossing circuitry to permit improved performance of a buck type switching mode power supply. The time off estimator circuit is enhanced by an automatic correction circuit for the timing of a zero crossing where energy to a reference capacitor returns to zero and is turned off awaiting the next cycle where the capacitor is again charged and discharged.
US09343967B2	Single input multiple input/output supply for energy harvest application An apparatus comprises a switching power circuit and a control circuit. The switching power converter circuit includes an output port for electrical coupling to a variable load, an input port for electrically coupling to a first energy source, wherein the energy density of the first energy source is insufficient to meet a peak energy requirement of the variable load, an input/output port for electrical coupling to a second energy source, and one inductor electrically coupled to the input port and a circuit node, wherein the electrical coupling is non-switchable. The control circuit is configured to charge the inductor using the first energy source via the input port, to provide energy from the inductor to the load via the output port, and to provide both of, via the input/output port, energy from the inductor to the second energy source and energy from the second energy source to the variable load.
US09343963B2	Dual mode voltage regulator with dynamic reconfiguration capability A dual mode voltage regulator according to one embodiment includes a passive regulator circuit; a switching regulator circuit; and a controller circuit configured to monitor operational parameters of the dual mode voltage regulator and selectively couple either the passive regulator circuit or the switching regulator circuit between an input voltage port and an output load. The selective coupling is based on the monitoring of parameters including current through the output load, voltage at the input voltage port and voltage at the output load as well as the availability of a system clock signal.
US09343957B1	Multi-converter system including a power distribution balancing circuit and operating method thereof A multi-converter system includes a first converter configured to receive an input voltage and output a first PWM switching signal based on the input voltage. A power distribution balancing circuit is configured to detect a frequency of the first PWM switching signal and generate a control signal based on the frequency of the first PWM switching signal. A second converter is configured to receive the input voltage and output a second PWM switching signal in response to the control signal. An output voltage node is configured to output an output voltage based on the first and second PWM switching signals.
US09343956B2	Passive power factor correction circuit, electronic device applying the same and operation methods thereof A passive power factor correction circuit includes: a DC capacitor and an input capacitor, coupled to a rectifying circuit and charged by a DC voltage from the rectifying circuit; an output capacitor, coupled to a load; first diode and a second diode, coupled to the input capacitor and the output capacitor; and an inductor, coupled to the load, the input capacitor and the output capacitor. Charging into and discharging from the DC capacitor are completed within a half cycle of an input AC voltage.
US09343949B2	Control circuit to detect a noise signal during a state change of a switch Several circuits and methods for driver control of a switching circuit are disclosed. In an embodiment, a circuit for driver control of a switching circuit includes a driver circuit and a control circuit. The driver circuit is capable of being coupled to the switching circuit. The switching circuit includes a first switch and a second switch. The driver circuit is configured to control a conductive state of the switching circuit by facilitating an alternate state change of the first switch and the second switch. The control circuit is coupled to the driver circuit and is configured to detect a noise signal during a state change of the first switch. The control circuit is further configured to control the driver circuit to thereby slow down the state change of the first switch.
US09343944B2	Stator for electric rotary machine A stator for an electric rotary machine includes: a stator core having a plurality of slots; and segmented coils of a plurality of phases, wherein: the segmented coils of a plurality of phases have pluralities of coil bars which are inserted individually in the plurality of slots in the stator core and which extend substantially in a straight line and pluralities of connection coils which connect together the coil bars of the same phase to thereby make up extending portions; and the coil bars are fixed in place individually in the slots in the stator core in such a state that the coil bars each are covered by an insulation material.
US09343937B2	Rotary electric machine equipped with rotor core of step skew structure In a rotary electric machine having a rotor core of a skew structure, when one of the core blocks is sequentially stacked on the other of the core blocks to form a step skew, a communication reference groove is formed along an axial direction of the rotor core by aligning a side section of a short protruding section in one core block with a side section of the long protruding sections in the other core block, and by aligning a side section of a long protruding section in one core block with a side section of a short protruding section in the other core block. The core blocks are correctly stacked by aligning the side section of the long protruding sections with the side section of the short protruding sections.
US09343936B2	Rotor for an electric machine A rotor for an electric machine has a rotor member extending circumferentially about the axis of rotation of the rotor, and a locking device in an axial end region of a guide to mount permanent magnets in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotor. The locking device is retained on the rotor member in the radial direction and in the direction of rotation of the rotor by guides. The locking device has a movable movement element and is designed such that when the movement element is moved, the locking device is positively or non-positively connected to the rotor member.
US09343933B2	Rotating electric machine A rotating electric machine includes a rotor including: a rotor core divided into blocks in an axial direction, the blocks being arranged to have a phase angle therebetween in a circumferential direction, the rotor core having magnet through holes arrayed in the circumferential direction and formed in an outer circumferential region; and permanent magnets inserted into the magnet through holes. The magnet through hole includes: a magnet insertion portion into which the permanent magnet is inserted; and a non-magnetic portion provided on an outer side of the magnet insertion portion in the circumferential direction. A bridge portion is formed between the outer circumferential surface and an outer circumferential inner wall of the non-magnetic portion. A bridge angle, which is an angle between both circumferential ends of the bridge portion with a rotation center of the rotor core set as a vertex, is larger than a skew angle.
US09343932B2	Motor A motor is disclosed, the motor including a housing, a stator mounted on the housing, and including a stator core having a plurality of teeth, an insulator and a coil, a rotor core rotatatively disposed at a center of the stator and centrally having a space unit, and a magnet module mounted on a surface of the rotor core, wherein the magnet module includes a plurality of magnets each having a predetermined size, and a guide plate having an embossed unit accommodated by the plurality of magnets and attached to an inner surface of the magnet.
US09343930B2	Segmented stator assembly A stator has a plurality of segments connected with connectors to define a core for the stator. Each of the segments comprises a plurality of laminations arranged side by side forming a lamination stack with axially opposite sides. The lamination stack has an end cap abutting an axial side of the lamination stack. The end cap has first and second posts extending axially therefrom. At least one of the posts defines a wire path for wire wound around the stack. Each of the connectors comprises a bridge portion. The bridge portion has openings dimensioned to receive the posts in a manner that the connector is removably attachable to the post of the end cap of a segment and the post of the end cap of an adjacent segment. The connector has an insulator portion projecting from the bridge portion. The insulator portion extends between adjacent segments.
US09343926B2	Power controller Residential system includes photovoltaic power system including solar battery, and electrical storage device including battery. Electric load of residential system is selectively supplied with energy from power supply system, power generator and electrical storage device. Power generator allows energy to flow back to power supply system. Energy surplus judgment part calculates difference between generating energy of power generator and demand power for electric load (excess generating energy). Overall operation controller applies stored energy in electrical storage device to demand energy for electric load when excess generating energy is produced, and charges electrical storage device without applying generating energy of power generator to demand energy when excess generating energy is not produced.
US09343925B1	System for distributing power from multiple power sources to individual loads connected to a distribution panel assembly An electrical power distribution apparatus that is configured to selectively communicate power from alternate power sources to one or more loads in a manner that maintains isolation of the input power derived from the alternate sources. The electrical power distribution apparatus includes a neutral input for connecting to a neutral output of the auxiliary power supply and a ground conductor for connecting a ground conductor of the auxiliary power supply. The apparatus includes an electrical bus that receives electrical power from a first electrical output of the auxiliary power supply and unswitchably communicates the first electrical output to a breaker connected to a load.
US09343922B2	Wireless energy transfer for rechargeable batteries A wireless energy transfer enabled battery includes a resonator that is positioned asymmetrically in a battery sized enclosure such that when two wirelessly enabled batteries are placed in close proximity the resonators of the two batteries have low coupling.
US09343918B2	Balancing apparatus, balancing method, and battery module According to an example embodiment, a balancing apparatus includes: bi-directional switches that are respectively connected to cells that are connected in series, a controller configured to measure voltages of the cells, and a multiwinding transformed connected to the bi-directional switches. The bi-directional switches are configured to control a flow of an electric current bi-directionally. The controller is configured to select a number of the cells for balancing based on the measured voltages of the cells. The controller is configured to turn on and turn off the bi-directional switches that are connected to selected cells based on the measured voltages. The multi-winding transformer is configured to transfer energy between the cells when the bi-directional switches connected to the selected cells are turned on.
US09343917B2	Control circuit for charging battery through programmable power supplier A charging circuit for charging a battery is provided. A power supplier has a communication interface coupled to a cable for receiving command-data and generates a DC voltage and a DC current in accordance with the command-data. A controller is coupled to the battery for detecting a battery-voltage and generates the command-data in accordance with the battery-voltage. A switch is coupled to the cable for receiving the DC voltage and the DC current through a connector. The DC voltage and the DC current generated by the power supply are coupled to the cable, and the DC voltage and the DC current are programmable in accordance with the command-data. The command-data generated by the controller is coupled the cable through a communication circuit of the controller. The controller is coupled the connector for detecting a connector-voltage and control an on/off state of the switch in response to the connector-voltage.
US09343912B2	Power charging device and mobile terminal apparatus A charging device that includes a first battery charged at a first rate and a second battery that is charged at a second rate, which is faster than the first rate. The charging device includes an interface that receives electric power from a charger; a first switch disposed between the interface and the first battery; a second switch disposed between the second battery and the first battery; a battery voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage of the second battery; a charger detection circuit connected to the interface that detects whether power is being received from the charger; and a switch control circuit that controls the first switch and the second switch based on outputs of the charger detection circuit and the battery voltage detection circuit.
US09343910B2	Multiplex wireless power transmission system and transmitting-side multiplex wireless power transmission apparatus A system includes a primary transmission power supply 1 that provides single frequency power; a transmitter-receiver having plural channels of transmitting antennas 5 that wirelessly transmit power provided from the primary transmission power supply 1 and plural channels of receiving antennas 6 that receive the power transferred from the paired transmitting antennas 5; plural channels of transmission power circuits 2 that establish resonance conditions of the paired transmitting antennas; and plural channels of receiving power circuits 4 that establish resonance conditions of the paired receiving antennas, in which the individual transmission power circuits 2 provide the transmitting antennas 5 of adjacent channels with powers with half-wave resonance waveforms that avoid a period during which the power waves overlap on each other by shifting a phase of voltage or current of the powers.
US09343908B2	Power transmitting apparatus, power transfer system, control method for power transmitting apparatus, and storage medium A power transmitting apparatus which has a power transmitting antenna, and transfers power from the power transmitting antenna to a power receiving antenna. The power transmitting apparatus includes a storage unit configured to be associated with a position of the power receiving antenna, and to store a parameter for controlling a resonance frequency of the power transmitting antenna; a determination unit configured to determine the position of the power receiving antenna; and a control unit configured to control the resonance frequency of the power transmitting antenna based on the position of the power receiving antenna.
US09343895B2	Protection relay for sensitive earth fault protection A protection feature is disclosed for a self powered protection relay having, for example, sensitive earth fault protection. Protection can be achieved in tandem with optimal power on trip time and with integrated logic for inrush discrimination. The self supplied protection relay can include a current processing module to measure and evaluate line current to generate a trip signal, and to suppress inrush current to block earth fault detection during an inrush condition and thereby increase sensitivity of fault detection.
US09343893B2	Device and method for field expansion A device and a method for a field expansion. A support core (30) is inserted into the device by a field expansion apparatus. The field expansion apparatus has a pressure applying means (20) defining a radially expandable inner surface and a flat surface radially outwardly extending from the radially expandable inner surface. The device comprises an elastomeric tubing (10) and an adapter (40). The elastomeric tubing (10) has a forward end opposite a rearward end and an axial bore extending therethrough configured to receive the support core (30). The adapter (40) has a step portion (41) defined by a radial outer surface (42) and a flat surface (43) radially outwardly extending from the radial outer surface (42), and an axial bore (44) extending therethrough. The axial bore (44) has a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the axial bore (12) of the elastomeric tubing (10). The adapter (40) is positioned substantially coaxially with the elastomeric tubing (10) between the pressure applying means (20) and the elastomeric tubing (10) such that, in response to inserting the support core (30) from the rearward end into the elastomeric tubing (10), the flat surface of the adapter (40) is pushed against the flat surface of the pressure applying means (20) by the elastomeric tubing (10); the interface between a rearward end of the adapter (40) and the forward end of the elastomeric tubing (10) is of high friction so that the adapter (40) and the elastomeric tubing (10) expand radially in unison, and the radial outer surface of the adapter (40) exerts a radially outward pressure against the radially expandable inner surface of the pressure applying means (20). device and method for field expansion device and method for field expansion.
US09343888B2	Arrangement and method for locking an automatic reeling mechanism of a charging cable for an electric vehicle An automatic reeling mechanism for an electric vehicle or a charging post can automatically reel a charging cable and thus protect it against dirt and weather. In order to reduce mechanical loads and damage to the plug and minimize a risk for stumbling to a person, the automatic reeling mechanism is switched in a passive mode as long as a plug of the charging cable is plugged in and is not touched by a person. This is the case during the charging process. In this way, the automatic reeling mechanism can be comfortably used because no traction forces are active during the charging process and the charging cable can be laid out so that there is no risk of stumbling.
US09343887B2	Method and apparatus for reducing wire theft from street light and utility poles having frangible bases An apparatus and method is provided for inhibiting theft of electrical wiring through the access opening of the frangible base of a highway utility pole, such as a light pole. Prior to securing the pole to the frangible base, a hollow body having an upper flange is inserted into the base so the flange is positioned on the upper surface of the frangible base. The electrical power supply cable is run up through the center of the hollow body and clamped to the hollow body and/or to a theft protection device used for a utility pole with a standard base. The electrical connection cable from the pole's electrical fixture is then attached to the power supply cable, and the pole and the hollow body are secured to the base by fastening means.
US09343881B2	Gas-insulated switchgear A gas-insulated switchgear assembly is provided that includes a housing having an interior containing insulating gas. A disconnector is disposed in the housing and includes a movable contact, as well as fixed contacts that are spaced apart and arranged linearly in a direction perpendicular to a wall of the housing. The movable contact has a colored or topographical marking and is linearly movable among a plurality of positions. The wall of the housing is provided with an inspection window that permits a person to see the colored or topographical marking in relation to the fixed contacts, thereby permitting the person to determine the position of the movable contact.
US09343878B2	Manufacturing method of main metal fitting for spark plug and manufacturing method of spark plug A metallic shell extends in the direction of an axial line and has a threaded portion on its outer circumferential surface for threading engagement with a mounting hole of a combustion apparatus. A process of manufacturing the metallic shell includes a step of forming a metallic shell tubular intermediate having the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion and a rolling step of forming the threaded portion on the metallic shell tubular intermediate. In the rolling step, a bearing member is inserted into the metallic shell tubular intermediate for nipping the metallic shell tubular intermediate in cooperation with working surfaces of the rolling dies, and rolling is performed simultaneously on at least the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion.
US09343872B2	Optical amplification device and optical amplification method An optical amplification device includes: a port group that has a plurality of ports that have a semiconductor optical amplifier and a port that does not have a semiconductor optical amplifier, an optical burst signal being input into each of the ports at a different timing; and a control unit, wherein: when an optical inputting into the port that has the semiconductor optical amplifier is detected, the control unit activates the semiconductor optical amplifier of the port where the optical inputting is detected, inactivates the other semiconductor optical amplifier and remains an activation until another optical inputting is detected in another semiconductor optical amplifier; and when an optical inputting into the port that does not have the semiconductor optical amplifier is detected, the control unit inactivates the semiconductor optical amplifiers of the plurality of the ports that have the semiconductor optical amplifier.
US09343861B2	Communication module adaptor A communication module adaptor adapted for mating with a device connector of a smart electronic device includes an adaptor circuit having a communication module and an adaptor connector coupled to the adaptor circuit. The communication module has a mating interface differing from a mating interface of the device connector such that the communication module is unable to directly connect to the device connector. The adaptor connector has a mating interface complementary to the mating interface of the device connector for mating with the device connector to electrically connect the communication module adaptor to the smart electronic device. The adaptor circuit electrically connects the adaptor connector and the communication module and control signals are transmitted from a controller of the communication module to the device connector of the smart electronic device via the adaptor connector.
US09343843B2	Waterproof electrical connector An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a number of contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing, a metal shell (4) covering the insulative housing, and an insulative cover (5) molded over the metal shell and integral with the insulative housing. A diffusion layer (6) is formed between the metal shell and the insulative cover. Chemical reaction is generated from metal and resin in the diffusion layer.
US09343842B2	Connector A connector includes a housing which accommodates terminals connected to end portions of wires therein and which has locking pawls on an exterior surface of the housing; a rear holder having locking frames which are locked with or unlocked from the locking pawls by elastic deformation, in which the rear holder is mounted on a back side of the housing, and prevents rubber plugs that contact an outer periphery of the wires from dropping off the housing; and a shield shell mounted on an outer periphery of the housing to which the rear holder has been mounted. The shield shell includes a rear end portion which is arranged at an elastic deformation region of the locking frames in an assembling process of the rear holder to the housing and obstructs the elastic deformation of the locking frames.
US09343839B2	Wall-mount box with isolated interior regions Certain types of wall-mount boxes provide a local power receptacle in a first interior region that is physically isolated from a second interior region. The local power receptacle is accessible from an exterior of the box. The local power receptacle is electrically connected to an internal connector interface that is accessible from the second interior region. An electronic device may be installed in the second interior region and electrically connected to the local power receptacle via the internal connector interface. Second receptacles are disposed in the second interior region and coupled to (or are integral with) the electronic device. The second receptacles are accessible from the exterior of the box.
US09343834B2	Header, receptacle, connector, and method of manufacturing the header A disclosed header connectable to a receptacle includes a first contact including a pair of first plate portions, which are electrically conductive and are separated by an interval, and a plate-like conductive member which is conductive and is accommodated between the pair of first plate portions.
US09343825B2	Connector A shield connector (10) includes a housing (20) and first and second terminals (50, 60) accommodated in the housing (20). The housing (20) includes first recesses (17) for positioning first connecting portions (51) in a rotation stop state by having first protrusions (52) fitted therein, second recesses (18) for positioning second connecting portions (61) in a rotation stop state by having second protrusions (62) fitted therein and terminal connecting portions (13) to which the first and second connecting portions (51, 62) are to be connected by coaxially arranging first bolt holes (54) and second bolt holes (64) as the first and second connecting portions are positioned.
US09343823B2	Fastener for a connector in an electrical coupling A fastener for a connector in an electrical coupling including a threaded bolt, a keeper member and a biasing member. The keeper member having a base and a distal member spaced apart from each other and a collapsible portion coupling the base and the distal member to each other in electrical communication. The second end of the threaded bolt extends to the base and is in electrical communication therewith. The distal member has a conductor contact surface. The biasing member includes an inner washer, an outer washer, and a Belleville washer positioned therebetween. The biasing member is insertable between the base and the distal member so that the inner washer is positioned between the base and the Belleville washer and the outer washer is positioned between the Belleville washer and the distal member. The collapsible portion provides an electrical shunt around the biasing member.
US09343811B2	Phase adjustment apparatus and multi-frequency antenna The present invention discloses a phase adjustment apparatus. The phase adjustment apparatus includes at least two phase adjustment units, a switching apparatus, and a driving apparatus; where the at least two phase adjustment units are configured to modulate a phase; the driving apparatus is configured to drive the at least two phase adjustment units to move; the at least two phase adjustment units are selectively connected to the driving apparatus; and the switching apparatus is configured to select the at least two phase adjustment units, so that the driving apparatus drives, at a same moment, only one of the at least two phase adjustment units connected to the driving apparatus to move, so as to change a phase. The present invention discloses a multi-frequency antenna which applies the phase adjustment apparatus. The phase adjustment apparatus of the present invention may adjust a downtilt angle of an antenna unit.
US09343804B2	Antenna apparatus for portable terminal An antenna apparatus for a portable terminal is provided. The portable terminal includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having a ground surface and RF components to process a wireless signal received through at least one antenna element. A housing forms an external appearance of the portable terminal, and has a non-conductive member with a plurality of metal fragments attached thereto. At least one of the metal fragments is electrically connected to the ground surface. The metal fragments may enhance the texture and durability of the housing. Preferably, the shapes, sizes and distances separating the metal fragments are designed to minimally impact, or improve, the antenna performance provided by the at least one antenna element.
US09343798B2	High performance (mini-cube) indoor HDTV antenna This invention discloses a design and fabrication of a high performance compact antenna to receive public airwaves HDTV signals. The subject antenna consists of a high efficient cone shape broadband element excited over a small metal ground plane. A reflecting surface is implemented to help rejecting any unwanted multiple reflecting signals from the surrounding objects. Outstanding impedance characteristics and broad pattern coverage have been obtained. The pattern coverage is omnidirectional. The polarization is linear along the cone axis. This antenna design operates well in a weak signal environment and as a result the antenna can receive a large number of public channels. Although the antenna measures only 5¾×5¾×3¼ inches in a cubical enclosure or in a 6⅜ inches diameter by 3½ inches depth cylindrical body, the antenna packaged in either enclosure can receive more public channels than a much larger antenna twice of its size. Two invention antennas have been fabricated and tested and the test results confirmed that all antennas of either enclosure were performing well as expected. The invention antennas receive more than 130 public channels.
US09343794B2	Millimeter wave bands semiconductor package A millimeter wave bands semiconductor package includes a metal base body, a circuit board, and a metal cover body. The base body has a first non-penetration hole and a second non-penetration hole. The circuit board is disposed on the base body and has an input signal line and an output signal line on a front side surface thereof. The cover body is disposed on the circuit board and has a first penetration hole and a second penetration hole. The cover body is disposed such that the first penetration hole is disposed directly above the first non-penetration hole of the base body and the second penetration hole is disposed directly above the second non-penetration hole of the base body. Further, the first penetration hole and the first non-penetration hole constitute a first waveguide, and the second penetration hole and the second non-penetration hole constitute a second waveguide.
US09343784B2	Battery pack assembly having thermal transfer sheets and heat sink A battery pack thermal management assembly draws heat from prismatic batteries having opposed major surfaces and arranged in a stacked configuration inside a housing. The thermal management assembly includes a plurality of thermal transfer sheets made from sheets of a compressed mass of exfoliated graphite particles. Each thermal transfer sheet is positioned to contact the major surface of at least one of the prismatic batteries. A cover plate has a top face and a bottom face and includes a plurality of apertures through which the plurality of thermal transfer sheets extend. The apertures include at least one curved sidewall and the thermal transfer sheets are bent over the curved sidewall. At least a portion of each of the thermal transfer sheets is secured between a heat sink and the top face.
US09343781B2	Adaptive current-collector electrochemical system An Adaptive Current-collector Electrochemical (ACE) system utilizes an array of contact pads and associated current control transistors to control localized current generation in discrete regions of a battery. Each contact pad is formed on a battery electrode (anode or cathode) and coupled to an associated discrete battery region, and is connected by an associated transistor to a current collection plate. Sensors are used to monitor operating parameters (e.g., localized current flow and operating temperature) of each discrete battery region, and a control circuit uses the sensor data to control the operating state of the transistors, whereby localized current flow through each transistor is increased, decreased or turned off according to measured local operating parameters. The control circuit utilizes local control circuits that process local sensor data using “stand-alone” control logic, or a central controller that processes all sensor data and coordinates transistor operations.
US09343779B2	Method of preparing electrode assembly and electrode assembly prepared using the method Provided are a method of preparing an electrode assembly, in which both sides of a single current collector are coated to form an anode and a cathode, and the current collector is then bent into a vertical sectional zigzag shape and integrated in a state of disposing a separator at interfaces between facing electrode patterns, an electrode assembly prepared by the above method, and a secondary battery comprising the electrode assembly.
US09343770B2	Microbial fuel cell, and related systems and methods A microbial fuel cell is provided that includes a cell housing, a membrane dividing an internal chamber of the cell housing into an anode compartment and a cathode compartment, an anode including a graphite and first microorganisms contained in the anode compartment, a cathode including graphite and a second microorganisms contained in the cathode compartment, and a watercourse communicating the anode compartment and the cathode compartment with one another. A system including at least one microbial fuel cell and methods of operating the microbial fuel cell and system are also provided.
US09343768B2	Method for activating fuel cell In a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, a potential is swept to obtain a cyclic voltammogram. The activation treatment is completed when any of conditions (a) to (c) is satisfied. (a): the peak number between 0.1 and 0.3 V increases from one to two, and inequalities of I1/I3≧1.2 and I2/I3≧1.2 are satisfied where I1, I2 and I3 are current values of the two peaks, and the minimum current value between the two peaks, respectively; (b): an oxidation peak within a range of 0.4 to 0.7 V decreases, and a charge amount corresponding to the peak decreases to 20 mC or less; and (c): the ratio I5/I4 increases from less than 1 to 1 where I4 and I5 are current values of a reduction peak within a range of 0.6 to 0.7 V and a reduction peak within a range of 0.7 to 0.8 V, respectively.
US09343764B2	Integration of molten carbonate fuel cells in methanol synthesis In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a methanol synthesis process. The molten carbonate fuel cells can be integrated with a methanol synthesis process in various manners, including providing synthesis gas for use in producing methanol. Additionally, integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a methanol synthesis process can facilitate further processing of vent streams or secondary product streams generated during methanol synthesis.
US09343760B2	Procedure for stack voltage recovery A system and method for reconditioning a fuel cell stack to recover stack voltage loss. The method includes first operating the fuel cell stack in a wet condition where the humidity level in the stack is above 100% to provide liquid water at the cell electrodes. The method then applies a low voltage potential to the stack that causes contaminants to be released from the catalyst surface of the cell electrodes. This step can include starving the cathode side of oxygen for a limited period of time. The method then causes water to flow through the stack so that the contaminants are flushed out of the stack. The process can be performed during vehicle operation where small amounts of voltage would be recovered or during vehicle service where a relatively large amount of voltage could be recovered.
US09343757B2	Gas storage system Among other things, a gas storage system includes a group of capsules and an activation element coupled to the group. The group of capsules are formed within a substrate and contain gas stored at a relatively high pressure compared to atmospheric pressure. The activation element is configured to deliver energy in an amount sufficient to cause at least one of the capsules to release stored gas.
US09343755B2	Method and system for cooling charge air for a fuel cell, and three-fluid charge air cooler A method and system for cooling a pressurized charge air in the fuel cell system of a vehicle, using first and second charge air coolers. The system further includes a gas-to-gas humidifier and a fuel cell stack. According to the method and system, cathode exhaust gas passes through the gas-to-gas humidifier and is also used as the coolant gas in the first charge-air cooler. Therefore, the fuel cell cathode exhaust is heated and reduced in water content, reducing the tendency of water in the exhaust to condense and pool underneath the vehicle. Also provided is a three-fluid heat exchanger which integrates the first and second charge air coolers.
US09343752B2	Fuel cell stack A fuel cell stack includes a stacked body which includes separators and a membrane electrode assembly. A first terminal plate, a first insulator, and a first end plate are disposed at a first end of the stacked body. A second terminal plate, a second insulator, and a second end plate are disposed at a second end of the stacked body. Each of the first terminal plate and the second terminal plate is provided in a first recessed portion formed in each of the first insulator and the second insulator. Each of the first and second insulators includes an outer peripheral part and a protrusion and recess portion in the outer peripheral part which is in contact with each of the separators that is disposed at the first and second ends. The protrusion and recess portion has a shape corresponding to a protrusion and recess shape of the separator.
US09343748B2	Bulk metallic glass nanowires for use in energy conversion and storage devices A class of materials has advantageous utility in electrocatalytic applications, e.g., fuel cells. The materials circumvent conventional Pt-based anode poisoning and the agglomeration/dissolution of supported catalysts during long-term operation by exploiting the unique physical and chemical properties of bulk metallic glass to create nanowires for electrocatalytic applications, e.g., fuel cell and battery applications. These amorphous metals can achieve unusual geometries and shapes along multiple length scales. The absence of crystallites, grain boundaries and dislocations in the amorphous structure of bulk metallic glasses results in a homogeneous and isotropic material down to the atomic scale, which displays very high strength, hardness, elastic strain limit and corrosion resistance. The melting temperatures of the disclosed bulk metallic glasses are much lower than the estimated melting temperatures based on interpolation of the alloy constituents making them attractive as highly malleable materials.
US09343742B2	Nickel hydride secondary battery A nickel hydride secondary battery houses an electrode group including a positive electrode and a negative electrode which are overlapped with each other via a separator with an alkaline electrolyte solution, the negative electrode includes a hydrogen absorbing alloy, a negative-electrode additive agent, a thickening agent, and a conductive material, and the negative-electrode additive agent includes at least one selected from calcium fluoride, calcium sulfide, and calcium chloride.
US09343741B2	Electrode material, electrode and lithium ion battery An electrode material of the invention includes an agglomerate formed by agglomerating carbonaceous coated electrode active material particles obtained by forming a carbonaceous coat on surfaces of electrode active material particles at a coating rate of 80% or more, and the carbonaceous coated electrode active material particles include first carbonaceous coated electrode active material particles on which a carbonaceous coat having a film thickness in a range of 0.1 nm to 3.0 nm and an average film thickness in a range of 1.0 nm to 2.0 nm is formed and second carbonaceous coated electrode active material particles on which a carbonaceous coat having a film thickness in a range of 1.0 nm to 10.0 nm and an average film thickness in a range of more than 2.0 nm to 7.0 nm is formed.
US09343740B2	Lithium ion battery There is provided a lithium ion battery which maintains the flame retardancy of an electrolyte over a long period of time, has high energy density, and has improved charge/discharge cycle characteristics, high temperature storage characteristics, and rate characteristics. The lithium ion battery according to the present exemplary embodiment is a lithium ion battery comprising an electrolyte containing at least an ionic liquid and a lithium salt, a positive electrode, and a negative electrode, wherein the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material which is a carbon material treated with a surface treatment agent.
US09343739B2	Positive active material including lithium nickel composite oxide core and coating layer containing lithium metal phosphate and metal phosphate, manufacturing method thereof, and electrode and lithium battery containing the same In one aspect, a positive active material is provided that may have increased thermal stability and resistance to capability deterioration due to repeated charging and discharging, a method of manufacturing the same, and a lithium battery that includes the positive active material.
US09343734B2	Carbon/active compound composite material and the manufacturing method thereof The present invention provides a multi-dimensional carbon active compound composite comprising a first carbon material, a second carbon material, an active compound, and further a seed material. This composite is capable of storing faradic or non-faradic charges. The produced multi-dimensional carbon can significantly inhibit the aggregation and disintegration of active compounds. Stacked carbon structure also formed a 3-D framework with high electron conductivity, which increases the rate capability of electrode. The green and simple synthesis process has a great potential for mass production. This green energy storage material can be widely applied to lithium secondary ion battery, supercapacitor, and lithium-air battery electrodes.
US09343724B2	Cell connector To provide a cell connector for the electrically conductive connection of a first cell terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second cell terminal of a second electrochemical cell of an electrochemical device, which allows a reliable and fail-safe connection of the cell terminals, it is proposed that the cell connector comprises a first contact section for connection to the first cell terminal, a second contact section for connection to the second cell terminal and an elastically and/or plastically deformable compensation region, which connects the first contact section and the second contact section to one another and allows a movement of these contact sections relative to one another.
US09343721B2	Separator for non-aqueous batteries and non-aqueous battery equipped with same, and process for manufacturing separator for non-aqueous batteries Provided is a separator for non-aqueous batteries, capable of being usefully used in non-aqueous batteries, and a non-aqueous battery equipped with this separator. The separator for non-aqueous batteries includes: a base layer comprising a fiber aggregate, and an electrolyte-swellable resin layer formed on at least one surface of the base layer, the resin layer comprising a urethane resin (C) obtained by reacting a polyol (A) including a vinyl polymer (a1) and a polyether polyol (a2) with a polyisocyanate (B). The vinyl polymer (a1) has as a main chain a vinyl polymer (a1′) having two hydroxyl groups at one of the termini of the main chain, and a polyoxyethylene chain having a number average molecular weight of 200 to 800 as a side chain, the percentage of the polyoxyethylene chain based on the vinyl polymer (a1) being within the range of 70 mass % to 98 mass %.
US09343709B2	Light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing light-emitting device To provide a highly reliable light-emitting device and especially a light-emitting device which can be formed without use of a metal mask and includes a plurality of light-emitting elements. A structural body at least an end of which has an acute-angled shape is provided so that the end can pass downward through an electrically conductive film formed over the insulating layer and can be at least in contact with an insulating layer having elasticity, thereby physically separating the electrically conductive film, and the electrically conductive films are thus electrically insulated from each other. Such a structure may be provided between adjacent light-emitting elements so that the light-emitting elements can be electrically insulated from each other in the light-emitting device.
US09343699B2	Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same An organic light-emitting display apparatus including a substrate; a display unit which defines an active area of the substrate and includes a thin film transistor; concave-convex portions protruded from the substrate in an area outside the active area; and an encapsulation layer which encapsulates the display unit. The thin film transistor includes an active layer, a gate insulating layer on the active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an interlayer insulating layer between the gate electrode and the source electrode, and between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. The concave-convex portions include portions of the gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer, and the encapsulation layer covers the concave-convex portions.
US09343696B2	Adhesive film An adhesive film, a method for preparing an adhesive film, and an organic electronic device are provided. According to the adhesive film in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, fluidity of an adhesive can be controlled in the case of applying the adhesive between objects to be subsequently adhered to each other and then thermal-compressing by including an adhesive layer with cured side faces contacting with the outside. The adhesive film is used, for example for assembling a panel and the like, and thereby a defect rate at the time of assembling a panel and the like can be reduced and excellent work characteristics can be provided. In addition, before being applied to a panel or the like, a moisture absorbent included inside an adhesive layer of an adhesive film can be protected from external moisture or the like, thereby being easily stored, and also when it is applied to a product, reliability of life span, and the like can be secured.
US09343693B2	Organic light emitting diode and organic light emitting display apparatus having the same An organic light emitting diode includes a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an optical compensation layer, an emission layer, an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer. The optical compensation layer is disposed on the hole transport layer and includes a phosphorescent host material. Thus, an electron barrier on an interface between the optical compensation layer and an emission layer may be reduced. Thus, the luminance efficiency in a low gray scale area may be decreased, and the stain and roll-off phenomenon in the low gray scale area may be improved.
US09343680B2	Printed electronic device This invention generally relates to a patterned substrate for an electronic device and to electronic devices, device arrays, field effect transistors and transistor arrays comprising the patterned substrate. The invention also relates to a logic circuit, display, memory or sensor device comprising the patterned substrate. Further the invention relates to a method of patterning a substrate for an electronic device. In an embodiment, a patterned substrate for an electronic device comprises: a first body having an edge; a second body comprising an elongate plurality of printed droplets having an edge adjacent to and substantially aligned to said first body edge; and a separation between said first body edge and said second body edge, wherein said elongate plurality of printed droplets is at an angle of about 5 degrees to about 90 degrees to said first body edge.
US09343673B2	Method for forming metal oxides and silicides in a memory device Embodiments of the invention generally relate to memory devices and methods for fabricating such memory devices. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a resistive switching memory device includes depositing a metallic layer on a lower electrode disposed on a substrate and exposing the metallic layer to an activated oxygen source while heating the substrate to an oxidizing temperature within a range from about 300° C. to about 600° C. and forming a metal oxide layer from an upper portion of the metallic layer during an oxidation process. The lower electrode contains a silicon material and the metallic layer contains hafnium or zirconium. Subsequent to the oxidation process, the method further includes heating the substrate to an annealing temperature within a range from greater than 600° C. to about 850° C. while forming a metal silicide layer from a lower portion of the metallic layer during a silicidation process.
US09343667B1	Circuits having programmable impedance elements and vertical access devices A memory device can include at least one programmable impedance cell having at least one programmable layer formed between a first terminal and a second terminal, the programmable layer being programmable between at least two impedance states by application of electric fields; and at least a first access bipolar junction transistor (BJT) coupled to the programmable impedance cell having at least a portion formed by a semiconductor material; wherein a base region and a first emitter region or collector region of the first access BJT are vertically aligned with one another.
US09343658B2	Magnetic memory bits with perpendicular magnetization switched by current-induced spin-orbit torques A basic Spin-Orbit-Torque (SOT) structure with lateral structural asymmetry is provided that produces a new spin-orbit torque, resulting in zero-field current-induced switching of perpendicular magnetization. More complex structures can also be produced incorporating the basic structure of a ferromagnetic layer with a heavy non-magnetic metal layer having strong spin-orbit coupling on one side, and an insulator layer on the other side with a structural mirror asymmetry along the in-plane direction. The lateral structural asymmetry and new spin-orbit torque, in effect, replaces the role of the external in-plane magnetic field. The direction of switching is determined by the combination of the direction of applied current and the direction of symmetry breaking in the device.
US09343656B2	Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure in magnetic random access memory Methods and apparatuses for a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) which can be used in as a magnetic random access memory cell are disclosed. The MTJ comprises a free layer and an insulator layer. The MTJ further comprises a pinned layer with a first region, a second region, and a third region. The second region is of a first length and of a first thickness, and the first region and the third region are of a second length and of a second thickness. A ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness may be larger than 1.2. A ratio of the second length to the first length is larger than 0.5. The first thickness may be larger than a spin diffusion length of a material for the pinned layer. So formed MTJ results in increased tunneling magnetic resistance ratio and reduced critical switch current of the MTJ.
US09343652B2	Method for producing a piezoelectric multilayer component and a piezoelectric multilayer component A method for producing a piezoelectric multilayer component is disclosed. Piezoelectric green films and electrode material are provided, arranged alternately on top of one another and sintered. The electrode material is provided with a PbO-containing coating and/or PbO is mixed into the electrode material.
US09343650B2	Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, multilayered piezoelectric element, liquid ejection head, liquid ejection apparatus, ultrasonic motor, optical equipment, vibration apparatus, dust removing apparatus, imaging apparatus, and electronic equipment Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric material having a satisfactory and stable piezoelectric constant and electric insulation property in a wide practical temperature range. Provided is a piezoelectric material, including a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the following general formula (1) as a main component, the piezoelectric material containing Mn in a content of 0.01 part by weight or more and 0.80 part by weight or less with respect to 100 parts by weight of the perovskite-type metal oxide: (LiαxNaαyKαzBaβBi0.5α+γ)a(Tiα+βFeγ) O3 . . . (1), where 0.800≦α≦0.999, 0≦β≦0.150, 0.001≦γ≦0.050, α+β+γ=1, 0≦x≦0.050, 0.045≦y≦0.450, 0.045≦z≦0.450, 0.450≦x+y+z≦0.500, and 0.980≦a≦1.020.
US09343648B2	Method for manufacturing a thermoelectric device, particularly intended to generate an electric current in a motor vehicle, and thermoelectric device obtained by such a method The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a thermoelectric device comprising a plurality of thermoelectric components (4) for creating an electric current from a temperature gradient applied between two faces (3a, 3b) thereof. In the method, a thermally conductive support (30) is provided in contact with a hot or cold source, a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material is thermally sprayed on the support (30) to produce a coating (21), and an electrically conductive material is thermally sprayed onto the coating (21) to form electric conduction tracks (22) which are intended to receive the thermoelectric components (4) via the faces (3a, 3b) thereof. The invention also relates to a thermoelectric device obtained by the method.
US09343646B2	Thermo-electric power harvesting bearing configuration A power generating bearing assembly (100) comprises a bearing subassembly (120) retained by a bearing housing (110). During operation, friction and other factors increase a temperature of the bearing assembly (100). The housing (110) can optionally include a bearing cooling passage system comprising at least one liquid cooling passage (134) formed internally therein. The liquid cooling passage (134) would be routed proximate the bearing subassembly (120) to remove heat therefrom. A thermal energy transfer media (204) is inserted into a thermal transfer conduit (180), wherein the thermal transfer conduit (180) passes across a heated section of the housing (110). The transfer media (204) conveys the thermal energy to a Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG) (200) located in a thermoelectric generator housing (250) attached to the bearing housing (110). The Thermo-Electric Generator (TEG) (200) utilizes a temperature difference between the transfer media (204) and the ambient air to generated electric power. The power can be used to operate electrically powered devices, such as condition sensors (150), communication devices, and the like.
US09343622B2	Nitride semiconductor light emitting device and fabrication method thereof Provided is a nitride semiconductor light emitting device including: a substrate; a first buffer layer formed above the substrate; an indium-containing second buffer layer formed above the first buffer layer; an indium-containing third buffer layer formed above the second buffer layer; a first nitride semiconductor layer formed above the third buffer layer; an active layer formed above the first nitride semiconductor layer; and a second nitride semiconductor layer formed above the active layer. According to the present invention, the crystal defects are further suppressed, so that the crystallinity of the active layer is enhanced, and the optical power and the operation reliability are enhanced.
US09343618B2	Method of manufacturing light-emitting device A method of manufacturing a light-emitting device includes providing a case including an annular sidewall and an LED chip including a chip substrate and a crystal layer and mounted in a region surrounded by the sidewall of the case, and dripping a droplet of an electrically-charged phosphor-containing resin so as to fill a space between the sidewall and the LED chip. The droplet is attracted toward the sidewall by an electrostatic force during the dripping.
US09343608B2	Depletion-mode field-effect transistor-based phototransistor A depletion-mode phototransitor is disclosed. The phototransistor having a substrate, a gate, a source, a drain and a channel. The source, drain and channel are doped to be the same type of semiconductor. The substrate can be made of silicon and/or germanium. The gate can be made of either aluminum or polysilicon.
US09343607B2	PN-structured gate demodulation pixel A novel photo-sensitive element for electronic imaging purposes and, in this context, is particularly suited for time-of-flight 3D imaging sensor pixels. The element enables charge-domain photo-detection and processing based on a single gate architecture. Certain regions for n and p-doping implants of the gates are defined. This kind of single gate architecture enables low noise photon detection and high-speed charge transport methods at the same time. A strong benefit compared to known pixel structures is that no special processing steps are required such as overlapping gate structures or very high-ohmic poly-silicon deposition. In this sense, the element relaxes the processing methods so that this device may be integrated by the use of standard CMOS technology for example. Regarding time-of-flight pixel technology, a major challenge is the generation of lateral electric fields. The element allows the generation of fringing fields and large lateral electric fields.
US09343606B2	Solar cell structures, photovoltaic panels and corresponding processes Photovoltaic modules comprise solar cells having doped domains of opposite polarities along the rear side of the cells. The doped domains can be located within openings through a dielectric passivation layer. In some embodiments, the solar cells are formed from thin silicon foils. Doped domains can be formed by printing inks along the rear surface of the semiconducting sheets. The dopant inks can comprise nanoparticles having the desired dopant.
US09343605B2	Photovoltaic equipment A photovoltaic unit can minimally reduce a displacement of focus positions from solar cells and prevent a decrease in power generation efficiency even if elastic behaviors of a Fresnel lens sheet and a base plate on which solar cells are arranged due to changes in temperature and humidity are different. The photovoltaic unit includes an integrated multiple Fresnel lens sheet and a base plate on which solar cells are arranged adjacent to the focus positions of individual Fresnel lenses. The multiple Fresnel lens sheet is fixed to the base plate by a lens sheet fixing element at a lens sheet fixing portion adjacent to the center of gravity of the sheet.
US09343598B2	Solar cell A solar cell includes a back electrode, a silicon substrate, a doped silicon layer and an upper electrode arranged in that order. The silicon substrate comprises a number of three-dimensional nano-structures aligned side by side adjacent to the upper electrode. The doped silicon layer is located on a surface of the three-dimensional nano-structures. A cross section of each three-dimensional nano-structure is M-shaped.
US09343594B2	Conductive composition, conductive member and production method thereof, touch panel, and solar cell A conductive composition includes at least: a) metal conductive fibers having an average minor axis length of from 1 nm to 150 nm; and b) a compound represented by the following Formula (1) or Formula (2) in an amount of from 0.1% by mass to 1000% by mass with respect to the metal conductive fibers: P—(CR1═Y)n-Q Formula (1) wherein, in Formula (1), P and Q each independently represent a group represented by OH, NR2R3 or CHR4R5, in which R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a group that can be substituted on a nitrogen atom, and R4 and R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent; Y represents CR6 or a nitrogen atom; R1 and R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent; at least two of the groups represented by R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 or R6 may be bonded to each other to form a ring; n represents an integer from 0 to 5; when n is 0, neither P nor Q is a group represented by OH or CHR4R5; and when n represents a number of 2 or greater, the plurality of atomic groups each represented by (CR1═Y) may be the same as or different from each other; R7—C(═O)—H Formula (2) wherein, in Formula (2), R7 represents a hydrogen atom, an OH group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group.
US09343589B2	Field effect transistor (FET) with self-aligned double gates on bulk silicon substrate, methods of forming, and related design structures At least one isolation trench formed in a layer stack including substrate, channel, and upper gate layers define a channel in the channel layer. Lateral etching from the isolation trench(es) can form lateral cavities in the substrate and upper gate layer to substantially simultaneously form self-aligned lower and upper gates. The lower gate undercuts the channel, the upper gate is narrower than the channel, and a source and a drain can be formed on opposed ends of the channel. As a result, source-drain capacitance and gate-drain capacitance can be reduced, increasing speed of the resulting FET.
US09343588B2	Normally-off semiconductor switches and normally-off JFETs A normally-off JFET is provided. The normally-off JFET includes a channel region of a first conductivity type, a floating semiconductor region of a second conductivity type adjoining the channel region, and a contact region of the first conductivity type adjoining the floating semiconductor region. The floating semiconductor region is arranged between the contact region and the channel region. Further, a normally-off semiconductor switch is provided.
US09343581B2	Semiconductor device To provide a transistor with stable electrical characteristics, a transistor with a low off-state current, a transistor with a high on-state current, a semiconductor device including the transistor, or a durable semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor using silicon, an aluminum oxide film over the first transistor, and a second transistor using an oxide semiconductor over the aluminum oxide film. The oxide semiconductor has a lower hydrogen concentration than silicon.
US09343579B2	Semiconductor device To provide a semiconductor device that includes an oxide semiconductor and is miniaturized while keeping good electrical properties. In the semiconductor device, an oxide semiconductor layer filling a groove is surrounded by insulating layers including an aluminum oxide film containing excess oxygen. Excess oxygen contained in the aluminum oxide film is supplied to the oxide semiconductor layer, in which a channel is formed, by heat treatment in a manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. Moreover, the aluminum oxide film forms a barrier against oxygen and hydrogen, which inhibits the removal of oxygen from the oxide semiconductor layer surrounded by the insulating layers including an aluminum oxide film and the entry of impurities such as hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor layer. Thus, a highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer can be obtained. The threshold voltage is controlled effectively by gate electrode layers formed over and under the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09343578B2	Semiconductor device and measurement device A semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer over a first oxide layer; first source and drain electrodes over the oxide semiconductor layer; second source and drain electrodes over the first source and drain electrodes respectively; a second oxide layer over the first source and drain electrodes; a gate insulating layer over the second source and drain electrodes and the second oxide layer; and a gate electrode overlapping the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer provided therebetween. The structure in which the oxide semiconductor layer is sandwiched by the oxide layers can suppress the entry of impurities into the oxide semiconductor layer. The structure in which the oxide semiconductor layer is contacting with the source and drain electrodes can prevent increasing resistance between the source and the drain comparing one in which an oxide semiconductor layer is electrically connected to source and drain electrodes through an oxide layer.
US09343572B1	High-voltage semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same A high-voltage semiconductor device is provided. The high-voltage semiconductor device includes a substrate; an epitaxial layer and a gate structure; a first conductive type first high-voltage well region and a second conductive type high-voltage well region disposed in the epitaxial layer at opposite sides of the gate structure respectively, wherein the first conductive type is different from the second conductive type; a source region and a drain region; and a stack structure disposed between the gate structure and the drain region, wherein the stack structure includes: a blocking layer; an insulating layer disposed over the blocking layer; and a conductive layer disposed over the insulating layer and electrically connected the source region or the gate structure. A method for manufacturing the high-voltage semiconductor device is also provided.
US09343571B2	MOS with recessed lightly-doped drain LDD regions are provided with high implant energy in devices with reduced thickness poly-silicon layers and source/drain junctions. Embodiments include forming an oxide layer on a substrate surface, forming a poly-silicon layer over the oxide layer, forming first and second trenches through the oxide and poly-silicon layers and below the substrate surface, defining a gate region therebetween, implanting a dopant in a LDD region through the first and second trenches, forming spacers on opposite side surfaces of the gate region and extending into the first and second trenches, and implanting a dopant in a source/drain region below each of the first and second trenches.
US09343559B2	Nanowire transistor devices and forming techniques Techniques are disclosed for customization of nanowire transistor devices to provide a diverse range of channel configurations and/or material systems within the same integrated circuit die. In accordance with one example embodiment, sacrificial fins are removed and replaced with custom material stacks of arbitrary composition and strain suitable for a given application. In one such case, each of a first set of the sacrificial fins is recessed or otherwise removed and replaced with a p-type layer stack, and each of a second set of the sacrificial fins is recessed or otherwise removed and replaced with an n-type layer stack. The p-type layer stack can be completely independent of the process for the n-type layer stack, and vice-versa. Numerous other circuit configurations and device variations are enabled using the techniques provided herein.
US09343551B2	Methods for manufacturing a fin structure of semiconductor device Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming a fin structure over a substrate. The fin structure may comprise a lower portion protruding from a major surface of the substrate, an upper portion, and a middle portion between the lower portion and the upper portion, wherein the lower portion and the middle portion differ in composition. The method may further include forming an isolation structure surrounding the fin structure and oxidizing the fin structure. The oxidizing may form a pair of notches extending from sidewalls of the fin structure into the middle portion of the fin structure.
US09343548B1	Manufacturing method of thin film transistor of display device A manufacturing method of a thin film transistor of a display device, the method including forming a gate insulating layer on a semiconductor layer; attaching a halftone mask onto the gate insulating layer; forming a channel region including a plurality of bridged grain lines formed; exposing the gate insulating layer of the channel region; forming a gate electrode layer on the halftone mask and the gate insulating layer; forming a gate electrode on the channel region by etching a portion corresponding to a boundary of the channel region of the gate electrode layer; removing the halftone mask; forming source/drain regions; forming an interlayer insulating layer on the gate electrode and the gate insulating layer; forming contact holes by etching the gate insulating layer and the interlayer insulating layer to expose the source/drain regions; and forming source/drain electrodes connected with the source/drain regions through the contact holes.
US09343541B2	Method of fabricating GaN high voltage HFET with passivation plus gate dielectric multilayer structure A method of fabricating a multi-layer structure for a power transistor device includes performing, within a reaction chamber, a nitrogen plasma strike, resulting in the formation of a nitride layer directly on a nitride-based active semiconductor layer. A top surface of the nitride layer is then exposed to a second source. A subsequent nitrogen-oxygen plasma strike results in the formation of an oxy-nitride layer directly on the nitride layer. The nitride layer comprises a passivation layer and the oxy-nitride layer comprises a gate dielectric of the power transistor device.
US09343536B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer provided on the first semiconductor layer and having a wider band gap than the first semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode provided on the second semiconductor layer, wherein at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode includes a plurality of protrusions on a side in contact with the second semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided between the source electrode and the drain electrode.
US09343530B2	Method for manufacturing fin structure of finFET The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a fin structure of a FinFET, comprising: providing a substrate (200); forming a first dielectric layer (210); forming a second dielectric layer (220), the material of the portion where the second dielectric layer is adjacent to the first dielectric layer being different from that of the first dielectric layer (210); forming an opening (230) through the second dielectric layer (220) and the first dielectric layer (2100, the opening portion exposing the substrate; filling a semiconductor material in the opening (230); and removing the second dielectric layer (220) to form a fin structure. In the present invention, the height of the fin structure in the FinFET is controlled by the thickness of the dielectric layer. The etching stop can be controlled well by using the etching selectivity between different materials, which can achieve etching uniformity better compared to time control.
US09343524B2	Etchstop layers and capacitors Capacitor structures for integrated circuit devices are provided. Capacitors include proximate dense or highly dense etchstop layers. The dense or highly dense etchstop layer is, for example, a high-k material. Capacitors are, for example, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and are useful in DRAM (dynamic random access memory) and eDRAM (embedded dynamic random access memory) structures.
US09343523B2	Selector device using low leakage dielectric MIMCAP diode MIMCAP diodes are provided that can be suitable for memory device applications, such as current selector devices for cross point memory array. The MIMCAP diodes can have lower thermal budget as compared to Schottky diodes and controllable lower barrier height and lower series resistance as compared to MIMCAP tunneling diodes. The MIMCAP diode can include a barrier height modification layer, a low leakage dielectric layer and a high leakage dielectric layer. The layers can be sandwiched between two electrodes.
US09343522B2	Ceramic powder, semiconductor ceramic capacitor, and method for manufacturing same A ceramic powder for use in a grain boundary insulated semiconductor ceramic that has an excellent ESD withstanding voltage, a semiconductor ceramic capacitor using the ceramic powder, and a manufacturing method therefor. The ceramic powder for use in a SrTiO3 based grain boundary insulated semiconductor ceramic has a specific surface area of 4.0 m2/g or more and 8.0 m2/g or less, and a cumulative 90% grain size D90 of 1.2 μm or less.
US09343514B2	Organic light emitting diode display and method of manufacturing the same An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, a thin film transistor formed on the substrate, a pixel electrode formed on the thin film transistor and electrically connected to the thin film transistor, a pixel definition layer formed on the pixel electrode so as to define a pixel region, an emission layer formed on the pixel electrode and contacting the pixel electrode in the pixel region, and an interlayer formed on the pixel definition layer and contacting part of the emission layer. One side of the interlayer has an uneven shape so that a surface area of the interlayer is increased.
US09343509B2	Organic light-emitting device Provided is an organic light-emitting device including a plurality of pixels, each including a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel having different colors from each other. Each of the pixels includes a substrate, a first electrode layer on the substrate, a first light-emitting layer disposed on the first electrode in the first, second and third sub-pixels, an auxiliary layer disposed on the first light-emitting layer in the second and third sub-pixels, a second light-emitting layer disposed on the auxiliary layer in the second sub-pixel, a third light-emitting layer disposed on the auxiliary layer in the third sub-pixel, and a second electrode layer on the first, second, and third light-emitting layers.
US09343508B2	Wafer for forming imaging element, method for manufacturing solid-state imaging element, and imaging element chip A wafer for forming an imaging element has a test pattern and a plurality of imaging element units. The wafer has an imaging region which includes a great number of photoelectric conversion pixels, an imaging element units and a test pattern. The test pattern includes a testing organic photoelectric conversion film and a testing counter electrode having the same configuration and formed at the same time as the organic photoelectric conversion film and a counter electrode, respectively of the photoelectric conversion pixels. A first testing terminal is electrically connected to the undersurface side of the testing organic photoelectric conversion film, and a second testing terminal is electrically connected to the testing counter electrode. A protective film is formed over the entire semiconductor wafer so as to cover the imaging region and the test pattern, and is then partially removed so that a part of each testing terminal is exposed.
US09343506B2	Memory arrays with polygonal memory cells having specific sidewall orientations Some embodiments include a memory array having a first series of access/sense lines which extend along a first direction, a second series of access/sense lines over the first series of access/sense lines and which extend along a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and memory cells vertically between the first and second series of access/sense lines. Each memory cell is uniquely addressed by a combination of an access/sense line from the first series and an access/sense line from the second series. The memory cells have programmable material. At least some of the programmable material within each memory cell is a polygonal structure having a sidewall that extends along a third direction which is different from the first and second directions. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory arrays.
US09343502B2	Organic photoelectronic device including a first light-transmitting electrode, an active layer, and a second light-transmitting electrode, and image sensor including the organic photoelectronic device Disclosed are an organic photoelectronic device including a first light-transmitting electrode, an active layer positioned on one side of the first light-transmitting electrode, and a second light-transmitting electrode positioned on one side of the active layer, wherein the first light-transmitting electrode and the second light-transmitting electrode independently comprise at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), tin oxide (SnO), aluminum tin oxide (ATO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). Also disclosed is an image sensor including the organic photoelectronic device.
US09343501B2	Photoelectric conversion apparatus, manufacturing method of photoelectric conversion apparatus, and electronic device A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a TFT 10 provided on one surface of a substrate 1, a second interlayer insulation film 7 provided so as to cover the TFT 10, a shading film 9 provided on the second interlayer insulation film 7 in an area overlapping the TFT 10 when seen from a thickness direction of films that are formed on the substrate 1, a lower electrode 8 provided on the second interlayer insulation film 7, and a semiconductor film 21 having a chalcopyrite structure provided on the lower electrode 8. A group 16 element is included in the shading film 9, the lower electrode 8 and the semiconductor film 21.
US09343497B2	Imagers with stacked integrated circuit dies An imager may include an imaging die that is stacked with an image processing die. The imaging die may generate output signals from received light. The image processing die may process the output signals. Through-silicon vias of the imaging die or solder balls may electrically couple the imaging die to the image processing die and convey the output signals to the image processing die. The imaging die may include a pixel array that generates pixel signals from the received light. The image processing die may generate control signals that control the imaging die and are conveyed to the imaging die over the through-silicon vias or solder balls.
US09343495B2	Solid-state imaging device and method of manufacturing the same A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor layer, a reflector, and a plurality of element separating regions. In the semiconductor layer, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements is arranged in a two-dimensional array. The reflector covers a surface of the semiconductor layer on a side opposite to a surface of the semiconductor layer on which alight is incident, and reflects the light. The element separating regions are formed in the semiconductor layer to physically and electrically separate the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. Each of the element separating regions extend from the surface of the semiconductor layer on which the light is incident to the reflector and has a reflection surface for reflecting light.
US09343484B2	Thin film transistor substrate and display apparatus including the same A thin film transistor substrate and a display apparatus including the same are provided. The thin film transistor substrate includes a plurality of pixels each including: a first transistor for receiving a data signal in response to a first gate control signal; a second transistor for outputting a driving current according to the data signal applied to a gate electrode of the second transistor; and a third transistor for initializing a gate node connected to the gate electrode of the second transistor in response to a second gate control signal, wherein first electrodes of the third transistors of at least some adjacent pixels of the plurality of pixels are connected to the gate node, and second electrodes thereof are connected to a shared transistor that applies an initialization voltage to the second electrodes.
US09343482B2	Switching device of active display device and method of driving the switching device Example embodiments are directed to a switching device of an active display device and a method of driving the switching device, such that electrical reliability of the active display device is improved. The switching device of the active display device includes a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) that are connected in series. Except for a refresh time duration during which the plurality of TFTs of the switching device are simultaneously turned ON, a positive voltage is applied to at least one of the plurality of TFTs of the switching device so that a reliability of the switching device may be improved.
US09343466B1	Methods for fabricating flash memory cells and integrated circuits having flash memory cells embedded with logic Methods for fabricating memory cells, methods for fabricating integrated circuits having memory cells, and integrated circuits having memory cells are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating a memory cell includes depositing a first tunnel dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate. The method includes depositing a floating gate material over the first tunnel dielectric layer. The method forms two control gate stacks over the floating gate material, defines a source line area between the two control gate stacks, and defines select gate areas adjacent the two control gate stacks. The method includes depositing a second tunnel dielectric layer over the select gate areas of the semiconductor substrate. Further, the method includes forming select gates over the second tunnel dielectric layer over the select gate areas of the semiconductor substrate. The second tunnel dielectric layer forms a gate dielectric layer for each select gate.
US09343461B2	Semiconductor device including a local wiring connecting diffusion regions A semiconductor device has first conductivity type regions extending in a first direction, and second conductivity type regions extending in the first direction. The first conductivity type regions and the second conductivity type regions are alternately arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The semiconductor device includes a first impurity diffused regions formed in the first conductivity type regions, a first local wiring connected to the first conductivity type regions, and extending in the second direction, a first potential supply wiring formed above the first local wiring, and extending in the first direction, and a first contact hole for connecting the first local wiring to the first potential supply wiring.
US09343460B2	Semiconductor device with output circuit and pad arrangements The present invention has for its purpose to provide a technique capable of reducing planar dimension of the semiconductor device. An input/output circuit is formed over the semiconductor substrate, a grounding wiring and a power supply wiring pass over the input/output circuit, and a conductive layer for a bonding pad is formed thereover. The input/output circuit is formed of MISFET elements in the nMISFET forming region and the pMISFET forming region, resistance elements in the resistance element forming regions and diode elements in the diode element forming regions functioning as protective elements. A wiring connected to the protective elements and positioned under the grounding wiring and the power supply wiring is pulled out in a pulling-out region between the nMISFET forming region and the pMISFET forming region and between the grounding wiring and the power supply wiring to be connected to the conductive layer.
US09343458B2	Isolation structure for ESD device Among other things, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) device is provided. The ESD device comprises a dielectric isolation structure that is formed between an emitter and a collector of the ESD device. During an ESD event, current flows from the emitter, substantially under the dielectric isolation structure, to the collector, to protect associated circuitry. The dielectric isolation structure is formed to a depth that is less than a depth of at least one of the emitter or the collector, or doped regions thereof, thereby decreasing a length of a current path from the emitter to the collector, because the current is not obstructed by the dielectric isolation structure. Accordingly, the ESD device can carry higher current during the ESD event because the shorter current path has less resistance than a longer path that would otherwise be traveled if the dielectric isolation structure was not formed at the shallower depth.
US09343445B2	Photoelectric conversion device A photoelectric conversion device includes a circuit board, a light emitting module, a light receiving module, and an optical coupling lens. Two protrusions apart from each other extend from the circuit board. The light emitting module and the light receiving module are mounted on the circuit board and apart from each other. The optical coupling lens includes an oblique reflection surface and a recess having a bottom surface parallel to the circuit board. Two distanced posts perpendicularly extend from the bottom surface and engage with the centers of the protrusions upon assembly to ensure automatic and alignment of the light emitting module with the first converging lens, and alignment of the light receiving module with the second converging lens.
US09343440B2	Stacked composite device including a group III-V transistor and a group IV vertical transistor In one implementation, a stacked composite device comprises a group IV vertical transistor and a group III-V transistor stacked over the group IV vertical transistor. A drain of the group IV vertical transistor is in contact with a source of the group III-V transistor, a source of the group IV vertical transistor is coupled to a gate of the group III-V transistor to provide a composite source on a bottom side of the stacked composite device, and a drain of the group III-V transistor provides a composite drain on a top side of the stacked composite device. A gate of the group IV vertical transistor provides a composite gate on the top side of the stacked composite device.
US09343435B2	Semiconductor device and related manufacturing method A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device may include providing a first dielectric layer and a first set of conductive pads on a first substrate. Each conductive pad of the first set of conductive pads may be positioned between portions of the first dielectric layer. The method may further include providing a first insulating material layer to cover the first dielectric layer and the first set of conductive pads. The method may further include removing portions of the first insulating material layer to form a first insulating layer. Openings of the first insulating layer may expose the first set of conductive pads.
US09343433B2	Packages with stacked dies and methods of forming the same A method includes bonding a first plurality of device dies onto a wafer, wherein the wafer includes a second plurality of device dies, with each of the first plurality of device dies bonded to one of the second plurality of device dies. The wafer is then sawed to form a die stack, wherein the die stack includes a first device die from the first plurality of device dies and a second device die from the second plurality of device dies. The method further includes bonding the die stack over a package substrate.
US09343421B2	Semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof A method for fabricating a semiconductor package is provided, which includes the steps of: providing a first substrate having a plurality of first conductive posts on a surface thereof and providing a second substrate having a third surface having a chip disposed thereon and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface; disposing the first substrate on the third surface of the second substrate through the first conductive posts; forming an encapsulant between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the encapsulant has a first surface adjacent to the first substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and removing the first substrate, thereby effectively preventing solder bridging from occurring.
US09343412B2	Method of forming MOSFET structure A method of forming a MOSFET structure is provided. In the method, an epitaxial layer is formed. A cap layer is formed above the epitaxial layer. A first trench is formed above the epitaxial layer. A protection layer is deposited within the first trench. The protection layer is a material selected from the group consisting of germanium and silicon-germanium.
US09343411B2	Techniques for enhancing fracture resistance of interconnects Techniques and structure are disclosed for enhancing fracture resistance of back-end interconnects and other such interconnect structures by increasing via density. Increased via density can be provided, for example, within the filler/dummified portion(s) of adjacent circuit layers within a die. In some cases, an electrically isolated (floating) filler line of an upper circuit layer may include a via which lands on a floating filler line of a lower circuit layer in a region corresponding to where the filler lines cross/intersect. In some such cases, the floating filler line of the upper circuit layer may be formed as a dual-damascene structure including such a via. In some embodiments, a via similarly may be provided between a floating filler line of the upper circuit layer and a sufficiently electrically isolated interconnect line of the lower circuit layer. The techniques/structure can be used to provide mechanical integrity for the die.
US09343404B2	Anti-fuse of semiconductor device, semiconductor module and system each including the semiconductor device, and method for forming the anti-fuse An anti-fuse based on a Field Nitride Trap (FNT) is disclosed. The anti-fuse includes a first active pillar including a first junction, a second active pillar including a second junction, a selection line buried between the first active pillar and the second active pillar, and a trap layer for electrically coupling the first junction to the second junction by trapping minority carriers according to individual voltages applied to the first junction, the second junction and the selection line. As a result, the fuse can be highly integrated through the above-mentioned structure, and programming of the fuse can be easily achieved.
US09343401B2	Semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof A method for fabricating a semiconductor package is provided, which includes the steps of: providing a packaging substrate having a first surface with a plurality of bonding pads and an opposite second surface; disposing a plurality of passive elements on the first surface of the packaging substrate; disposing a semiconductor chip on the passive elements through an adhesive film; electrically connecting the semiconductor chip and the bonding pads through a plurality of bonding wires; and forming an encapsulant on the first surface of the packaging substrate for encapsulating the semiconductor chip, the passive elements and the bonding wires. By disposing the passive elements between the packaging substrate and the semiconductor chip, the invention saves space on the packaging substrate and increases the wiring flexibility. Further, since the bonding wires are not easy to come into contact with the passive elements, the invention prevents a short circuit from occurring.
US09343400B2	Dual damascene gap filling process A method of forming a metallization layer in a semiconductor substrate includes forming a patterned dielectric layer on a substrate, the patterned dielectric layer having a plurality of first openings. A first conductive layer is formed in the plurality of first openings. A patterned mask layer is formed over portions of the first conductive layer outside the plurality of first openings, the patterned mask layer having a plurality of second openings, wherein at least a subset of the second openings are disposed over the first openings. A second conductive layer is filled in the plurality of second openings. The patterned mask layer is removed to leave behind the conductive layer structures on the substrate. The substrate is heated to form a self-forming barrier layer on the top and sidewalls of the conductive layer structures.
US09343389B2	Magnetic contacts Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to integrated circuit (IC) package assemblies with magnetic contacts, as well as corresponding fabrication methods and systems incorporating such magnetic contacts. A first IC substrate may have a first magnet coupled with a first electrical routing feature. A second IC substrate may have a second magnet coupled with a second electrical routing feature. The magnets may be embedded in the IC substrates and/or electrical routing features. The magnets may generate a magnetic field that extends across a gap between the first and second electrical routing features. Electrically conductive magnetic particles may be applied to one or both of the IC substrates to form a magnetic interconnect structure that extends across the gap. In some embodiments, magnetic contacts may be demagnetized by heating the magnets to a corresponding partial demagnetization temperature (PDT) or Curie temperature. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09343382B2	Electronic device and manufacturing method thereof An electronic device includes a substrate; an element configured to be formed on the substrate; a sidewall member configured to enclose the element on the substrate; a cover member configured to be disposed on the sidewall member, and to partition a space around the element along with the sidewall member on the substrate; and a seal member configured to be disposed outside of the sidewall member, to bond the sidewall member and the cover member to a surface of the substrate, and to seal the space.
US09343379B2	Method to delineate crystal related defects This invention generally relates to a process for detecting grown-in-defects in a semiconductor silicon substrate. The process includes contacting a surface of the semiconductor silicon substrate with a gaseous acid in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature and duration sufficient to grow grown-in -defects disposed in the semiconductor silicon substrate to a size capable of being detected by an optical detection device.
US09343376B1	Method of fabricating a semiconductor device A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes following steps. First of all, a first nanowire structure and a second nanowire structure are formed on a substrate. Next, a compressive stress layer is formed on the first nanowire structure, and the first nanowire structure is driven to a compressive nanowire structure. Then, a tensile stress layer is formed on the second nanowire structure, and the second nanowire structure is driven into a tensile nanowire structure.
US09343373B2	Semiconductor device including work function adjusting element, and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device has a substrate; and an N-channel MIS transistor and a P-channel MIS transistor provided on the same substrate; each of the N-channel MIS transistor and the P-channel MIS transistor having a Hf-containing, high-k gate insulating film, and a gate electrode provided over the high-k gate insulating film, the N-channel MIS transistor having a silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film, which contains a first work function adjusting element, provided between the substrate and the high-k gate insulating film, and, the P-channel MIS transistor having a silicon oxide film or a silicon oxynitride film, which contains the first work function adjusting element same as that contained in the N-channel MIS transistor, provided between the high-k gate insulating film and the gate electrode.
US09343366B2	Dicing wafers having solder bumps on wafer backside Approaches for hybrid laser scribe and plasma etch dicing process for a wafer having backside solder bumps are described. For example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having integrated circuits on a front side thereof and corresponding arrays of metal bumps on a backside thereof involves applying a dicing tape to the backside of the semiconductor wafer, the dicing tape covering the arrays of metal bumps. The method also involves, subsequently, forming a mask on the front side of the semiconductor wafer, the mask covering the integrated circuits. The method also involves forming scribe lines on the front side of the semiconductor wafer with a laser scribing process, the scribe lines formed in the mask and between the integrated circuits. The method also involves plasma etching the semiconductor wafer through the scribe lines to singulate the integrated circuits, the mask protecting the integrated circuits during the plasma etching.
US09343361B2	Semiconductor device, fabricating method thereof and semiconductor package including the semiconductor device In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface defines a redistribution trench. The substrate has a via hole extending therethrough. The semiconductor device also includes a through via disposed in the via hole. The through via may include a via hole insulating layer, a barrier layer, sequentially formed on an inner wall of the via hole. The through via may further include a conductive connector adjacent the barrier layer. The semiconductor device additionally includes an insulation layer pattern formed on the second surface of the substrate. The insulation layer pattern defines an opening that exposes a region of a top surface of the through via. The semiconductor devices includes a redistribution layer disposed in the trench and electrically connected to the through via. The insulation layer pattern overlaps a region of the conductive connector.
US09343354B2	Middle of line structures and methods for fabrication A contact structure includes a permanent antireflection coating formed on a substrate having contact pads. A patterned dielectric layer is formed on the antireflective coating. The patterned dielectric layer and the permanent antireflective coating form openings. The openings correspond with locations of the contact pads. Contact structures are formed in the openings to make electrical contact with the contacts pads such that the patterned dielectric layer and the permanent antireflective coating each have a conductively filled region forming the contact structures.
US09343352B2	Integrated circuit using deep trench through silicon (DTS) An embodiment radio frequency area of an integrated circuit is disclosed. The radio frequency area includes a substrate having an implant region. The substrate has a first resistance. A buried oxide layer is disposed over the substrate and an interface layer is disposed between the substrate and the buried oxide layer. The interface layer has a second resistance lower than the first resistance. A silicon layer is disposed over the buried oxide layer and an interlevel dielectric is disposed in a deep trench. The deep trench extends through the silicon layer, the buried oxide layer, and the interface layer over the implant region. The deep trench may also extend through a polysilicon layer disposed over the silicon layer.
US09343343B2	Method for reducing particle generation at bevel portion of substrate A method for transporting a substrate using an end effector which mechanically clamps a periphery of the substrate includes: before transporting the substrate, depositing a compressive film only on, at, or in a bevel portion of the substrate; and transporting the substrate whose bevel portion is covered by the compressive film as the outermost film, using an end effector while mechanically clamping the periphery of the substrate.
US09343341B2	End effector device and substrate conveying robot including end effector device An end effector device attached to a tip end portion of a robot arm includes a plurality of support units provided on a blade. Each of the support units includes: a plurality of nail pieces configured to support peripheral portions of a plurality of semiconductor wafers such that the semiconductor wafers are parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another; and a pitch changing mechanism configured to change upper-lower intervals of the nail pieces. The pitch changing mechanism includes: a coil spring configured to support the plurality of nail pieces such that the plurality of nail pieces are spaced apart from one another in an upper-lower direction and elastically deform in the upper-lower direction; and an operating mechanism configured to cause the coil spring to elastically deform in the upper-lower direction. The operating mechanism includes a piston pin fitted in the coil spring to move up and down.
US09343340B2	Vacuum processing apparatus A vacuum processing apparatus is disclosed for processing workpieces. The apparatus includes a load lock adapted to store the workpiece inside and to be switched between atmosphere and vacuum. Vacuum transport chambers are connected to the load lock and to the corresponding process chambers in a state where the load lock and each of the process chambers are isolated. The workpiece can be transferred between each of the process chambers and the load lock via the corresponding vacuum transport chamber. The apparatus also includes load lock valves for switching between interrupt and opening between the load lock and the corresponding vacuum transport chambers, and process chamber valves for switching between interrupt and opening between the process chambers and the corresponding vacuum transport chambers. Timing for opening and closing the valves is controlled in synchronization with the transfer of the workpieces.
US09343339B2	Coating method and coating apparatus A coating head is constructed of a solvent feed mechanism connected to a forward side in a direction of movement of a coating solution feed mechanism, and a gas jet mechanism connected to a rearward side in the direction of movement. While moving the coating head relative to a substrate, a solvent is supplied onto the substrate from the solvent feed mechanism, then a coating solution is supplied onto a film of the solvent from the coating solution feed mechanism, and finally a gas is jetted to an uneven surface of the coating solution from the gas jet mechanism to smooth a thin film surface of the coating solution.
US09343338B2	Pick-up method of die bonder and die bonder When a die to be stripped out of plural dies (semiconductor chips) bonded to a dicing film is to be tossed and stripped from the dicing film, the dicing film corresponding to predetermined positions out of the peripheral portion of the die is tossed to form stripping start points. The dicing film corresponding to portions other than the above predetermined positions is then tossed to strip the die from the dicing film.
US09343335B1	Cleaning photoresist nozzles for coater module Methods and systems for cleaning photoresist dispense nozzles of a wafer processing photoresist coater module are disclosed. A method comprises dispensing a photoresist cleaning solvent from an edge bead removal dispense of the coater module onto a central portion of a substrate disposed on a spin chuck to form a puddle, making contact between the photoresist dispense nozzles and the puddle and washing for a select amount of time, thereby removing photoresist from the photoresist dispense nozzles. A system comprises a process controller controlling positioning of the photoresist dispense nozzles over the substrate, positioning of the edge bead dispense over the central portion of the wafer, dispensing photoresist cleaning solvent on the central portion of the wafer, and positioning of the spin chuck such that the photoresist dispense nozzles contact the solvent for cleaning.
US09343334B2	Electronic component and method for manufacturing electronic component An electronic component comprises: a resin frame; a semiconductor substrate housed in the resin frame; a plate shape metal member having at least one end fixed in the resin frame at a position spaced apart from the semiconductor substrate; an electrical connection region portion formed on the surface on the side of the plate shape metal member of the semiconductor substrate with an electrically conductive material; and a solder layer formed on the surface on the side of the plate shape metal member of the electrical connection region portion, wherein the plate shape metal member supports the semiconductor substrate without contact through the solder layer and the electrical connection region portion, and is electrically connected to the electrical connection region portion.
US09343325B2	Trilayer SIT process with transfer layer for FINFET patterning Improved sidewall image transfer (SIT) techniques are provided. In one aspect, a SIT method includes the following steps. An oxide layer is formed on a substrate. A transfer layer is formed on a side of the oxide layer opposite the substrate. A mandrel layer is formed on a side of the transfer layer opposite the oxide layer. The mandrel layer is patterned to form at least one mandrel. Sidewall spacers are formed on opposite sides of the at least one mandrel. The at least one mandrel is removed, wherein the transfer layer covers and protects the substrate during removal of the at least one mandrel. The transfer layer is etched using the sidewall spacers as a hardmask to form a patterned transfer layer. The oxide layer and the sidewall spacers are removed from the substrate. The substrate is etched using the patterned transfer layer as a hardmask.
US09343314B2	Split gate nanocrystal memory integration A method of making a split gate non-volatile memory (NVM) includes forming a charge storage layer on the substrate, depositing a first conductive layer, and depositing a capping layer. These layers are patterned to form a control gate stack. A second conductive layer is deposited over the substrate and is patterned to leave a first portion of the second conductive layer over a portion of the control gate stack and adjacent to a first side of the control gate stack. The first portion of the second conductive layer and the control gate stack are planarized to leave a dummy select gate from the first portion of the second conductive layer, where a top surface of a remaining portion of the first conductive layer is lower relative to a top surface of the dummy select gate. The dummy select gate is replaced with a select gate including metal.
US09343306B2	Method of fabricating thin film transistor array substrate having polysilicon with different grain sizes A thin film transistor array substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of poly-silicon islands and a plurality of gates. The substrate has a display region, a gate driver region and a source driver region. Each poly-silicon island disposed on the substrate has a source region, a drain region and a channel region disposed therebetween. The poly-silicon islands include several first poly-silicon islands and several second poly-silicon islands. The first poly-silicon islands having main grain boundaries and sub grain boundaries are only disposed within the display region and the gate driver region. The main grain boundaries of the first poly-silicon islands are only disposed within the source regions and/or the drain regions. The second poly-silicon islands are disposed in the source driver region. Grain sizes of the first poly-silicon islands are substantially different from those of the second poly-silicon islands. Gates corresponding to the channel regions are disposed on the substrate.
US09343297B1	Method for forming multi-element thin film constituted by at least five elements by PEALD A single-phase multi-element film constituted by at least four elements is formed on a substrate by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) conducting one or more process cycles. Each process cycle includes: (i) forming an integrated multi-element layer constituted by at least three elements on a substrate by PEALD using at least one precursor; and (ii) treating a surface of the integrated multi-element layer with a reactive oxygen, nitrogen, and/or carbon in the absence of a precursor for film formation so as to incorporate at least one new additional element selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon into the integrated multi-element layer.
US09343288B2	Semiconductor device To increase the degree of integration of a semiconductor device such as a DCDC converter. In a semiconductor device (e.g., DCDC converter) including a controller circuit and a switching transistor, the switching transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor layer is stacked over a substrate on which the controller circuit is formed. The switching transistor includes a backgate to release heat generated in the oxide semiconductor layer. The backgate has electrical conduction with a wiring to release heat and prevent a temperature increase with integration. Moreover, for power saving, a potential hold portion including a transistor and a capacitor may be formed using part of the oxide semiconductor layer over the controller circuit. The potential hold portion is formed in a circuit for generating a bias potential in the controller circuit.
US09343287B2	Substrate processing apparatus including spin chuck A substrate processing apparatus includes a plurality of chuck pins and a heat source. The chuck pin includes a conductive member made of a material containing carbon, and a pin cover that covers the conductive member. The conductive member includes a gripping portion softer than the substrate, the gripping portion to be pressed onto a peripheral edge portion of the substrate, and protrudes outward from an outer peripheral edge of the substrate in a plan view in a state where the gripping portion is pressed onto the peripheral edge portion of the substrate. The pin cover covers, in a plan view, the entire region of a part of the conductive member protruding outward from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate in a plan view in a state where the gripping portion is pressed onto the peripheral edge portion of the substrate.
US09343281B2	Methods and apparatus for increased ion throughput in tandem mass spectrometers In a tandem mass spectrometry system, a first mass analyzer filters parent ions using a wide mass passband with a narrow rejection notch defined according to a modulation format. A wide mass range of parent ions is transmitted to an ion fragmentation device. Daughter ions produced thereby are transmitted to a second mass analyzer to produce a daughter ion mass spectrum. The modulation of the measured daughter ion mass spectrum, when correlated with the passband modulation of the first mass analyzer (i.e., parent ion spectrum), allows definitive identification of each daughter mass peak with the appropriate parent ion. Due to the wide mass passband, the ion detector signal is in proportion to the increased ion flux passed by the first mass analyzer.
US09343279B2	Data independent acquisition of product ion spectra and reference spectra library matching Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying detectable compounds of a sample. Sample product ion spectra are received for each mass selection window of precursor mass selection windows for each time step. The received sample product ion spectra are searched for the presence of known compounds of interest with known product ion spectra by retrieving a known product ion spectrum from a library, retrieving the sample product ion spectra corresponding to the precursor mass selection window expected to contain a precursor ion corresponding to the known product ion spectrum, generating product ion traces in time for the retrieved sample product ion spectra, calculating a score for the product ion traces and the retrieved sample product ion spectra that represents how well the retrieved sample product ion spectra and the known product ion spectrum match, and confirming the identity of a precursor ion using the score.
US09343273B2	Substrate holders for uniform reactive sputtering A substrate holder for a substrate including a frame body having an opening for the placement of the substrate. The frame body also includes a hollow portion therein. The substrate holder may be used in a sputtering apparatus for sputtering material onto the substrate. The substrate holder is particularly advantageous in the manufacturing of magnetic recording medium.
US09343270B2	Plasma processing apparatus A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber configured to partition a processing space and a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves for plasma excitation. Further, the plasma processing apparatus includes a dielectric member mounted in the processing chamber so as to seal the processing space, and configured to introduce the microwaves generated by the microwave generator into the processing space. Further, the plasma processing apparatus includes an injector mounted in the dielectric member, and configured to supply the processing gas made in a plasma state due to the microwaves to the processing space through a through-hole formed in the dielectric member. Further, the plasma processing apparatus includes a waveguide plate made of a dielectric material mounted in the injector so as to surround the through-hole of the dielectric member, and configured to guide the microwaves propagated into the dielectric member toward the through-hole to an inside of the injector.
US09343266B2	Charged particle beam pattern writing method and charged particle beam writing apparatus that corrects beam rotation utilizing a correlation table A charged particle beam pattern writing method according to an embodiment, includes measuring a position displacement amount of a stage above which a target object is placed, in a rotation direction; and writing a pattern of a beam image on the target object above the stage while the beam image is rotated, by using a plurality of electrostatic lenses at least one of which is arranged in a magnetic field of each of the plurality of electromagnetic lenses whose magnetic fields are in opposite directions, to avoid a focus displacement of a charged particle beam passing through the plurality of electromagnetic lenses and to correct the position displacement amount measured, in the rotation direction of the stage.
US09343264B2	Scanning electron microscope device and pattern dimension measuring method using same In a panoramic image construction technology a wide-range imaging area (EP) of semiconductor patterns is divided into a plurality of imaging areas (SEP), and joined a group of images, which are obtained by imaging the SEPs using an SEM, through image processing. Although a pattern serving as a key to joining is not contained in an overlap area between some of the SEPs, all the images can be joined in some cases is noted so that: although the number of patterns serving as keys to joining is small, SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined; or even if such SEPs cannot be determined, SEPs satisfying user's request items as many as possible can be determined. The cases are extracted by optimizing an SEP arrangement, whereby the number of cases in which SEPs whose images are all joined can be determined is increased.
US09343263B2	Ion implanter, beam energy measuring device, and method of measuring beam energy A beam energy measuring device in an ion implanter includes a parallelism measuring unit that measures a parallelism of an ion beam at a downstream of a beam collimator of the ion implanter and an energy calculating unit that calculates an energy of the ion beam from the measured parallelism. The ion implanter may further include a control unit that controls a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit based on the measured energy of the ion beam so that the ion beam has a target energy.
US09343254B2	Battery relay for automobile Disclosed is a battery relay for a vehicle. The battery relay has a strengthened operation structure, which includes divided upper plunger and lower plunger by dualizing an internal plunger and induces shocks of the upper plunger and the lower plunger upon initial movement of the lower plunger thereby minimizing the amount of arc generated upon contact and improving durability by shortening a switching time between a movable contact and a fixed contact.
US09343252B2	Arc extinguishing contact assembly for a circuit breaker assembly An arc extinguishing contact assembly for a circuit breaker assembly is provided. The arc extinguishing contact assembly includes a fixed contact assembly, a movable contact assembly and an arc extinguishing assembly. The fixed contact assembly includes a fixed arc contact assembly, a fixed main contact assembly, and a number of movable, intermediate arc contact assemblies. The movable contact assembly includes a movable arc contact assembly and a movable main contact assembly. The arc extinguishing assembly is structured to extinguish an arc generated as the movable contact assembly moves between an open, first position and a closed, second position.
US09343249B2	Pressure and rotationally actuated control element for a motor vehicle A pressure and rotationally actuated control element for a vehicle steering wheel includes a bearing block and an input element. The bearing block is mounted on actuating elements of switching elements. The input element is mounted rotatably on the bearing block. The input element transmits a rotational actuation to a code disk and an actuating pressure on the input element actuates at least one of the switching elements. The bearing block forms two swivel pins perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the input element and which are supported by the actuating elements of switching elements. The bearing block has a stop element between the swivel pins which limits the path of actuation of the input element by an actuating pressure.
US09343243B2	Actuation device for an explosion-proof housing An actuation device (11) for an explosion-proof housing (10) in compliance with the ignition protection category “pressure-proof encapsulation”. The actuation device (11) has an actuation unit (15) with a manually actuatable actuation element (16), and an actuation device (11) having a switch unit (14) with a switch element (14) for switching an associated electrical contact. The actuation unit (15) is located outside the housing (10), whereas the switch unit (13) is located in the interior space (12) of the housing (10). An adapter device (22) mechanically connects the actuation unit (15) and the switch unit (13) and comprises at least one adapter plunger (38) that is supported so as to be movable in axial direction (A) in order to transmit the movement of the actuation element (16) via the adapter plunger (38) to the switch element (14). The adapter plunger (38) is arranged in an adapter channel (39) so as to be axially shiftable while forming a gap (53) that is resistant to ignition transmission.
US09343234B2	Monolithic ceramic electronic component A monolithic ceramic electronic component includes an outer electrode including a first plating layer formed directly on a component body by electroless plating so as to cover an exposed portion distribution region including exposed portions of a plurality of inner electrodes and a second plating layer formed by electrolytic plating so as to cover the first plating layer. An amount of extension of the first plating E1 and an amount of extension of the second plating E2 satisfy the relationship E1/(E1+E2)≦20%, where E1 represents a distance from an edge of the exposed portion distribution region to an edge of the first plating layer, and E2 represents a distance from the edge of the first plating layer to an edge of the second plating layer.
US09343232B2	Conductive paste composition for external electrode and multilayer ceramic electronic component including the same There is provided a conductive paste composition for an external electrode, the conductive paste composition including a polymer resin, spherical first conductive metal particles included in the polymer resin and being hollow in at least a portion thereof, and second conductive metal particles of a flake shape included in the polymer resin and being hollow in at least a portion thereof.
US09343216B2	Energy efficient bi-stable permanent magnet actuation system In a bi-stable permanent magnet actuator system, an electrical circuit arrangement for activating bi-stable permanent magnet actuators that is more adaptable to energy saving power sources, includes a power source that can be of any power level, a voltage conditioner, an energy storage device, an output circuit, and a control circuit for controlling delivery of a discharge current from the energy storage device through the output circuit to the control coil of a bi-stable permanent magnet actuators. Thus, low voltage batteries, solar cells, and energy harvesting devices with low average watts (energy per time) can be used as the power source for bi-stable permanent magnet actuators.
US09343213B2	Component for fixing curvature of flexible device and deformation and fixing curvature method Provided is a component for fixing the curvature of a flexible device. The component includes a permanent magnet substrate and a magnetic substrate connect to the permanent magnet substrate. The permanent magnet substrate includes a first permanent magnet structure, and the magnetic substrate includes an electromagnet structure, a second permanent magnet structure, or a ferromagnetic material structure.
US09343206B2	Electrically-driven phase transitions in functional oxide heterostructures A tunable resistance system includes a layer of a first functional material deposited on a component of the system. The first functional material undergoes a phase transition at a first critical voltage. An insulating layer is deposited upon the layer of first functional material. A layer of a second functional material deposited on the insulating layer. The second functional material undergoes a phase transition at a second critical voltage. The insulating layer is configured to induce a stress on the layer so as to change the first critical voltage. In this way, the resistance of the system is tunable, allowing the system to undergo multi-stage electrical switching of resistive states.
US09343205B2	Tubular cable protection and guide device A tubular cable protection and guide device is provided. The tubular cable protection and cable device includes an elastomer resin sheet that has: an outer circumference wall forming portion, a pair of sidewall forming portions on the left and right sides, and a pair of inner circumference wall forming portions on the left and right sides. The inner circumference wall forming portions have a pair of locking portions. When a cable receiving room is formed, the pair of locking portions is engaged with each other along a sheet longitudinal direction on a flexional inner circumference side, such that the inner circumference wall forming portions form a wall facing the outer circumference wall forming portion. The locking portions each includes a plurality of ridges that extend in the sheet longitudinal direction and are arranged in the transverse direction to be alternately inserted between each other when engaged with each other.
US09343204B2	Electrical insulator apparatus and methods of retaining an electrical conductor with an electrical insulator apparatus An electrical insulator apparatus and methods of using the same are provided. The apparatus includes an insulator body formed about a central axis, the insulator body having a plurality of spaced fins positioned along an exterior of the insulator body. A first jaw portion is positioned on an upper portion of the insulator body. A second jaw portion is positioned proximate to the first jaw portion and is movable with respect to the first jaw portion. At least one fastener is connected between the first and second jaw portions. A jaw platform is positioned at least partially between the first and second jaw portions, wherein the first and second jaw portions and the jaw platform form a notch sized to receive an electrical conductor, wherein the jaw platform substantially lies within a first plane angled substantially between 6° and 184° with respect to the central axis of the insulator body.
US09343201B2	Method for manufacturing a reinforced overhead multipurpose cable for outside telecommunication The invention relates to a method for manufacturing reinforced overhead multipurpose cable for outside telecommunications of Voice, Video, and Data Distribution (VVDD) type. The reinforced overhead multipurpose cable comprises a dry and multipair construction core, electromagnetic shielding elements and external protection thermoplastic cover, characterized because it includes one or several externally placed metal or plastic supporting elements for cable self-support; a core integrated by insulated electrical conductors of 2 to 300 twisted pairs, formed with twisting closed lay lengths and reduced in the formation of said component pairs; a plastic tape helicoidally arranged; a tape wrapping the assembled core; said tape being of aluminum for electromagnetic shielding and an external insulating cover both for the core and the reinforcement element, the dry core does not affect the conductance or capacitance or resistance of the insulation.
US09343197B2	Insulated wire and coil An insulated wire includes a conductor, and an insulating covering layer including a first insulation layer formed around the conductor and a second insulation layer formed around the first insulation layer. An elastic modulus of the second insulation layer at 300° C. is not less than 300 MPa, and a relative permittivity of the insulating covering layer is not more than 3.0.
US09343194B2	Process for the formation of a silver back electrode of a passivated emitter and rear contact silicon solar cell A process for the formation of an electrically conductive silver back electrode of a PERC silicon solar cell comprising the steps: (1) providing a silicon wafer having an ARC layer on its front-side and a perforated dielectric passivation layer on its back-side, (2) applying and drying a silver paste to form a silver back electrode pattern on the perforated dielectric passivation layer on the back-side of the silicon wafer, and (3) firing the dried silver paste, whereby the wafer reaches a peak temperature of 700 to 900° C., wherein the silver paste has no or only poor fire-through capability and comprises particulate silver and an organic vehicle.
US09343193B2	XRF system having multiple excitation energy bands in highly aligned package An x-ray analysis apparatus for illuminating a sample spot with an x-ray beam. An x-ray tube is provided having a source spot from which a diverging x-ray beam is produced having a characteristic first energy, and bremsstrahlung energy; a first x-ray optic receives the diverging x-ray beam and directs the beam toward the sample spot, while monochromating the beam; and a second x-ray optic receives the diverging x-ray beam and directs the beam toward the sample spot, while monochromating the beam to a second energy. The first x-ray optic may monochromate characteristic energy from the source spot, and the second x-ray optic may monochromate bremsstrahlung energy from the source spot. The x-ray optics may be curved diffracting optics, for receiving the diverging x-ray beam from the x-ray tube and focusing the beam at the sample spot. Detection is also provided to detect and measure various toxins in, e.g., manufactured products including toys and electronics.
US09343190B2	Apparatus for screening off radiation during the sterilization of containers An apparatus for the sterilization of containers with a conveying device which conveys the containers along a pre-determined conveying path (P), with a sterilization device which acts upon at least one area of the containers with charge carriers in the course of the sterilization, with a screening apparatus for screening off beams from the environment, which has at least two screening bodies which are arranged with respect to each other in such a way that one screening body is situated on the side of the screening apparatus facing the conveying path (P) and one screening body is situated on the one facing away from it, wherein the screening bodies are thermally insulated from each other.
US09343186B2	Semiconductor storage device A semiconductor storage device has a cell array, a redundant array provided logically separated from the cell array, a cache memory having a storing area of data read from or written in the cell array by one access, defective column storage to store a column address of a defective column in the cell array, a defective column determination module to determine whether a column address to be accessed matches the column address stored in the defective column storage, and a clock generator to generate a clock for accessing each of the divided areas for each period of the interleave access and, when the defective column determination module determines that there is a match, instead of a clock accessing a divided page buffer area at the generation timing of the clock accessing the divided page buffer area.
US09343181B2	Memory module errors Techniques for handling errors on memory modules are provided. An uncorrected error from a pair of memory modules may be received. Memory modules other than the pair of memory modules producing the error may be de-configured. Diagnostic tests may be run on the faded pair of memory modules. The memory module of the pair of memory modules that caused the uncorrected error may be determined.
US09343177B2	Accessing control registers over a data bus An electronic apparatus that includes a controlled device with a plurality of control registers. A data bus is coupled between the controlled device and a processor, and an interface is configured to receive a plurality of portions of data read from or to be written to the plurality of control registers. The electronic apparatus also includes a correlation circuit configured to associate at least some of the plurality of portions of data with respective physical addresses of the plurality of control registers based on respective positions of the respective portions of data within the plurality.
US09343175B2	Fuse data reading circuit having multiple reading modes and related devices, systems and methods A fuse data reading circuit is configured to read fuse data in multi-reading modes. The fuse data may be stored in a fuse array that includes a plurality of fuse cells configured to store fuse data. The fuse data reading circuit may include a sensing unit configured to sense the fuse data stored in the fuse cells of the fuse array, and a controller configured to control an operation of reading the fuse data stored in the fuse cells. The controller sets different sensing conditions for sensing the fuse data according to an operation period during the fuse data reading operation to read the fuse data. Methods include operations and use of the fuse data reading circuit.
US09343172B2	Extended protection for embedded erase of non-volatile memory cells Methods and systems are disclosed for extended erase protection for non-volatile memory (NVM) cells during embedded erase operations for NVM systems. The embodiments described herein utilize an additional threshold voltage (Vt) check after soft programming operation within an embedded erase operation completes to provide extended erase protection of NVM cells. In particular, the threshold voltages for NVM cells are compared against a threshold voltage (Vt) check voltage (VCHK) level and an additional embedded erase cycle is performed if any NVM cells are found to exceed the threshold voltage (Vt) check voltage (VCHK) level. The threshold voltage (Vt) check voltage (VCHK) level can be, for example, a voltage level that is slightly higher than an erase verify voltage (VEV) level and lower than read voltage level (VR).
US09343169B2	Architecture and method for memory programming Methods of programming a memory, memory devices, and systems are disclosed, for example. In one such method, each data line of a memory to be programmed is biased differently depending upon whether one or more of the data lines adjacent the data line are inhibited. In one such system, a connection circuit provides data corresponding to the inhibit status of a target data line to page buffers associated with data lines adjacent to the target data line.
US09343155B1	Memory as a programmable logic device Methods for programming, methods for operating, and memories are disclosed. One such method for programming includes programming a group of memory cells such that a series string of memory cells of the group of memory cells is programmed to provide a logical function responsive to an input minterm whose variables are coupled to respective, associated memory cells.
US09343154B2	Nonvolatile memory device and driving method thereof According to example embodiments, a nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of strings having a plurality of serially-connected selection transistors and a plurality of memory cells connected in series to one end of the serially-connected selection transistors. A control logic is configured to perform a program operation for setting a threshold voltage of at least one of the serially-connected selection transistors.
US09343148B2	Method and apparatus for faster determination of a cell state of a resistive memory cell using a parallel resistor A device for determining an actual cell state of a resistive memory cell having a plurality M of programmable cell states comprising a sensing circuit, a settling circuit, a prebiasing circuit, and a resistor coupled in parallel to the resistive memory cell, wherein the resistor is configured to reduce an effective resistance seen by the prebiasing circuit. The sensing circuit is configured to sense a sensing voltage of the resistive memory cell and output a resultant value in response to the sensing voltage which is indicative for the actual cell state. The settling circuit is configured to settle the sensing voltage to a certain target voltage representing one of the M programmable cell states. The prebiasing circuit is configured to prebiase a bitline capacitance of the resistive memory cell such the sensing voltage is close to the certain target voltage.
US09343147B2	Resistive random access memory (ReRAM) and conductive bridging random access memory (CBRAM) cross coupled fuse and read method and system By arranging both a conductive and non-conductive resistive memory cell in a cross coupled arrangement to facilitate reading a data state the memory cells can have very small differences in their resistance values and still read correctly. This allows both of the memory cells' resistances to change over time and still have enough difference between their resistances to read the desired data state that was programmed. A pair of ReRAM or CBRAM resistive memory devices are configured as a one bit memory cell and used to store a single data bit wherein one of the resistive memory devices is in an ERASE condition and the other resistive memory devices of the pair is in a WRITE condition. Reading the resistance states of the resistive memory device pairs is accomplished without having to use a reference voltage or current since a trip-point is between the conductive states thereof.
US09343145B2	Memory cells, memory cell programming methods, memory cell reading methods, memory cell operating methods, and memory devices Embodiments disclosed include memory cell operating methods, memory cell programming methods, memory cell reading methods, memory cells, and memory devices. In one embodiment, a memory cell includes a wordline, a first bitline, a second bitline, and a memory element. The memory element is electrically connected to the wordline and selectively electrically connected to the first bitline and the second bitline. The memory element stores information via a resistive state of the memory element. The memory cell is configured to convey the resistive state of the memory element via either a first current flowing from the first bitline through the memory element to the wordline or a second current flowing from the wordline through the memory element to the second bitline.
US09343144B2	Memory device and method of controlling memory device According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a plurality of global column lines arranged in parallel and extending in a first direction; a plurality of row lines extending in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of column lines in a two-dimensional arrangement, which extend in a third direction which is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction; and a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells arranged at intersections between the row lines and the column lines.
US09343137B2	Semiconductor devices and semiconductor systems including the same The semiconductor memory device includes a power control signal generator and a sense amplifier circuit. The power control signal generator generates a first power control signal that is enabled in response to a temperature latch signal generated in response to latching a temperature signal in a predetermined mode. The sense amplifier circuit generates a first power signal having a first drive voltage in response to the first power control signal. In addition, the sense amplifier circuit senses and amplifies a voltage level of a bit line using the first power signal as a power supply voltage.
US09343126B2	Frequency selection granularity for integrated circuits Clock signal generation circuitry. A frequency multiplier is coupled to receive a clock signal and to generate a frequency-multiplied clock signal. A switching circuit is coupled to receive at least two reference clock signals. The switching circuit provides one of the reference clock signals in response to a reference select signal. A phase locked loop (PLL) is coupled to receive the frequency-multiplied clock signal and the selected reference clock signal. The PLL generates an output clock signal.
US09343124B1	Method and system for operating a multi-port memory system A method and system for operating a multi-port memory system are disclosed. A memory controller may service read requests by accessing requested data from an external memory and communicating it to the requesting memory ports for access by devices coupled to the memory ports. A shared memory of the memory controller may be used to temporarily store data if a buffer associated with a requesting device is full. To reduce the ability for a slower memory port to occupy the shared memory and cause faster memory ports to be underserviced, the memory controller may advantageously regulate or limit issuance of read requests by memory ports operating at slower clock frequencies. The memory ports may be regulated independently of one another based on at least one respective attribute of each memory port, at least one attribute of the external memory, etc.
US09343122B2	Circuit configuration for selecting and outputting digital input data and operating method for same A circuit configuration includes a first input for inputting a first set of digital input data, an output for outputting digital output data, and a control input for receiving a control signal. At least two register units are provided and the circuit configuration is designed to write, as a function of the control signal, into a first register unit optionally at least a part of the first set of input data or of the second set of digital input data and to write into a second register unit optionally at least a part of the first set of input data or of the second set of input data.
US09343120B2	High speed processing unit with non-volatile register A semiconductor device in which the power consumption of a register is low is provided. Further, a processing unit whose operation speed is high and whose power consumption is low is provided. In the semiconductor device, a register operating at high speed and a nonvolatile FILO (first-in-last-out) register capable of reading and writing data from/to the register are provided.
US09343114B2	Memory arrays and methods of forming electrical contacts Some embodiments include methods of forming electrical contacts. A row of semiconductor material projections may be formed, with the semiconductor material projections containing repeating components of an array, and with a terminal semiconductor projection of the row comprising a contact location. An electrically conductive line may be along said row, with the line wrapping around an end of said terminal semiconductor projection and bifurcating into two branches that are along opposing sides of the semiconductor material projections. Some of the semiconductor material of the terminal semiconductor projection may be replaced with dielectric material, and then an opening may be extended into the dielectric material. An electrical contact may be formed within the opening and directly against at least one of the branches. Some embodiments include memory arrays.
US09343110B2	Dynamic synchronization tool The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for synchronizing one or more mediatations with a video timeline. A mediatation may refer to any media content displayed in a separate window from a video stream. Example mediatations include, but are not limited to, portable document format (PDF) documents, text documents, and image documents. Mediatations are associated with a timeline for a video stream. As the video stream is played, different indications of mediatations may appear in a window separate from the window playing the video. A user may then select an indication of a mediatation to display the entirety of the mediatation.
US09343106B2	Performing process for removal medium In a controller of a tape drive, when an error recovery section cannot recover an error detected by an error detecting section, an error-report generation section generates an error report, an error-information acquisition section acquires error information of the tape drive and a cartridge loaded in the tape drive, an error-information exchange section acquires pieces of error information of other tape drives and cartridges loaded in these other tape drives, an error-factor judging section judges whether the error is attributable to the tape drive or the cartridge based on these pieces of error information, an error-report update section updates the error report in accordance with the result of this judgment, and an error-report output section outputs the error report thus updated to a host.
US09343103B2	Serial port communication for storage device using single bidirectional serial data line A method is provided to enable communication between a controller and a preamplifier in a storage device. For example, the method includes implementing a serial port which is configured to transmit digital signals between the controller and the preamplifier over a single bidirectional serial data line. The serial port is controlled to selectively transmit digital signals over the bidirectional serial data line in either a first direction from the controller to the preamplifier or a second direction from the preamplifier to the controller.
US09343102B1	Data storage device employing a phase offset to generate power from a spindle motor during a power failure A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk, a spindle motor configured to rotate the disk, wherein the spindle motor comprises a plurality of windings, and a head actuated over the disk. The windings are commutated based on a commutation sequence while applying a periodic driving voltage to each winding, wherein the periodic driving voltage comprises an operating amplitude during normal operation. When a supply voltage falls below a threshold, the spindle motor is configured into a power generator by at least adjusting a phase of the periodic driving voltage by a phase offset and adjusting the amplitude of the periodic driving voltage based on the phase offset.
US09343096B2	Perpendicular magnetic recording medium According to one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording medium is provided, which includes a non-magnetic granular underlayer formed on a substrate and containing metal grains of a first metal and a grain boundary layer surrounding the metal grains, each metal grain including a projection projecting from the boundary layer and a bottom portion embedded in the grain boundary layer, and a contact angle of the edge of the projection to the surface of the grain boundary layer being 45° to 85°, a non-magnetic intermediate layer formed on a surface of each projection and a magnetic recording layer having a projection pattern formed on the basis of a pattern of the projections in the non-magnetic intermediate layer via the non-magnetic intermediate layer.
US09343092B1	Pro-active protection of communication devices that are senstive to vibration or shock A method includes a first communication device detecting vibration or shock, and, in response to detecting vibration or shock, the first communication device broadcasting an alert message that identifies a physical location of the first communication device at the time that the vibration or shock was sensed. The method further includes a second communication device receiving the alert message, wherein the second communication device includes a hard disk drive that can be damaged by vibration or shock. In response to receiving the alert message, the second communication device temporarily parks a read-write head of the hard disk drive to prevent damage from the vibration or shock, wherein the second communication device parks the read-write head without the second communication device independently detecting the vibration or shock. In one option, a server can receive and send alert messages from and to any number of communication devices.
US09343091B1	Sensor structure having layer with high magnetic moment A reader sensor having a composite shield and a sensor stack. The composite shield includes a high magnetic moment layer having a magnetic moment greater than 1.0 T, a low magnetic moment layer, and a spacer therebetween. The high magnetic moment layer is closer to the stack than the low magnetic moment layer. The high magnetic moment layer may be a single layer or have a plurality of layers.
US09343090B1	Magnetoresistive sensor having an Ir seed layer for improved pinned layer robustness A magnetic sensor having an Ir seed layer for improved pinning robustness and improved sensor performance. The sensor includes an Ir seed layer formed directly beneath and in contact with a layer of antiferromagnetic material (AFM). The Ir seed layer improves the grain structure and smoothness of the above applied layers to significantly improve the performance and pinning robustness of the sensor. The use of the Ir seed layer reduces interlayer magnetic coupling of the layers, reduces surface roughness and increases the temperature at which the pinned layer looses it's pinning (i.e. raises the mean blocking temperature Tc of the pinned layer structure).
US09343086B1	Magnetic recording write transducer having an improved sidewall angle profile A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a main pole and at least one coil for energizing the main pole. The main pole includes a pole tip region and a yoke region. The pole tip region includes sidewalls, a bottom and a top wider than the bottom. At least one of the sidewalls forms a first sidewall angle with a down track direction at the ABS and a second sidewall angle with the down track direction at a first distance recessed from the ABS. The first sidewall angle is greater than the second sidewall angle.
US09343084B2	Systems and methods for correcting slider parallelism error using compensation lapping Systems and methods for correcting slider parallelism error using compensation lapping are described. One such system includes a lapping support including at least one mounting surface having a preselected mounting angle such that a line normal to the at least one mounting surface is not parallel to a centerline of the lapping support, a rowbar including a plurality of magnetic transducers spaced apart along a length of the rowbar, and a lapping plate configured to lap the rowbar, where the rowbar is mounted to the at least one mounting surface, and where the rowbar is configured to be brought into contact with the lapping plate.
US09343082B2	Systems and methods for detecting head contact Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for determining contact with a storage medium. As an example, a data storage system is disclosed that includes: a head assembly and a data processing circuit. The head includes a head disk interface sensor operable to provide a contact signal indicating contact between the head and a storage medium disposed in relation to the head. The data processing circuit is operable to process the contact signal to yield an indication of a contact between the storage medium and the head.
US09343081B2	Magnetic business communication product and method of producing same A magnetic business communication is produced in a unique manner in which a pigmented coating is applied over one face of the magnetic substrate so as to change the appearance of the magnetic material. An image is applied either directly over the pigmented coating or alternatively, the image may be reverse printed on a transparent film such that when the film is applied over the pigmented coating, the image will be visible through the face of the film.
US09343078B2	Pre-process (amplitude distortion) and post-process (phase synchronization) for linear AEC system An acoustic processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a pre-processing component, a filter and a first signal processing component. The pre-processing component compensates a non-linearity of a reference signal to generate an input signal. The filter coupled to the pre-processing component, the filter executes filtering on the input signal to generate an output signal. The first signal processing component, coupled to the pre-processing component, the reference signal obtains a gain from the first signal processing component to generate a first signal, and the first signal processing component passes the gain to the pre-processing component.
US09343077B2	Pitch filter for audio signals In some embodiments, a pitch filter for filtering a preliminary audio signal generated from an audio bitstream is disclosed. The pitch filter has an operating mode selected from one of either: (i) an active mode where the preliminary audio signal is filtered using filtering information to obtain a filtered audio signal, and (ii) an inactive mode where the pitch filter is disabled. The preliminary audio signal is generated in an audio encoder or audio decoder having a coding mode selected from at least two distinct coding modes, and the pitch filter is capable of being selectively operated in either the active mode or the inactive mode while operating in the coding mode based on control information.
US09343075B2	Voice processing apparatus and voice processing method A voice processing apparatus includes: a dividing unit which divides a voice signal into frames in such a manner that any two successive frames overlap each other by a predetermined amount; a first windowing unit which multiplies each frame by a first windowing function that attenuates a signal at both ends of the frame; an orthogonal transform unit which computes a frequency spectrum for each frame multiplied by the first windowing function; a frequency signal processing unit which computes a corrected frequency spectrum; an inverse orthogonal transform unit which computes a corrected frame by applying an inverse orthogonal transform to the corrected frequency spectrum; a second windowing unit which multiplies each corrected frame by a second windowing function that attenuates a signal at both ends of the corrected frame; and an addition unit which adds up the each corrected frame multiplied by the second windowing function, sequentially in time order.
US09343073B1	Robust noise suppression system in adverse echo conditions The present technology provides adaptive noise and echo reduction of an acoustic signal which can overcome or substantially alleviate problems associated with mistaken adaptation of speech and noise models to acoustic echo. The present technology carries out a multi-faceted analysis to identify echo within the near-end acoustic signal to derive an echo model. Echo classification information regarding the derived echo model is then utilized to build near-end speech and noise models. These echo, speech, and noise models are then used to generate one or more signal modifications applied to the acoustic signal to preserve the desired near-end speech signal and reduce the echo and near-end noise signals. By building near-end speech and noise models utilizing echo classification information, the present technology can prevent adaptation of the speech and noise model to the acoustic echo.
US09343069B2	Methods and systems for name pronunciation In an embodiment, a system maintains a database of a plurality of persons. The database includes an audio clip of a pronunciation of a name of a first person in the database. The system determines from a calendar database that a second person has an event in common with the first person, and transmits to a device associated with the second person an indication that the database includes the pronunciation of the name of the first person.
US09343068B2	Method and apparatus for controlling access to applications having different security levels A method for controlling access to a plurality of applications in an electronic device includes receiving a voice command from a speaker for accessing a target application among the plurality of applications, and verifying whether the voice command is indicative of a user authorized to access the applications based on a speaker model of the authorized user. In this method, each application is associated with a security level having a threshold value. The method further includes updating the speaker model with the voice command if the voice command is verified to be indicative of the user, and adjusting at least one of the threshold values based on the updated speaker model.
US09343060B2	Voice processing using conversion function based on respective statistics of a first and a second probability distribution In voice processing, a first distribution generation unit approximates a distribution of feature information representative of voice of a first speaker per a unit interval thereof as a mixed probability distribution which is a mixture of a plurality of first probability distributions corresponding to a plurality of different phones. A second distribution generation unit also approximates a distribution of feature information representative of voice of a second speaker as a mixed probability distribution which is a mixture of a plurality of second probability distributions. A function generation unit generates, for each phone, a conversion function for converting the feature information of voice of the first speaker to that of the second speaker based on respective statistics of the first and second probability distributions that correspond to the phone.
US09343056B1	Wind noise detection and suppression Wind noise is detected in and removed from an acoustic signal. Features may be extracted from the acoustic signal. The extracted features may be processed to classify the signal as including wind noise or not. The wind noise may be removed before or during processing of the acoustic signal. The wind noise may be suppressed by estimating a wind noise model, deriving a modification, and applying the modification to the acoustic signal. In audio devices with multiple microphones, the channel exhibiting wind noise (i.e., acoustic signal frame associated with the wind noise) may be discarded for the frame in which wind noise is detected.
US09343054B1	Techniques for ordering digital music tracks in a sequence Techniques are described for automatically re-ordering digital music tracks in a sequence for playback on a digital device. The sequence of digital music tracks is algorithmically arranged to provide better transitions between the digital music tracks in the sequence.
US09343053B2	Adding audio sound effects to movies A method of adding sound effects to movies, comprising: opening a file comprising audio and video tracks on a computing device comprising a display and touch panel input mode; running the video track on the display; selecting an audio sound suitable to a displayed frame from an audio sounds library; and adding audio effects to said selected audio sound using hand gestures on displayed art effects.
US09343045B1	Capo system A capo system includes a stringed instrument that has a neck, a fret board and a plurality of strings. A housing is removably positioned at a desired location along the fret board. A plurality of engaging units is provided and each of the engaging units is positioned within the housing. Each of the engaging units is positioned within an associated one of the channels. Each of the engaging units is positionable between an engaging position having each of the engaging units selectively depressing associated ones of the strings onto the fret board. Each of the engaging units is positionable in a releasing position having each of the engaging units being spaced from the associated string such that the associated string is spaced from the fret board.
US09343044B2	Piano extended soft pedal A piano selectively playable in normal and soft modes has multiple piano keys and actions, including a wippen assembly, and multiple piano hammers. A soft mode pedal system includes soft and ultra-soft mode pedals, and a hammer rest rail mounted for movement between normal and soft mode positions. A piano key lift rail is mounted for movement between a normal mode position spaced from lifting contact with the keys and a soft mode position in contact with and lifting the keys and the wippen assemblies. A soft mode pedal linkage assembly between the soft and ultra-soft mode pedals and the hammer rest and piano key lift rails causes movement of the hammer rest rail, piano hammers, the piano keys, and the wippen assemblies upon actuation of the soft mode pedal between normal mode position and soft and ultra-soft mode positions.
US09343043B2	Methods and apparatus for generating composite images Apparatuses and methods for capturing and generating composite images. In various aspects, the invention provides apparatuses and methods for correcting position information of captured images received by position sensors based on alignment of overlapping images. Corrected position information is then taken into account when displaying the locations of captured images on a display for providing guidance to users for generating composite images.
US09343036B2	Electronic apparatus and operation method thereof An electronic apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. In case that a display unit enters a screen lock mode, a message input interface is displayed on the display unit when it is detected that a message option is enabled, and a note message is generated by the message inputting interface. A lock screen is returned and a prompt item corresponding to the note message is displayed on the lock screen when the message input interface is finished.
US09343035B2	Transmission of video in wireless environment A video transmission method is provided. The video transmission method includes providing a wireless transmission environment for transmitting a video, wherein the wireless transmission environment includes an application layer, a media access control (MAC) layer and a physical layer; detecting a delay bound and a frame error rate (FER) of the video in the wireless transmission environment; detecting a present packet error rate (PER) of a packet in the physical layer when the physical layer transmits an error report to the MAC layer; calculating an estimated PER; comparing the present PER and the estimated PER for providing a determined result; and calculating an optimal video rate of the video and an optimal payload length of the packet using a geometric programming scheme when the determined result indicates that a retransmission is required, wherein the geometric programming scheme is based on the delay bound and the FER.
US09343032B2	Goa circuit structure sharing goa pull-down circuits to reduce TFT stress of the goa pull-down circuits A GOA circuit structure includes multiple twined GOA units cascaded with each other. Each twined GOA unit includes a (2N−1)-level GOA unit and a 2N-level GOA unit, which has a first pull-down holding circuit, a second pull-down holding circuit, a third pull-down holding circuit, and a fourth pull-down holding circuit connected with the (2N−1)-level gate signal point (Q(2N−1)) and the 2N-level gate signal point (Q(2N)). Through inputting a first clock signal, a second clock signal, a third clock signal, and a fourth clock signal, the first pull-down holding circuit, the second pull-down holding circuit, the third pull-down holding circuit, and the fourth pull-down holding circuit are made working alternately. The GOA circuit structure makes each portion work for ¼ time and take rest for ¾ time by sharing the pull-down holding circuit, which can reduce the TFT stress of the pull-down holding circuit.
US09343028B2	Method of driving a gate line, gate drive circuit and display apparatus having the gate drive circuit A method of driving a gate line includes: charging one of a scan start signal and a carry signal provided from a previous stage to a first node of a present stage; outputting a gate signal through a gate node of the present stage by pulling up a high level of a first clock signal at the first node to boost up a voltage potential of the first node; discharging the voltage potential of the first node and a voltage potential of the gate node to hold the first node and the gate node at a first power voltage as the first clock signal is shifted to a low level; and receiving a voltage potential signal of a second node of the previous stage, the second node holding a gate signal outputted from the previous stage, to reduce a ripple generated at the first node.
US09343014B2	Pixel driving circuit A pixel driving circuit includes first to seventh switches, a capacitor and a light emitting unit. The first and sixth switches are connected and receive data voltage and second reference voltage according to second and third control signals, respectively. One capacitor end connects to the serial-connected first and sixth switches and the other capacitor end connects to a control end of the second switch. The serial-connected third and fourth switches are connected between the control and first end of the second switch. The third and fourth switches are ON by the second control signal. The fifth switch is ON by a first control signal. An end of the fifth switch connects to the serial-connected third and fourth switches and another end receives a first reference voltage. The seventh switch is connected between the second switch and the light emitting unit. The seventh switch is ON by the third control signal.
US09343005B2	Extruded frame trim arrangement An extrusion member for assembly into a display fabric supporting frame arrangement for enabling the assembly and display of a flexible fabric therewithin. The extrusion member comprises an elongated outer segment for enabling the support of a frameless flexible display in a frame arrangement, and an elongated inner segment for enabling the support of a frameless flexible display in a frame arrangement, wherein either segment or the inner segment, or both the outer segment and the inner segment may peripherally support a flexible display on a common extrusion member assembly.
US09343004B2	LCD TFT sign for on-board use in public transportation An LCD destination sign is provided that provides a high resolution image and operates in at least two modes. One mode is a destination message mode that is used when a destination message (i.e., a route number and/or destination name in substantially static alphanumeric or symbols) is to be displayed on the destination sign. The second mode is a non-destination mode wherein graphic images are displayed on the destination sign, wherein such graphic images do not provide a destination message and may include video feeds, weather forecasts or newsreels.
US09343003B2	Backlit graphic display device with device-to-surface mounts A graphic display device illuminates interchangeable graphic panels and is mountable to a translucent mounting surface. The graphic display device includes a housing assembly, a light source assembly, a light guide assembly, and device-to-surface mounts. The housing assembly includes a housing back, a housing front, and peripheral housing edging. Together, the housing back and housing edging define a panel-receiving volume. The light source assembly includes a power source, a light source, and circuitry. A light guide of the light guide assembly is positionable within the panel-receiving volume for guiding light from the light source in an anterior direction. The device-to-surface mounts fasten the graphic display device to a translucent mounting surface, and are cooperably associated with the peripheral housing edging for supporting the housing assembly such that the light from the light source is guided in an anterior direction through the translucent mounting surface.
US09342999B2	Machine readable information interface for a container The present application is directed to systems and methods for an information delivery system for a container. At least one machine readable indicia may be printed on an outer surface of the container. A top label may cover at least a portion of the outer surface of the container. The top label may be rotatable about the outer surface of the container. The top label may have a transparent window allowing at least one of the machine readable indicia to be visible through the transparent window.
US09342996B2	Trauma training system A system for simulating one or more hemorrhages in order to provide a more dynamic and realistic hemorrhage simulation in order to train medical personnel and other critical care givers, such as first responders, medics, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) on treating hemorrhages. The system includes a reservoir, a flow controller, and at least one conduit connected to at least one simulated wound site wherein the system supplies fluid to the simulated wound site in order to simulate a hemorrhage. The system may further include a plurality of wound sites that have their respective fluid flows controlled by the fluid flow controller. In at least one embodiment, the reservoir and the flow controller are housed within a bag. In at least one embodiment, the system further includes an audio system for providing audio cues to the simulation participants to enhance the realism of the simulation.
US09342989B2	Radio-enabled collision avoidance system In the method of reducing the likelihood of collisions, the improvement comprising the step of embedding passive radio transponders in a tape, grease, or other materials; applying said passive radio transponders to an object of which collisions must be avoided, and mounting an active interrogating transponder on a moving machinery, which uses the information provided by the radio transponders to semi-autonomously avoid collisions.
US09342982B2	Traffic control agency deployment and signal optimization for event planning Embodiments relate to traffic control resource planning. An aspect includes receiving information about available routes in a transportation network and receiving an estimate of a traffic demand in the transportation network. Traffic control planning is performed and it may include: simulating a traffic flow based on the available routes and the traffic demand; applying a model that varies traffic control agent (TCA) placement and traffic signal settings in the transportation network to minimize a cost associated with the traffic flow, the cost including a TCA deployment cost and a traffic delay cost; and outputting a traffic control plan based on the applying, the traffic control plan including a TCA placement and traffic signal setting plan.
US09342973B2	Fall event handling method and mobile electronic device using the same The present disclosure proposes a method of handling a fall event for use by a handheld mobile electronic device, and a handheld mobile electronic device using the same method. Accordingly, the handheld mobile electronic device first detects a fall event. In response to the fall event determined to have exceeded a predetermined distance, the device would detect whether the device has moved or has experienced a pressure variation within a time period after the fall event has ended. If the result is negative, the device would activate an alarm and transmit a notification related to the fall event.
US09342967B2	Motion activated off grid LED light The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate remotely controlling a wireless lighting module. The wireless lighting module can include a power source such as a battery, a solar cell, and the like as well as an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs can be controlled based upon a received input (e.g., communicated by way of a radio frequency signal, an infrared signal, . . . ). For example, the input can be obtained from a remote control, a sensor, a differing wireless lighting module, an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, and so forth. The input can be utilized to switch one or more LEDs on or off, change the intensity or color of illumination, modulate illumination, alter the direction of illumination, etc.
US09342966B2	Determining a restricted apparatus with respect to a location A method and system for determining restricted apparatuses with respect to a location is provided. The method includes determining that a user is in possession of a restricted apparatus. A video based process and a global positioning system (GPS) based process is executed with respect to the restricted apparatus and a location associated with a user. Restrictions associated with the restricted apparatus with respect to the location associated with the user are determined based on results of the video based process and the GPS based process. The restrictions are presented to the user.
US09342965B2	Methods and apparatus for providing assistance services for large crowds In one example embodiment, a mobile computing device provides assistance services for visitors at events which involve large crowds and long distances. The mobile computing device may be used to read a unique identifier for a visitor from an identification token for the visitor. The mobile computing device may then send visitor location data for the current location of the visitor to a remote command center. The mobile computing device may then receive leader location data from the remote command center. The leader location data may identify a last known location for a leader of a group of visitors that includes the visitor. After receiving the leader location data, the mobile computing device may compute directions from the current location of the visitor to the last known location of the leader, and the mobile computing device may display those directions on a map. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09342964B2	Media item characterization A deposit module is described. The deposit module comprises: a port for receiving a bunch of media items; a bunch characterization device operable to characterize the bunch prior to individual media items being removed from the bunch of media items; and a media separator for removing individual media items from the bunch and for transporting the removed individual media items to a media item validator subsequent to characterization of the bunch of media items.
US09342958B2	Gaming device and method for providing player selection of modifiers to game components In one embodiment, the gaming device and method disclosed herein provides a player one or more modifiers to apply to different components or characteristics of a game. In one such embodiment, the gaming device enables a player to selectively apply or associate a plurality of modifiers to a single game component or apply the plurality of modifiers across the plurality of game components. For each game component with at least one applied modifier, the gaming device disclosed herein modifies said game component based on each applied modifier. The gaming device generates any awards based on any modified game components and any unmodified game components and provides any generated awards to the player.
US09342957B2	Gaming system, a method of gaming and an additional game controller A method of gaming comprising: determining which of a plurality of gaming devices, each operable for independent play of one or more games, are eligible for an additional game; initiating an additional game; and determining in response to initiation of the additional game, which eligible gaming devices will participate in the initiated additional game, the determination including a random determination in respect of at least one of the eligible gaming devices to determine whether the respective eligible gaming device will participate in the additional game.
US09342951B2	Wagering game establishment data import/export architecture A secure architecture can provide a wagering game establishment access to the utility and entertainment value of online social communities. An architecture that employs an internal entity that controls import and export of data (“import/export controller”) and an external entity that operates as a liaison (“data liaison”) between the import/export controller and one or more online social communities allows this access in a secure manner. The import/export controller and the data liaison handle data transmissions (e.g., data streams, data updates, etc.) between the secure entity and the one or more online social communities. The import/export controller applies rules that regulate import and export of data, and the data liaison allows the import/export controller to operate in obscurity. Funneling data transmissions through the import/export controller and the data liaison allows players to securely access an online social community from a wagering game machine while in a wagering game establishment.
US09342949B2	Gaming machine Highly entertaining games are provided. When a trigger condition is established in a normal game, the following processes are executed: a process of shifting to a bonus game in which a re-trigger condition which is less stringent than the trigger condition may be established; a process of executing a free game at least once in the bonus game; and a process of increasing the number of times of execution of the free game in the bonus game, when the re-trigger condition is established in the bonus game.
US09342948B2	Head tracking in community wagering games Some embodiments include a method for conducting a multi-player wagering game. The method can include determining, by at least on processor, a head position of a player of the multi-player wagering game. The method can also include determining, based on the head position, a viewable portion of a virtual object used in the multi-player wagering game, and causing presentation of the viewable portion of the virtual object.
US09342923B2	Systems and methods for creating a three-dimensional texture atlas Systems and methods for reducing the amount of texture cache memory needed to store a texture atlas by using uniquely grouped refined triangles to create each texture atlas.
US09342918B2	System and method for using indirect texturing to efficiently simulate and image surface coatings and other effects Water surface and other effects are efficiently simulated to provide real time or near real time imaging on low-capacity computer graphics computation platforms. Water and other surfaces are modeled using multiple independent layers can be dynamically adjusted in response to real time events. The number of layers used in a given area can be adjusted to reduce computational loading as needed. Different algorithms can be employed on different layers to give different effects. The multiple layer modeling is preferably converted to polygons using an adaptive polygon mesh generator based on camera location and direction in the 3D world to provide automatic level of detailing and generating a minimal number of polygons. The visual effects of water droplets and other coatings on see-through surfaces can be modeled and provided using indirect texturing.
US09342917B2	Network based 3D design and collaboration In some embodiments, a system and/or method may include accessing three-dimensional (3D) imaging software on a remote server. The method may include accessing over a network a 3D imaging software package on a remote server using a first system. The method may include assessing, using the remote server, a capability of the first system to execute the 3D imaging software package. The method may include displaying an output of the 3D imaging software using the first system based upon the assessed capabilities of the first system. In some embodiments, the method may include executing a first portion of the 3D imaging software using the remote server based upon the assessed capabilities of the first system. In some embodiments, the method may include executing a second portion of the 3D imaging software using the first system based upon the assessed capabilities of the first system.
US09342910B2	Systems, processes, and computer program products for creating geo-location-based visual designs and arrangements originating from geo-location-based imagery Systems, processes, and computer program products for creating visual designs and arrangements that originate from an image or images are provided. In particular, the present subject matter relates to systems, processes, and computer program products for taking captured images of an intended operating environment and creating visual designs that create visual confusion that can be utilized to disguise a recognizable form of a person or an object by breaking up its outline using portions, magnifications and distortions of a single captured image, portions, magnifications and distortions of multiple captured images, and/or disruptive patterns that can projected on an image screen or can be printed on a material.
US09342903B2	Method for generating image for PET attenuation correction from MR image and computer program When an image for PET attenuation correction is generated from an MR image, the MR image captured by MRI is segmented into regions according to pixel values. In a region in which a radiation attenuation coefficient is considered to be uniform, a radiation attenuation correction value is determined by referring to an existing radiation attenuation correction value table. In a region including multiple tissues having different radiation attenuation coefficients, a radiation attenuation correction value is determined by referring to a standard image. In such a manner, an image for PET attenuation correction in which tissues having similar pixel values in the MR image but different attenuation coefficients for radiation can be distinguished and that can accommodate individual differences and an affected area such as a space occupying lesion (for example, a cancer, abscess, or the like) and an organic defect is generated.
US09342902B2	Method and apparatus for improving image reconstruction speed Disclosed are a method and apparatus for improving image reconstruction speed, to improve the image reconstruction speed by acquiring optimal thread configurations of execution units under different scanning conditions. The method includes: acquiring scanning data and extracting an image-construction parameter from the scanning data; generating thread configurations each comprising the numbers of threads in respective image reconstruction execution units, and obtaining image reconstruction speeds corresponding to the thread configurations by performing image reconstruction on the scanning data with the thread configurations; and obtaining image reconstruction speeds meeting a preset condition, grouping the thread configurations, which correspond to the image reconstruction speeds meeting the preset condition, into a candidate set, and extracting a thread configuration from the candidate set as an optimal thread configuration to be used in image reconstruction of the scanning data having the image-construction parameter.
US09342900B1	Distinguishing between stock keeping units using marker based methodology The disclosure includes a system and method for distinguishing between stock keeping units of similar appearance that vary in size. An image recognition application receives an image depicting a plurality of items, identifies each item in the image, generates a region of interest for each identified item in the image, determines a pixel dimension of the region of interest for each identified item, determines whether one of the identified items in the image is a reference marker with a stored physical dimension, determines a pixel-to-physical dimension ratio for the reference marker using the dimension in pixels and stored physical dimension of the reference marker, and determines a stock keeping unit identifier of each identified item in the image based on the pixel-to-physical dimension ratio and the pixel dimension of the region of interest for each identified item.
US09342892B2	Image binarization Systems and methods convert to binary an input image having pixels defining text and background. Thresholds are determined by which pixels in the input image and a corresponding blurred image will be defined as either binary black or binary white. Thresholds derive from grouped together neighboring pixels having pixels separated out that correspond to the background. For pixels of the input image defined as binary black and having corresponding pixels in the blurred image defined as binary black relative to their thresholds, those are set to black in the binary image, else they are set white. Techniques for devising thresholds, blurring images, grouping together pixels, statistical analysis, etc., typify the embodiments.
US09342890B2	Registering of a scene disintegrating into clusters with visualized clusters A method for optically scanning and measuring a scene by a three-dimensional (3D) measurement device in which multiple scans are generated to then be registered in a joint coordinate system of the scene. At first at least one cluster is generated from at least one scan, further scans are registered for test purposes in the coordinate system of the cluster, if specified quality criteria are fulfilled and the generated clusters are then joined, for which purpose clusters are selected, registered for test purposes and registering is confirmed if appropriate, wherein the clusters to be joined are visualized with an optional possibility for the user to intervene, for supporting the selection of clusters.
US09342886B2	Devices, methods, and apparatuses for homography evaluation involving a mobile device Components, methods, and apparatuses are provided that may be used to access information pertaining to a two-dimensional image of a three-dimensional object, to detect homography between said image of said three-dimensional object captured in said two-dimensional image indicative of said three-dimensional object and a reference object image and to determine whether said homography indicates pose suitable for image augmentation based, at least in part, on characteristics of an elliptically-shaped area that encompasses at least some of a plurality of inliers distributed in said two-dimensional image.
US09342885B2	Method of generating a multi-modality anatomical atlas Method of generating a multi-modality anatomical atlas. The method includes receiving first and second medical images of a region-of-interest (ROI) of a same individual. The first and second medical images are acquired by different first and second imaging modalities. The method includes generating first and second feature images based on the first and second medical images. The first and second feature images include a same designated anatomical feature of the ROI. The method includes determining a transformation function by registering the first and second feature images and applying the transformation function to the first and second medical images to register the medical images. The method includes generating a multi-modality anatomical atlas. The multi-modality atlas has the first and second medical images. The first and second medical images are first and second reference images. The multi-modality anatomical atlas includes an organ model that corresponds to an organ in the ROI.
US09342882B2	Methods and systems for determining the concentration of a contrast agent A method for determining a concentration of a contrast agent in imaging data includes calculating a pre-contrast attenuation map of a region of interest of a patient. Following an administering of a contrast agent to the patient, a post-contrast attenuation map of the region of interest of the patient is calculated. An increase in attenuation value is determined based on the pre-contrast attenuation map and the post-contrast attenuation map and a contrast agent concentration map is calculated for the region of interest based on the increase in attenuation value.
US09342874B2	Noise determination apparatus and method, and noise filter A technique for determining noise is provided that suppresses misrecognition of significant components in an image as noise in any image captured under any condition. A noise determination apparatus for determining noise in image data that is input in units of frames decomposes the image data into frequency components, samples a predetermined number of data pieces for low-frequency components that have relatively low frequencies and a predetermined number of data pieces for high-frequency components that have relatively high frequencies from the frequency components, and analyzes whether or not the image data includes an edge image, on the basis of a ratio of high-frequency data to low-frequency data.
US09342871B2	Scene motion correction in fused image systems Techniques to capture and fuse short- and long-exposure images of a scene from a stabilized image capture device are disclosed. More particularly, the disclosed techniques use not only individual pixel differences between co-captured short- and long-exposure images, but also the spatial structure of occluded regions in the long-exposure images (e.g., areas of the long-exposure image(s) exhibiting blur due to scene object motion). A novel device used to represent this feature of the long-exposure image is a “spatial difference map.” Spatial difference maps may be used to identify pixels in the short- and long-exposure images for fusion and, in one embodiment, may be used to identify pixels from the short-exposure image(s) to filter post-fusion so as to reduce visual discontinuities in the output image.
US09342866B2	Method, apparatus and computer program product for generating panorama images In accordance with an example embodiment a method and apparatus is provided. The method comprises facilitating receiving of a first image and a second image. The method also comprises facilitating receiving of location information of a movable object and generating a panorama image based on the first image, the second image and the location information of the movable object.
US09342861B2	Alternate viewpoint rendering Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for alternate viewpoint rendering. A first image and a set of pixel-shift values for the pixels in the first image are received. A portion of a second image is generated, the second image comprising a different viewpoint than a viewpoint of the first image. A first pixel from the set of pixels is selected based on the different viewpoint. A first destination pixel is identified for the first pixel in the second image based on a pixel-shift value from the set of pixel-shift values associated with the first pixel. A value of the first destination pixel is determined based on at least one of (a) a previously considered pixel from the set of pixels of the first image that is horizontally adjacent to the first pixel or (b) the pixel-shift value associated with the first pixel.
US09342852B1	Visual indicators for account access in a social network A method includes receiving login with a first identity. The first identity is associated with a first set of privileges. The reception of login with the first identity enables a first presentation of content associated with a first user account. The content is displayed on a page that has a visual indicator identifying the first user account. The method further includes receiving an interactive input in a location associated with the visual indicator. The received interaction input causes an identity selection menu to be generated on the page. When selection of a second identity other than the first identity is received, the method includes enabling a second set of privileges associated with the second identity. The reception of selection with the second identity enables a second presentation of content associated with a second user account.
US09342843B2	Integration of offline activity records and online data records A method of collecting and indexing data by appending a tracking identifier (generated directly or indirectly by a tracking company) into a data file, wherein the data file is acquired from a computer system operated by a user. The data file could be data collected by a form made available through a website hosted by a web server. Additional data collected from other sources (stored as a record), such as a computer system operated by an agent, would be associated with the collected data file by an inquiry management company. The collected data and associated records are forwarded to a computer system that tracks online users and visitors. The process can many computer collected data (other than the data file) about website activity with other activities that are independent of the website.
US09342839B2	Combining content with a search result Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for providing content. A search query is received. Search results responsive to the query are identified, including identifying a first search result in a top set of search results that is associated with a brand. Based at least in part on the query, one or more eligible content items are identified for delivery along with the search results responsive to the query. A determination is made as to when at least one of the eligible content items is associated with a same brand as the brand associated with the first search result. The first search result and one of the determined at least one eligible content items are combined into a combined content item and providing the combined content item as a search result responsive to the request.
US09342833B2	Method of aggregating business and social networks A method and system for facilitating relationships across multiple networks is described. The meta-network includes relationship information describing users, the networks to which such users belong, and the relationships that they have established within such networks. When a relationship is established in a network, it can be used to propagate relationships across any number of networks with the same or different users. The meta-network enhances the users' ability to search for information and manage their relationships across multiple networks. A user can search for other users according to one or more user-specified attributes. One or more users satisfying the user-specified attributes are identified, and a similarity measure may be determined for each of the identified users. A mapping interface is displayed to the user to enable the user to visually compare the identified users having a similarity measure within the displayed range. The mapping interface allows the user to invite one or more of the displayed users to establish a relationship with the user.
US09342830B2	Classifying open-loop and closed-loop payment cards based on optical character recognition A user captures an image of a payment card via a user computing device camera. An optical character recognition system receives the payment card image from the user computing device. The system performs optical character recognition and visual object recognition algorithms on the payment card image to extract text and visual objects from the payment card image, which are used by the system to identify a payment card type. The system may categorize the payment card as an open-loop card or a closed-loop card, or as a credit card or a non-credit card. In an example embodiment, the system allows or prohibits extracted financial account information from the payment card to be saved in the digital wallet account based on the determined payment card category. In another example embodiment, the system transmits an advisement to the user based on the determined payment card category.
US09342829B2	Systems and methods for mobile application, wearable application, transactional messaging, calling, digital multimedia capture and payment transactions Systems and method are disclosed for multimedia capture and encrypting using an ephemeral messaging and multimedia application associated with a digital device for secured payment by selecting as a first user input a haptic control for a particular type of multimedia content to be captured; interacting as a second user input with a touch display of the digital device by touching a touch display and holding a touch contact of a user finger or stylus for a predetermined time; capturing multimedia content based on the contact and sending a command to a sensor, of the digital device to capture video and starting a timer to determine a duration of the touch contact of the user with the touch display; and making a secured payment with the digital device.
US09342827B2	Pre-paid usage system for encoded information reading terminals A fleet management system for managing a fleet of encoded information reading (EIR) terminals can comprise one or more computers, a fleet management software module, and a payment processing software module in communication with the fleet management software module. The fleet management software module can be configured, responsive to receiving a customer initiated request, to generate an unlocking message upon processing a payment by the payment processing software module. The unlocking message can be provided by a bar code to be read by an EIR terminal, or by a bit stream to be transferred to an EIR terminal via network. Each EIR terminal can be configured to perform not more than a pre-defined number of EIR operations responsive to receiving the unlocking message.
US09342825B2	Software license and installation process management within an organization A software license and a software installation process are managed. A status of the license can be one of at least a third party reserved status, a requester reserved status, a requester allocated status, and an available status. A first module can be operative to change the status of the license from the third party reserved status to the requester allocated status in response to receiving a mode selection. The mode selection can correspond to one of one or more modes. The modes can comprise a reserve license mode, a remove reserve mode, a request license allocation mode, a return excess license to inventory mode, an ordering mode, and an add license to inventory mode. The first module can be operative in at least one of the modes.
US09342821B2	Virtual discussion threads for activities in a trusted network Managing discussion threads within an electronic communication system includes detecting that an electronic message sent from a sender to a first recipient is forwarded from the sender to a second recipient and, responsive to the detecting, identifying at least one electronic message related to the forwarded message exchanged between the sender and the second recipient as a virtual discussion thread. A client is notified of that the virtual discussion thread exists and is correlated with the electronic message from the sender. The virtual discussion thread is provided to the client of the first recipient.
US09342818B2	System and method for managing incoming and outgoing email messages A system and method for managing incoming email messages. A computing device operating an email client receives an incoming email message from an email server. A first time rule is applied to a time attribute in the email header. The email message is saved in a hidden folder when the time attribute satisfies the first time rule. A second time rule is applied to a current time. When the current time satisfies the second time rule, email messages in the hidden folder are moved to a folder that is accessible to the email client.
US09342813B2	Apparatus and method for displaying log information associated with a plurality of displayed contents The present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying log information, comprising: a receiving unit for receiving at least one content and correlation information; the correlation information including correlation that correlates each of a plurality of segments formed at a display and each of the at least one content outputted to the plurality of segments, an output unit for outputting the at least one content to the plurality of segments based on the correlation information; and a processor; wherein the processor is configured to generate the log information including segment information and content information, the log information representing content output history, the segment information identifying each of the plurality of segments, and the content information identifying each of the at least one content, extract part of the log information based on either of the segment information or the content information, and output the extracted log information.
US09342812B2	Taxonomy based database partitioning In one aspect of the invention, a memory is described for facilitating splitting data by taxonomy. The memory is accessed by an application program, and includes one or more top-level categories, where each top-level category comprises a subset of the items; and also includes a category group corresponding to at least one of the top-level categories and the subset of the items belonging to the top-level categories.
US09342808B2	Load balancing technique implemented in a data network device utilizing a data cache Techniques for implementing a load balanced server system are described which may be used for effecting electronic commerce over a data network. The system comprises a load balancing system and a plurality of servers in communication with the load balancing system. Each of the plurality of servers may include a respective data cache for storing state information relating to client session transactions conducted between the server and a particular client. The load balancing system can be configured to select, using a load balancing protocol, an available first server from the plurality of servers to process an initial packet received from a source device such as, for example, a client machine of a customer. The load balancing system can also configured to route subsequent packets received from the source device to the first server. Before generating its response, the first server may verify that the state information relating to a specific client session stored in the data cache is up-to-date. If the first server determines that the state information stored in the data cache is not up-to-date, then the first server may be configured to retrieve the desired up-to-date state information from a database which is configured to store all state information relating to client sessions which have been initiated with the server system.
US09342807B2	Management system, computer system, and method of providing information A management system includes a plurality of analyzers; and a computer system connected to the analyzers via a network, wherein each of the analyzers comprises: a data transmitter for transmitting data produced by the analyzer to the computer system via the network, and wherein the computer system includes a memory under control of a processor, the memory storing instructions enabling the processor to carry out operations, comprising: (a) receiving a plurality of data transmitted from the data transmitters of the plurality of analyzers; (b) generating an aggregate result used for determining a determination condition for making a determination as to whether or not a notification to a user of the analyzer is required based on the plurality of received data; and (c) outputting the aggregate result. A computer system and a method of providing information are also disclosed.
US09342802B2	System and method of tracking rate of change of social network activity associated with a digital object A system of tracking rate of change of social network activity associated with a digital object includes a change measurement module in communication with at least one social network database and a ranking module in communication with the change measurement module. The change measurement module measures a change in the level of social network activity associated with the digital object based on a first object value and a second object value. The first object value is based on a measurement of activity associated with the digital object in at least one social network at a first time, and the second object value is based on a measurement of activity at a second time. The ranking module ranks the digital object relative to at least one other digital object based on a score derived from a rate of change in social network activity.
US09342797B2	Systems and methods for the detection of implicit gestures Some embodiments provide systems and methods for enabling a learning implicit gesture control system for use by an occupant of a vehicle. The method includes identifying features received from a plurality of sensors and comparing the features to antecedent knowledge stored in memory. A system output action that corresponds to the features can then be provided in the form of a first vehicle output. The method further includes detecting a second vehicle output from the plurality of sensors and updating the antecedent knowledge to associate the system output action with the second vehicle output.
US09342794B2	Non-linear classification of text samples Non-linear classifiers and dimension reduction techniques may be applied to text classification. Non-linear classifiers such as random forest, Nyström/Fisher, and others, may be used to determine criteria usable to classify text into one of a plurality of categories. Dimension reduction techniques may also be used to reduce feature space size. Machine learning techniques may be used to develop criteria (e.g., trained models) that can be used to automatically classify text. Automatic classification rates may be improved and result in fewer numbers of text samples being unclassifiable or being incorrectly classified. User-generated content may be classified, in some embodiments.
US09342790B1	Cohort half life forecasting combination from a confident jury A forecasting cohort includes a first set of forecasting algorithms and a second set of forecasting algorithms. An initial confidence level and a half-life of each of the first set of forecasting algorithms and the second set of forecasting algorithms are determined. A half-life weight for each of the first set of forecasting algorithms and the second set of forecasting algorithms at a subsequent time are determined, such that the half-life weights decrease an effect of a forecasting algorithm as time elapses. A combined confidence level of the forecasting cohort at the subsequent time is determined and used to adjust resource usage.
US09342788B2	Polynomial method of constructing a non-deterministic (NP) turing machine A nondeterministic Turing machine (NTM) performs computations using a spatial binary enumeration system, a three-dimensional relation system, a simulated-human logic system, and a bijective-set memory system. The NTM may be used to perform a variety of computational tasks, such as multiple sequence alignment, factorization, and other nondeterministic polynomial algorithms in polynomial time. The NTM may be constructed by a deterministic Turing machine (DTM) using the four systems listed above.

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